Permission Slips

"No matter how I wake up feeling within myself and within my frame of mind—however my mental health is doing—it doesn't change the fact that we're tethered." -Adriel Booker

When the initial shock waves begin to settle after a job loss, a diagnosis, a relationship breakdown, a season of grief or intense change, or a jarring shift in faith or identity, we find ourselves in the crisis after the crisis—the aftermath of whatever it is that has splayed our hearts wide open. These lonely, liminal spaces between who we were and who we're becoming are disorienting and confusing. It can be hard to hold on to hope when our bearings feel illusive. 

In the exhausting tension between here and there where pain and confusion feel loud, Adriel Booker helps you perceive God's quiet kindness that has been there all along, hidden in plain sight on the underside of crisis, change, and all the spaces in between.

Adriel lights a candle in your darkness and companions you as you adjust to the low light and begin to apprehend the reality that you're already tethered to hope—even when you feel anything but.

Join us for this conversation about navigating the liminal spaces between where you are and where you are going—and how to practice self-compassion as God meets you with kindness along the way. We talk about things like:

• How metaphors can give us language to help us name where we are 
• Redefining liminal spaces as thresholds of transformation
• Permission to practice self-compassion rooted in God's compassion
• Adriel's process of writing 'Tethered to Hope' during personal struggles
• Exploring God's maternal heart and hope as an umbilical cord
• Navigating doubt, deconstruction, and spiritual redefinition as normal parts of the faith journey
• The reality that we are already tethered to hope—we don't have to do a thing

Adriel Booker is a writer, speaker, and curator who believes the best things in life happen while gathered around the table. She lives with her family among the gum trees and sea breezes of a small town on Ngarrindjeri Country in the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, where they own and operate a vintage café, guesthouse, and coworking studio for creatives. Adriel is the author of Grace Like Scarlett, writes at The Foundry on Substack, and can also be found @adrielbooker and AdrielBooker.com.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Get your copy of Tethered to Hope at https://adrielbooker.com/books/.
• Connect with Adriel on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/adrielbooker/, on Substack at https://adrielbooker.substack.com/ or on her website at adrielbooker.com.
• Grab your free Gentle Framework reflection guide to help you practice self-compassion: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/gentleframework.

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

"You're allowed to experiment and play and have fun because otherwise what is the point?" -Karla Peters

I met Karla a few years ago when I was looking for someone to help me figure out how to show up consistently online. Her whimsical and effective approach to brand design helped me to not only think more deeply about the work I wanted to do, but she also gave me permission to be myself as I created something new. We all need someone like Karla in our lives!

Join us for this conversation about the evolution of Karla's business—and her identity—as a creative entrepreneur, how she helps people map their inspired ideas by identifying the "minimum viable magic", and the ways we can all benefit from collaborating with someone who is not us.

Join us as we talk about:

• Why we often need to pay someone to help us see ourselves—and our brand—more clearly
• How to use idea mapping (aka "creative cartography") to bring your inspired ideas to life
• Thinking through your minimum viable magic, or MVM, to make progress on your dreams
• Being honest about your emotional landscape before deciding how to move forward 
• The messy process of learning to collaborate with someone who is not the same as you—and seeing your differences as a good thing
• Ideas for how to give yourself space—and permission—to dream about different versions of what could be possible
• Pushing back on the pressure we feel to do things a certain way because that’s how other people have done them
• Practical ideas for how to nurture our creative ideas in the midst of full, busy lives
• Why sometimes quitting is just what we need to do—even if it’s just for a day

Karla Peters is a violinist, creative director, and the founder of The Inspired Foundry — a creative studio for brainstorming, building, and branding your inspired ideas. She’s built 150+ brands, toured internationally as a musician with her duo The OK Factor, and guided hundreds of creatives toward their next evolution through branding, coaching, and honest conversations about what it really takes to bring ideas to life.

She lives in Minnesota in a tiny 300-square-foot apartment, once owned a 246-year-old violin, and is a wannabe cheesemonger who believes good bread and better questions can solve almost anything.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Follow Karla Peters on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredfoundry/ or sign up for her newsletter - https://theinspiredfoundry.myflodesk.com/goodidea
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://a.co/d/0cepneik
• The OK Factor on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0qPvnnO0TLLOwFRjFZbIlv?si=pdjBdUAJTkCeh5XUVBStjA
• Made for More Mastermind - https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/madeformorewaitlist
• Learn more about coaching - https://jilliandebritz.com/coaching/

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

"I decided that I couldn’t wait for perfect conditions to start my day out with hope." —Jennifer Dukes Lee

Would you consider yourself a morning person? Best-selling author and morning evangelist, Jennifer Dukes Lee, says you are! Join us for this conversation about her latest book, How to Love Your Morning: Faith-Filled Habits to Build a Life of Joy and Purpose One Day at a Time. No matter how you feel about mornings, Jennifer offers practical ideas and gentle invitations to begin each new day with hope, in a way that makes room for your unique personality, preferences, and season of life.

Listen to this conversation as we talk about:

• Jennifer’s faith journey from doubt as a “wannabeliever” to interrogating Scripture in a way that grew an authentic faith
• What she learned from studying over 200 mornings in the Bible—including the very first act of creation!
• Why we don't need pressure to be more productive in the mornings
• Breaking out of the box of our expectations for what a “quiet time” should look like
• Real, simple, accessible practices that help your morning start off on the right foot 
• Freedom to be yourself as you approach your mornings in a way that works for your personality archetype
• Practical ideas for starting your day in a way that is meaningful to you—in whatever season you find yourself
• Invitations to experiment with creative rhythms and rituals that work for you
• Why we can’t wait for perfect conditions to be purposeful about how we start our days

Jennifer Dukes Lee is a bestselling author, speaker, and morning evangelist from Iowa. She is the author of several books, including Growing Slow, It’s All Under Control, and Stuff I’d Only Tell God. She wants to live her life in such a way that you can’t help but want more of Jesus.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

How to Love Your Morning - https://jenniferdukeslee.com/how-to-love-your-morning/

How to Love Your Morning Bible Study - https://a.co/d/02RnGCux

Connect with Jennifer on her website at https://jenniferdukeslee.com/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdukeslee/.

Grab Jillian's free GENTLE guide with self-compassionate reflection prompts - https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/gentleframework

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

"So many experiences in our life where we resist the thing that’s going to set us free because it’s a little uncomfortable for a minute." —Mandy Arioto

Join me for this conversation with the MomCo Global president and CEO, Mandy Arioto, where we unpack what it means to "make it awkward" in friendships, motherhood, and leadership. 

Mandy Arioto is the president and CEO of MomCo Global and is widely known for her unique takes on evangelism, parenting and cultural issues. Through MomCo, which every year mobilizes millions of women and partners with tens of thousands of churches, Mandy serves as the voice of one of the most influential outreach organizations in the U.S. and around the world. She is the author of three books, the most recent being Have More Fun: How to Be Remarkable, Stop Feeling Stuck and Start Enjoying Life. An avid rock climber, Mandy and her husband, Joe, live in Denver, Colorado, with their three kids.

Looking for a way to connect with other moms? Share this podcast, then grab coffee to talk about these questions:

• Mandy talked about how transformative being a mom is—in areas like your body, your role in the world, and your legacy. How has being a mom transformed you?
• What parts of your life as a mom feel unseen or unacknowledged? What might change if you believed that you are seen, by your kids, neighbors, and by God?
• Have you ever experienced an awkward moment that helped you connect with someone else? On the other hand, what keeps you from pushing through the awkwardness?
• When in your life have you been able to show up as you are, even if it meant crying snotty tears? What was that like for you?
• What sounds fun to you this summer? What’s one new thing you want to try in the next couple weeks to change things up?

Connect with Mandy or the MomCo:

• How to Have More Fun - https://a.co/d/04UB0neG
• Learn more about the MomCo - https://www.themom.co/home
• The Mandy Show - https://www.youtube.com/@the_mandy_show
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mandyarioto/

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

No matter who you are, there are weights you carry that you didn’t choose. Whether the pain is personal or global, there is no denying that being alive can bring a heaviness that will knock us off-balance if we let it.

That’s why we need counterweights. We need practices that allow us to take hold of the beauty that already exists right here in our everyday lives.

Life is hard, yes. And it’s also beautiful.

This conversation with bestselling author, Shannan Martin, felt like a counterweight to me. She is living proof that it’s possible to live open-hearted in a world where it often feels too painful to care. She reminds us that we have agency to love our own lives, shows us how to honor our grief, and invites us to pay attention to the “heavy goodness” that will keep us upright.

Some of the highlights from this episode include:

• How to find counterweights that balance out the heaviness that comes with being alive
• Why it's essential to embrace both joy and sadness honestly—beyond simply writing a gratitude list
• Tangible ideas to help you pay attention to the beauty and goodness that are already present
• The importance of noticing what we need and also witnessing the ways we care for ourselves
• Practical ideas for finding our own counterweights that also help us know ourselves better
• Permission to create a life you love—because no one else can love it for you!

Shannan Martin is the bestselling author of several books, including Start with Hello, The Ministry of Ordinary Places, and the popular Substack The Soup. Shannan is a wannabe gardener, a news geek, a fighter for justice, and a thrift store stalker. She and her family live as grateful neighbors in Goshen, Indiana, where Shannan is on staff at the local community kitchen. 

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

Order your copy of Counterweights (and find info about her book tour and her other books!) on Shannan’s website -  shannanmartin.com 

Find Shannan on her Substack, “The Soup” - https://www.shannanmartin.com/newsletter

Connect Shannan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shannanwrites/

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

"Good vine dressers don't pay much attention to the fruit…they pay attention to the health, the quality, and the vitality of the vine. And if you pay attention to those things, quality fruit will emerge." —Bette Dickinson

What if your measure of success isn't based on how productive you are, but on your long-term health and flourishing? How can you push back against a culture that over-emphasizes external metrics, and instead tend to your internal well-being? If you are a leader who cares for others, or if you're struggling with burnout yourself, this conversation is for you.

Artist and author Bette Dickinson shares about her six-year journey through the vineyard, where she learned firsthand how a real vinedresser cares for the health and sustainable growth of his vines. In 2021, she founded Awakening the Soul, a ministry that creates resources and experiences to awaken the souls of ministry leaders through beauty and wonder.

Join us as we talk about things like:

• The essential role of beauty in our spiritual journey—and in our healing
• How embracing our true identity might actually protect us from burnout
• The contrast between value systems that are driven by productivity vs. human flourishing 
• Why seasons of dormancy and pruning are necessary for long-term health and growth
• The courage and faith required to prioritize people over productivity
• Practical steps for leaders who want to shift their organizational culture
• Resources for those who want to tend to the roots of their own soul

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Art of Vinemaking is a movement of spiritual formation rooted in the rhythms of creation. Companioning the book:

ONLINE COURSES | GUIDED COHORTS | RETREATS

• Learn more at www.theartofvinemaking.com
• Order the book here: https://www.bettedickinson.com/shop/p/artofvinemaking

You can also connect with Bette on:

• Substack: https://bettedickinson.substack.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bette_dickinson/

Rare Leadership in the Workplace by Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder - https://a.co/d/0bB0Kezj

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

“Learning to try softer is the work of learning to pay compassionate attention to our mind, body, and soul.” —Aundi Kolber

When I think about the people whose work in the world has most impacted my life, Aundi Kolber is at the top of my list! Her writing has provided me with compassionate language that allowed me to participate in my own healing with greater courage. 

But here's the thing—Aundi doesn't just know about healing, she is living proof that it's possible, and that wholeness is worth fighting for.

I'm honored to share this conversation about what it means to try softer, honor our stories, and keep practicing the work of giving and receiving compassion. Join us as we talk about things like:

• Aundi's story of trauma, white-knuckling, and her unexpected path to healing
• Recognizing the impact of our culture, even if we don't experience big "T" trauma
• Learning to try softer—and why we will never graduate
• Ways that our faith experiences might influence our sense of safety
• How our window of tolerance helps us to stay with ourselves
• Practical ideas for interrupting shame with compassion 

Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC) and the best-selling author of the critically acclaimed books Try Softer,™️ Strong like Water, and Take What You Need. She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. Aundi has appeared on Good Morning America, regularly speaks at national events, and is a frequent podcast guest. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain.

Resources from this episode:

Aundi's books:

• Try Softer - https://a.co/d/0gVPhVGd
• Try Softer Guided Journey -  https://a.co/d/02oU9eXF
• Strong Like Water - v=https://a.co/d/09yYsSon
• Strong Like Water Guided Journey - https://a.co/d/0i8f8A4F
• Take What You Need - https://a.co/d/0i6F5OKI

Connect with Aundi on her website - https://aundikolber.com/ or on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aundikolber/

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

Kandice and I have been friends for over 15 years, and it’s no exaggeration to say that our friendship has changed the trajectory of my life. Along with our other dear friend, Stephanie, we learned to practice vulnerability together as we created intentional spaces to explore who each of us was made to be.

Join us for a conversation about our friendship journey as we discovered how to name the gifts we saw in each other, hold one another’s pain, and help each other see ourselves more clearly. We talk about how Kandice's pursuit helped our friendship to grow, the book that brought us together, and the creative ways we used our gifts together for the good of others—even when it came at a high cost.

Our hope is that as you listen, you’ll begin to imagine how you might be able to cultivate deeper, more intentional friendships in your own life. The world needs what only you can give—and you’re not meant to do it alone!
 

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

Connect with Kandice on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kandicehalferty/

Anchor School - https://anchortacoma.org/anchorschool

Spiritual Formation Cohort - https://anchortacoma.org/spiritual-formation-cohort

Episode 20: Delight, Unraveling, and the Stages of Faith | Susan Bouterse - https://www.podcastics.com/episode/387596/link/

Rebekah Lyons, Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Life of Meaning

 - https://a.co/d/07y20ThH

Bryan Halferty, Terrible Beauty: A Story of Calling, Breaking, and the Unmaking that Made Me

 - https://a.co/d/0iqgzeTq

Interested in the Made for More Mastermind? Join the waitlist to get more info! https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/madeformoreinfo

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

Of all the amazing guests I’ve hosted on the podcast, this one is my all-time favorite! Corey DeBritz is a brilliant strategist, innovative dreamer, and servant-hearted leader—who also happens to be my husband.

I invited Corey to join me for a conversation about friendship and teamwork in marriage, and the brave man said yes! Starting when we first met, we traced the threads of our story from friendship to “hanging out intentionally” and eventually marriage. We talk about what it looked like to dream and partner together before kids, what we learned the hard way about setting boundaries, and how our roles have shifted in different seasons of life. We even share about one of our proudest, most challenging, and most costly accomplishments in our lives—and how it impacted both our physical and mental health.

I hope this conversation expands your imagination for what it could look like to support the people in your life as they become the fullest, most authentic versions of themselves! 

Listen as we talk about things like:

• How Corey fell in love with me (and why it took him so long)
• How we learned the hard way about the need to set boundaries
• The impact of stress on both our physical and mental health
• My identity crisis that came from becoming a stay-at-home-mom
• Thoughts about who does what in marriage—and why our values matter
• Redefining what we each need in different seasons
• Supporting each other’s dreams, even when it’s costly
• God’s design for mutual submission and sacrificial love
• How we want to respond when—not if—things go sideways

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:

Washington Family Ranch - A Young Life Camp https://washingtonfamilyranch.younglife.org/

Learn about coaching with Jillian at https://jilliandebritz.com/coaching/

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!

 "I wouldn’t have become who I am right now without you guys." —Michélle Konson

I met Jenni LaBrie and Michélle Konson only a year and a half ago at the Write to Publish conference, where we all showed up alone with the hope of finding direction in each of our writing lives. We came with the dream of getting published, and left with something even better—dear friends who help us imagine more beauty than we could ever create on our own.

Almost exactly one year into launching this podcast, I'm thrilled to bring these treasured friends back to talk about how we cultivated such a meaningful friendship, what it looks like to continually choose vulnerability, and how our belief in one another expands our capacity to dream about what's possible for each one of us.

I hope this conversation with Michélle and Jenni will help you imagine how you might be able to nourish deeper friendships in your life. Because if we're going to create anything brave or beautiful in the world, we can't do it alone.

Join us for this vulnerable conversation about friendship, including:

• Why building friendship requires risk and intentionality
• Creative ideas for connecting with friends, even during busy seasons
• How vulnerability has played a pivotal role in deepening our connection
• The role we've played in one another's creative journeys—and the joy of holding each other's dreams
• Honest confessions about the messiness that comes with raw, real friendship
• How practicing vulnerability together allows us to become our true selves

Michélle Konson is a writer, speaker, and Story Work guide who helps people explore how their past shapes the way they show up in their lives and relationships. She is the creator of the Untangling Your Story journal, and her work is deeply shaped by the belief that creativity and healing are rarely formed alone. Vulnerable and intentional friendships have been central to her own creative journey and to the way she lives a more fully connected life. 

Reach out to Michélle Konson about speaking at your event on her website at https://www.michellekonson.com/

Get your copy of Michélle's powerful Untangling Your Story journal https://www.michellekonson.com/journal

Connect with Michelle on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/michellekonson/ 

Jenni LaBrie is a visual synthesist, writer, and speaker helping messages stick with powerful words, visuals, & voice. She has a gift for distilling thoughts to their purest essence—and then making them visible and shareable. Former teacher turned creative entrepreneur, Jenni lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and three kids, where soft pants reign supreme and washing her hair once a week feels like a win.

Connect with Jenni LaBrie or get more info about speaking on her website at https://www.jennilabrie.com/

Grab one of Jenni’s freebies to learn how to sketchnote! https://www.jennilabrie.com/freebies

Find Jenni on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jennilabrie/  

Previous episodes of Permission Slips with Michélle and Jenni:

Listen to Episode 2: Embracing Your Story with Kindness | Michélle Konson

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/350621/link/

Episode 3: Finding Space to Dream Again | Jenni LaBrie

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/350766/link/

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STAY CONNECTED

• Connect with Jillian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliandebritz/
• Want to reach out to Jillian about speaking or coaching? Learn more on her website: https://jilliandebritz.com/
• Sign up for the monthly Permission Slips email newsletter: https://jilliandebritz.myflodesk.com/subscribe
• Subscribe to Permission Slips on Substack: https://substack.com/@jilliandebritz
• Be sure to subscribe to Permission Slips so you never miss an episode, and please share or review this podcast to help others find it!