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What if you could keep your high standards as a mom and lose the constant pressure that says you’re never enough? That’s the promise of a research-backed shift from perfectionism’s heavy “concerns” to its healthy “strivings,” and it can change the way you parent—and how you feel—starting today.

In this episode, I show you how to protect the part of you that wants to grow while refusing the self-criticism that steals joy. You’ll learn the telltale signs that you’ve crossed the line—like all-or-nothing thinking, deflecting praise, and chronic comparison—and get simple tools to reset your nervous system before you spiral. Then we put compassion to work, not as a slogan, but as a daily practice that fuels motivation without shame.

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Some seasons of life are meant to be intense—but temporary. We tell ourselves, I can do this for a little while, and we push through on adrenaline, determination, and grit. But what happens when that season doesn’t end?

In this episode, I talk about what happens when a sprint quietly becomes a marathon—and why the strategies that helped you survive short-term stress can actually start working against you over time. We’re not talking about changing your circumstances. We’re talking about changing how you’re running your race so you don’t burn out, shut down, or lose yourself in the process.

If you’ve been feeling more irritable, exhausted, emotionally flat, foggy, or like sleep doesn’t quite fix things anymore, this conversation will help you understand why—and what to do instead. I’ll walk you through how to recognize marathon mode, why self-care becomes non-negotiable (not indulgent), and how to make small, sustainable shifts that protect your energy, your nervous system, and your joy.

This episode is for any mom who is carrying a long season with courage—and needs permission, wisdom, and compassion to run it differently.

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We have two jobs as parents — loving and teaching — and most of us blur them together without realizing it. When you understand which job you're doing in the moment, everything shifts. Parenting becomes clearer, calmer, and so much more connected so that we can love our kids in the two ways our children need the most!

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If your home feels endlessly chaotic — toys everywhere, dishes piling up, laundry that never ends — and it leaves you feeling overstimulated, irritable, or ashamed, you’re not alone. In this episode, I break down why this experience has nothing to do with personal failure or not “handling it well enough,” and everything to do with how your nervous system responds to visual clutter, mental load, and chronic overstimulation. We’ll look at the neuroscience behind why mess feels so overwhelming (especially for moms), why your partner may genuinely experience the same space differently, and how your thoughts about the mess can either intensify shame or create relief. I’ll also walk you through practical, compassionate steps to protect your nervous system — without chasing perfection or tying your worth to clean countertops.

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When your inner critic gets loud, it doesn’t feel like a thought—it feels like reality.
It feels urgent, convincing, and personal.

In this episode of the Leadership Parenting Podcast, I’m breaking down why the inner critic gets so intense under pressure—and why trying to “argue with it” often makes things worse.

You’ll learn how nervous system activation gives the critic a microphone, why volume is not the same as truth, and how to use my RESET framework to come back to yourself with steadiness and leadership.

This isn’t about silencing your thoughts or forcing positivity.
It’s about learning how to recognize self-attack, reconnect with what you care about underneath it, and respond from your calm, grounded, adult self—even when things feel hard.

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Do you ever have a day when everything suddenly feels wrong?
Your mood dips, your thoughts darken, and even the smallest things feel overwhelming. I want you to know—there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not losing it, and you’re not going backward. You’re simply experiencing a state shift, and there are gentle ways to move through it. In today’s episode, I’m helping you understand what’s really happening inside you when you spiral into that heavy, negative place where everything feels wrong. We talk about how stress, pressure, and old patterns can shift the body, emotions, and thoughts into a “negative state,” and why nothing feels true or solvable from inside that space. Instead of trying to fix your life or make big decisions in that moment, I teach you how to shift your state gently—through presence, connection, movement, music, spirituality, and everyday grounding practices. You’ll learn the difference between preventative practices that keep you resilient and prescriptive tools you reach for when you’re already underwater. This episode will show you how to steady yourself with compassion and skill, not judgment.

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Do you ever find yourself feeling offended, hurt, or misunderstood — even by the people you love?
Welcome to the human experience.

In this episode, we’re exploring why offended feelings arise so quickly, why they feel so personal, and how insecure thinking quietly amplifies the emotional spiral.

You’ll learn how to understand offended feelings as indicator lights rather than emotional emergencies, how to broaden the story your brain creates under stress, and how to ground yourself in inner security—the deeper truth that you are whole, valuable, and wise.

Whether you’re navigating hurtful comments, unreturned texts, complicated in-law dynamics, or just regular relational friction, this episode will help you reclaim your peace, clarity, and emotional leadership.

This is one of those episodes that will change the way you see your relationships — and yourself.

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In this episode of the Leadership Parenting Podcast, I’m talking about something almost every mom experiences but rarely feels safe admitting: moments when your emotions feel so big that you wonder, “What is wrong with me?”

I explain why this happens from a nervous system perspective, how chronic stress and emotional load shrink our ability to regulate, and why big emotions are not a sign of weakness — they are actually your body’s stress signature calling for care, safety, and compassion.

Then I guide you through a simple, science-backed 3-step reset you can use anywhere — in your kitchen, your car, your bathroom, or your bed — to bring yourself out of emotional overwhelm and back into calm, grounded presence.

This episode is for any mom who feels like she’s carrying too much, feeling too much, and trying too hard to “hold it together.” You are not broken. You are overloaded. And this episode will show you how to meet yourself with gentleness instead of judgment

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In this episode, I’m talking about the kind of fresh start we actually need as moms—not a giant life overhaul, but a few small, intentional habits that truly support the mom we want to be. Instead of calling our patterns “bad habits” and shaming ourselves, I walk you through a gentler, brain-based way to work with your habits so they align with your body, your heart, and your relationships in this new year.

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In this episode, I share a gentle message for the night before anything important—a wedding, a holiday, a celebration, or any meaningful day we’ve worked so hard to create. I walk you through how our nervous system reacts before big moments, why things feel so intense, and how anchoring yourself in the deeper meaning shifts everything. I share the story of my daughter’s wedding crisis, the science of cognitive appraisal and positive emotion, and simple practices to help you enjoy tomorrow with presence, calm, and connection.

If you'd like to get the show notes for this episode, head to:

https://leighgermann.com