Mom on Purpose

Ep 39: Behind the Curtain of Autism & PDA

April is World Autism Awareness Month and for Lara, it's deeply personal. It's estimated that one in forty-four kids has Autistic Syndrome Disorder. In the last two decades alone, autism numbers have tripled. It might seem like a fad diagnosis, but Lara's here to set the record straight. In this very special episode, she opens up about the hardships, challenges, and fears her family has worked through while raising a child with autism and PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance). Chances are, this is a reality for someone you know, but you might not really be aware of the unique demands it has on them. Hearing what they experience within their walls will open awareness in your own life.

This episode is for you if:

• You've ever judged another parent for having a picky eaterYou know someone with an autistic kid and or a very "difficult kid," and they don't feel like they're a really good friend
• You've had the thought, "if only they were more consistent or took the device away"
• You've ever had the thought when you're out, like, "That person's pretty quirky or they're kind of weird," thinking something is off about them

Lara is passionate about this because she's living it. She knows how much you care, so take all her tips, learn from them, apply them, and see just how much you can feel connection even during challenging times with your children.

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 38: Goals are Just Decisions in Disguise Part 2

In today's Part Two of "Goals Are Really Just Decisions in Disguise," Lara's diving in with a solid, actionable plan that you can incorporate today (for anything you are reaching toward). The decision-making cycle will help you step out of the emotions that hinder your decisions, help you take an objective view of the negative stories you might have. It's about getting clear so that you can troubleshoot ahead of time. Listen in as Lara shares the four steps in the decision-making cycle that just might change how you see the G-word.

This episode if for you if:

• You try to avoid failure and increase your successes
• You are "always trying to do it right" so you don't waste your time, money, or energy
• You start working toward a goal, but after a couple of weeks, it suddenly becomes too hard and you are just ready to give up, telling yourself you didn't really want that
• Other people think you are reaching goals, but you don't think you are doing a good job at it
• At the very end of reaching a goal, you're desperate for a break and don't even want to think about reaching goals

If you're struggling with making decisions, with keeping commitments to yourself, it just means you need to tweak some things in your brain a bit. Lara's decision-making cycle tool is a fantastic framework to help you do that. If you want to take things deeper and personalize it to your own thoughts and behaviors, go ahead and book a free consult with Lara. You won't regret it.

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Busy Moms' Book Club: The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman

In today's bonus Busy Mom's Book Club episode, Lara is sharing her insights on the book, The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman. As moms, we are inundated with decisions to make, from the simple things like feeding our kids the right foods all the way up to making the best educational choices. If you're overwhelmed and uncertain, this book might be just the one you need.

This Episode is For You If:

• You spend a lot of time dwelling on, thinking about, or praying to know the right decision to make
• You love to research things when you are trying to make the "right" decision or a good decision, looking for answers from the experts
• You've ever had the thought that you should be better at something. Like you should be further along, or you should be good at something
• You've ever made a pro or con list (in the middle of the night, even)

Featured on the Show: 

• The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions  Emily P. Freeman
• Joshua Becker
• Mark 10
• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PHD.

Every month, The Busy Moms' Book Club meets virtually over Zoom. You do not have to read the book to join. I read the book, then will teach it to you and how to apply it.

It's the best because you can get ALL the goodness books have to offer in an hour. Because we all know you loved Cliff Notes for your book reports as a kid 😉

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 37: Goals are Just Decisions in Disguise Part 1

"I'm going to make it happen this time."

"Goals are useless."

"I don't even bother because I'll never be able to do it anyway."

Do any of those sound like things you've said before? In today's episode, Lara is guiding us into the mindset behind goals and how we can learn to recognize the patterns that got us where we are today. She even walks us through a small exercise to connect with our emotional response to the word "goal."

When it comes down to it, a goal is just a decision to do something. And when we can begin to understand our beliefs about the goal, we're better equipped to make the best decision. Join Lara to begin that discovery today.

This Episode is For You If:

• When you say the word "goals," you have a physical reaction to it
• If you find your body so triggered that you don't want to set any goals, because you have so much experience with not committing.
• If you find yourself really determined, really ready to grind, with the idea that "this time will be different"
• You find yourself shrinking away from the word "goals," and thinking you aren't good enough

Featured on the Show: 

Life Coach School

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 36: The Benefits of the What If Game

You've read all the books, talked to tons of people, and consumed every parenting article out there. And instead of feeling better, worry takes over as your brain swirls with questions and self-criticism. 

But, what if that what-if game could work for your benefit? Today, Lara's going to walk you through a method for facing worry head-on. It all starts with recognizing what is in our control vs. what's out of our control. When we lean in and really feel the difference, we're going to see just how much is possible… in a good way.

This Episode is For You If:

• You've ever worried nonstop about your kids, your house, your marriage, but you're not actually acting on anything
• You worry that one parenting moment, or mistake, is going to affect their entire future
• You have specific hopes and goals for your child, but you can't figure out how to get them there
• You read a lot of articles and books, talk to people, and look up the research, and it just spins and spins in your head

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 35 Clean Pain vs. Dirty Pain

As humans, we've got a lot of emotions and big feelings about things, and they aren't always good. It's painful to feel uncomfortable, angry, resentful, guilty. But there's something even worse: adding shame on top of it all.

In today's episode, Lara talks about clean pain vs. dirty pain, and how we can choose which one to deal with. It comes down to the negative thoughts and whether you're going to let yourself talk to you that way anymore.

If you think you're not enough, too slow, too much, need to get better, then Lara's three steps will help you clarify whether those thoughts are true or not.

This Episode is For You If:

• You ever have the thought you should be doing more or you should be doing something better, or you should be further along
• You think, "Why can't I just be better, do better, act better…"
•  You're holding back from your goals because you have a fear of failure, of rejection, of feeling bad

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 34: Motherhood Mindset Shifts

Bringing little humans into the world bears with it the heavy realization that we're responsible for making sure they grow up with the right skills, values, and lessons to be good adults. It's a thought that can literally keep us up at night. 

Over the years, Lara's learned that while we do need to teach our young ones, we're also still humans living a human experience. In today's episode, she shares three powerful, yet subtle, mindset shifts of motherhood that will hopefully bring things back to center and bring a little peace to your heart.

This Episode is For You If: 

• You've ever felt an urgency to fill your kids up with all the important lessons as soon as you can 
• You feel burdened by the responsibility of ensuring they become good humans in the world 
• You feel a lot of guilt about not being good enough, making mistakes, or not showing up the way you intend  

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 33 Coaching, Therapy, Meds and More

Mental health carries a lot of weight, stigma, and embarrassment that prevents many from reaching out for the help they need. In today's special episode, Lara opens up about her own life of anxiety and depression. 

Drawing on her experiences as a child, mom, and wife, Lara is candid about the tools she's leaned into: therapy, medication, and life coaching (to name a few). And what began as thinking her faith wasn't strong enough has now turned into a deeper faith and a gratitude to God for the bounty of help. Maybe Lara's story can help you uncover the tools you need.

This episode is for you if ...

• You've ever wondered about the difference between therapy and coaching
• You're not sure if you should see a therapist or if you should get a coach
• You've had questions about whether or not you should take medicine
• You've had the thought, "Well, I've done therapy"
• Or the thought, "I don't feel like it's the right next step for me" 
• You also may be contemplating, "What should I do now?"
• You’ve ever prayed more, or feel like you need to have more faith, in order for the dark cloud that's over you to go away

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Ep 32 Client Success Story with Jenni Vicknair

Join Lara as she interviews a very special guest, Jenni Vicknair, about the challenges, a-ha moments, and effects that coaching has had on her life.  Through laughter and shared stories from their sessions, Lara and Jenni exemplify the beauty of coaching, of opening to Jesus’s guidance, and of becoming the best version of who you want to be. Listen in and find out just how powerful working with a coach can be.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The part of Jenni that she hadn't connected with in a long time and how Lara brought it into the open
• Why coaching is one of the best self-investments a mom can make
• Some of the advice and analogies that Lara used to help Jenni see the trickle-down effect that her growth was having on the family

Featured in this episode:

• Dave Ramsey / Financial Peace University
• Christy Whitaker Business Boutique

About Jenni:
Jenni Vicknair is a mom of three, a Christian, an entrepreneur, and a wife with a huge heart for helping families SIMPLIFY their lives. After sixteen years in the pharmaceutical industry and just as much time spent wasting money, eating out, and rushing about, she took the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and started changing her life, discovering a whole new mindset about what health, wellness, and self-care really mean. With Jesus leading the way and love at her core, Jenni helps others by showing them how to SIMPLIFY in ways that clear out the noise and open the way toward true physical, spiritual, and financial peace.

How to Connect with Jenni:

• Jenni Vicknair Instagram / contact

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/ 

Busy Moms' Book Club: Grit by Angela Duckworth

Talent isn't the answer. Effort is! In this month's book club pick, Grit by Angela Duckworth, we're learning about the true grit, real follow-through, and aligning with your core purpose. You don't have to be the smartest, savviest, or most talented in the room to achieve amazing things for your life. Join Lara in this month's Busy Moms' Book Club Bonus Episode and find out how to develop your grit and improve your future.

 Every month, The Busy Moms' Book Club meets virtually over Zoom. You do not have to read the book to join. I read the book, then will teach it to you and how to apply it.

It's the best because you can get ALL the goodness books have to offer in an hour. Because we all know you loved Cliff Notes for your book reports as a kid.

You'll know this episode is for you if ...

• You don’t consider yourself to be a very smart person
• You wonder what you should be doing with your life
• You worry how you’re going to teach your kids how to “work hard,” to get them moving and motivated
• You struggle with keeping your self-commitments

Featured in this episode:

• The Love Your Story Podcast with Lori Lee

Click HERE to watch this video to learn The 3 Things to Avoid When Reading Self-Help Books

How to Connect with Lara:

Web: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/j.lara.johnson/ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/larajohnsoncoaching 

Work with Lara: www.larajohnsoncoaching.com/work-with-me/