You work hard, you take on multiple projects, you've got goals, you're efficient with your time and energy. There's nothing wrong with that, right?

There isn't anything wrong with hustling. In fact, hard work is often rewarded through successes of some kind, and real hustlers are rare gems that are cherished when found. But there are dangers to the hustle when it's all-consuming... when the successes or objects obtained become your sole purpose for your hustle. What does that success look like? Is it truly fulfilling? Is it worthwhile? Is it worth all your time, energy, and effort?

In this episode of ClaireChats, I wanted to breakdown what it means to hustle, the intent of the hustle, success, and progress. We talk about how as Christians, real success looks different than how the world perceives it, and that no matter our circumstances, we can take action that yields progress, results, and a maturing of our faith.

Recourses talked about in episode:

How Should a Christian View Success? https://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/bible-answers/spirituallife/christianview.html?start=2

On Hustling https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-art-non-conformity/201008/hustling

5 Mindsets That Differentiate Hustlers From The Rest Of The World https://rosssimmonds.com/five-attributes-differentiate-hustlers-rest-world/

Contact me via Instagram or Facebook @xclairelaurel

This episode of ClaireChats is inspired by Gods at War, a book by Kyle Idleman on the topic of false idols and gods that battle for our heart. Why is this an important topic? Because as Christians, and as humans, God wants our entire heart, he doesn't want to share it. Inevitably too, God is the only god that can fulfill the desires of our hearts and comfort us in (and help us overcome) our fears. 

Yet we pursue other things - success, money, sex, entertainment, pleasure, relationships. We pursue these things because the world promises that these things, once obtained, will satisfy us. In this episode we breakdown how pleasure and fulfillment is fleeting when we pursue these things the our desires for their own sake, and how God is the only person who can offer us anything worthwhile.

Ah, young love. As we are getting to know a new person, there are butterflies, jitters or intense excitement, and oftentimes, infatuation with the other person; so much so that we often glaze over red flags, pet peeves, and "baggage" that the other person may have (as they do the same for us too).  My dad always called it wearing "rose-tinted glasses," also referred to as the honeymoon phase or relationship enchantment. Eventually, though, that euphoric feeling wears off, and for some, they question if the relationship is really worth it. Did we find love, then lose it? I'm no longer giddy or happy all the time with this person, is that bad? Let's breakdown relationship disenchantment, the dangers of a false idea of love, and how to stay "rational" in those early stages of a relationship as we experience the enchanting excitement of getting to know somebody new, on this episode of ClaireChats!

Perhaps you are experiencing or have experienced excessive struggles, brokenness, toxicity, and problems in one (or several) or your relationships. Well, you're not alone. For me, I really had to step back and look at the common denominator between all of my broken relationships... me. 

Conflict, disagreements, struggles... they are all completely normal in our relationships. It's part of being imperfect as humans. However, when there's excessive conflict, struggles and brokenness, there tends to be a deeper problem, and often times, it has to do with our own:

behaviors

expectations

willingness and intent in the relationship

Let's break down this topic further in this episode of ClaireChats.

I had the opportunity to bring on a special guest, Madeline Castillo, who's an old church friend from my years in middle school and high school. We re-connected when I posted about looking for somebody who would be willing to talk on this topic "Unrealistic Expectations" and I'm so glad the God lead her heart to speak on it! Madeline brought up some great points about how unrealistic expectations can affect all areas of our lives, that readjusting expectations isn't bad (it's actually completely normal) and she goes into some of her own personal experiences where she had unrealistic expectations or had to adjust her expectations. Listen to this wonderful conversation now! 

This episode is also known as, putting Claire on the hot seat! No really, this is a great topic to discuss and what better place than ClaireChats... In this episode, however, I use a lot of personal examples from my own life to drive my point home that really, you are what you consume, as much as you are what you eat! Not only psychologically and emotionally, but it effects your spiritually as well. 

What kinds of media you consume shapes you as a person, and as Christians, it's imperative that we take a look, a really good look, at the media we are consuming. Is it glorifying God? Is it promoting a relationship or embodying God's plan for our lives? You might think to have the same argument I did years ago when my dad confronted me with these exact questions. My argument at the time (and for so many years) was, "It's just entertainment! It's just fiction!" Fiction or not, what you allow your eyes to see, your ears to hear, your mind to think about... it affects you. 

Check this episode out and more at clairechats.com! As always, if you like it, subscribe! 

If you had something that meant the world to you, whether it was a physical item or a secret/insecurity or desire, you wouldn't trust a complete stranger with it, would you? In this episode of ClaireChats, we talk about the importance of knowing who God is in order to trust Him with our lives. Learning who God is is a lifelong pursuit as Christians and is how we can truly actively engage in a relationship with Him. Listen to hear more! 

Hello Listeners! Yes, you read right, we are BACK with a ClaireChats podcast! After some debate about whether or not it would be a good idea to do one, I realized that a podcast is a perfect place for longer-form chats rather than blog articles... People just don't have the attention span for writing anymore. 

If you're new here, welcome! ClaireChats the podcast is part of a 3-part personal brand called ClaireChats. You can peek all the content on facebook at facebook.com/xclairelaurel or https://www.clairechats.com/. Follow us on Facebook to get notified when new content comes out. I am so excited for this new part of the ClaireChats journey and I hope you stick around for it!

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, many are feeling a mixture of emotions, mainly fear, worry, anxiety and stress. #QuarnatineTalk is a 3 part series tackling emotions and opening up conversation about this current epidemic that we are all facing, in different ways. Part 1 is all about fear, with guest host Dani Guy. Dani offers some perspective on the "science" behind fear, and we talk about some ways to overcome your fears. Listen in and join the conversation by following our Facebook page ClaireChats!