I know what it’s like to just not.
Just not try the new sport.
Just not sign up for the art class.
Just not join the group of people whom I assume are smarter than me. 
Just not take that professional leap.
Just not attend the event with people who seem to have it all figured out. 
Just not chase a dream. 
Just not admit I really want something.
Just not believe I’m worth it.

I’m curious if you ever get a case of the Just Nots?
Perhaps this happens to you when you think something miiiight be kinda cool, but then you decide it feels too risky, too scary, or too vulnerable. You start to make up a bunch of reasons that it’s just not the right time. Just not the right fit for you. 
Just not the next right step. And you end up Just Not doing the damn thing.  
And then, you find yourself sad, mad, disappointed, full of regret, maybe feeling some shame, and likely making promises about how next time you Just Will. 
In this episode I talk through what the Just Nots look like and how they can impact your life. Then, we dig into the Just Wills - the fun stuff - where all sorts of magic happens.  
It’s ok if you’re typically a Just Not kinda person. But, I think (hope) this episode nudges you to be a little bit more of a Just Will person.  

Link mentioned:
Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

810: When It’s Easier to Just Not

Hosted by the notoriously real and raw Sara Dean, The Shameless Mom Academy is a top-rated podcast for moms who are looking to gain confidence, improve relationships, build better boundaries, cultivate resilience, create joy, and position themselves as a leader in their households, communities, workplaces, and businesses. The Shameless Mom Academy provides inspiration, learning, and stories that guide moms to become more confident and courageous decision-makers and action-takers.  With a deep commitment to truth-telling, Sara and her guests share vulnerable stories that are not often shared between mothers.  You can expect your head and your heart to expand a little with every episode. If you’re ready to overcome mom guilt, reject imposter syndrome, and quit perfectionism, you’re in the right place.  You can count on The Shameless Mom Academy to provide practical advice and simple strategies to make your life a little better starting today. Warning: Sara is known to make listeners laugh and cry and walk away feeling like you just spent time with a new best friend.

Kids & Family

Parenting

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

I am often asked, "Sara, how do I discover my passion?" It's a question typically accompanied by a sense of frustration over not having found it yet.
We're often led to believe that unless we're wholly devoted to something we're passionate about, we're squandering our time and talents. However, I propose that it's sometimes acceptable to engage in pursuits that don't ignite our passion entirely, especially if they offer security and stability—like a steady paycheck and benefits.
Of course, pursuing meaningful work that resonates with our passions and provides a sense of purpose is undeniably appealing. Additionally, the world eagerly awaits the gifts you have to offer, so withholding them would be a disservice.
So, how do you discern when to pursue your passions? How do you identify the endeavor you want to pursue passionately? And when is the right moment to pivot or make a strategic shift?
For 20+ years, I've dedicated considerable effort to building businesses centered around work that deeply resonates with me—work that fills me with purpose. However, there have also been times, even seasons, when I've found myself in less-than-thrilling situations as I strategically plotted my next move. In this episode, I'll recount a few examples to illustrate what this process looks like in reality.
Whether you're contemplating a pivot or shift right now or crafting a five-year plan toward your purpose, I've got you covered. This episode will give you great insight.

Link mentioned:
Interested in Business Coaching with Sara? Email us at info@shamelessmom.com with the subject line: Business Coaching and we will send you details on Sara’s 6 month One-on-One Business & Coaching Package! 

We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

875: Navigating Passion, Purpose, and Strategic Shifts

Katie Krimitsos is the creator of the Women’s Meditation Network, a collection of 20 guided meditation podcasts that help listeners feel calmer, sleep easier, release anxiety, and consciously create their lives. Her meditations have been listened to over 140 million times by women all around the world. She’s a writer at heart, has a soft spot for animals, adores her Greek hubby, loves a good margarita, and treasures the job of raising her two girls.
Katie has become a dear friend as we have navigated podcasting and entrepreneurship together. She has been a guest on the SMA multiple times. Our conversations are always fire and magic. We were video messaging back and forth recently about our childhoods and parenting and it got deep fast. After a bit, we both said, “We really should record this conversation!” So, here it is…  

Listen in to hear Katie share:

The red flags that alert you to the fact that you're disconnected from your sense of self

Why it can be so difficult to answer the question, “What do I want?”

How we are personally and professionally impacted by what our parents modeled throughout our childhood

The power of recognizing what was missing from your childhood - even if your childhood was really great

How to unpack your childhood a bit to acknowledge what you might need to release

Easily accessible tools that can help you begin to listen inward

Permission to not know what you want and how to start connecting to what you want


Links mentioned:

Find all of Katie’s Meditation Podcasts on Apple Podcasts:  Womens Meditation Network 

Connect with Katie or WMN resources: womensmeditationnetwork.com


Meditation for Moms: I See You, Mama with Sara Dean



We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

874: Katie Krimitsos: How to Rediscover “What Do I Want For Myself?”

Women often find themselves grappling with a complex and sometimes sticky relationship with self-trust. From a young age, we are subtly conditioned to doubt our own instincts and inner knowing. This societal conditioning seeps into our subconscious, creating a disconnect from our innate self-trust and inner knowing that persists throughout our lives.
The erosion of self-trust often sets off a cascade of detrimental effects on our well-being. We find ourselves trapped in internal feedback loops that echo with damaging self-talk:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not worthy of success or love.”
“I must not be trying hard enough.”
"Everyone else seems to have it all figured out, why can't I?"
“No one really cares about what I think or feel.”
These thoughts become our default narrative, undermining our confidence and distorting our perceptions of reality. The cycle perpetuates, reinforcing the belief that we are inherently flawed or inadequate.
Do any of these sentiments resonate with you?
In this episode, I aim to guide you through a common dysfunctional feedback loop, shedding light on its mechanisms and implications. Then I will walk you through a more healthy and productive feedback loop—one rooted in self-compassion, empowerment, and trust.
My hope is that by unraveling the patterns of self-doubt and negative social narratives, you can begin to reclaim your inherent self-trust and rewrite the script of your self-narrative, allowing you to embrace your worthiness and reshape the way you perceive yourself and your capabilities.

Link mentioned:
SMA Ep 391: Why Moms Lack Self-Trust https://shamelessmom.com/episode/why-moms-lack-self-trust/


We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

873: Change This Internal Feedback Loop to Gain Self-Trust

As a busy mom, time becomes your most precious resource, but it often feels like there's never enough. Effective time management is crucial for achieving your goals and avoiding the overwhelm that comes with motherhood.
There are some simple strategies that you can put in place immediately to help you protect your time and energy. Additionally, I want to provide you with some mindset resets around time management that will help you see time and how you use it in new ways.  
In this episode, we'll explore practical strategies to help you reclaim your time and find a sense of balance amidst the chaos of family life. From reevaluating your schedule to embracing the concept of unscheduling, you'll discover how to create more mental space and carve out time for self-care and pursuing your dreams.
By gaining a few new time management skills, you'll build the confidence you need to make the most of your time and create a life that aligns with your priorities. Whether you're craving more time for yourself, more quality time with your family, or wanting to pursue a big goal, this episode offers actionable tips to help you navigate the challenges of being a busy mom while still making room for what truly matters.
Links mentioned:

SMA Ep 105: 7 Secrets To Slow Down & Simplify 


SMA Ep 397: 4 Time Management Mindset Shifts For Moms



We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

872: Take Back Your Time: Time Management Tips for Busy Moms

The title of this episode might have some of you judging me. I get it. Before you judge, hear me out… 
A few years ago, I listened to the book FINISH by Jon Acuff. Then, I read the hard copy. Then, I chose the book for the book club inside our SMA membership community. I loved (and still love) this book. The book is all about how to finish the things you start. One of Jon’s tools in finishing your top priority goals or action items is to simultaneously “choose what to bomb”. Sometimes, if you need to get the big, important things done you have to let yourself completely fail in other areas. 
 As I find myself in this season of working full time while, navigating month 11 of my husband’s unemployment, being a grad school student, and intense parenting (friends… nobody warned me about 11!), I’m having to choose to bomb some things. And, being a social butterfly is one of them. I am saying no to things I really want to do with people I really want to spend time with because this is the only way to protect my time and sanity. It’s hard to set and hold these boundaries, but it’s really necessary in this season of life.  
In this episode, I talk through how to choose what to bomb when life is a lot and something’s got to give. I also talk you through how to bomb things in a way that doesn’t make you feel like you’re being a horrible person. I know the truth is that I’m a very good friend - even if I’m not the greatest friend right now. I’m guessing the same is true for you. 
Link mentioned:
Book: FINISH by Jon Acuff
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

810: When It’s Easier to Just Not

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