This week, I invite you into an intimate conversation with Cassandra Ho, a mom from California, who has been on a fascinating 21-year journey of faith, motherhood, and resilience. With experiences ranging from the serenity of living in remote redwoods to the hustle of Sacramento city life, Cassandra sheds light on the profound impact different communities and the Eastern Rite liturgy have had on her family's life.
As we peel back the layers of Cassandra's story, we dive into the often-overlooked topic of mental health in teens. Cassandra shares the trials her family faced when one daughter was hospitalized numerous times with mental health issues and their eldest daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, a journey made even more arduous by the ongoing pandemic. Unpacking the struggles of feeling isolated and the exhausting cycle of hospitalizations, we also explore strategies to maintain calm and how to advocate effectively for your child's needs.
Don't miss out discussion on the important fact that you can do everything "right" and your kids still might choose a path you don't like. This is an important topic that a lot of people don't talk about!
In our final segments, we navigate the nuances of shifting mindsets, the importance of communication within the family, and how to find joy in motherhood despite its challenges. Cassandra generously shares her wisdom on fostering forgiveness, mercy, and intention in her interactions. We also delve into the significance of understanding your own worth as a mother and how to carve out time for personal wellbeing amidst the demands of raising a family. As we conclude, we discuss the importance of community and how it can serve as a lifeline for mothers. Cassandra's story is not one to be missed, it's filled with practical tips, inspiration and touching personal anecdotes.
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Can you imagine the strength and resolve it takes to not only face your child's battle with cancer but to also come out on the other side stronger in faith and purpose? My guest on today's episode is Theresa Recchia, an incredibly resilient mother of eight and a grandmother of three, who did just that. She takes us through her family's emotional journey, uncovering how they fought her daughter's tongue cancer, a disease she had no reason to have, and battled through remission and relapse three different times.
Theresa opens up about how she and her husband, John, navigated their marriage amidst the chaos, how they supported each other, and most importantly, how they embodied Christ's love for their marriage and their family. She shares her experience of finding grace and acceptance in God's plan during this tumultuous time. Theresa's story illuminates how faith can indeed be the beacon of hope in the darkest of times.
In the final part of our conversation, Theresa reveals her personal journey with faith. She discusses how her belief system has evolved, enabling her to confront the fear of the unknown and grow stronger over time. She also shares how her faith gave her the courage to accept and navigate through difficult situations. Her story is a testament to the power of unwavering belief, a guiding principle that led her family to reclaim joy and triumph over adversity. It's a tale of resilience, faith, and most importantly, a lesson on living our lives on purpose for the glory of God.
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Join me in a heart-to-heart conversation with my good friend Linda Cozzi, a mother of four and a wife of 25 years. She shares her family's unique journey of converting to Catholicism and raising their children in the church, despite not being brought up in one themselves. We discuss the beauty and challenges in this journey, the complexities of homeschooling, and the reality of her older children embarking on their own faith journeys.
But the conversation doesn't stop there. Linda opens up about the often overlooked aspect of our lives – caregiving. Not only is she raising four children, but she's also shouldering the responsibility of caring for her father. We explore the complexities of welcoming a parent into your home, the emotional and physical challenges it presents, and the invaluable lessons it imparts. Linda shares some candid moments from her own experience, the adjustments in family dynamics, the strain of providing post-surgery care, and the delicate balancing act of ensuring her dad receives the best care possible.
Amidst all the chaos, Linda shares a profound insight: we don't need to do it all. In fact, letting go of this damaging mindset can be liberating. We discuss the power of accepting help, the significance of community, and the joy of letting go of perfection. And most importantly, the need for self-care and personal time. So, join Linda and me, as we delve into these compelling topics, and perhaps you just might find the inspiration you need to navigate your own unique challenges.
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Ever felt the strain of maintaining adult friendships amid the whirlwind of motherhood and life? It's a challenge, no doubt, but it's one that my guests and I have been navigating together for 20 years. Tune in as we share our heartfelt experiences, wisdom, and laughter, revealing the intricate dance of bonding, growth, and community building.
Have you ever wondered how to navigate the tricky terrain of integrating children into adult friendships? We take a deep look into this, exploring the importance of honest conversations, respectful disagreements, and allowing children the autonomy to resolve their conflicts. We delve into the art of understanding that our children are unique individuals and their disagreements should not affect our adult bonds. We wrap up our chat by discussing the traits of a good friend, the power of positive thinking, and the joy of sharing laughter and tears. Join us as we celebrate the strength of female friendships and the support they provide in our motherhood journey.
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Have you ever thought about the resilience it takes to navigate life's most challenging trials? Today's episode will make you grateful for the strength in your own sphere as we journey alongside Elaine Harrah, a courageous mother of soon-to-be ten children, who shares her incredible story. Elaine, a Catholic convert, talks about the journey with her husband through many devastating trials. Their faith journey is a testament to trust, forgiveness and finding hope in the most difficult times.
Elaine paints a vivid picture of her husband's terminal diagnosis, a situation that tests their faith and resilience. Amidst these trials and the scandal plaguing the Catholic Church, Elaine chose to stand by her husband and follow him into the Orthodox church The power of their unity and support for each other, even in the toughest times, is truly inspiring. Elaine's steadfast faith and reliance on God, particularly during these adversities, propelled her family on a miraculous journey of faith, forgiveness, and resurgence even after they were abandoned by their homeschool community.
Life has a way of serving us new beginnings even when we least expect them. After relocating, Elaine and her family found solace in their new community. Despite the challenges they continue to face, Elaine emphasizes the importance of humility, understanding, and the power of faith and forgiveness. As her family navigates unemployment and upcoming heart procedures, her story serves as a beacon of hope, resilience, and the power of unity in faith.
There's a lot to learn from her story so join us as we discuss her remarkable journey.
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I'm back with a new podcast series! I am so excited to be talking to real moms about real situations! In these interviews, moms share their joys, sorrows and all the things that cause overwhelm.
But don't worry, we don't stop there! We talk about solutions, too.
I kick off this series by getting real with you about the overwhelm in my current life. You might think I shouldn't have any, seeing as how I'm "done" raising my kids (lol, are we ever really??)!
Join me as I discuss the ins and outs of the different faces of overwhelm and why I'm no longer grasping at straws to get my life back in order.
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If you are a Catholic mother who is tired of being overwhelmed and exhausted, then this episode is going to change your life.
Join me as I break down what my new membership community, Moms Finding Joy, will do for you. That's really the most important thing, isn't it? What will happen to you if you join this community??
I promise you:
And the list goes on.
If you aren't a Catholic mother, or if you are enjoying your time in overwhelm and exhaustion, then this community isn't for you. HOWEVER, I'm sure you know at least one Catholic mother who is exhausted and needs the lifesaving help that this community will bring! If so, share this episode with her.
Here are some of the topics we'll cover today:
If you are ready to join, you can do that here!
If you have additional questions, feel free to email me at laura@aplanforjoy.com
I look forward to seeing you in the Moms Finding Joy Community!
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*Exciting news My new membership community is ready for Catholic moms who are done with overwhelm and want to learn ways to change their mindset, learn new skills and find joy in their everyday lives. Come join us now*!!
There's a lot going on in the world as well as in our personal lives. That makes it hard to do the things we want to do because we're always trying to put out fires. What is the top priority in your life?
In this episode I explore what my top priority is, even if I don't always prioritize it! How about you? Let's talk about prayer and God and why it is we don't put our prayer life first in our day - even if it's only 5 minutes!
Are your excuses the same as mine? After you listen, let me know!
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I think it can! Or it can at least start you off in the right direction. Join me in this episode as I discuss the ins and outs and benefits of a silent retreat. I also share some funny stories about retreats I've been on in the past.
In this episode I mention the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. You can find more info about that here.
Check out a retreat with my favorite priests.
Opus Dei retreats.
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Join Rosanne Terzian and I as we go deep into discussing boundaries and our young adult children. Your kids might not be this age yet, but you'll still find wisdom that you can use to do things better than we did!
We discuss boundaries with our younger kids, teens and young adults - the highs and the lows. There are stories and wisdom and a lot that can be gleaned from our years of learning as we went.
This episode is the fourth in a series of episodes on boundaries. If you haven't done so already, make sure to listen to episodes 6,16 and 17. Then share this with other moms who have young adult children who need help!
I am so grateful when I have the opportunity to chat with other moms who are willing to share their struggles and joys, as well as how their faith has played a crucial role in keeping them sane. This episode is packed with good things, so I hope you benefit from our discussion.
Rosanne mentioned the Surrender Novena by Fr. Don Dolindo and you can get that here.
We also talked about the boundary books by Dr. Townsend and Dr. Cloud. They have been invaluable in changing both our lives for the better. You can find these books here using my affiliate link (thanks!!).
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Let's talk about growth in this episode. Not only growth, but what it takes to make it real and sustainable. I think there's three things you need:
Listen in as I discuss why each of these is so important. Then, listen till the end when I tell you some exciting news!
If you're interested in what I have to say, please let me know by emailing me at Laura@aplanforjoy.com.
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Here we go on our journey to proper people pleasing by employing boundaries when necessary!
If you haven't already listened to episode 16, I would encourage you to do that first. You could then also listen (or relisten) to episode 6 where I give an introduction to what boundaries are.
In this episode we talk all about what it takes to set boundaries and also some of the internal and external reasons why setting boundaries is so hard.
I hope you'll benefit from all of this information. Boundaries are hard, but oh so necessary. Boundaries are one of the ways you can break the Cycle of Depletion and that is what we're all about here.
Let me know if you find the action steps helpful, too! I want you to get the most out of this podcast by not only listening but doing.
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This episode is one of the most important ones I've done to date because people pleasing is something that many women "suffer" from.
In this episode I come clean on my chronic people pleasing ways. I share two stories with you that I think you're going to relate to, either personally or because you know someone just like this.
I also talk about the connection to people pleasing that really upset me. I hadn't thought of it that way, and when I did, it changed the way I saw my people pleasing habit.
People pleasing is also one of the most common reasons why women stay stuck in the Cycle of Depletion. I know that it's no fun to be stuck in this cycle, so I share 4 reasons why you need to stop people pleasing (the 1st one should do the trick) as well as the 2 things that will help you stop.
This is really the first in a series of podcasts dealing with this subject, and they are so important that I'm giving you action steps you can take each week to break down the work so it won't be so overwhelming.
Share this episode with your friends and family so that they can stop their people pleasing ways, too!
Oh, and if you haven't read my book yet, make sure to get that, too, as I go more in-depth about this topic in there.
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This episode is packed full of great stories and the wisdom that comes from living out a 12 year old dream!
Catherine McLaughlin talks to us about how her husband's dream took them all to Panama for 6 months. They sold everything and went there with 6 suitcases and 6 backpacks.
She talks about what her first reaction to his dream was and how she came to change her mind.
There are so many good lessons in her story:
I hope you'll listen in on our conversation as we talk about Panama and the importance of living the dream.
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In this episode I begin by telling you a story of the time I was really hoping for a sign from God and the one I got sent me into a huge tailspin.
Do you feel like a failure? Do you struggle when you try something and it doesn't go the way you want it to go? Do you beat yourself up and let a cloud of negativity envelope you?
If this is a common, or even a once-in-awhile, occurrence for you, you need to listen to this episode. You need to be reminded that failure isn't a bad thing, it's just simply part of the journey.
Did you know that there are skills you can learn to help you when you come up against failure? Yep, they're called resilience and a solid prayer life - both things you can learn if you don't have them right now.
Don't let failure get you down. Listen in and turn your life around right now! Then let me know if you have any good failure stories. I share a few in this episode, I hope you'll share one here to help other people realize that they are not alone and that there is a reason for your failure, if it even is failure at all.
If you're intrigued by the Word of the Year Generator I told you about, you can try it for yourself here.
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"Goodness, the gifts that are within these little chores if we just transform our mindset..."
In this episode, you will find such truth, beauty and goodness about the joy of being a homemaker. When I asked Lindsay to join me, I thought we'd be talking about the technicalities of homemaking.
What I found, instead, was a beautiful discussion about the ups and downs, the mindset shifts and the spiritual aspects of being a keeper of our own home.
And like Lindsay said, "If you live in a home, you are a homemaker"!
I hope you'll join us as we discuss
Let me know your thoughts on this amazing episode!
You can find Lindsay at her podcast The Modern Lady Podcast or on Instagram @Lindsayhomemaker.
Here's a link to the retreat Lindsay mentions.
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In this episode I'm thinking ahead to Lent. Lent is a great time to really dig into your prayer life and set up a prayer routine. There's something about the season that builds in the accountability that you need to make new routines stick.
Listen and learn the 3 top things you need to know about praying and how to be consistent in your routine.
I have created a two page pdf to help you set up your own routine!
Download the "Setting up a Prayer Routine" pdf here!
I hope you enjoy this episode and that you're getting your positive mindset ready to pray your way through Lent - and beyond!
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Are you falling prey to the mindset that you can't have both an orderly home and happy kids? Are you at the end of your rope trying to keep up with all the chores in your home as well as your current crazy schedule? Well, give this episode a listen and then figure out where your sticking point is at.
If you need help fixing things, whether that's your mindset or learning new skills, contact me here and we'll talk because I can help you break out of this negative space so you can be happy with your home AND have happy kids.
When you're ready, contact me here!
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I'm so excited to introduce you to a long-time virtual friend and a very talented photographer, Allison Girone. Allison and I are talking today about her journey from homeschooling mom to professional photographer.
This episode is full of wisdom and great advice for any woman who is trying to discern and pursue a dream. God has placed a dream on your heart and Allison shares how that has played out in her life.
I hope you'll take the time to listen to us discuss homeschooling, photography, the spiritual life, and dreams. She has a lot of great information to share, so let me know what your favorite take-away was from our discussion.
You can find Allison on Facebook at G Photography and Films and on Instagram @latinmassphotographer
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So many people are talking about setting goals. I'm saying we need to talk about dreams. God has put a dream on your heart and it's about time you've explored it and started figuring out how you're going to pursue it.
Don't let another year pass by, living your life by default. This is the episode that will help you begin to live your life by design.
In this episode I also reference my first book for homeschooling moms called "A Plan for Joy in the Home, A Workbook on Organizing Your Day for Homeschooling Mothers". If you're interested, you can get a downloadable copy here.
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In this episode let's talk about why women need to look at the big picture when deciding whether or not to learn the skills they need to learn. Let's face it, the things we need to know how to do as we become adults are not being taught in school. If your mother wasn't good at decision making or house keeping or setting up routines and looking on the bright side, then where are you supposed to obtain this knowledge from?
The big picture, though, isn't just about you. It's about teaching your kids these things, too. We can change society by learning new skills and passing that knowledge on.
Are you feeling the nudge to do this yet?
If the answer is yes, let's talk!
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Let's talk about taking action, or maybe not taking action, or trying to decide when the right time is to take that next right step.
So much to consider. Right?
What is rash action vs strategic action? And how do I know which one to take?
What's behind my inaction?
OK, Stop! These are all things that I talk about on this episode, so take a few minutes to get comfy and listen. Then let me know what you think!
When you're ready to take action and start your own Plan for Joy, let me know and we'll talk!
I can't wait to collaborate with you and help you take the action you need most in your life right now.
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If I had to pick one thing that changed my life drastically, it would be learning about boundaries.
In this episode I relate my experience with learning boundaries and how it has improved my life drastically. Oh how I wish I would have known this when my kids were little! Listen and find out why!
My Masterclass coaching experience, as well as the book Boundaries by Dr. Cloud & Dr. Townsend, and a bit of therapy helped me so much with this concept. In this episode I also referenced this helpful book on codependency. (These are affiliate links and are what help me keep this podcast going, so thanks for your support.)
If you need to learn how to have boundaries, how to communicate them and how to hold people accountable, I would love to guide you through my framework. One of the important thing in making A Plan for Joy is learning the skills that will change your life.
If you're interested in talking after you hear this episode, please schedule a call and we'll talk.
I'll be starting a new Small Group Coaching experience in January 2023 so if you're ready to jump in to that just let me know!
I can't wait to hear from you.
Oh, and don't forget to subscribe to my podcast and please leave a review!
God Bless!
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We're about to begin one of the busiest times of the year. The time of year when overwhelm takes over all of our ideas of a peaceful preparation for Christmas.
In this episode, I'm sharing two great tools to help you beat the overwhelm of this, or any season of your life. My favorite planning tool can easily be used for any event or time that has you feeling stressed.
In addition to the planning tool, a copy of which you can download to use for yourself here, I'm going to teach you how to regain control of your runaway mindset. How we approach these busy times is so dependent on our mindset. Learn how to keep control of yours!
I hope you find this episode helpful, not just now, but any time you're feeling overwhelmed with life!
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In this episode I have a wonderful conversation with Jenni Cassidy (a friend I met in an online mothers group) about gratitude.
Jenni is a mom of 7 from Norfolk, England. Not only will you love her peaceful voice, you'll love the insights she has about gratitude.
By the end of the discussion we're both convicted that we need to get back to practicing gratitude in a more structured format. She even comes up with a great idea of how to use this practice as a gift for someone else.
I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. I'd love to hear feedback on this episode, especially. Did you like the guest format? If so, let me know.
And, as always, leave a review on Apple Podcasts so others can find me!
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In this 3rd part of my 2 part series on Who I am, I talk about transitions. The ability to have a successful and positive transition depends so much on our mindset. I talk about how mine used to be, what it is now and how I changed it.
What transitions are you facing? How do you feel about them? Have you had a particularly bad transition in your life? How could it have been better?
All things to ponder as you listen to this episode.
Then, leave me a review on Apple Podcasts! Reviews, while not everyone's cup of tea to write, are the lifeblood of podcasters!
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Welcome to part 2 of my "Get to Know Me" story. Here is where I learn the important lesson of never saying NEVER to God. Trust me, it took me a long time to learn this lesson.
I'll cover my reversion back to the faith which is key to who I am today. I'll also discuss all the ups and downs of life that have an impact on our character and they way we act.
All of this is a way for you to get to know me better and for me to tell more stories, something I truly love to do!
I hope you enjoy this episode and share it with others.
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Hello! and welcome to the first episode of A Plan for Joy podcast. I decided to take you back on a brief journey through my life for two reasons:
This first episode covers growing up in a very interesting neighborhood through my marriage (so this is brief in content, not in time!) It's the first of two parts so keep an eye out for episode 2!
I would love to hear what you think about this inaugural event, so please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!
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Welcome to my new podcast - the first episode drops Tuesday, November 1, 2022 so make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! I can't wait to connect with you on the 1st,
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