The Kettle with Meagan Francis

Do you fantasize about moving across the country - or globe - the minute the kids move out? Are you happily settled in your current town or city? Or, is your answer a bit more nuanced? While the place we live can have a major impact on the way we live, the truth is that we have a lot of influence over the way we experience our surroundings - and the average person has plenty of time to settle into, and get the most out of, multiple home towns.

In this episode I talk with Melody Warnick, author of This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are, and If You Could Live Anywhere: The Surprising Importance of Place in a Work-From-Anywhere World, about just why finding the "perfect" place to move can be so tricky, and how you can become "place attached", wherever you are right now. Plus I share how my nomadic younger days led to a much more settled-down midlife, and how I see my wanderlust playing out as I head into the empty-nest years.

For access to the extended interview and more exclusive content for midlife moms, check out Reinvent Midlife, my private membership community. Interested in joining? I'm offering a special listener-only discount.

For sponsorship opportunities with the Mother of Reinvention podcast, email [email protected].

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Have you ever looked back at something monumental that’s happened in your life and realized that the one BIG moment of decision or surrender was quite out-of-character for you? In this episode I talk with Sarah Powers, my business partner and cohost at The Mom Hour, about our very different personalities - Sarah's more attuned to details and rules; I'm more of a free-spirit visionary - and how sometimes, breaking out of those roles has led us to much bigger and richer experiences, both separately and together.

For access to the extended interview and more exclusive content for midlife moms, check out Reinvent Midlife, my private membership community. Interested in joining? I'm offering a special listener-only discount.

For sponsorship opportunities with the Mother of Reinvention podcast, email [email protected].

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

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What gets in the way of making positive changes in your life? Do you doubt that your ideas are very good - or will have an impact? Do you worry that you don't have what it takes to get it done? Or do you lack the follow-through to take action on your goals? Whatever obstacles you've run into in the past, here's the pep talk that will get you in the right frame of mind for setting intentions in the new year.

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When it comes to turning your long-held dreams into reality, what gets in your way? Is it the conviction they will matter, confidence that you can pull them off, or the consistency to follow through? In this special bonus episode of the Mother of Reinvention Podcast, I break down three essential elements of executing a vision: Conviction, or "I must," Confidence, or "I can," and Consistency, or "I do." No matter where you struggle most in this trifecta, I hope you'll find some insights in this episode!

Sponsorship inquiries: [email protected]

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Does "reinvention" always mean some big, bold leap into a new future? Or, can it also mean adapting with grace to changing circumstances? And how does your stage of motherhood affect what "reinvention" may look like for you? In this special bonus episode of Mother of Reinvention, I muse over the difference between proactive and reactive reinvention, how reinventing has looked at different stages of my life, and how this podcast is evolving to help support your "reinvention" story, whether it's dramatic and fast, or slowly unfolding.

Sponsor Opportunities: [email protected].

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

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I have a few big numerical milestones going on right now: I just turned 45 (yesterday!). My middle child is heading off to college in the fall. And in 5 years, I'll be celebrating 30 years of motherhood and I'll be right on the cusp of an empty nest. In this episode I'm joined by Sarah Powers, my friend, business partner, and co-host at The Mom Hour to help me celebrate all these big milestones - and to dig into what's next for me, this podcast, and the Mother of Reinvention community. If you're trying to make sense of being in your 40s or beyond, or just want to join me in dreaming about what's next, you'll definitely want to listen in.

Sponsor Spotlight:

Elevate your shoe game with cute styles + amazing comfort. Check out the Malibu Sneaker, an easy-breezy slip-on that fits anyone’s summer on-the-go lifestyle. Try it on yourself with Vionic’s 30 Day Wear Test – return any purchase within 30 days for a full refund, even if it’s been worn outside.

Get free shipping when you use code MOR at vionicshoes.com.

About Sarah Powers

Sarah Powers is co-host of the popular weekly parenting podcast The Mom Hour. Together with Meagan Francis, she has grown The Mom Hour into a multichannel media company reaching many thousands of parents from all over the world. A writer at heart, hobby photographer, and podcaster by trade, Sarah lives in her hometown of Santa Barbara, CA with her husband and three children. 

Episode Links:

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Follow The Mom Hour, Meagan & Sarah's podcast and motherhood community!

The Mom Hour Instagram- @themomhour

Sarah's Instagram- @powersofmine

Meagan's Instagram- @meaganfrancis

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Losing your mom at any age is hard, but when you begin to approach the age your mom was when she died, it has special significance. In this episode I'm joined by Hope Edelman, bestselling author and creator of the Motherless Daughters community, to talk about her work with women who have lost their mothers and why midlife can be a particularly fraught time for motherless women. Later in the show I'm joined by my sister Kathreen, who is about to turn 55 - the same age our mother was when she died - to talk about our experience losing our mom young, and how it has colored our view of motherhood, aging, and more.

Sponsor Highlight

Elevate your shoe game with cute styles + amazing comfort. Check out the Clarita Wedge , Meagan’s go-to date night shoe. Try it on yourself with Vionic’s 30 Day Wear Test – return any purchase within 30 days for a full refund, even if it’s been worn outside.

Get free shipping when you use code MOR at vionicshoes.com

About Hope Edelman

Hope Edelman is an internationally bestselling author who has been working in the bereavement field for more than 25 years. She has written eight books, including Motherless Daughters, Motherless Mothers, and her most recent, The AfterGrief: Finding Your Way Along the Long Arc of Loss. She offers in-person retreats, virtual support groups for women who lost mothers at any age, and online writing courses throughout the year, and has lectured and led workshops all over the U.S. as well as in Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Dubai. She lives in Los Angeles and Iowa City, Iowa. For more information, go to www.motherlessdaughters.com. 

Episode Links:

Interested in joining a private Mother of Reinvention community? Take this survey to tell us what you'd most like to see there!

Instagram- (@hope_edelman)

Facebook- Motherless Daughters | Facebook

Facebook Group-  Motherless Daughters Support Group | Facebook

Website- Motherless Daughters

Other Resources- Rituals | The AfterGrief

Episode 21 Featuring Meagan's Sister Kathreen: Thriving After Health Trauma With Kathreen Francis (Meagan's Sister!) - Mother of Reinvention (meaganfrancis.com)

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When Rebecca Woolf's husband, Hal, died just a few months after his cancer diagnosis, at age 44, Rebecca's community rallied around her. But what most on the outside didn’t know was that their marriage had always been complicated and was drawing to an end when he was diagnosed, and that Hal’s diagnosis and death put Rebecca in the complicated position of supporting him and their family through his death and being publicly a grieving widow, while also finding relief in the ending of a relationship that had been unhealthy and unraveling for a long time. In this episode, Rebecca shares the story of that marriage, Hal’s illness and death, and how Rebecca has grappled with and ultimately embraced her young widowhood even when her experiences haven't fit the expected narrative.

Sponsor Spotlight:

Elevate your shoe game with cute styles + amazing comfort. Check out the Malibu Sneaker, an easy-breezy slip-on that fits anyone’s summer on-the-go lifestyle. Try it on yourself with Vionic’s 30 Day Wear Test – return any purchase within 30 days for a full refund, even if it’s been worn outside.

Get free shipping when you use code MOR at vionicshoes.com.

About Rebecca Woolf

Rebecca Woolf has worked as a writer since her teens, contributing to numerous publications, websites and anthologies, most notably her own award-winning personal blog, Girl’s Gone Child, which attracted millions of unique visitors worldwide.

As well as launching her own successful blog and writing weekly columns for Babble.com, Mom.me and Quiet Revolution, Woolf’s essays have appeared on Refinery29, Huffington Post, Parenting and more. She currently authors the bi-weekly column Sex & the Single Mom on Romper.com.

She is also the author of Rockabye: From Wild to Child (Seal Press, 2008) and the forthcoming memoir, ALL OF THIS: a memoir of death and desire (Harper One) which hits shelves August 16th.

She lives in Los Angeles with her son and three daughters.

Episode Links:

Instagram- Rebecca Woolf (@rebeccawooolf) • Instagram photos and videos

Twitter- Rebecca Woolf (@GirlsGoneChild) / Twitter

Website- Rebecca Woolf

Preorder Book- Preorder the Book | All of This: A Memoir of Death and Desire — Rebecca Woolf

Other Links:

Follow Meagan on Instagram: @meaganfrancis and @motherofreinventionshow

Check out some of Meagan’s favorite products at MORFaves!

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As a mom who performs on the road, mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen has a unique definition of what it means to be a "working mom." And as an Asian-American singer who has experienced her share of typecasting, Nina has an insider's view of how far we have to go when it comes to bringing diversity, equity and inclusion to performance - particularly in a primarily Western art form like Opera. Listen to hear more from Nina about mothering on the road, her work to bring more racial representation to Opera, and what she sees as her "next act" in her singing career.

Sponsor Spotlight:

Elevate your shoe game with cute styles + amazing comfort. Check out the Clarita Wedge , Meagan's go-to date night shoe. Try it on yourself with Vionic’s 30 Day Wear Test – return any purchase within 30 days for a full refund, even if it’s been worn outside.

Get free shipping when you use code MOR at vionicshoes.com.

About Nina Yoshida Nelsen

Nina Yoshida Nelsen, mezzo soprano, is an avid advocate for equity in the arts. She is perhaps most well known for her countless performances of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with opera companies throughout the United States. Also well-known for her work in contemporary opera, Ms. Yoshida Nelsen has sung in seven world premieres as well as their subsequent productions.

Equally at home on the concert stage, Nina has performed in world-class halls including Carnegie, Avery Fisher, and Royal Albert.  

Nina is the Artistic Advisor at Boston Lyric Opera and serves as president of the Asian Opera Alliance, an organization of which she is a co-founder.

Episode Links:

Instagram- Nina Yoshida Nelsen (@ninanelsen) 

Facebook- Nina Yoshida Nelsen | Facebook

LinkedIn-  Nina Nelsen | LinkedIn

Website- Nina Yoshida Nelsen, Mezzo Soprano - Home

Time Magazine Documentary- https://youtu.be/XM5AmGntWHQ

Other Links:

Follow Meagan on Instagram: @meaganfrancis and @motherofreinventionshow

Check out some of Meagan’s favorite products at MORFaves!

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Between the reversal of Roe and the Jan. 6 hearings, it's been a wild few weeks. We're all experiencing big feelings right now, and the tendency to lash out - or retreat into silence - is hard to overcome. But Sarah Stewart Holland believes there is another way, though she admits it's a difficult path to walk. Sarah, along with her business partner Beth Silvers, host the Pantsuit Politics podcast, where they engage in thoughtful, empathetic conversations about the issues we face today. In our conversation, Sarah is honest about how difficult it can be to ask questions and really listen to other people’s opinions and experiences, but how it’s absolutely crucial to living in a democracy - and making the change you want to see.

Elevate your shoe game with cute styles + amazing comfort. Check out the Malibu Sneaker, an easy-breezy slip-on that fits anyone's summer on-the-go lifestyle. Try it on yourself with Vionic’s 30 Day Wear Test – return any purchase within 30 days for a full refund, even if it’s been worn outside.

Get free shipping when you use code MOR at vionicshoes.com.

About Sarah Stewart Holland

Sarah Stewart Holland is co-host of the Pantsuit Politics podcast, featured in the New York Times, the Atlantic, and named by Apple Podcasts as one of the Best Shows of 2021. She is also the co-author of Now What? How to Move Forward When We're Divided (About Basically Everything) (2022) and I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation (2019), which was featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, received starred trade reviews, and continues to be in demand with readers, book clubs, and libraries. Sarah, with her co-host Beth Silvers, speaks frequently to universities, businesses, and civic organizations about improving political dialogue. 

Sarah attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and then received her Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law. Sarah began her career as a congressional staffer  campaign aide, before working in blogging and social media. She lives in Paducah, Kentucky, where she served a term as a city commissioner and volunteers as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for children. Sarah shares life with her spouse, Nicholas, and children Griffin, Amos, and Felix.

Episode Links:

Instagram- Sarah Stewart Holland (@bluegrassred) Facebook- Sarah Stewart Holland | FacebookWebsite- Pantsuit Politics (pantsuitpoliticsshow.com)Pantsuit Politics Podcast- https://koji.to/k/5PJdPodcast Instagram- Pantsuit Politics Podcast (@pantsuitpolitics) Books- Beth and Sarah's Books (pantsuitpoliticsshow.com)

Other Links:

Follow Meagan on Instagram: @meaganfrancis and @motherofreinventionshow

Check out some of Meagan's favorite products at MORFaves!

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