As I’ve said many times before, I’m all about sharing experiences and what we’ve learned to help others. Sharing our story can be healing, it can inspire others and cultivate community.  I’ve asked my dear friend Kim Ashlock to share her story.  Kim has grown through some difficult circumstances the last few years and I am in awe of how she’s been able to stay strong and positive. In this episode Kim talks about fighting for her marriage through infidelity and how her family is now closer than ever....the silver lining.

 

The 2 books Kim referenced:

The 5 Love Languages

A Couple's Love Journal

 

You can connect with and follow Kim's story on Facebook.

The friends that are supposed to last forever, will. The friendships that end are meant to end. Those friendships were meant to be but only for that time. Sometimes we can realize that, we see the reason or lesson or purpose.  It’s when we don’t understand why the friendship ended that we have a hard time healing from it.  This week I'm talking about How I'm learning to navigate friendships and heal through letting some friendships go.

Recently I’ve been involved in conversations talking about someone.  It just feels icky. Yet sometimes people just need to talk it out. That’s totally me. If I have a decision to make or need to process an event or feelings - I have to talk it out. 

 

I thought this was important to talk about because there is a fine line between gossip/talk bad about someone and talking through your feelings.  Sometimes we feel the need to bond with another person over complaining about someone else together.  Like a boss or co-worker or even sibling. I get it. I can totally relate to that.  BUT -  is that really healthy?

Now I know this isn't the case for everyone - some people really do overbook themselves, do too much at once, overwork themselves, etc…. That’s not what I’m talking about here.  What I’m referring to is when we talk ourselves in to the busy feeling and talk ourselves out of taking action. This Episode is about how to get over that busy feeling, get out of that worry/stress mode and take action.

 

*Note* If you connected with Episode #31 That Crippling Sense of Overwhelm - this Episode is for you.

Another 30 weeks into the Pandemic, we get an update from Isabelle about school life. What has changed?  What is the same?  How are kids adjusting emotionally and socially?  Get a teenager's point of view about it all.

Why do we sometimes avoid silence? Do you feel the need to fill every second of the day with either a video or a podcast or audiobook or music or just scrolling social media?  I thought I needed to be constantly taking in information throughout the day.  I felt any down time or mindless activity HAD to be paired with a mindFUL activity.  While I think that is a good practice, I've found that sometimes Silence is good too.

There's a difference between avoiding/procrastinating on getting a task done and taking a needed break.  Working from home, setting your own hours - can lead to burn out.  Thinking that we have to always be working can steal the joy from our work.  Finding time off or even just a quick break between tasks will help you be more productive.

You are worth living a happy life! Down Days happen but they don't have to rule your days. Taking action can lift your mood and change your mindset.

Sometimes we just need the reminder that we don't have to overcomplicate or overthink things...we tend to do that when we are really struggling, don't we?  So keeping it short and simple with this week's message - You Get What You Give.

A shock to the routine of more interacting with humans on a daily basis and the toll it takes on a person - that’s the topic here. We’ve talked about overwhelm before but this isn’t stress caused by a big to do list. This is overwhelm from socializing, feeling exhausted physically after interacting with people.....sometimes referred to as "I'm done peopling today".  How do we get to that point and what do we do to recover?