Tired of the mental grind? This episode explains why gratitude isn't a feeling, it's an action—your essential anchor in life’s chaos. Host Eryn Foster shares the simple, two-minute "Morning Harvest" practice designed to intentionally rewire your brain, changing your perspective from focusing on the facts of your struggle to creating daily peace. Learn how consistency determines your altitude.

Next week: We confront the worries that lurk in the dark in Halloween - The Things That Go Bump in Our Heads.

In a world that never stops, host Eryn Foster dives into the crucial, often-forgotten difference between stopping and truly resting. He argues that we have become "professional stoppers," mistaking temporary halts for the deep, restorative pause our minds, bodies, and spirits desperately need.

Eryn shares his personal experience with the "false economy of busyness"—a cycle of running on empty, wearing exhaustion as a badge of honor, and mistaking burnout-induced collapse for genuine recovery. Drawing on wisdom from Thomas Merton, Shauna Niequist, and Dallas Willard ("Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life"), he challenges the notion that rest must be earned.

This episode introduces the practical antidote to the "tyranny of the urgent": the Daily Unplug. Eryn outlines the intent and discipline needed to reclaim your attention from the mental grind, offering a simple yet radical practice to quiet the inner critic and access the deep well of creative stillness. Discover why your rest is not a reward, but a necessity, and a "radical, powerful statement" in a world that demands your burnout.

This episode is a must-listen for the overwhelmed professional, the overbooked parent, or anyone who feels like they’re constantly running a race they didn't sign up for.

We live in a paradox: highly connected, yet deeply lonely. Eryn Foster, explores the crucial difference between the superficial noise of connection and the vulnerable, life-giving signal of community. We often sacrifice the shared table for a crowded life, but when we create margin for ourselves, we create space for the relationships that truly matter. This episode offers wisdom on building a community that lasts, not just clicking a button. Eryn shares the three essential roots of deep friendship—Vulnerability, Consistency, and Grace—and offers practical guidance on how to initiate, including the five-minute connection and why the greatest gift you can give a friend is your uninterrupted attention. Find your safe place and start building your shared table today.

Find Eryn on X (Twitter) at @erynfoster and on Facebook at In the Middle of All This or at [email protected]

Is your life crowded with commitments that drain you?

In this essential episode, Eryn Foster challenges the cultural badge of busyness, arguing that constantly saying "yes" to everything is actually a quiet, resentful "no" to your true priorities.

Drawing on wisdom from Seneca to Steve Jobs, Eryn explains the opportunity cost of your time and attention. You'll learn the difference between a full life (curated and purposeful) and a crowded life (stuffed with guilt), and why setting a boundary is the most powerful act of self-love.

Key takeaways:

• Protect Your Energy: Boundaries are your "fence posts," shifting your focus from time management to vital energy management.

• The Guilt-Free "No": Your self-worth is inherent, not earned through exhaustion. Stop tying your value to your usefulness.

• Practical Tools: Learn to use the "Pause and Pivot" and the "Hell Yes or No" Filter to create the margin needed for peace.

Stop letting others write your script. Say "no" to the wrong things to create the space to say an enthusiastic "yes" to what truly matters.

Follow Eryn on X (Twitter) @erynfoster and on Facebook at In the Middle of All This.

Are you constantly chasing the next goal—the promotion, the debt-free date, the "all figured out" life—only to feel restless when you get there? Host Eryn Foster admits he's been a life-long "destination driver," missing the view from the window as he races toward finish lines that turn out to be myths.

In this powerful episode, Eryn challenges the idea that happiness is a deferred reward. He explores how the relentless pursuit of an ultimate destination robs us of the only time we ever truly have: the present. Drawing on insights from Ferris Bueller, John Lennon, and C.S. Lewis, he makes the case that the "messy, wonderful life" unfolds on the road, not in the arrival.

Discover how to:

• Shift from a rigid "map" to a guiding "compass."

• Embrace the Theology of the Detour—and find peace in the chaos.

• Implement three practical steps to be present (including the "Single-Tasking Audit").

Stop fighting against the journey and realize that the person you become on the road is the whole point.

Are you tired of looking for the "perfect path"? This week, we talk about the difference between a road (a fixed map) and a compass (a true direction). Host Eryn Foster argues that creativity isn't a luxury; it's the compass that helps us navigate the "tangled forest" of life. Learn to use your anxiety, debt, or mistakes as raw material in your "messy workshop" and find purpose in small, daily acts of creation. Plus, three simple steps to start using your creative compass today.

Are you trapped by your own past efforts? Sometimes, the most courageous thing you can do is quit and intentionally start anew.

We're often victims of the sunk cost fallacy, letting pride chain us to failing jobs, projects, or relationships just because of the time and effort already invested.

In this powerful episode, Eryn Foster breaks down why starting over isn't failure—it's a strategic pivot. True courage isn't found in saving face; it's in choosing your peace over your pride.

Eryn shares his personal restarts and offers a roadmap for moving forward, covering:

• The difference between a challenge and a dead end.

• Why God’s new mercies are the ultimate daily "Start Over" button.

• How to execute an intimate relational pivot with a spouse or child.

You don't lose the lessons; you only lose the baggage. Discover the practical steps to grieve the loss, keep the lessons, and commit to the small, daily start that will lead you to a truer path.

Don't let the fear of a messy middle stop you from a worthy end. The new mercy is waiting.

Follow Eryn on X (Twitter), @erynfoster, or on Facebook at In the Middle of All This, and share your story of intentional retreat.

Life is chaos, so how do you find peace when your financial plans fall apart? In this episode, Eryn Foster tackles the messy intersection of money and mistakes, sharing stories like his $1,000 savings cushion instantly wiped out by car trouble, and the absurd demands of his Goldendoodle, Betsy, who sees your belongings as chew toys. He argues that a budget should be a flexible shield, not a rigid cage, and stresses the importance of vigilance (like checking your bank account daily) to protect yourself. Beyond discipline, Eryn encourages financial playfulness—finding joy in small, even absurd, indulgences—and the necessity of laughing at your financial fails (like his $1,200 yard disaster) so shame doesn't destroy your peace. Ultimately, it’s about practical diligence blended with the spiritual perspective that worry doesn't pay bills, but faith gives peace.

Sometimes the masks we wear protect us. Sometimes they hide us. Sometimes they’re the only thing keeping us going. In this episode, I dive into humor, spontaneity, and the playful little moments that let us survive, connect, and even thrive — all while navigating the hidden layers of who we are.

From laughing at ourselves in the kitchen to the lessons in movies and music like The Phantom of the Opera and Behind Blue Eyes to the faith-filled promise in Job 8:21 that God restores joy, this episode explores how authenticity, playfulness, and faith intersect in everyday life.

Tune in for stories, reflection, and reminders that being a little ridiculous isn’t just allowed — it’s holy.

Life gets heavy — grief, stress, bills, and everything in between. But in the middle of it all, God gave us laughter as medicine, connection, and survival. In this episode, we talk about why humor doesn’t just entertain us — it saves us. From awkward funeral slip-ups to dad jokes and Bible verses on joy, discover how laughter lightens the load and reminds us we’re not alone.