Womenfolk Revival

Have you ever wondered why so many of us feel overwhelmed, anxious, and disconnected, even when life is more convenient than ever?

We have more technology, more information, more conveniences, and more ways to fill our days than ever before. And yet so many of us are exhausted. Our minds rarely seem to quiet down. We rush from one thing to the next, spend hours under artificial light and in front of screens, and somehow still feel like we're falling behind.

So what if what we're missing isn't another planner, another productivity system, or another thing to add to our already-full lives?

What if we've simply become disconnected from something we were never meant to live without?

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Maggie and Meara have an honest conversation about our lost connection to creation, nature, slower rhythms, and our Creator and what happens when we begin finding our way back.

We've become so accustomed to convenience and constant movement that we've started treating the natural world as something separate from us. The soil becomes a product. The forest becomes lumber. Our time becomes something to maximize. And even the simple moments of life can become another thing we're trying to accomplish instead of something we're actually present enough to experience.

But creation isn't asking us to hurry.

The trees aren't rushing. The flowers aren't competing. The seasons aren't forcing themselves to move faster.

Everything has a rhythm.

And somewhere along the way, we've stepped outside of ours.

Maggie and Meara talk about what it means to slow down and reconnect with the natural world, while also exploring the deeper connection between caring for creation and caring for ourselves. They share their own experiences with faith, searching for truth, returning to the Creator, spending more time outdoors, growing herbs, baking, listening to birds, walking barefoot, and simply learning to notice the world around them again.

They also talk about something that feels especially important for women and mothers: what happens when we teach our children to know creation instead of simply consuming more things.

From children learning to appreciate bugs and birds to letting parts of the yard grow wild, from barefoot afternoons to nature walks, from growing something yourself to learning about the plants around you, these small choices can begin changing the way our families see the world.

Because if we don't know creation, how can we truly appreciate it?

And if we don't appreciate it, how can we learn to care for it?

This conversation also touches on homesteading, stewardship, natural remedies, simple living, intentional living, faith, technology, and even AI. Maggie and Meara talk about how modern tools don't necessarily have to be rejected completely. Technology can be useful. AI can help us learn. But we have to remain responsible for how we use it rather than allowing it to consume our lives.

The goal isn't to disappear from modern society.

It's to remember that modern life doesn't have to pull us completely away from the natural world.

Sometimes returning to the simple things can be as small as opening a window, drinking tea outside, growing one herb, walking barefoot through the grass, sitting beneath a tree, listening to the birds, or simply putting your phone down long enough to notice what has been around you all along.

And sometimes those ordinary moments are the ones that bring us back to ourselves and back to our Creator.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why modern life can leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and disconnected
• How constant busyness and convenience can pull us away from natural rhythms
• Why reconnecting with nature can bring a sense of peace and presence
• The connection between caring for creation and caring for ourselves
• Maggie's personal journey of searching for God and finding her way back to faith
• Why women have historically held such a close relationship with the land, food, herbs, and nature
• How returning to creation can influence the way we raise our children
• Why children need to learn to notice trees, insects, birds, plants, and the natural world around them
• Simple ways to introduce children to nature without making it complicated
• How small changes in your yard can create space for pollinators and wildlife
• What barefoot living, gardening, growing herbs, and spending time outside can teach us
• The role of traditional and natural remedies in everyday life
• Why slowing down doesn't mean you're falling behind
• How technology and AI can be used as tools for learning without becoming our entire world
• Why knowing the natural world can deepen our appreciation for creation
• How ordinary moments can reconnect us with what really matters
• And one simple challenge you can try this week to begin noticing creation again

🌿 Your challenge this week

Go outside.

Leave your phone inside.

Don't go outside to exercise, accomplish something, check something off your list, or make yourself more productive.

Just be there.

Sit beneath a tree. Walk slowly through your yard. Sit on your porch with a cup of tea. Listen to the birds. Feel the breeze. Notice the sunlight moving through the leaves. Pay attention to something you normally walk right past.

And ask yourself:

What have I forgotten to notice?

Maybe it's the smell of the earth after it rains. Maybe it's the sound of the wind through the trees. Maybe it's an insect you've never stopped long enough to identify. Maybe it's simply the feeling of being still.

Write down one thing you noticed that you had forgotten to notice.

Then share it with someone you love your spouse, your child, a friend and come share it with us in the Womenfolk Revival Facebook Community.

Because we believe that when we begin noticing creation again, something in us begins to change.

We were never meant to rush through this life.

We were meant to live it.

🌿 Join the Womenfolk Revival Facebook Community

Come find us on Facebook and join a growing community of women who are returning to the simple things, encouraging one another, sharing what they're learning, and having honest conversations about how we actually want to live.

🎙️ New episodes of Womenfolk Revival are released every Wednesday at 5:00 AM Eastern.

If this episode spoke to your heart, follow Womenfolk Revival on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and share this episode with another woman who may be longing for a slower, simpler, more intentional way of living.

Next week: We take the next step in this journey, moving from returning to creation to returning to our Creator.

Until then, slow down, look up, and remember:

Sometimes the richest life isn't the one with the most. It's the one that remembers the beauty of enough.

Stay rooted. Stay wild.

Have you ever felt like you lost a part of yourself while taking care of everyone else?

Maybe you became a mother.

Maybe you got married.

Maybe work, caregiving, homemaking, appointments, errands, dishes, laundry, meals, and the endless mental load slowly crowded out the things that once made you feel like you.

The painting.

The gardening.

The baking.

The sewing.

The writing.

The music.

The projects you used to get excited about.

The simple joy of making something with your own hands.

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Maggie and Meara talk about why so many women lose touch with their creative side and why creativity is not frivolous, selfish, or something we have to “earn” after everything else is finished.

For generations, women created constantly.

They cooked from scratch.

They preserved food.

They gardened.

They sewed.

They baked bread.

They made remedies.

They decorated homes.

They passed down recipes.

They taught skills.

They made beauty out of ordinary life.

Creativity was not separate from daily life.

It was woven into it.

But modern life has slowly shifted many of us from creating to consuming.

We scroll.

We shop.

We watch.

We order.

We save ideas we may never actually try.

We tell ourselves we do not have enough time.

And somewhere along the way, we can forget how good it feels to actually make something again.

Why Do Women Lose Themselves?

Many women spend years caring for everyone around them.

Children need us.

Partners need us.

Homes need us.

Work needs us.

Family needs us.

And because so much of our identity can become tied to what we do for everyone else, it is easy to stop asking:

What do I enjoy?

What makes me curious?

What did I love before life became so full?

What do I want to learn?

What do I want to make?

What makes me feel alive?

This episode is about finding that part of yourself again.

Not by abandoning your family or responsibilities.

Not by creating another giant self-improvement project.

But by remembering that you are still a person inside all the roles you carry.

Creativity Does Not Have to Look Artistic

When people hear the word creativity, they often think of painting, drawing, writing, or music.

But creativity can look like so many things.

It can be baking bread.

Growing herbs.

Learning to garden.

Making a meal from scratch.

Decorating a room.

Starting a podcast.

Making herbal preparations.

Sewing.

Canning.

Building something.

Making candles.

Creating family traditions.

Learning a traditional skill.

Turning an ordinary house into a home that feels like yours.

Creativity is not about being perfect at something.

It is about participating in your own life instead of only consuming what other people create.

Why Every Hobby Does Not Need to Become a Business

One of the pressures women feel today is that every skill, hobby, or interest should become productive.

If you bake well, maybe you should sell it.

If you make something beautiful, maybe you should monetize it.

If you garden, maybe you should create content about it.

If you have a hobby, maybe it should become a side hustle.

But sometimes a hobby is allowed to simply be yours.

Something you do because you enjoy it.

Something that makes you feel peaceful.

Something that helps you reconnect with yourself.

Something that does not need an audience, a price tag, or a business plan.

You are allowed to create something simply because creating it brings you joy.

The Handmade Home

We also talk about what it means to create a handmade home.

Not a perfect home.

Not a Pinterest-perfect home.

A home with evidence that people actually live there.

Bread cooling on the counter.

Herbs drying.

A garden outside.

A painting someone made.

A recipe card written in a grandmother's handwriting.

A blanket someone sewed.

Something growing in the windowsill.

Children helping in the kitchen.

Objects with stories behind them.

A handmade home is not about aesthetics.

It is about connection.

It is about filling your home with things that mean something.

Creativity, Homemaking & Traditional Skills

Women have always used creativity inside the home.

Homemaking itself is creative.

We decide how a space feels.

We decide how meals are prepared.

We create traditions.

We teach children.

We work with what we have.

We problem-solve constantly.

We turn ingredients into meals.

Seeds into gardens.

Empty rooms into places where people feel safe.

Traditional homemaking, modern homesteading, scratch cooking, bread baking, herbalism, gardening, sewing, preserving food, and making things by hand are all forms of creativity.

And sometimes returning to these slower skills helps us remember parts of ourselves that modern life has pushed aside.

Creativity & Motherhood

Motherhood can be one of the most creative seasons of life, but it can also be one of the easiest places to lose yourself.

There is always something that needs to be done.

Someone always needs something.

It can feel difficult to justify spending time on something that is only for you.

But children also learn by watching us.

They see when we try something new.

They see when we make mistakes.

They see when we create for joy.

They see what it looks like to be curious.

Making room for creativity is not necessarily taking something away from your family.

Sometimes it shows your children what it looks like to remain connected to yourself while also loving and caring for them.

In This Episode

• Why women often lose touch with themselves
• Rediscovering identity after motherhood and caregiving
• Why creativity matters for women
• Moving from constant consumption back toward creating
• Traditional homemaking and creativity
• Modern homesteading as a creative life
• Gardening, herbalism, bread baking, scratch cooking, and working with your hands
• Why handmade homes feel meaningful
• Family traditions and passing skills down
• Why every hobby does not need to become a business
• Letting yourself create without monetizing it
• Overcoming guilt around making time for yourself
• Creativity and motherhood
• Creating alongside your children
• Learning traditional skills as an adult
• Slow living and making room for curiosity
• Intentional living instead of constant productivity
• Creativity as a source of joy and purpose
• Building a life that feels meaningful rather than merely busy
• Reconnecting with the woman underneath all your responsibilities

What if your worth was never something you had to earn?

What if success was not measured by grades, accomplishments, productivity, titles, or how much you can carry but by whether you know who you are underneath all of it?

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie sit down with Dr. Carla Caturia, educator, speaker, coach, and founder of House of RISE, for a heartfelt conversation about identity, emotional resilience, parenting, education, self-worth, confidence, and raising children in a world that constantly measures what they do.

After more than twenty years in education, Dr. Carla began noticing something important.

Children could look successful from the outside.

Good grades.

Activities.

Achievements.

Recognition.

And still be carrying anxiety, perfectionism, pressure, self-doubt, and the belief that their worth depended on how well they performed.

That raises a much bigger question:

What are we actually teaching children about success?

And maybe even more importantly:

What are we teaching them by the way we are living our own lives?

Raising Resilient Children Without Tying Worth to Achievement

Resilience is not simply teaching children to push harder.

Confidence is not simply teaching them to perform better.

And success is not simply collecting accomplishments.

Sometimes resilience is knowing how to move through disappointment without believing you are a disappointment.

Sometimes confidence is knowing your value even when you are not the best person in the room.

Sometimes emotional intelligence means being able to recognize what you are feeling instead of immediately trying to hide it, fix it, or outrun it.

And sometimes one of the greatest things we can teach our children is that their worth existed before they ever achieved anything.

In this conversation, we talk about how easy it is for children to begin tying identity to grades, sports, behavior, praise, approval, or performance.

We also explore what parents can do to help children develop confidence, emotional resilience, self-awareness, and a strong sense of identity that does not disappear when they fail, struggle, change direction, or disappoint someone.

Parenting in a Performance-Driven World

Modern childhood can come with enormous pressure.

Children are measured constantly.

Grades.

Test scores.

Sports.

Activities.

College preparation.

Social media.

Comparisons.

Future careers.

Achievement can be healthy.

Encouragement can be healthy.

But problems can begin when a child starts believing:

“I am valuable because I succeed.”

“I am lovable when I perform.”

“I am good when people approve of me.”

Dr. Carla helps us look at the difference between encouraging children to grow and unintentionally teaching them that their identity depends on what they accomplish.

Homeschooling, Public School & Intentional Education

We also talk about education and the environments where children learn.

For some families, that may mean public school.

For others, homeschooling.

For others, something completely different.

The deeper question is not simply where a child learns.

It is whether the environment around them helps them develop curiosity, confidence, emotional resilience, independence, and a secure sense of who they are.

A child is more than a grade.

More than a test score.

More than an athlete.

More than a future career.

More than what they accomplish.

And adults are too.

What Are We Modeling for Our Children?

Children learn from what we say.

But they also learn from what they watch.

Do they see us resting without guilt?

Do they see us make mistakes without falling apart?

Do they see us changing direction when something no longer fits?

Do they see us constantly proving ourselves?

Do they hear us speak about our own bodies, work, homes, and accomplishments as though they determine our worth?

Parenting is not only about what we teach directly.

It is also about the life we model.

When You Lose Yourself in the Roles You Carry

This conversation is not only about children.

Many adults are still carrying the same messages they learned growing up.

Be good.

Work harder.

Do more.

Make everyone proud.

Do not disappoint anyone.

Keep going.

Prove yourself.

Eventually, we may realize we have spent so much time becoming who everyone needed us to be that we are no longer completely sure who we are without the titles.

Mother.

Wife.

Professional.

Caregiver.

Homemaker.

Teacher.

Provider.

Achiever.

There are seasons when identities change.

Motherhood changes us.

Marriage changes us.

Faith changes us.

Loss changes us.

Age changes us.

Career changes us.

Sometimes the dreams we once had are no longer the dreams we want.

Changing direction does not mean the years before were wasted.

It may simply mean you are entering another season.

Slowing Down Without Feeling Like You Are Falling Behind

One of the strongest themes in this episode is that slowing down is not the same thing as giving up.

Sometimes slowing down is what allows us to notice what we have been too busy to see.

Our children.

Our relationships.

Our bodies.

Our faith.

Our homes.

Our emotional health.

Our own thoughts.
The things that actually make life feel like life.

We talk about letting go of the belief that we constantly have to prove ourselves and learning to trust that our value does not disappear when we rest, start over, change direction, or enter a quieter season.

In This Episode

• Raising resilient children in a performance-driven world
• Helping children develop emotional intelligence
• Building confidence without tying identity to achievement
• Anxiety, perfectionism, and pressure in children
• Why achievement should not become a measure of worth
• Parenting children who feel pressure to succeed
• Homeschooling and public education
• Creating learning environments that support confidence and curiosity
• Helping children understand failure and disappointment
• Self-worth and identity
• Letting go of perfectionism
• Parenting without constant pressure
• Modeling emotional resilience for children
• Slowing down as a family
• Burnout and overachievement
• Rediscovering identity in adulthood
• Letting go of old roles and expectations
• Building a meaningful life instead of an impressive one
• Faith, surrender, and self-worth
• Learning that your value does not depend on what you accomplish

This Episode Is for You If You’ve Been Wondering:

How do I raise resilient kids?

How do I help my child build confidence?

How do I help a perfectionist child?

Why is my child afraid of failure?

How can I teach m...

Have you ever found yourself longing for a slower, simpler life but wondered if what you're really craving has less to do with owning land and more to do with finding peace again?

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, we're sharing the honest reality of homesteading, slow living, and returning to a life that feels more intentional. We've killed plants, failed at sourdough, wasted money on projects, questioned ourselves, and learned that building a meaningful life isn't about getting everything right. 

It's about slowing down, learning as you go, and embracing the beauty of ordinary moments.

We talk about why so many women today feel overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, and disconnected from the life they truly want. Together we explore the growing desire to garden, bake bread, raise chickens, grow food, reconnect with nature, and create a home that feels peaceful instead of rushed. We also discuss the reality behind the beautiful social media images of homesteading and why comparison often steals the joy from the journey.

Whether you dream of a farmhouse on acres of land or simply want to plant a few flowers on your porch, this conversation is for you. Slow living is not about perfection or having everything figured out. It is about choosing intentional moments that bring you closer to your family, your Creator, your community, and the life you were designed to live.

In this episode we discuss:

Slow living and intentional living

The truth about homesteading beyond social media

Why women are craving a slower pace of life

Beginner gardening mistakes and what they taught us

Learning sourdough without the pressure of perfection

Backyard chickens and knowing when you're truly ready

Finding peace in everyday moments

Building community instead of trying to do everything alone

How nature teaches patience, resilience, and contentment

Practical ways to start living more intentionally today

If this episode encouraged you, we would love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use the reminder that it's okay to slow down.

Come join our Womenfolk Revival community where women from around the world are encouraging one another to live more intentionally, reconnect with simple living, and return to what matters most.

Facebook Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenfolkrevival

Website:
https://womenfolkrevival.com

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We are so grateful you're here.

Stay Rooted + Stay wild

Why are so many women exhausted even when it feels like we “didn’t do enough” that day?

Why does sitting down sometimes come with guilt instead of relief?

Why do so many women hit their 30s, 40s, and beyond and suddenly start wondering:

“Why am I so tired?”

“Why am I more emotional than I used to be?”

“Why can’t I think clearly?”

“Why don’t I feel like myself?”

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie have an honest conversation about women’s exhaustion, the pressure to keep pushing, and why rest has become something so many of us feel like we have to earn.

Women carry a lot.

The appointments.

The meals.

The laundry.

The children.

The work.

The caregiving.

The planning.

The remembering.

The emotional weight of keeping everything and everyone moving.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that, many women begin ignoring themselves.

We push through fatigue.

We dismiss the brain fog.

We tell ourselves to just get through the day.

We feel guilty for sitting down.

We wonder why we cannot handle what we used to.

And sometimes we start believing the problem is us.

But what if instead of asking:

“What is wrong with me?”

we started asking:

“What is my body trying to tell me?”

This conversation explores what it can feel like when exhaustion, stress, hormonal changes, sleep problems, mental load, and everyday life begin piling on top of each other.

We talk about perimenopause, thyroid concerns, chronic stress, anxiety, low energy, irritability, sleep changes, brain fog, changes in weight, emotional overwhelm, and that strange feeling of no longer recognizing yourself.

Not because every symptom has one simple explanation.

Often, it does not.

And that is exactly why women deserve to slow down long enough to notice what is changing.

Why Are So Many Women So Tired?

Sometimes exhaustion is obvious.

Sometimes it is not.

You may still be getting everyone where they need to go.

You may still be working.

Still cooking.

Still cleaning.

Still answering messages.

Still taking care of everyone.

Still showing up.

From the outside, you may look completely fine.

But inside, you are running on empty.

And because women are so used to functioning while exhausted, it can become difficult to recognize just how depleted we actually are.

We talk about the difference between being tired after a busy day and living in a state where exhaustion starts to feel normal.

We also talk about how easily women can blame themselves.

Maybe I need to be more disciplined.

Maybe I need to exercise more.

Maybe I am just getting lazy.

Maybe everybody else handles this better than I do.

Maybe I should be able to do more.

But sometimes doing more is exactly what our bodies are asking us to stop doing.

Why Do Women Feel Guilty for Resting?

Somewhere along the way, productivity became tied to worth.

If we are cleaning, working, cooking, caring for someone, finishing a task, or crossing something off a list, we feel productive.

But sitting down?

Taking a nap?

Going to bed early?

Leaving something unfinished?

Asking for help?

Those things can make women feel guilty.

We talk about why rest can feel uncomfortable, even when we desperately need it.

Many women have spent years learning how to take care of everyone around them without learning how to recognize their own limits.

And the result is often a cycle of pushing, crashing, feeling guilty, and then pushing again.

Rest is not something you have to earn after you completely wear yourself down.

Sometimes rest is part of taking care of yourself before you reach that point.

Perimenopause, Hormones, Stress & Feeling Unlike Yourself

For many women, the years leading into menopause can bring changes that are confusing and difficult to explain.

Energy may change.

Sleep may change.

Mood may change.

Periods may change.

Anxiety may feel different.

Brain fog can become frustrating.

You may notice changes in your body that you cannot immediately explain.

At the same time, many women are raising children, working, caring for aging parents, managing households, supporting partners, and carrying an enormous mental load.

That makes it difficult to separate one thing from another.

Is it stress?

Is it sleep?

Could hormones be changing?

Could thyroid function be worth discussing with a healthcare provider?

Could nutrition, iron status, or other health factors be contributing?

Sometimes there is not one neat answer.

This episode is not about diagnosing those symptoms.

It is about paying attention to them.

Listening to Your Body Instead of Fighting It

One of the biggest themes of this conversation is learning to notice patterns.

When are you most tired?

How are you sleeping?

Has your cycle changed?

When did the brain fog begin?

Have you noticed changes in mood, anxiety, appetite, temperature tolerance, energy, or weight?

What makes symptoms better?

What seems to make them worse?

Writing these things down can help you see patterns that are difficult to notice when you are simply trying to survive the day.

And it gives you more information to bring into conversations with your healthcare provider.

You know what it feels like to live inside your body every day.

Paying attention to those changes is not being dramatic.

It is information.

The Mental Load Women Carry

Exhaustion is not always physical.

Sometimes the heaviest part is everything running through your mind.

What needs to be bought.

Who needs an appointment.

What needs to be signed.

What is for dinner.

Who needs new shoes.

What bill is due.

What the children need for school.

What needs to be cleaned.

Who is upset.

Who needs you.

What you forgot.

What you cannot forget tomorrow.

That constant background thinking can be exhausting even when nobody else can see it.

We talk about the invisible work women carry and why feeling overwhelmed does not necessarily mean you are doing something wrong.

Sometimes there is simply too much being carried by one person.

Supporting Yourself Through the Basics

We also talk about returning to foundational habits that can easily disappear when life gets busy.

Eating enough.

Eating nourishing foods.

Getting adequate protein and whole foods.

Drinking water.

Sleeping whenever you realistically can.

Spending time outside.

Moving your body in ways that feel supportive.

Creating quieter moments.

Paying attention to stress.

And working with a healthcare professional when symptoms are persistent or concerning.

We also discuss nutrients commonly associated with thyroid and overall health, including iodine, selenium, zinc, and...

What if your child saying, “I’m bored,” isn’t a problem you need to fix?

What if boredom is actually where imagination begins?

Children today have more entertainment available to them than any generation before them. Tablets, phones, streaming shows, video games, social media, endless toys, scheduled activities, there is almost always something ready to fill every quiet moment.

But what happens when children never have enough empty space to figure out what to do with themselves?

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, we talk about why children do not need constant entertainment and why boredom, unstructured play, outdoor time, imagination, and simple family rhythms still matter.

We look back at the kind of childhood many of us remember building forts out of blankets, making up games, wandering outside, drawing, pretending, digging in the dirt, riding bikes, creating entire worlds out of whatever happened to be nearby.

Nobody planned every minute for us.

Sometimes we were bored.

And eventually, we figured something out.

That ability to move through boredom and create something from nothing is a skill children still need.

This episode is not about believing technology is bad or that families should throw away every screen in the house. Technology is part of modern life, and every family has different needs.

This is a conversation about becoming more intentional about what fills our children's time and remembering that parents do not have to constantly entertain their children.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is leave a little room.

Room to imagine.

Room to explore.

Room to create.

Room to play without instructions.

Room to notice the world around them.

Room to simply be bored long enough for something new to happen.

We also talk about the effect constant digital distraction can have on the whole family.

It is not only children reaching for screens.

Parents are doing it too.

Phones follow us into restaurants, waiting rooms, family time, conversations, bedtime routines, and moments that once would have simply been quiet.

And sometimes we do not realize how much of our attention has been divided until we intentionally put the phone down.

So much of intentional parenting is not about creating a perfect childhood.

It is about being present enough to notice the childhood that is already happening.

We talk about raising children with fewer personal devices, encouraging independent play, spending time outdoors, creating family traditions, having movie nights together instead of everyone disappearing into separate screens, and allowing ordinary moments to become memories.

We also share our own experiences with attachment parenting, co-sleeping, homeschooling, family connection, and trying to raise children in a world that seems determined to keep everyone constantly distracted.

Because children do not necessarily need another activity.

They do not always need another toy.

They do not need every quiet moment filled.

Sometimes they need a cardboard box.

A backyard.

A pile of blankets.

A few sticks.

Some dirt.

A sibling.

An afternoon with absolutely nothing planned.

And permission to figure out what happens next.

In This Episode

• Why boredom can be good for children
• Why parents do not need to constantly entertain their kids
• How boredom can encourage imagination and creativity
• The importance of unstructured play
• Independent play and learning to create without instructions
• Screen time and modern childhood
• Parenting in the digital age
• Raising children without constant access to phones and social media
• Screen-free and lower-screen family rhythms
• Outdoor play and letting children explore
• Building forts, making up games, and creating childhood memories
• Why simple childhood experiences often stay with us the longest
• Family connection in a distracted world
• Phones, technology, and parental attention
• Creating more face-to-face family time
• Attachment parenting and connection-focused parenting
• Co-sleeping and family closeness
• Homeschooling and creating space for curiosity
• Slow childhood and intentional parenting
• Why presence matters more than perfection

Why Is Boredom Good for Kids?

Boredom gives children an opportunity to decide what happens next.

Without an adult immediately handing them an activity or a screen providing instant entertainment, children have space to experiment, imagine, build, draw, explore, daydream, invent games, and solve the very simple but important problem of:

“What am I going to do?”

That may seem small, but those moments can become part of developing independence, creativity, curiosity, and confidence in their own ability to create.

Do Parents Have to Entertain Their Children All Day?

No childhood can or needs to be filled with nonstop activities.

Parents are already carrying enough.

Creating a meaningful childhood does not require scheduling every hour, buying endless toys, finding Pinterest-worthy activities, or making every moment exciting.

Sometimes creating a slower family life means giving children permission to play while we cook dinner, tend the garden, fold laundry, work around the home, or simply sit nearby.

Children can be part of ordinary family life without every moment being designed around entertaining them.

What About Screens?

Screens are not disappearing.

Phones, tablets, televisions, computers, and digital entertainment are part of the world our children are growing up in.

The question is not necessarily whether technology exists in our homes.

The question is whether technology has begun replacing the things we still want our children to experience:

Conversation.

Imagination.

Outdoor play.

Boredom.

Family meals.

Creativity.

Eye contact.

Exploration.

Quiet.

Connection.

This episode is about noticing that balance and deciding intentionally what we want childhood to feel like inside our own homes.

Creating a Slower Childhood

Slow living with children does not have to mean moving to the country or completely rejecting modern life.

It can look like:

letting them play outside,

leaving an afternoon unscheduled,

reading together,

building a blanket fort,

cooking as a family,

planting something,

taking a walk,

having dinner without phones,

letting children help with ordinary household tasks,

giving them time to make up their own games,

or simply allowing them to say, “I’m bored,” without immediately solving it for them.

Those small choices become part of family culture.

And family culture eventually becomes childhood memory.

Our children probably will not remember what was trending online when they were eight years old.

But they may remember the fort in the living room.

The movie nights.

The garden.

The muddy feet.

The games they invented.

What happens when you stop chasing the modern world's definition of success and start building a life that actually feels like your own?

What if the life you want looks slower, simpler, more rooted, more family-centered, and very different from what society tells you success is supposed to look like?

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie sit down with Leah Renee for a thoughtful conversation about motherhood, homebirth, homesteading, traditional living, family rhythms, and the growing desire many women feel to return to a more intentional way of life.

Leah shares what it looks like to choose a different path one built around family, faith, connection, practical skills, and a slower pace rather than constant productivity, convenience, and pressure.

Together, we talk about what it means to build a home that feels grounded, how motherhood can change the way you see success, why so many women are becoming interested in homesteading and traditional skills, and what it can look like to reclaim parts of life that once felt ordinary.

Choosing a Different Definition of Success

Modern life often tells us that success means more.

More money.

More productivity.

More opportunities.

More convenience.

More things.

More achievement.

But many women are beginning to ask a different question:

What if more is not actually what we want?

What if success looks like knowing where your food comes from?

Being present with your children?

Creating a home that feels peaceful?

Learning to cook from scratch?

Growing food?

Living closer to the land?
Learning skills that were once passed naturally from generation to generation?

This episode explores what happens when women begin questioning the pace and expectations of modern life and start choosing a life that feels more aligned with their values.

Intentional Motherhood

Motherhood has a way of changing what matters.

Things that once felt important may begin to feel less important.

Other things move to the center.

Family.

Time.

Health.

Presence.

How children are raised.

What fills the home.

What values are modeled.

How much of childhood is actually experienced instead of rushed through.

Leah shares her perspective on intentional motherhood and what it means to raise children in a home where connection, family rhythms, and slower living matter.

This is not about creating a perfect home or becoming a perfect mother.

It is about becoming more conscious of what kind of family life you want to build.

Homebirth & Natural Birth

We also talk about homebirth, natural birth, and trusting the birth process.

Birth is deeply personal, and every woman’s circumstances are different.

In this conversation, Leah shares her own experience and perspective on choosing homebirth and the confidence that can come from being informed, supported, and connected to your own values around birth.

This is not medical advice or a recommendation for every family.

It is a conversation about autonomy, informed choice, and how women think about birth in a culture where many people are reevaluating what feels right for them.

Homesteading & Traditional Skills

Homesteading is not only about owning acreage.

It is also about skills.

Cooking.

Gardening.

Food preservation.

Raising children with practical knowledge.

Learning to make things.

Understanding where food comes from.

Creating more resilience at home.

Leah talks about the appeal of homesteading and traditional living, and why so many women are drawn toward learning skills that used to be part of everyday family life.

For some people, that means living rurally.

For others, it may mean learning one skill at a time in the home they already have.

Returning to Traditional Living

Traditional living does not mean trying to recreate the past perfectly.

It can mean asking what older ways of living still have something to teach us.

Seasonal rhythms.

Cooking from scratch.

Growing food.

Living with less.

Using what you have.

Learning from older generations.

Building community.

Spending more time together.

Passing skills down.

Choosing connection over convenience.

This episode is about thinking critically about what modern life has added and what it may have quietly taken away.

Creating a Slower Home

Slow living is not about doing nothing.

It is about choosing what deserves your time.

A slower home may still be busy.

There are meals to cook.

Children to raise.

Gardens to tend.

Work to do.

But there can still be a different rhythm.

A home where family meals matter.

Where children are included.

Where work has purpose.

Where not every minute is filled.

Where progress does not always have to be fast.

Where enough is allowed to be enough.

In This Episode

• Intentional motherhood
• Slow living and simple living
• Homebirth and natural birth
• Homesteading and homestead life
• Traditional living in a modern world
• Rural living and family-centered life
• Building family rhythms
• Raising children with intention
• Learning traditional skills
• Cooking from scratch
• Self-sufficiency and resilience at home
• Ancestral wisdom and generational knowledge
• Choosing connection over convenience
• Reconsidering modern definitions of success
• Building a meaningful life instead of a busy one
• Creating a peaceful home
• Living with purpose and conviction
• Returning to practical skills
• Building community
• Living closer to the land
• Homeschooling and alternative family rhythms
• Choosing a life that reflects your values

This Episode Is for You If You’ve Been Wondering:

How do I start living more intentionally?

Why do so many women want a slower life?

What is intentional motherhood?

What does traditional living look like today?

Why are women drawn to homesteading?

How can I create a slower home?

What are traditional skills worth learning?

How do I build a family-centered life?

How do I stop chasing modern ideas of success?

How can I simplify my family life?

What does homebirth mean to women who choose it?

How do I create family rhythms that feel more peaceful?

How can I become more self-sufficient?

How do I live more in line with my values?

The Life You Want Does Not Have to Look Like Everyone Else’s

There is no single right way to build a meaningful life.

For some women, it may look like a homestead.

For others, a garden.

A smaller home.

A slower schedule.

A homebirth.

Homeschooling.

Cooking more from scratch.

Leaving a career.

Starting a new one.

Living closer to family.

Choosing less.

The point is not to copy somebody else’s life.

Why does motherhood feel so lonely when we are supposedly more connected than ever?

We have group texts, social media, FaceTime, parenting forums, neighborhood apps, and constant access to one another yet so many women still feel like they are raising children, managing homes, carrying relationships, and navigating life largely on their own.
In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie talk about the village we seem to have lost and why so many women are craving real community again.

Not followers.

Not likes.

Not hundreds of people watching from a distance.

Real people who know us.

People who show up.

People who sit at the table.

People who know our children.

People who notice when something is wrong.

People we can call without feeling like a burden.

For generations, family and community were much more woven into everyday life.
Grandparents lived nearby.

Children grew up around cousins, neighbors, aunts, uncles, older women, and other families.
Skills, stories, meals, childcare, and responsibilities were often shared across generations.
Modern life has changed much of that.
Families move farther apart.
Schedules are packed.
Women are trying to manage homes, children, work, relationships, appointments, and emotional labor while often missing the support systems women once relied on.

And then we wonder why so many mothers feel overwhelmed.
Why Does Motherhood Feel So Lonely?
You can love your children deeply and still feel lonely.
You can be married and still need female friendship.
You can have family and still wish you had more community.
You can talk to people online every day and still miss being genuinely known.
Motherhood can become incredibly isolating when so much of life happens behind the walls of our homes.
And sometimes women feel guilty admitting that.
We are supposed to be grateful.
We are supposed to handle it.
We are supposed to be strong.
But humans were never meant to live completely independently from one another.
Women need other women.
Families need other families.

Children benefit from having safe, trusted adults and relationships beyond the immediate household.
And asking for connection does not mean something is wrong with your family.
It means you are human.
What Happened to the Village?
The village did not disappear overnight.
Modern life slowly changed the way families and communities function.
Multi-generational households became less common.
People moved farther from family.
Work and school schedules became more demanding.
Neighborhood relationships changed.
Much of our communication moved online.

We became more independent but independence sometimes came at the cost of interdependence.
The people previous generations may have seen every day are now often a text message, a social media update, or a holiday visit away.
And while technology can help us stay connected, it cannot completely replace sitting across the table from someone.
Are We Connected or Just Constantly in Contact?

One of the questions we explore in this episode is whether modern technology has given us connection or simply more communication.
We can know what someone ate for breakfast without knowing that she is struggling.
We can see pictures of someone's children without ever spending time with them.
We can have hundreds of online friends and still wonder who we could actually call when life falls apart.
Social media is not necessarily the enemy.
But it can create the illusion of community without always giving us the depth of relationship human beings need.
Real connection takes time.
It takes vulnerability.
It takes showing up.
It takes letting people see the parts of life that are not polished.
Women Need Other Women
Women have always learned from one another.
Recipes.
Birth stories.
Parenting.
Herbs.
Gardening.
Homemaking.
Food preservation.
Marriage.
Motherhood.
Loss.
Faith.
Family traditions.
Life.

So much wisdom was once passed from woman to woman simply because women spent time together.
That kind of connection still matters.
A woman does not have to be your age, parent exactly like you, believe every single thing you believe, or live the same lifestyle to have something meaningful to offer.

Sometimes the women who teach us the most are in completely different seasons of life.
The Importance of Multi-Generational Relationships
There is something powerful about children growing up around different generations.
Older people carry stories and experience.
Younger people bring energy and new ideas.

Children learn that life does not begin and end with their own age group.
We talk about multi-generational living and relationships, family support systems, and what can be lost when generations rarely interact outside of holidays.

Not every family can live under one roof.
Not everyone lives close to relatives.

But we can still look for ways to create relationships across generations and keep wisdom moving forward.
Children Need a Village Too
Community is not only important for mothers.
Children benefit from connection as well.
They need time with family.
They need other children.
They need outdoor play.
They need boredom.

They need opportunities to make up their own games, solve problems, use their imagination, and exist without every moment being structured or filled by a screen.

We talk about how modern childhood has become increasingly scheduled and digital and what may happen when children lose some of the freedom, community, and unstructured play that previous generations experienced more naturally.
Sometimes children do not need another activity.

Sometimes they need other kids, a backyard, an afternoon, and enough boredom to figure out what happens next.
Building the Village as Adults

One of the hardest parts of adulthood is realizing that friendship does not always happen automatically anymore.
Nobody puts us on the playground together.
Nobody assigns us seats next to each other.
Nobody creates the community for us.
Sometimes we have to build it.

That might mean:
sending the text first,
inviting someone for coffee,
starting a conversation,
joining a local group,
checking on another mother,
bringing someone a meal,
letting someone help you,
asking for help,
showing up consistently,
or being willing to turn an acquaintance into an actual friend.
It can feel uncomfortable.
But somebody has to go first.

The Village Is Not Something You Find
We often imagine that somewhere out there is the perfect community waiting for us.
A group of women who understand us completely.
The perfect neighborhood.
The perfect church.
The perfect homeschool group.
The perfect group of mothers.
Sometimes we find pieces of that.

But often, the village is something we build slowly.
One friendship.
One family.
One conversation.
One invitation.
One act of kindness at a time.
Community is not always immediate.
Trust takes time.
Relationships take effort.
And sometimes becoming part of a village begins by deciding to be the kind of person you hope to find.

In This Episode
• Why motherhood can feel lonely
• Why mothers need community and support
• The disappearance of the village in modern life
• Why women were never meant to carry everything alone
• Female friendship and motherhood
• Women supporting women
• Multi-generational living and family relationships
• The wisdom older generations can pass down
• Modern motherhood and isolation
• So...

Traditional Nourishment: The Forgotten Power of Homemade Broth

Have we forgotten some of the most nourishing foods our grandparents relied on every day?

In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, we explore the traditional kitchen practices that once formed the foundation of family nourishment. From homemade bone broth and nourishing stocks to slow-cooked meats, healthy fats, collagen-rich foods, and mineral-dense meals, we discuss how generations before us used simple ingredients to support their families long before supplements and convenience foods existed.

As modern life has shifted toward convenience, many of these traditional practices have quietly disappeared. Yet homemade broth remains one of the simplest and most affordable ways to bring deep nourishment back into the home.

Sometimes the answers we're searching for aren't found in a supplement aisle, they're found in the pantry we forgot.

In This Episode We Discuss
The difference between nourishment and convenience
Why homemade bone broth was once a kitchen staple
Natural sources of collagen, minerals, and healthy fats
How traditional foods supported family wellness
Using leftover bones and scraps to reduce waste
Simple ways to begin making homemade broth
The connection between traditional nourishment and modern health concerns
Why food once served as both medicine and daily sustenance

We also touch on the work of Weston A. Price and the insights from traditional cultures that relied on whole foods, animal-based nourishment, and seasonal cooking.

Quotes from the Episode

"Have we been throwing away the most nourishing parts of our food, then buying them back in supplement form?"

"Sometimes the answers we're searching for aren't found in a supplement aisle, they're found in the pantry we forgot."

"For generations, people were getting nourishment from everyday foods, eggs, butter, cream, slow-cooked meats, and broth."

Key Takeaway

Sometimes returning to simple things isn’t about doing more, it’s about remembering.

Remembering that nourishment doesn’t always come from a bottle. Some of the most valuable foods are already in our kitchens, waiting to be used.

FAQ

What is bone broth?
Bone broth is made by slowly simmering bones and connective tissue to create a mineral-rich, nourishing broth often used in soups, cooking, or drinking on its own.

Is homemade broth actually healthy?
Yes. Traditional broth contains minerals, gelatin, and nutrients that support digestion, joint health, and overall nourishment when made from quality ingredients.

What’s the difference between broth and stock?
Stock is typically made primarily from bones, while broth can include both meat and bones. Both serve as a flavorful, nutrient-rich base for cooking.

How do you use bone broth in everyday meals?
It can be used to cook rice, make soups, stews, sauces, or simply sipped warm as a nourishing drink.

Do I need special ingredients to make it?
No. Most broths can be made using leftover bones, vegetable scraps, water, and basic kitchen staples.

Related Topics
Traditional homemaking
Slow living
Natural health
Holistic wellness
Healthy fats
Bone broth
Homemade stock
Ancestral nutrition
Nourishing traditions
Family wellness
Modern homesteading
Closing Thought

Returning to traditional nourishment isn’t about rejecting modern life, it’s about remembering what once worked, and deciding what still serves us today.

If You Enjoyed This Episode

Follow Womenfolk Revival, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who is curious about simple, traditional ways of living.

Stay Rooted + Stay Wild

The Fat Revolution: When Did We Become So Afraid of Fat?

Butter. Ghee. Tallow. Cream.
For generations, families around the world cooked with traditional fats that were available through their climate, culture, and local food systems. Somewhere along the way, many of us began fearing the very foods our grandparents considered ordinary.
In this episode of Womenfolk Revival, Meara and Maggie explore traditional fats, ingredient labels, food culture, and why simple foods often contain fewer ingredients than the products filling modern grocery store shelves.
We discuss:

•  Butter, ghee, tallow, and traditional cooking fats 
•  Reading ingredient labels and asking better questions about our food 
•  Traditional kitchens and ancestral foodways 
•  Cooking with intention instead of perfection 
•  Small changes families can make without overwhelming their budget 
•  Why traditional food looks different around the world 
•  Nourishing our families with simple, recognizable ingredients 

This conversation isn't about perfection. It's about becoming more aware, asking questions, and taking small steps toward understanding where our food comes from.

Episode Highlights
Meara and Maggie open with a simple but powerful observation: traditional fats were once normal, everyday ingredients, not something controversial or confusing.
They break down what fats like tallow, ghee, and butter actually are, and how they’ve been used across cultures for centuries.

Maggie shares how tallow can come from different animals depending on region and availability, while Meara reflects on how quickly something unfamiliar can feel intimidating, until it becomes part of daily life.
A recurring theme throughout the conversation is this:

Modern food has become more complicated than it needs to be.

Both hosts talk about reading ingredient labels and noticing how many modern products contain long lists of additives, while traditional foods often contain just one or two ingredients.
Food Labels, Trust & Modern Confusion
One of the most striking parts of the conversation is how often both hosts now flip over food packaging before buying anything.
Meara shares how she’s started asking:

•  What is this? 
•  What’s in it? 
•  What purpose does it serve? 

Maggie points out how many products that seem “normal” contain ingredients most people wouldn’t recognize, or expect.
They also reflect on the difference between countries, noting how the same brands often contain fewer ingredients overseas than in the United States.
The conversation isn’t about fear, it’s about awareness.
Traditional Fats in the Kitchen
The episode explores how fats like butter, tallow, coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil are used in everyday cooking.
Meara shares how she uses:

•  Butter for cooking fish and chicken 
•  Ghee or tallow for high-heat meals 
•  Coconut oil for popcorn 

Maggie talks about making popcorn from scratch on the stovetop and finishing it with butter and mineral salt, turning a simple snack into something nourishing and intentional.
They both emphasize that traditional cooking fats aren’t complicated—they’re practical.
Small Changes, Not Perfection
A major takeaway from this episode is that change doesn’t have to be extreme.
You don’t need to throw everything out.
 You don’t need a perfect pantry.
 You don’t need to overhaul your entire diet overnight.
Instead:

•  Start by reading ingredient labels 
•  Choose simpler versions of everyday foods 
•  Swap one cooking fat at a time 
•  Notice how real foods make you feel 

As Maggie puts it, it’s about deciding what matters and making gradual changes that fit your life and budget.
Why This Matters
The conversation goes deeper than food.
It touches on:

•  Health and energy 
•  Modern convenience culture 
•  Trust in food systems 
•  The loss of traditional knowledge 
•  Reconnecting with ancestral food practices 

Meara reflects on how traditional kitchens weren’t built around perfection—they were built around feeding families well with what was available.
Final Reflection
Before closing, the hosts encourage listeners to do one simple thing:
Next time you’re at the grocery store, turn a package around and read the ingredients.
Do you recognize them?
 Do you understand them?
 Or have they become unfamiliar?
That small act of awareness is where change begins.
Because sometimes the simplest foods really are the most nourishing.
Important Note
This episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Dietary needs vary from person to person. Please consult your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have existing medical conditions.
Resources: Ohio Traditional Food & Fat Sources
Looking for grass-fed beef, tallow, raw dairy, or local farms in Ohio?

•  OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association): https://grow.oeffa.org
•  OEFFA Organic Farm Directory: https://www.oeffa.org/countymap.php
•  Real Milk Ohio Farm Directory: https://www.realmilk.com/farm-directory/wpbdm-region/ohio/
•  Raw Milk Finder – Ohio: https://getrawmilk.com/browse/US/Ohio
•  Raw Milk Sources Near Cincinnati/Hamilton Area: https://getrawmilk.com/search/Hamilton%2C%20Ohio

When purchasing fats, ask:

•  What was the animal’s diet? 
•  How was it raised? 
•  How was it processed? 
•  Is it minimally processed? 

FAQ
What are traditional cooking fats?
Traditional fats include butter, ghee, tallow, lard, and animal fats that were commonly used before modern seed oils became widespread.
Is fat actually good for you?
Yes—fats play an essential role in hormone health, brain function, and nutrient absorption, especially fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.
What is tallow?
Tallow is rendered fat, typically from beef or sheep, used for cooking, skincare, and even candle making.
Can I cook everything with tallow or butter?
Many foods can be cooked with traditional fats, but variety is helpful. Olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil also have their place depending on heat and use.
Do I need to change my entire diet to eat healthier fats?
No. Small swaps and gradual changes are more sustainable than overhauling everything at once.
Stay rooted. Stay wild.