The Mom and Dad Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ashley and Justin Benfit
Ashley Benfit is a videographer, photographer, influencer, and loving wife and mother. Justin Benfit happens to be the lucky father and husband in this happy little family, as well as a veteran sales professional and an avid student of history. Remi is the third member of the trio; a part-time star of Ashley’s life-style blog and full-time butter-ball/inspiration for almost everything his parents aspire to become. The Mom and Dad Podcast is a journey to find balance between family and following the tracks of success left in memoirs, biographies and books written by some of the greatest thought leaders across the generations; wrapped each week into 45 minute bite-sized packages for you to consume as you too work to become the best version of yourself.
We’re so excited to share this weeks episode! Bryan McKinnon is a mother of three (almost 4), an entrepreneur; running her own bakery, and a former Semi-Finalist on The Great American Baking Show! Her perspective on balancing dedication and love for family on the one hand, with passion for personal growth and acceptance that it’s ok to be more than just “Mom” on the other, is enlightening and inspiring and we don’t want you to miss it!
Here’s a phrase you never hear this time of year! “New Years Resolutions!” Well we’re going to change that on this week’s episode. So if you’ve “fallen off the wagon” with regard to your own New Years resolutions, take heart. We have tok along with probably everyone else who made them. So take an opportunity this week to check in with us and with yourself and recommit to those life changing initiatives that you were so committed to half a year ago. There’s plenty of time left to get back on that wagon and make that goal happen!
Is there anything more memorable than the days we spend in high school. For better or for worse, they can be some of the most influential days of our lives. In todays episode we go over some of our most cringiest experiences during our time in the halls. Listen in for some fun entertainment! We hope you guys love todays episode and we will catch you on the next one.
We waited until the last possible minute to record this one so that we could really get into the spirit of the topic! Procrastination is a common theme in most all of our lives. From the student who waits until the night before the midterm to begin studying for a test to the aspiring entrepreneur who waits years to start that business that they keep telling themselves (and sometimes even others) they’re going to start. Why do we sabotage ourselves in this way? Is there a way to stop it? If so can anyone do it? We’ll look at these and other questions from a few different angles to really understand the root causes as well as little-known solutions of procrastination.
Today's Episode truly features an expert on the subject matter. Chris Bentley has lived a life defined by hard meaningful work toward meaningful and fulfilling ends. He has a relentless optimism and an undying curiosity which he balances well with a strong sense of right and wrong. All of these traits have served Chris well in his experience in Government, through the U.S. Forrest Service, for more than a decade and have given him unique perspectives on a topic he has studied diligently for years: Political Polarization. So join Us as We welcome Chris Bentley to the show as he helps shed light on one of the most dire and rapidly worsening issues of our day.
Tonight we go head to head with Brayden and Ana in a competitive game of "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader". There is nothing like a little competition to bring family together. We hope you find this episode to be entertaining. Make sure to follow us on instagram @themomanddadpocast and we will catch you on our next episode.
It’s been in the news plenty over the past few months and while Cryptocurrency has more hype around it than ever before, many people still don’t understand what’s so special about it. Justin has been fascinated with the concepts of crypto since 2017 and we felt that now would be a great time to dive into the different reasons why it deserves your attention. Of course cryptocurrency investing is highly volatile and while we are not financial advisors there are some general principles around personal finance and investing that are important to include in a conversation like this so we threw those in too!
We have a very special episode this week as we welcome my sister Michelle to the podcast. She’s a certified “Boss Mom”, Entrepreneur, and soon-to-be Nurse Practitioner. She is an excellent example of fortitude and perseverance despite setbacks and shares powerful stories that can be applicable and helpful for a myriad of challenging life circumstances. So come along and prepare to be inspired!
The world is becoming increasingly dark and unsettled. Everywhere you turn it seems like you are faced with news about despair and lack of hope. At times like these it can be easy to dwell on all the things that aren’t going right; both in our own lives and the world at large. This is exactly why we felt the need to cover a very important topic this week: Gratitude. So join us as we discuss how to tap into the power of gratitude to put the world and our lives back into proper perspective and to learn how to add that hope and inspiration back into our lives and the lives of those we love!
It's game night! Which you know what that means. It's time to show our competitive side with a little 20 questions. If game nights don't test a relationship I don't know what does. Hope you find some sweet entertainment with this episode and don't forget to share it with your friends. Have a great week!
10 years ago Justin joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When someone wants to learn about the church they are taught and prepared for baptism by missionaries who leave their home for 2 consecutive years to dedicate themselves full time to this work. This week is a special treat because one of the missionaries who taught Justin is coming on the show. Since then he has had many unique life experiences such as working for the USO in Afghanistan. For anyone who feels like they don’t quite “fit the mold” of a normal life path, this episode is for you. Carsten combines unconventional decisions with a devout trust in and desire to follow God no matter where He leads Him. So join us in welcoming Carsten Haueter to the show and we trust you will gain much from his stories!
Today’s episode is a very special one for Ashley and I to present. We welcome our good friend David Apostalon to the show to talk about his journey of faith and resilience through a trial that has lasted for more than a decade. 12 years ago David started losing the ability to use his left arm and was plagued by deep and consistent pain throughout his entire body. Fast forward nearly three years and he was wheelchair-bound and unable to do simple daily tasks such as brushing his teeth. As if this wasn’t difficult enough, medical professionals have never been able to successfully diagnose his condition. We were blessed to be able to hear this story in its entirety as well as the valuable lessons and reflections from David’s experiences. We are so excited to share them with you and trust that you will be uplifted and taught as you listen!
This week’s episode is a very special one because it is a trip down memory lane for Justin as we welcome Robert Brewer to the show. 7 years ago, Robert, recently having completed his college thesis on the paradox of freedom and bondage and Justin having recently returned from a 2 year missionary service in Mexico, decided to embark on a very unique type of adventure. Both of their life experiences had prompted them to develop a deep desire to understand America and whether or not people still believed in it. So in early June 2014 they took off in Justin’s 1997 Toyota Camry to see if the American dream could still be found in the stories of Americans from many “walks of life.” This episode acts as a reflection on that trip and the lessons learned along the way and since. We’re so excited to share it with you!
Wow has it already been four years?! Life really has been speeding on by. The last four years have been full of lasting memories as well as major changes in our lives. But through it all we have been so happy to experience it all together. In this episode we picked out 10 of our top favorite experiences together and do some story times. We hope you like this episode! Make sure to follow us on instagram @momanddadpodcast, as well as @ashleybenfit for a more personal look into our lives. Have a great weekend!
This week we are excited to be discussing a topic that, at first glance, may seem pretty “cut and dried” but upon deeper inspection reveals much more to be discovered. This weeks conversation revolves around the balance between skill and talent. We’ll talk through what role both play in living an impactful and fulfilling life and we don’t want you to miss it so jumó right in and give it a listen! Right now!
Our First Interview! This was a good one too! On this week’s episode we interviewed Phillip who in addition to being ashley’s brother has a very unique story of leaving a successful career and restarting down a new path after already having 4 kids. He now is head of Data Analytics for a large private Hospital in Oregon and was gracious enough to come on and tell his story firsthand.
Sometimes we like to let loose and stop talking about things we learned from Tony Robbins for a change. This episode is a perfect example of one of those times. We found a specific type of interview that Vanity Fair put on Youtube where they ask increasingly personal questions to celebrities. It looked like it might be worth a few laughs so we gave it a go. The result... well you'll have to listen and decide for yourself but we feel it meanders between insightful and downright silly. At the end of the day it's good to ask thoughtful questions to yourself or those you love; if for nothing else than as a way to self-reflect and evaluate your life.
Have you ever been “sold” on something you didn’t need? Or have you felt exasperated after unsuccessfully trying to help someone see an important issue from your point of view? Do you have someone in your life (maybe yourself) that you can see needs inspiration to change certain behaviors but you don’t feel you have the tools to help? Or are you just wanting to make more friends? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this episode is here to help! The art of persuasion gets a bad rap because people associate it with cheap tactics used by sleazy salesmen to manipulate people out of their hard earned money. But like the “force” from Star Wars there is a light and dark side to persuasion and when used ethically the skills we’ll go over can be a great way to help anyone become more influential in a variety of daily situations whether or not their vocation is sales.
By now you've probably seen or at least heard of the documentary titled "The Social Dilemma." The dangers of uncontrolled social media usage are now better understood than ever and the documentary does an incredible job of highlighting them. For that reason today we wanted to take a look at some of the major findings from the documentary and discuss the good and bad that social media brings to our lives. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
There are a seemingly myriad of reasons why people behave the way they do. Generally it is agreed that human behavior is some combination of “nature vs. nurture” or in other words a mix of our genetic makeup and our lived experiences. This can sometimes make us feel powerless to change, as if we are destined to behave within the bounds of some predetermined limits that are out of our control. This episode will challenge some of that thinking by looking at the 6 core human needs and hopefully giving some inspiration that, once understood, we can be empowered to find more sustainable behaviors to meet them. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
There is a time to be serious and to focus on personal growth and then there is a time to decompress and enjoy the company you keep. That is true in life and we have found it to be true in podcasting as well! So join us as we engage in a light-hearted game of "Would You Rather?" and a few laughs on today's episode! We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
In 2021 if you don’t consciously make it a priority then you’re probably not getting enough... sleep, specifically good sleep, is harder than ever to come by with the “busy-ness” of our modern world. Today we’ll look at what the data says regarding the good that happens when you get enough good sleep as well as the bad that happens when you don’t. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Sources:
Depak Chopra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8HtoCly-Pg
Sleep scientist - Matt Walker -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MuIMqhT8DM&t=549s
Tom Bilyeu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2jLkMlDDYg&t=399s
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee
Shawn Stevenson Author of Sleep Smarter
Carl Lanore
Max Lugavere
Dave Asprey
The world today is full of uncertainty, fear and division. That may be true. We may be in dire and unprecedented times but that doesn't mean we can't live with feelings of abundance, every day, no matter our external circumstances. Living with an abundance mindset has perhaps never been more important and this conversation will help you to realize several helpful ways to achieve one. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Today's topic is one that needs no introduction. If you're breathing then you've probably tried to make one before... and consequently you may hate the idea of them now. Many of us have made them every January and inevitably quit them by the end of the month. Sound Familiar? Regardless of if you believe whole-heartedly in the concept of a resolution or you've sworn off making another one for the rest of your life, we hope this episode gives you some fresh perspectives on the topic and can help you increase the effectiveness of your goal setting and planning; especially with a new year ahead of us... We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Today we're diving into the topic of Habits. A lot has been written and spoken of regarding Habits but we hope you find some new perspectives and tools that will help you to replace the bad with the better and eventually the better with the best habits. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
In todays episode we go over how Justin and I met from the very beginning! We hope todays episode is full of entertainment cause we sure had fun recording it. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Fear is something we all posses in some shape or form. Today we go over how to truly define those fears and help you to not allow them to get in your way of improvement. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Today we dive into parenting. We know there are so many forms of what parenting looks like but we give you a little snippet of things we have learned in our year of experience and things we plan to implement on our journey of parenthood. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Today we dive into minimalism and decluttering. We give our take on how we practice living with less, and how we struggle in some areas to clear things out. We can't wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Friday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.
Today we dive into the pros and cons of hustle culture and what we've learned about "hustling smarter". How to get things done in less amount of time, isn't that the dream? We can wait for you to listen and to join us for more podcasts every Monday! Make sure to follow our podcast instagram page @momanddadpodcast as well as Ashleys personal Instagram @ashleybenfit to follow along with our family on a more personal basis.