We don’t need research studies to tell us we’re stressed (although they do, and frequently—a 2021 Gallup poll found that 41% of adults worldwide experience a lot of stress). We feel it everywhere: demanding hours and clients at work; raising kids; the news; the ever-ending list of things to do—the list goes on. Are you ready to leave stress behind? We’ve got you covered!

In this podcast episode, co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Bender rip off the band-aid: We can’t get rid of stress entirely. But we can get a better handle on it by dealing with it in healthier ways. Part of the trick is recognizing when you’re stressed; what responses and behaviors you default to when overwhelm takes a hold. Then, when you feel it coming on, implement one or more of these six practical tips for mitigating stress:

As Darlene and Julie chat through each of these tips and their application, you’ll find specific combinations and variations that work best with your schedule and emotions to deal with stress head-on.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” —James 14:27

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Are you feeling a little aimless at the moment? Perhaps you’re in a season of life that has you questioning your purpose. If that sounds frighteningly familiar, don’t fret—even the seasons that feel purposeless have a purpose!

In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss how to find confidence when you’re transitioning into a new stage of life. Starting retirement, getting married, entering motherhood, searching for your next job can all leave you with a fuzzy vision of your purpose and the value you offer. To get you back on track, the duo shares the importance of detaching yourself from your role and learning how to embrace change as an opportunity for a blank slate. You’ll also discover how to find meaning in the slow, quiet seasons in between.

“For I am about to do something new. See? I’ve already begun. Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness; I will create rivers in a dry wasteland.” —Isaiah 43:19

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Do you have a tendency to repeat reminders to those closest to you? Perhaps you feel like you’re constantly asking your husband to get off the couch or urging your kids to clean their rooms. While your intentions are good, your delivery may be perceived as nagging.

In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender dive into the prickly topic of nagging. It’s something many of us would like to think we don’t do, but we often innocently fall into the habit. They share the tell-tale signs of nagging, how to uncover the root cause of our repeated requests, and the way we can more clearly and kindly communicate them to those we care about.

“It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.” —Proverbs 21:19

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Are you tired of waiting? Maybe you’re waiting on a future spouse to walk into your life, sitting in fast food lines that feel anything but, or pining for that dream job opportunity to fall into our laps. We’re all excitedly—and usually impatiently—waiting for something. Why do all the good things in life take so long?

One could argue those things wouldn’t be very good to begin with if they didn’t require at some patience, but we think there’s more to it. In this episode of Smart Living with Grit and Grace, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss why waiting actually serves us more than immediately getting what we want and how you can purposefully fill the time in between.

“Everything that is worth waiting for is not always on your timeline.” —Darlene Brock

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The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived—the Smart Living in Small Bites book series is officially live and available for purchase now on Amazon!

If you have experienced (or are still walking through) a challenging life circumstance and wish you could talk with a friend who has been there and understands, look no further. Each book in the series is written by a woman who has experienced that same challenge. These authors detail the difficulties they encountered, the wisdom they gained, and the practical steps they took to find hope and healing so that you might do the same.

In this special podcast episode, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender share an inside look at the structure of the books, the first four subjects in the series, and some exciting additional features that are available to you with your purchase, right now.

Author Julie Bender walks you through her difficult first marriage, applying the lessons learned in her current marriage. She offers an honest picture of common marital challenges and the beauty of committing to working toward their resolutions. This book will help you uncover the steps to face your trials head-on to repair your relationship and rebuild a healthy, resilient marriage for a lifetime.   

Click here to buy now!

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Exciting changes are in store for This Grit and Grace Life podcast!

If you’ve been with us for a while, you know we launched a new endeavor called Smart Living with Grit and Grace last year and will be releasing an eponymous book series this month (keep your eye on your inbox over the next few days!). Now, we’re rebranding the podcast with a new look and feel—and a new name!

In this episode, Darlene and Julie share what’s in store for the new Smart Living with Grit and Grace podcast: fresh content, shorter episodes, increased frequency and more! You’ll learn how they landed on the new name and what topics you can expect in the next few weeks. It’s an exciting season for Grit and Grace Life, and we’re thrilled to have you along for the ride!

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

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We’re celebrating our 250th podcast episode of This Grit and Grace Life with 26 wise quotes from a literary classic: Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

Whether you’ve read the novel or not, there’s much to be gleaned from the conversations among its four protagonists, the young March sisters. If you need some encouragement in your relationships and goals or need to be reminded of the qualities of a confident woman, take a few minutes to tune into this episode. Darlene and Julie also share their favorite lessons learned from the This Grit and Grace Life podcast archive.

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” James 1:5

Click HERE to download a printable PDF copy of this episode’s Little Women quotes!

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How do you respond when you see a child with special needs? Most of us fall into one of two camps: We either choose to engage or we look the other way. But choosing to engage is always the right answer.

Russ and Gail Ewell will tell you the same thing. After dealing with judgment and unsolicited advice from others on how to raise their two special needs children, the couple decided the best way to inform others was to educate and integrate.

In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Russ and Gail explain the importance of addressing misconceptions and cutting through the discomfort around special needs and building a community around those with special needs instead. The couple created a series of inclusive programs that unite special needs and typical kids to forge friendships, grace and understanding for a lifetime, and they discuss how, in addition to inclusive programming, we can all support those with special needs.

Russ and Gail Ewell have been married for 35 years and are the proud parents of adult children with special needs. They have been leading ministry together at Bay Area Christian Church for three decades. Russ, a minister for more than 40 years, serves as the Executive Minister at BACC, where his teaching is rooted in providing hope for those turned off by tradition. Gail is the Lead Women’s Minister at BACC and serves as the executive director of Hope Technology School, a nationally recognized full-inclusion school in Palo Alto, California, which she and Russ founded together.

“You only benefit from inclusion; you don’t get hurt.” —Gail Ewell

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When it comes to battling life’s challenges, the odds are rarely in our favor. We might feel as though we’re putting forth a ton of effort into making our circumstances better, only to find we didn’t make much headway after all.

It feels like a far cry from the life God designed for us to live, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life, Darlene Brock and Julie Bender discuss new ways to approach these challenges—and they’re all rooted in the mission of Grit and Grace Life: To transform women’s lives by sharing our hard-earned wisdom, equip them with the grit and grace needed to conquer life’s challenges, and inspire a passion to follow Christ, the greatest source of our strength.

Together, they share the power of community in overcoming obstacles; tips for living proactively instead of reactively; how to depend on God for an abundant life; and more. If you’re close to feeling defeated, we encourage you not to give up yet. Reinforce your mental strongholds with the advice shared in this episode and conquer life’s challenges with the ultimate victor at your side.

“Our life is not one individual moment or place we find ourself. It does not define us… .What defines us is what we do in the process.” —Darlene Brock

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We’re likely to bounce between feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, exhaustion or any number of other emotions every day. No matter which ones you experience, they are all normal and they deserve to be listened to. Where we often go wrong, according to licensed psychotherapist Dr. Zoe, is in our reaction to those feelings—either lashing out at someone or making an impulsive decision we later regret. Even when we choose not to react by suppressing our emotions, we are entering into dangerous territory.

Learning how to control your feelings and they way you respond to them is such a critical part of life that Darlene and Julie decided to bring back a previous podcast episode—where Dr. Zoe appears as a guest—on the topic.

In the episode, Dr. Zoe shares several reasons why we fear our emotions, how we can develop emotional intelligence in ourselves and our children, and how to communicate our feelings in a healthy way with our spouse and coworkers. And yes, vent sessions count—with the right parameters!

Dr. Zoe is a passionate practitioner in the field of clinical psychology. She is licensed as a psychotherapist and divides her time between her family life, clinical practice, virtual life, and relationship coaching, speaking, writing and hosting her podcast. You can follow Dr. Zoe by visiting her site, or finding her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well as her podcast, Stronger in the Difficult Places.

Submit a question to our free Ask Dr. Zoe column.

“We have a fear of social rejection. That’s really why we fear our feelings.” —Dr. Zoe

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