Are you a Mom? Have you ever felt like a "Bad Mom?"

Kind of like the "Bad Moms" Mila Kunis had behind her in that movie (that I love, by the way).

Where you feel like you're doing MORE than enough at times, but also...NOT enough at times. And when those moments of "not enough-ness" hit - what does that really mean?

I had a "Bad Mom" experience recently and let me tell you - it wasn't full of grocery story antics or a wild house party that ended by 9 PM (although I would have preferred either of those).

I'm sharing this with you because I know so many of us feel like we're "not enough" - especially when it comes to motherhood - and in those times, we need to show ourselves some grace and compassion.

Because even though we may FEEL like Super Mom, at the end of it all...we ARE "only" human. And acknowledging that simple fact - well, it could just be a game changer.

If you have a similar experience you'd like to share, please let me know! Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or send me an email at Kristi @awakentheextraordinary.com.

How do you feel about Valentine's Day?

Do you love it? Hate it? Or are your feelings somewhere in between?

I feel you. Believe me. But what if we simply saw Valentine’s Day as a day to put more love and kindness out into the world?

Consider that your Call To Action: Yes, absolutely take this opportunity to let those you love know you love them. But also…maybe sprinkle some of that love in a place where you know it’s greatly needed. 💕

If you choose to sprinkle some love on V-Day, share it on Instagram and be sure to tag me @awakentheextraordinary so I can help spread the love even more!

Have you ever said something that you've regretted?

I don't mean like a secret that you accidentally spilled...but like, something kinda bad...something that if you were a celeb...could get you "cancelled?"

In this episode, I talk about what I see happening in our world. I feel like so many of us are quick to judge and condemn people without giving them an opportunity to reflect, learn and grow.

None of us are perfect. Many of us have said and done things that others could find, or DO find, offensive, and I don't think that makes someone instantly BAD. It makes them HUMAN...and what if we all were a little more human to each other, and showed others the same grace and compassion that we'd like others to show us if we f*cked up - and maybe even f*cked up "big time?"

I'd love to know YOUR thoughts on this one! Please send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary or send me an email at [email protected].

*The thoughts/opinions in these notes/podcast episode are my own.

What's your take on magic?

Do you think it's having a Fairy Godmother appear out of nowhere, give you the most epic dress and transform your POS car into a "sweet ride?" Or maybe some vibrantly-colored genie popping out of a lamp and granting you 3 wishes?

That would be awesome, don't get me wrong. But here's the thing - we're actually surrounded by magic ALL THE TIME.

I know - crazy right?

But if we actually stop to pause in the course of our day...or even in a particular moment...and shift our perspective to see what is GOOD about something versus what isn't...that's pretty damn magical if you ask me (and I know you didn't, but I thought I'd throw that in there).

Join me as I share about my weekend away with my son (my first ever with just he and I), and the magic I experienced - once I gave myself permission to see it.

Have you experienced some magic today? If so, I want to know about it! Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram or take a screenshot of this episode, share it on your Stories and tag me AND tell me something magical about you and your day (whew - that's a lot), or send me an email at [email protected]!

How have your relationships been with women in your life? Friends and family?

Has it been a love-fest? Or more of a "Mean Girls" vibe? Or maybe a little of both?

In this episode, I share my experiences with my female family and friends, and how those relationships and how I felt/feel about them evolved into my desire to create a "High Vibe Tribe."

I believe the world benefits when we have women encouraging and supporting each other.

If you're looking for high-vibe women to surround yourself with, I invite you to join the High-Vibe Tribe, kicking off in March!

If you're interested, send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or send me an email at Kristi @awakentheextraordinary.com.

*I assume no responsibility if you choose to make listening to this podcast episode a drinking game and take a shot every time I say "supportive" or "encouraging"

What kind of world do you want to live in?

Do you want to live in a world that focuses on love and connection? And if your answer is yes, do you feel like you're acting in a way that is consistent with that?

Trust me, I get it - we all have bad days and momentary "lapses of love." But love as a natural part of our day-to-day is SO important.

I saw a video on Instagram that moved me to tears. OK no - I was straight up crying. It felt good and totally caught me off guard. But then I realized why I was crying - the moment the video captured was so beautiful, and it was a simple act of love. And there is nothing, to me, more magical than that.

In seeing all of the comments from people who were also moved by the video, people whom I assume have differing beliefs on a number of topics, there was something in common amongst all of them - they were touched in some way by the love displayed in that video.

And that gives me hope for our world. Because if love can truly connect us, why are we spending so much time focusing on all the crap that seeks to divide us?

If you want the world to be filled with more love, it starts with you. So stick out your tummy a la The Care Bears (Care Bear Stare, in case you're wondering) and show the world what you're made of.

Love is our Super Power. And it's time we started wielding it, Avengers-style (I'm more Marvel than DC...just FYI).

If love is YOUR Super Power, let me know! Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, and share this episode to your Stories and tag me! I mean - why NOT start wielding your Super Power by showing ME some love?! ;)

Do you remember that Daniel Powter song? "Bad Day?" They played it at the end of "American Idol" when the contestants got voted off the show. And when I think about it, I get the song choice - but I can't help but feel that song may have made people feel even crappier as they bid everyone farewell.

OK - that's not what this episode is about. This episode is about all these weird things I was feeling the other day. I was really sad and upset for a few different reasons, but nothing that I felt I should have been super upset about.

I had a lot of different emotions swirling within me as I sat down to record, and I didn't know what was going to come out of my mouth once I pushed that button.

What ended up happening was that the podcast became almost like an audio journal entry - capturing how I felt about a number of things at a particular point in time. And although I second and triple guessed myself about publishing, I decided to do it because we all have not-so-great-days.

I know so many of us distract ourselves from what we're truly feeling because a lot of the time, sitting with our feelings doesn't feel good. But that's what I did here.

I remembered what Sven says in Frozen 2: "You feel what you feel, and your feelings are real." And so I took his advice. I mean, he's adorable - how could I not?

If you're avoiding feeling something, I implore you to not. Avoiding our feelings manifests itself in so many unhealthy ways. And when we give ourselves permission to work THROUGH what we're feeling instead of stuffing it under the couch cushion like a toddler with forbidden candy...we experience true freedom.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this episode! Send me a DM or share it and tag me on Instagram @awakentheextraordinary, or send an email to me at [email protected]. OR....you can send it to a friend that you think may be in the same boat. Sometimes it really helps when you know you're not alone.

So...this recording was never intended to be a podcast episode. I was recording a voice memo to myself, about six weeks ago on my phone, about what "Awaken The Extraordinary" is to me, and what I want it to be for others...and it ended up being 15 minutes long. (As you likely know by now - I can talk!)

In sharing this story with my husband, I told him it reminded me of "Jerry Maguire" and that whole "mission-statement thing."

I'm sharing this with you because, well, this is simply me sending a message to myself. Without even thinking that anyone but me would ever hear this.

The quality isn't "Yeti-mic" worthy. I don't always articulate myself well. I'm extremely passionate.

And this is me. Unfiltered. And real.

I listened back to this recording, I thought "why not share it?"

There's that saying about who you truly are is whoever you are when no one is watching. Well, this is who I am when I think no one is listening.

If you want to share your thoughts with me on this one, I'd love to hear them. Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary, or email me at [email protected].

And if you really like this, I'd love for you to share and tag me, Follow/Subscribe, and if you want to do MORE (remember that episode about kindness?) - write a review!

How much time do you spend on social media, or watching the news?

How do you feel afterwards?

There's A LOT going on in our world, and we're consuming A LOT that doesn't make us feel good. And what we consume isn't just about what we eat - it's about the information and energy we allow into our space, what we read, what we listen to, who we spend time with.

The day that social media crashed freaked most people out. Myself included! And then you know what else freaked me out? Not being able to access my personal Instagram account for nearly a month!

But then something wonderful happened. My anxiety and stress level decreased. I realized that what I consumed on social media had a direct effect on how I felt about the world - and I liked the world a whole lot better when I wasn't constantly seeing how crappy it was, and how awful people were being to each other.

Are you noticing how social media, the news and maybe even posts from your friends are impacting you? Do you feel like $h!t after spending time with negative people? If so, perhaps a different kind of detox is in order!

Hear me out! Give yourself a week free of all that stuff that doesn't make you feel good, and see how you feel afterwards! I mean, what do you have to lose....and what could you gain?

Has social media impacted your mental health? If so, I want to know! Send me a DM @awakentheextraordinary on Instagram, or email me at [email protected].