Plan Simple with Mia Moran

By Mia MoranBusiness Entrepreneurship Health & Fitness Mental Health Education Self-Improvement

Plan Simple with Mia Moran episodes

May 23, 2018 Get Past the Myths that Keep You Stuck
To really lead the lives that we desire and be the role models our kids deserve, we need to move past the myths that keep us stuck. I made the Flow Planner and developed the FLOW Planning Method, to help free ourselves of these myths.
MYTH #1 – I have to get work done first to create space and time for family. OR I have to be mom now and put my career on hold.
What if work is never feeling done because you feel incomplete? What if that incompleteness has nothing to do with work, but with your energy, your connection to one of your kids, your relationship with your spouse, your desire to go clothes shopping, or longing go to a yoga class.
If you are pulled towards mom, what if your incomplete feeling means you have something more you need to do on this planet?
We think we have to choose between work and family, but if we know that we can fit in both helps us be in FLOW.

MYTH #2 – If being busy at work leads to success, then busy at home will lead to success.
I fell into this myth. When Felix was little, we did things at every moment. By the time Perla came a long we couldn’t, but I got the advice that maybe that was a good thing. Being at home — cooking, digging, resting, and playing without entertaining is amazing for you and your kids.
When did busy become a status symbol? Not being busy at home is a really good thing.
Suggested resource: Simplicity Parenting and Kim John Payne on Plan Simple Meals

MYTH #3 – Being domestic means I’m not a good at my work, not a good CEO, not a real ladyboss.
This is something that is really embedded in our belief system, but I am not convinced it is true. We are always trying to prove ourselves as women. We get back to work as soon as we can after kids. We feel shame around working from home. But we should be proud of being able to raise our kids and run our busineses. Listen in to the podcast from Jenny Fenig who runs and amazing business and homeschools two of her 3 kids.
MYTH #4 – It is just a phase. It will all get better when ...
Yes, stuff changes in your life, but you need to give yourself permission to create the life you want now.
If you wait until your kids turn (fill in any age) or when you make more money, when you move, when the school year ends … you’ll find that when you get to that point, what you want will change. So that doesn’t really work.
You can start creating the life you want right now, wherever you are.

MYTH #5 – I just don’t have the time.
It takes time and practice to learn that this one isn’t true. There are people who have achieved amazing things who have the same amount of time as you and I do in our days. We choose how we want to spend our time. So let’s start choosing the things we want instead of putting them aside.
I love this quote from Alexia Vernon: “I’m not carrying around a story in my head that I’m busy, I don’t have enough time, that I’m unhappy. I’m choosing to bring the energy to everything of “I have time, I have space, this is what I have chosen, and thank you more please.”

Are you ready to let go of the story that you are too busy? Can you get past the other four myths?
How do we change things? How do we fit in the things that make a difference all the time, instead of some day.
I think it takes two parts: vision and a plan. We have to consistently recall both.
And remember that this is an ongoing process. This isn’t something that we are ever done with.
How can we spend our days loving the process?
An amazing life lives in loving the process. Here are 11 ideas to help you love the process:
Have a vision. Make sure your vision includes 4 categories: food and wellness, lifestyle and family, om (aka spirituality and downtime), and work. Take 15 minutes to write about what your life will look like in 10 years. It will be very different from where you are now, so it gives you a big picture view.
Based on where you want to be 10 years from now, create a 90 day plan. If you said that is 10 years you will be active and healthy., maybe over the next 90 days you implement a new food system or exercise routine. If you said that you will live in glass house on a lake, but you are currently living in an apartment in the city, then maybe you take a course on wealth building, or press go on a revenue stream you are sitting on, or spend the summer camping at different lakes to see what they are like. There is never one path!
I’m doing a workshop on creating your 90 day plan on May 30.
Get it out of your head.
Write it all down. I call this the Master List. These are ALL the things you have in your head that you are trying to remember. Just do a 10-minute brain dump. If your dump is all work, or all household tasks, try to add from the other FLOW categories for 4 extra minutes.

Batch and time block.
Time blocking means setting chunks of time aside to do certain categories of tasks — work time, family time, meal prep time, downtime, exercise time, marketing time, money time, etc. Sometimes I do this weekly, but I try to stay consistent for a month or season with only small tweaks.
Batching means doing like tasks in in a row. On the work front, I spend a week once a month creating content. I check and respond to email all at once twice a day (when I am behaving myself!). I batch meal prep on Sundays to make my weekdays easier!
Focus on gratitude. Write down 3 things you are grateful for. They can be simple. They don’t have to be huge things: the sun shining, knowing your fridge is filled with good food, being in bed, kids’ chatter …
Choose 3 things to do today.You know your vision. You have done a brain dump. Choose only 3 things you will do today that will move you toward your vision. Choose things you really can do, and make sure they are not all from the same category in your life.
Know what you will eat. Decide what you are having for your meals for the day. You will save so much time wasted thinking. Decide and write it down.
Stay in action.Know how you will move food and house forward today. What simple, doable thing can you do today? What if you cleaned one bin instead of the whole garage? What if you chopped some veggies for dinner in the morning to help you stick to your plan? Keep it doable.
Plan how you will take care of yourself today.Again, keep it simple and doable. It could mean making sure you drink enough water. It could be eating the healthy food you planned to eat. I could be getting up from your desk to take a walk twice a day, going to bed on time, turning your phone off before bed …
Track habits.Eat 10 veggies a day. Drink enough water. Move your body. What habit do you want to build? Do you want more family dinner? Do you want to develop a meditation habit. Keeping track of what you are doing helps you remember the things you want to do as you get used to doing them. You won’t be perfect, but tracking helps the process.
Schedule and learn.Schedule all the things that aren’t work: sleep, food prep, enjoying meals, downtime, exercise … Start by putting them on your calendar. Learn from what you actually did. Don’t think of it as failure. Get curious about why you didn’t go with your plan. Learn so you can make better choices tomorrow.
Magic MomentsWhen you start envisioning what you want and moving towards it, magic happens. Nine years ago, I said that I was ready for a change. I got an email from my yoga studio and decided to show up. When I was there, I felt compelled to talk to the teacher, who taught me about food. All I did was decide one thing and take one little step. You can decide what you want. You can take little steps. You will see magic too. Learn to notice it. Write it down. Look back at that when it feels hard. Keep going.
Download your Today Planner to help you plan how you will follow steps 4–8 each day.
Then sign up to join me for a 90-Day Plan workshop on May 30!
plansimplemeals.com/90dayplan
47 min
May 16, 2018A Healthy Gut with Jade Venables
We can get our gut so healthy, and we can reverse a lot of health issues doing so. – Jade Venables
On this episode of the Plan Simple Meals Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Jade Venables of the Healthy Mommy Movement summit about gut health. Not quite sure what gut health is all about (even if you’ve been hearing about it more and more)? We’ll get you up to speed.
Jade shares her own health journey away from osteopenia, borderline diabetes, carpal tunnel and chronic fatigue and healing her son who was rushed to the hospital at 18 months due to an autoimmune disease.
In the process, she learned a lot about gut health, how the gut is related to the brain, how the gut really affects every system. We can get our guts healthy, but our brain wants to take over, so we can undo a lot of good work with stress. That’s where things like meditation and exercise come in—health as a complete package. Jade owns up to not being very fit, which I love, because we’re all imperfect making small changes in the right direction.
We talk about:
How understanding the why of giving up gluten and dairy can blow your mind and help you make the change
The problem with our healthcare system and schools when it comes to healthy eating
Ways to feed kids without making them feel left out (and how sometimes worrying about feeling different is our story, not their)
Using smoothies as snacks and treats at home or when you are out
Products—(those for our bodies like shampoo or toothpaste and otherwise, like cleaners or air fresheners) that we use at home can affect the gut
Creating a non-toxic medicine chest tool box

BIO
Jade Venables is a health advocate and creator of “The Healthy Mommy Movement,” a free, online summit. For the Healthy Mommy Movement summit, Jade interviewed doctors and experts about health issues to prove that our bodies are waiting for us to heal them and to help moms make healthier choices for themselves and their families.
LINKS
thehealthymommymovement.com/
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
Dr. Dingle

Doable Changes from this episode:
HAVE A QUICK, GO-TO STRESS BUSTER. Stress can do a number on our gut. Next time you start to feel extra stressed, take some deep breaths, take 5 minutes to meditate, or take a short walk. First start noticing your stress and using a tool like this to reduce it. You can also try adding one of these tools proactively into your day before you feel stressed.
MAKE A FRUIT SMOOTHIE. Next time your kids want an afterschool snack or any of you need a sweet treat, try blending some bananas and strawberries with a little water. Or mango and pineapple. There are so many combinations. You can bump up the goodness with some spinach, but if you aren’t sold on green smoothies yet, try just fruit and water. See that it can be sweet and simple, real food that feels like a treat.
CHANGE ONE HOUSEHOLD PRODUCT. You can use baking soda on your teeth. You can use vinegar as a glass cleaner. You can use essential oils instead of perfume. There are lots of non-toxic products for home and body. You do need to read the labels, but you can use a tool like Environmental Working Group (EWG) to help you find one a replacement product for an unhealthy product you currently use. Good starting points: shampoo, deodorant, detergent, any household cleaner.
54 min
May 16, 2018 A Healthy Gut with Jade Venables
We can get our gut so healthy, and we can reverse a lot of health issues doing so. – Jade Venables
On this episode of the Plan Simple Meals Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Jade Venables of the Healthy Mommy Movement summit about gut health. Not quite sure what gut health is all about (even if you’ve been hearing about it more and more)? We’ll get you up to speed.
Jade shares her own health journey away from osteopenia, borderline diabetes, carpal tunnel and chronic fatigue and healing her son who was rushed to the hospital at 18 months due to an autoimmune disease.
In the process, she learned a lot about gut health, how the gut is related to the brain, how the gut really affects every system. We can get our guts healthy, but our brain wants to take over, so we can undo a lot of good work with stress. That’s where things like meditation and exercise come in—health as a complete package. Jade owns up to not being very fit, which I love, because we’re all imperfect making small changes in the right direction.
We talk about:
How understanding the why of giving up gluten and dairy can blow your mind and help you make the change
The problem with our healthcare system and schools when it comes to healthy eating
Ways to feed kids without making them feel left out (and how sometimes worrying about feeling different is our story, not their)
Using smoothies as snacks and treats at home or when you are out
Products—(those for our bodies like shampoo or toothpaste and otherwise, like cleaners or air fresheners) that we use at home can affect the gut
Creating a non-toxic medicine chest tool box
BIO
Jade Venables is a health advocate and creator of “The Healthy Mommy Movement,” a free, online summit. For the Healthy Mommy Movement summit, Jade interviewed doctors and experts about health issues to prove that our bodies are waiting for us to heal them and to help moms make healthier choices for themselves and their families.
LINKS
thehealthymommymovement.com/
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
Dr. Dingle
Doable Changes from this episode:
HAVE A QUICK, GO-TO STRESS BUSTER. Stress can do a number on our gut. Next time you start to feel extra stressed, take some deep breaths, take 5 minutes to meditate, or take a short walk. First start noticing your stress and using a tool like this to reduce it. You can also try adding one of these tools proactively into your day before you feel stressed.
MAKE A FRUIT SMOOTHIE. Next time your kids want an afterschool snack or any of you need a sweet treat, try blending some bananas and strawberries with a little water. Or mango and pineapple. There are so many combinations. You can bump up the goodness with some spinach, but if you aren’t sold on green smoothies yet, try just fruit and water. See that it can be sweet and simple, real food that feels like a treat.
CHANGE ONE HOUSEHOLD PRODUCT. You can use baking soda on your teeth. You can use vinegar as a glass cleaner. You can use essential oils instead of perfume. There are lots of non-toxic products for home and body. You do need to read the labels, but you can use a tool like Environmental Working Group (EWG) to help you find one a replacement product for an unhealthy product you currently use. Good starting points: shampoo, deodorant, detergent, any household cleaner.
54 min
May 10, 2018Pleasure is productive with Janna Denton-Howes
Pleasure is productive... It’s not a side thing that you’re doing, it’s the main event. It helps you do what you want to do in your life. – Janna Denton Howes
On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, we’re talking about something of a taboo topic—sex. I’m so excited to have Janna Denton-Howes, a marriage coach and expert on sex and the male brain here today. We really dive into it, so put in some earbuds if you’re listening in with kids around.

It’s funny, we DO talk about sex, and Janna has 4 pillars to share for couples wanting more and better sex, but the first three are outside of the bedroom. We start off talking about why we need more pleasure, and not the sexual kind. Janna gives lots of examples of prioritizing pleasure in our lives, and amazingly, it’s not necessarily about making more room in our calendars.

We do talk about scheduling though. Janna recommends scheduling sex, but not like she did at first. She shares the experience of scheduling sex for Friday night and feeling sick thinking about it every Thursday. Instead she suggests scheduling exploration dates. For two hours or more, you prioritize pleasure, trust what feels good and what does not, and you stay connected with your body in a sexual experience rather than thinking about what he wants, what lights him up.

We talk about:

Sex being good for your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness, drawing a line of having sex anymore unless you want it—and also about how you can learn to want it more

Prioritizing your pleasure in daily life—Janna explains how this isn’t the same as self-care

Letting go of “shoulds” and trusting what feels good and what doesn’t

Connecting with your body on an emotional and physical level and how you can be compassionate and start a conversation with yourself, even when it feels awkward and triggers childhood or religious shame

Taking charge of the sexual experience and how more pleasure does NOT involve “spicing things up”

Scheduling sex in a way that doesn’t feel like more pressure to perform—and how only having scheduled sex can be freeing

Why to separate sex from date night and how to actually have sex when you have kids in the house

Tips for talking with kids about sex

Janna Denton-Howes is a professionally trained Marriage Coach who is known for her popular program, 30 Days To Wanting It More". Affectionately called, "Chief Libido Officer" and "Husband Whisperer" by her participants and coaching clients, Janna not only helps married women take sex off their to-do lists but brings couples back to each other.

LINKS

http://jannadentonhowes.com/

30 Days to Wanting It More

Better Sex Through Mindfulness

Doable Changes from this episode:

PRIORITIZE YOUR PLEASURE. This doesn’t have to cost anything and it doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Janna gives examples of just enjoying the feel of water on your skin in the shower or taking a walk because you enjoy it (not for exercise) or having a dish soap you enjoy the scent of while you
1 hr 2 min
May 10, 2018 Pleasure is productive with Janna Denton-Howes
Pleasure is productive... It’s not a side thing that you’re doing, it’s the main event. It helps you do what you want to do in your life. – Janna Denton Howes
On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, we’re talking about something of a taboo topic—sex. I’m so excited to have Janna Denton-Howes, a marriage coach and expert on sex and the male brain here today. We really dive into it, so put in some earbuds if you’re listening in with kids around.
It’s funny, we DO talk about sex, and Janna has 4 pillars to share for couples wanting more and better sex, but the first three are outside of the bedroom. We start off talking about why we need more pleasure, and not the sexual kind. Janna gives lots of examples of prioritizing pleasure in our lives, and amazingly, it’s not necessarily about making more room in our calendars.
We do talk about scheduling though. Janna recommends scheduling sex, but not like she did at first. She shares the experience of scheduling sex for Friday night and feeling sick thinking about it every Thursday. Instead she suggests scheduling exploration dates. For two hours or more, you prioritize pleasure, trust what feels good and what does not, and you stay connected with your body in a sexual experience rather than thinking about what he wants, what lights him up.
We talk about:
Sex being good for your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness, drawing a line of having sex anymore unless you want it—and also about how you can learn to want it more
Prioritizing your pleasure in daily life—Janna explains how this isn’t the same as self-care
Letting go of “shoulds” and trusting what feels good and what doesn’t
Connecting with your body on an emotional and physical level and how you can be compassionate and start a conversation with yourself, even when it feels awkward and triggers childhood or religious shame
Taking charge of the sexual experience and how more pleasure does NOT involve “spicing things up”
Scheduling sex in a way that doesn’t feel like more pressure to perform—and how only having scheduled sex can be freeing
Why to separate sex from date night and how to actually have sex when you have kids in the house
Tips for talking with kids about sex
Janna Denton-Howes is a professionally trained Marriage Coach who is known for her popular program, 30 Days To Wanting It More". Affectionately called, "Chief Libido Officer" and "Husband Whisperer" by her participants and coaching clients, Janna not only helps married women take sex off their to-do lists but brings couples back to each other.
LINKS
http://jannadentonhowes.com/
30 Days to Wanting It More
Better Sex Through Mindfulness
Doable Changes from this episode:
PRIORITIZE YOUR PLEASURE. This doesn’t have to cost anything and it doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Janna gives examples of just enjoying the feel of water on your skin in the shower or taking a walk because you enjoy it (not for exercise) or having a dish soap you enjoy the scent of while you are washing dishes, or enjoy the sunshine streaming through your window. Prioritizing pleasure isn’t something you have to make more time for, it’s something you can do while doing anything else in your day.
GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY. I talk a lot about food and how it affects our bodies, but I admit, I didn’t really know parts of my body until my first baby was born. I’m not the only one. Get a mirror and get to know your vulva, labia, and clitoris. Maybe your doable change is just saying those words right now. Do that, and then have a look. Explore
SCHEDULE SEX. Go ahead, block off a couple of hours in your planner. Label it SEX or exploration date. Set up the ground rules around this: prioritize your pleasure, trust what feels good and what does not, and stay connected with your body in a sexual instead of thinking about what your partner wants. This takes some communication. It may feel uncomfortable. But try it. See how it changes the dynamic. See what you like and don’t. See what you might want to explore next.
1 hr 2 min
May 02, 2018 Being Organized vs. Being Balanced with Jen Liddy
You don't need a longer to-do list. We need to get you back to you. What do you want?
– Jen Liddy
On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Jen Liddy, an accountability and mindset coach about planning systems and order and creating more ease.
Jen has always been super organized and describes herself as a linear thinker. We talk about how that helps and sometimes limits her. I love her explanation of how she can fill in her schedule like Tetris blocks, but she realized—and this is so important—that some of those blocks need to be empty blocks for recharging.
She even tells here clients, who come in tell her that they need to be more productive and get more done, that they need a new calendar or planner—they need to get back to themselves, what they really want.
We talk about:
The difference between being organized and being balanced
The fact that doing more isn’t the answer—in fact constraining your to do list helps
The expansiveness in slowing down (even when it is hard for you)
How our bodies tell us what we need—things like getting sick again and again or gaining 25 pounds—but we don’t listen
Setting up your day and choosing what is in it so there is not panic about getting “everything” done
The importance of accountability, especially to obligers, and how accountability can be fun instead of judgmental
BIO
Jen Liddy is an Accountability & Mindset Coach with a mission to support, guide, & coach people to achieve that goal that's been nagging at them for so long now! Her dream job is helping entrepreneurs feel supported, get organized, confidently make decisions, achieve goals—and have a life again.
LINKS
jenliddy.com
Facebook @jenliddycoach
Instagram @jenliddycoach
Plan Simple Podcast with Patty Lenon
Doable Changes from this episode:
CONSTRAIN YOUR TO DO LIST. Yes, you need a place for all the things in your brain. Call it a braindump or a parking lot, but not your to do list. Choose the 3 things you really want to get done for the day. Write them on a Post-it and keep them in front of you. You will get more things done, but you stay focused on the 3 things you write down.
DO THE UNCOMFORTABLE THING. Most of us put something on our list that we don’t really want to do. It’s hard or will take a lot of energy, so we don’t do it. Do the uncomfortable thing. Once you do that and realize that you can do hard things, you gain confidence and start getting your list done more regularly.
BUILD EMPTY BLOCKS INTO YOUR SCHEDULE. Empty blocks are essential for recharging. If you aren’t in the habit of including empty blocks in your schedule, it can feel a little strange or uncomfortable. Try adding one in this week. Don’t schedule anything else in that time. Use that for something that recharges you. As you get used to this doable change, try adding in more empty blocks.
47 min
May 02, 2018 Being Organized vs. Being Balanced with Jen Liddy
You don't need a longer to-do list. We need to get you back to you. What do you want?
– Jen Liddy
On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Jen Liddy, an accountability and mindset coach about planning systems and order and creating more ease.
Jen has always been super organized and describes herself as a linear thinker. We talk about how that helps and sometimes limits her. I love her explanation of how she can fill in her schedule like Tetris blocks, but she realized—and this is so important—that some of those blocks need to be empty blocks for recharging.
She even tells here clients, who come in tell her that they need to be more productive and get more done, that they need a new calendar or planner—they need to get back to themselves, what they really want.
We talk about:
The difference between being organized and being balanced
The fact that doing more isn’t the answer—in fact constraining your to do list helps
The expansiveness in slowing down (even when it is hard for you)
How our bodies tell us what we need—things like getting sick again and again or gaining 25 pounds—but we don’t listen
Setting up your day and choosing what is in it so there is not panic about getting “everything” done
The importance of accountability, especially to obligers, and how accountability can be fun instead of judgmental
BIO
Jen Liddy is an Accountability & Mindset Coach with a mission to support, guide, & coach people to achieve that goal that's been nagging at them for so long now! Her dream job is helping entrepreneurs feel supported, get organized, confidently make decisions, achieve goals—and have a life again.
LINKS
jenliddy.com
Facebook @jenliddycoach
Instagram @jenliddycoach
Plan Simple Podcast with Patty Lenon
Doable Changes from this episode:
CONSTRAIN YOUR TO DO LIST. Yes, you need a place for all the things in your brain. Call it a braindump or a parking lot, but not your to do list. Choose the 3 things you really want to get done for the day. Write them on a Post-it and keep them in front of you. You will get more things done, but you stay focused on the 3 things you write down.
DO THE UNCOMFORTABLE THING. Most of us put something on our list that we don’t really want to do. It’s hard or will take a lot of energy, so we don’t do it. Do the uncomfortable thing. Once you do that and realize that you can do hard things, you gain confidence and start getting your list done more regularly.
BUILD EMPTY BLOCKS INTO YOUR SCHEDULE. Empty blocks are essential for recharging. If you aren’t in the habit of including empty blocks in your schedule, it can feel a little strange or uncomfortable. Try adding one in this week. Don’t schedule anything else in that time. Use that for something that recharges you. As you get used to this doable change, try adding in more empty blocks.
47 min
April 26, 2018Inspiration and Trusting Your Gut with Patricia van Essche
It's never going to be balanced perfectly, but I think if you schedule it out and you plan it, then it can happen.
– Patricia van Essche
On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, I’m so excited to talk with Patricia van Essche, a multipassionate artist, entrepreneur and mom. Her kids are in college or working now, and I love getting tips from parents a little further down the line. We talk about how she has flowed from one focus to another and the creativity that flows through it all.

She explained how she left a big job to be home with her kids. During that time she began doing decorative painting. When that fell out of fashion, she focused on her illustrations. Most recently she discovered pilates and is training to be a pilates teacher. She’s very passionate about her work, but also about being with her kids and about the food. We dove into how she found balance through systems, planning creativity.

While, I’ve been shifting away from focusing only on food on the show, Patricia’s passion for food is strong. We talked about the food she ate growing up and the desire for quick food, and about how she pulls things together quickly, even if it isn’t a fast meal. She talks about recipes that incorporate what she has on hand, using a slow cooker, and paying attention to the beautiful details.

We talk about:

Being creative with food and showing your kids how to be creative and independent

Favorite kitchen tools that keep good food simple, like a juicer and slow cooker

How paying attention to the beautiful details helps us and those around us eat better

Focusing on how your body feels as a way to look better and the 80-20 rule (20% exercise and then 80% nutrition)

Pilates as a restorative practice that benefits mind and body and can help us heal

EFT as way to release and putting love into what you do greatly

BIO

Patricia van Essche, better known to her clients, fans and followers as PVE, is a bon vivant as well as an accomplished artist and illustrator. She has worked for numerous private commissions as well as with exclusive clients including J. McLaughlin, Secrets Gourmet, The Park Avenue Fund, The Princess Grace Foundation and Lava Barre. PVE lives in Westchester County, New York. PVE is devoted to living artfully. She’s the mother of a college student and 25-year-old twins. And she most recently trained to teach Pilates and practices Yoga, Meditation and inspires others to find the joy of art and wellness.

LINKS

http://www.pvedesign.com/

Doable Changes from this episode:

Know what you're going to have for dinner in the morning. Patricia got this tip from her mother, and it is one I share often. Simply knowing what you will have for dinner in the morning takes a lot of fretting and uncertainty out of your day. Plus when you know the plan, you can move food forward throughout the day.

No toys at the table. Dinner is a sacred time to connect with your family, to talk about what was good and bad about the day. You can’t do that when people are plugged in to their technology. Create a basket for phones or another system so that you can can focus on your family at a meal. (You can even ask guests to follow this ritual as well.)

Keep binders of food ideas. Patricia talked about Thanksgiving as a favorite meal and how she uses a binder to keep notes that she can refer back to the next year. You can also use binders for simple recipes you want to try (tap into...
54 min
April 26, 2018 Inspiration and Trusting Your Gut with Patricia van Essche
It's never going to be balanced perfectly, but I think if you schedule it out and you plan it, then it can happen. – Patricia van Essche
On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, I’m so excited to talk with Patricia van Essche, a multipassionate artist, entrepreneur and mom. Her kids are in college or working now, and I love getting tips from parents a little further down the line. We talk about how she has flowed from one focus to another and the creativity that flows through it all.
She explained how she left a big job to be home with her kids. During that time she began doing decorative painting. When that fell out of fashion, she focused on her illustrations. Most recently she discovered pilates and is training to be a pilates teacher. She’s very passionate about her work, but also about being with her kids and about the food. We dove into how she found balance through systems, planning creativity.
While, I’ve been shifting away from focusing only on food on the show, Patricia’s passion for food is strong. We talked about the food she ate growing up and the desire for quick food, and about how she pulls things together quickly, even if it isn’t a fast meal. She talks about recipes that incorporate what she has on hand, using a slow cooker, and paying attention to the beautiful details.
We talk about:
Being creative with food and showing your kids how to be creative and independent
Favorite kitchen tools that keep good food simple, like a juicer and slow cooker
How paying attention to the beautiful details helps us and those around us eat better
Focusing on how your body feels as a way to look better and the 80-20 rule (20% exercise and then 80% nutrition)
Pilates as a restorative practice that benefits mind and body and can help us heal
EFT as way to release and putting love into what you do greatly
BIO
Patricia van Essche, better known to her clients, fans and followers as PVE, is a bon vivant as well as an accomplished artist and illustrator. She has worked for numerous private commissions as well as with exclusive clients including J. McLaughlin, Secrets Gourmet, The Park Avenue Fund, The Princess Grace Foundation and Lava Barre. PVE lives in Westchester County, New York. PVE is devoted to living artfully. She’s the mother of a college student and 25-year-old twins. And she most recently trained to teach Pilates and practices Yoga, Meditation and inspires others to find the joy of art and wellness.
LINKS
http://www.pvedesign.com/
Doable Changes from this episode:
Know what you're going to have for dinner in the morning. Patricia got this tip from her mother, and it is one I share often. Simply knowing what you will have for dinner in the morning takes a lot of fretting and uncertainty out of your day. Plus when you know the plan, you can move food forward throughout the day.
No toys at the table. Dinner is a sacred time to connect with your family, to talk about what was good and bad about the day. You can’t do that when people are plugged in to their technology. Create a basket for phones or another system so that you can can focus on your family at a meal. (You can even ask guests to follow this ritual as well.)
Keep binders of food ideas. Patricia talked about Thanksgiving as a favorite meal and how she uses a binder to keep notes that she can refer back to the next year. You can also use binders for simple recipes you want to try (tap into this when you are feeling stuck or in a rut), past meal plans (some times I recycle a week that worked well), favorite recipes you use again and again.
REALLY getting healthy as a family can be a big lifestyle change. But no matter how insurmountable it may feel, focusing on one doable change at a time can help you
take small steps toward your big goal.
A healthy lifestyle is really made of lots of little things that when repeated regularly and added together over time make a huge impact on your life.
Choose one Doable Change every Sunday night — one thing that you are willing to play with for the week. The key is to keep it doable and fun! Write that thing on a sticky note or your phone so you remember it. Then put 3 things on your calendar that support it.
Choose from the changes above or download a list of 101 Doable Changes we made for you.
http://plansimplemeals.com/101-doable-changes/
If you are as psyched as I am to grow veggies on a patio this summer and indoors all winter, you are going to want to check this out! I have watched friends have these for years, and am so excited to have my own! (Psssst… There are amazing curriculums that have been created by the company, to make these a no brainer for schools too!) Read more here, or contact, [email protected] to learn more, and set up a free 20 minute phone Q and A.
54 min
April 18, 2018 Plan Simple : Meditation by Vanessa Gobes
A brief summary of this episode
5 min

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Bestselling author and life coach Mia Moran serves up the Plan Simple Podcast for women who want to ditch overwhelm and wear all their hats with ease. Listen for inspirational interviews, informative…

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