Do you remember the catch phrase 'YOLO'? My teenagers would use it when they wanted to do something risky or something I normally wouldn't let them do. But what if instead, it meant something more?

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we believe that we lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to this earth. We believe that we knew the plan and we knew that our mortal journey was going to be hard, but we wanted to come anyways!

Well what if 'You Only Live Once' meant embracing every part of our existence as humans- the good, the, bad, and the ugly? When we switch our mindset to 'this is what it's like to be human' everything suddenly becomes infinitely more beautiful. Have a listen for more ideas on how to do this, and give it a try!

In other news- I'm starting my first small group coaching program in January! Isn't that exciting?! This first group will be for parents who are struggling with their kids questioning the faith. You are not alone! DM me on Instagram here or send me an email at [email protected] for more information!

Thanks so much for listening and have a great week!

We know from the scriptures that we are created "that [we] might have joy." But, much like some of the most delicious recipes, feeling joy can sometimes take a little more effort on our part. Luckily, my recipe for joy only has four ingredients.

1. Presence- What are you experiencing in this very moment? What are you seeing? Hearing? Smelling? Feeling?

2. Gratitude- Think about all the small, beautiful blessings we are so lucky receive in this life. No matter how hard things seem right now, I promise they are there!

3. Love- How can you more fully love those around you, and how can you show that love?

4. Faith- Combine all ingredients and "bake it all in faith." Faith is what gives meaning and purpose to all of this.

So start gathering those ingredients, and notice where you need some more of any of them. Don't let joy just be a buzzword during these holidays! As President Nelson has said, "focusing on joy brings God's power into our lives." Let's do it together, shall we?

Additional references:

The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation by Russell M. Nelson

Days for Girls International- this is the website for the charity we did the service project for. Check them out!

One of the big worries that plague us as moms- am I enough? The answer is a bit confusing- yes and no. We can't be enough in this life. That is- we can't be possibly be perfect. But not being enough IS ENOUGH. As long as you're still trying, that is enough.

Here's the link to Elder Cornish's talk from October 2016 LDS General Conference- It's a good one!

One of our main jobs as a parent is to be a leader for our family. We want to guide, help, inspire, and be a cheerleader for our children! Today, we talk about how to become the leader we want to be.

Some of the best ways to do this are:

1. Leading by example (see Emotional Adulthood),

2. Having a clear vision, which we can then share with our children

3. Truly understanding and connecting with our children

4. Believe in them!

Luckily for us, we have the BEST example of leadership- our Savior Jesus Christ. With Him as our leader, and these four pillars, we CAN fulfill that leadership roll in our children's lives in a loving and effective way!

I think a lot of people would agree that one of the most frustrating parts of parenting is when your kids fight. My husband and I have tried countless things to eliminate contention in our home, some of which were downright ridiculous! But a lot of the times, I ended up getting frustrated and joining right in which, of course, didn't do anybody any good. Can you relate?

Luckily for us, it turns out kids being mean or fighting actually has nothing to do with us! And it doesn't have to dictate the way we are feeling at all. Instead, we can turn it into one of THE BEST learning tools for that child or other siblings. It can also be the perfect opportunity to connect and bond! Our families are like laboratories, and these challenges are how we learn to resolve conflict and interact with people. What better place to learn those things than a safe and loving environment?

Additional references:

Mosiah 4:14-15

Go to my Instagram or my website to sign up for a FREE 30 minute consultation for some extra one-on-one help for improving your relationships!

In Doctrine & Covenants 6:36, we are told to "doubt not, fear not." With everything we face in our lives, this commandment can seem easier said than done, or may even feel impossible at times. But what if I told you that we can CHOOSE to have faith that everything will work out?

In this episode we will explore how we can increase our faith to combat those fears and doubts that plague us every day. Mental illness, confusion of faith, contention- these are just a few of the challenges we may face ourselves, or watch our children and other loved ones struggle with. But if we build our foundation on Jesus Christ, and make a conscious effort to choose our thoughts, our faith can become bigger than our fear.

Additional references:

Helaman 5:12

2 Timothy 1:7

Doctrine & Covenants 123:17

In 2014, Elder David A. Bednar spoke to members of the church at Education Week at BYU.

He talked about using social media to flood the earth with goodness.

But we've seen that social media can also be harmful, especially to young people, when used carelessly.

How can we teach and train the rising generation to use this powerful tool in a way that blesses them and the world? I believe it starts with the way we as parents think about it.

If we think of social media as evil or destructive, we are going to be afraid of it. 

And we never do our best parenting from fear.

Listen in today as I offer you a new way to think about your teenager's relationship with social media.

Have you ever watched a baby cry and thought to yourself, "I can't belive that baby is crying! They're going to grow into an adult that whines and cries until people give them what they want." No? Then why do we do that with our teenagers?

In today's episode we talk about how most of the things our children- especially teens- do is completely normal, and actually means that they are growing and developing right on schedule! And that means it's not our job to control every aspect of their lives. Phew! Thank goodness for that right?

Instead, let's learn how to hold onto those relationships, so that when they are ready for some advice and direction, we'll be right there waiting with open arms.

Today (9/28/21) is the last day to enter my giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card! Share your favorite episode with one or more people that you love, and then comment on my posts here or DM me on Instagram to tell me about it!

A couple references from today's episode:

The Power of Positive Parenting by Glenn Latham

"Children learn to make good decisions by making decisions, not by following directions." -Alfie Kohn

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we are constantly striving to become. We want to become more patient, kind, or humble. We want to become a wonderful parent or a spiritual giant. We especially want to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ. But how do we do that?

In this week's episode we talk about universal truths. No matter what church you belong to, if any at all, every single person will be able to take these truths and apply them to their life. We talk about agency, individual worth, unconditional love, creating the results you want, and the idea that you can become anything you want to become. And you may be surprised to find that you have been learning these truths all along!

Make sure to listen for how gospel truths and life coaching intersect. And don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Quote by Dallin H. Oaks (October 2000 General Conference)

Related epsiodes: One Hundred Percent Lovable

Today we're talking about brain loops. You know... like when you're lying in your bed at night replaying the same thoughts over and over and over.

We'll talk about why your brain likes to do that, and how you can interrupt that cycle and find some peace.