Life Coach and homeschool mom of seven Emily Brown teaches Catholic homeschool moms life coaching tools steeped in our rich Catholic faith, to begin building self-trust and self-confidence!
Have you ever wondered if God might be calling your family to homeschool, or wondering if you should continue homeschooling… but fear keeps talking louder than confidence?
Maybe you're worried you aren't qualified.
Maybe you're wondering if your kids will "keep up."
Or maybe you just have that quiet yearning in your heart for something more that won't seem to go away.
In this week's episode, I'm joined by Happy Holy Mama member Gina Boguslawski—a former public school science teacher turned homeschooling mom of four. Together, we talk honestly about what it looked like for her to discern this unexpected call, the mindset shifts she had to make, and why homeschooling is so much more than trying to recreate school at home.
We also dive into: • Why your "gut knowing" as a mother matters more than you think • The fears that keep so many moms stuck (and what to do with them) • Why certified teachers don't necessarily have an easier time homeschooling • How connection, peace, and emotional regulation create an environment where children truly learn • The encouragement Jesus offers when discouragement starts to creep in
Whether you're considering homeschooling for the first time or you've been doing it for years and simply need fresh encouragement, I think this conversation will remind you that God doesn't call the qualified—He faithfully equips the women He calls.
Grab your earbuds and join us for this encouraging conversation. I can't wait for you to meet Gina in: Looking Under the Rock with Public School Teacher Turned Catholic Homeschooler Gina Boguslawski
Take advantage of the Annual Membership Sale right now! Sale closes August 16, 2026
There's something so sweet about summer.
The rhythms are slower, relationships feel easier, and your home may finally feel peaceful after all the intentional work you've been doing. Which is exactly why so many homeschool moms find themselves dreading the start of a new school year.
But what if that dread isn't actually about homeschooling?
In this episode, I'm sharing the mindset shift that came up again and again during coaching this week, one that can completely change the way you step into a new homeschool year.
We'll talk about why our thoughts shape the atmosphere of our homes, how scarcity sneaks into our thinking, and how to approach homeschooling from a place of gratitude, purpose, and joy instead of resistance.
If you've caught yourself wishing summer could last forever because you don't want to "ruin it with school," this episode is for you.
Grab your earbuds to remember why you chose this beautiful calling in the first place, and why the life you're building with your family really is worth getting excited about in: Go From Dreading the Start of School to I'm Living the Dream!
For a limited time the Annual Membership to Happy, Holy Mama is on sale for just $297 (normally $349)!!
Lock in your lower membership price HERE and have an entire year of support built in your for entire homeschool year!
Don't let mom brain kick in, grab yours now, the sale ends August 16, 2026
If you're dreading the transition from summer break back to school, then you aren't alone. This week, I'm diving into how to get ready to start school in a way that feels calmer and smoother than springing the fall semester on your kids. Discover how to treat the end of summer with the same intentionality as the end of a school year, as well as:
Learning how to master these simple transition habits can help you cultivate the calm, consistent learning environment—and the happier, holier homeschool—you've been longing for! Grab your earbuds to join me for: Ending the Summer Intentionally, Transitions, and Starting the School Year Strong. Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE! The Annual Membership goes on sale on August 3 - 16th, 2026!
Do you ever feel like you've lost your footing in your homeschool?
Maybe you find yourself questioning your curriculum, battling daily resistance from your kids, or feeling like you simply don't know what's best for your family.
In this week's episode of the Happy Holy Mama podcast, I'm pulling back the curtain on why homeschool moms so often slip out of their role as the "expert" on their own children, and how that shift leads to burnout, self-doubt, and a "toilet bowl" of negative thinking.
We're diving into why your children don't need more books or resources; they need a mother who is confident, present, and rooted in God's will.
You'll learn how to stop reacting to the chaos, start asking better questions, and step into your true role as the calm, capable leader your children need.
If you're ready to stop second-guessing your decisions and start building a homeschool year that is truly "happier and holier," grab your earbuds and join me today for: Becoming the Homeschool Expert Your Children Need.
Come Plan Your Year with the Lord with us! Get the details here.
Planning your homeschool year can easily become another task you feel like you have to carry all on your own. But what if the very first step isn't choosing curriculum or making a schedule?
What if it's simply sitting with the Lord.
In this week's short episode, I'm sharing why the posture of receptivity changes everything when it comes to planning your homeschool and your family life. Before we make our plans, we have to make room for God's.
I'll also share a personal "love letter" that came from time spent with Jesus in Adoration, which I believe is a message of encouragement for every Catholic homeschool mom who has ever felt the weight of trying to get it all right, and that it's all riding on your shoulders.
If you've been carrying fears about your children's future, doubting yourself, or feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility of homeschooling, I pray these words remind you that you were never meant to carry this alone.
Grab your earbuds and accept an invitation to pray more than you plan, trust more than you strive, and let the Lord build what He is calling your family to become in: A Love Letter to the Mother Planning Her Homeschool Year.
Plan Your Year with the Lord Here!
Planning Season is officially here!
I'm talking to clients, mom friends, and random people all over the world via social media and everyone is doing the same thing:
Trying to figure out their homeschool for this year.
What language arts curriculum is best?
When should we do school?
What should we use for religion?
What will keep my kids the most motivated and engaged?
And these are fine questions to ask, but they're not the best questions.
They won't yield the best results.
Especially if you are trying to make those decisions reliant on your own limited understanding.
That's why I'm talking about some of the biggest homeschool planning mistakes I've seen parents waste so much time doing, and want to give you some insight on how to it better, more efficiently, and more effectively.
Because I want you to enjoy your homeschool life. There's no reason not to!
Enjoying it can absolutely start with the best plans…and the best plans are made with the Lord.
Grab your earbuds to hear more in: Homeschool Planning Mistakes that Waste Your Time and Energy.
Plan Your Year With the Lord HERE.
Have you ever felt that quiet nudge from God to change something in your life, but convinced yourself it wasn't the right time?
Maybe you've been waiting for a new year, a different season, or for life to finally calm down before taking the first step.
In this special conversation, I'm joined by my friend and fellow Catholic coach, Denise Jelinek, to talk about what it really means to pursue the goals God places on your heart.
Together, we unpack why lasting change isn't about willpower or perfection, but listening to God and inviting the Holy Spirit into the places where you've been striving on your own.
Whether you're struggling with yelling, emotional eating, disorganization, discouragement, or simply sensing that God is calling you to something more, we hope this episode will encourage you to stop waiting and begin with one small, grace-filled step (and we'll share what our favorite first steps are!).
Grab your earbuds and join us if you've been longing for more peace, more freedom, and more confidence in following God's call in: Goal Setting with the Holy Spirit and Denise Jelinek.
Get your free Homeschool Blueprint here!
Work with Emily in the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
Listen to Denise Jelinek's podcast, Weightloss with the Holy Spirit here: https://weightlosswiththeholyspirit.com/ Free Catholic Weight Loss workshop (July 7th): https://weightlosswiththeholyspirit.com/catholic-way-workshop/
You've explained it. You've reminded them. You've shown them what to do. And yet somehow you're still repeating yourself, chasing people down, and ultimately wondering why simple things feel so hard.
Whether it's chores, schoolwork, attitudes, or just getting out the door on time, unmet expectations can quickly turn an ordinary day into a frustrating one.
And, if you're not careful, they can turn into a life that feels overwhelming and defeating.
But what if the problem isn't that your expectations are too high?
What if the real issue is something deeper?
In this episode, I'm unpacking why expectations so often steal our peace as homeschool moms.
We're not stopping there, though.
Today, I'm explaining how to tell the difference between expectations that help your family grow and expectations that are making your motherhood harder than it needs to be.
We'll talk about the hidden desires behind our expectations, why some frustrations keep showing up again and again, and a simple shift that can help you focus on who your children are becoming, instead of getting stuck on what isn't happening fast enough.
If you've been feeling discouraged, impatient, or exhausted by the gap between what you hoped would happen and what's actually happening, grab your earbuds and join me for: The Unmet Expectations That Are Stealing Your Peace, and What to Do About Them.
Plan your year with the Holy Spirit HERE
Come work with me HERE!
Sometimes even rest feels like one more thing you're getting wrong.
You finally have a quiet moment, the kids are occupied, the house settles down, but instead of feeling peaceful, you feel frozen.
You spend your precious rest time wondering what you should be doing, worrying that you're wasting it, or getting caught in the endless loop of "I don't know."
I don't know how to rest.
I don't know where to start.
I don't know what to do.
In this episode, I'm talking about why those three little words can quietly steal your peace, drain your energy, and keep you stuck in overwhelm long after the school year ends.
Today, I'm diving into:
My sister in Christ, the goal isn't to have everything figured out every day, so that you can have peace.
The goal is to become the woman, the mother, the homeschooler whose peace is rooted in trust, faith, hope, and gratitude.
If you've been feeling discouraged, exhausted, or unsure of how to truly rest this summer, this episode will help you replace confusion with clarity, despair with hope, and self-doubt with faith.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: I'm Worried That I'm Not Resting Right (and What to Do About It).
Get your FREE Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint HERE
Get the details to come work with me HERE!
Something that caught me off guard last year was how hard it hit me that my oldest was graduating from our homeschool and would be leaving in a matter of days, instead of years.
Whether your kids are still little, about to start high school, or if graduation is right around the corner, the thought of your baby leaving is likely something that tugs on your heart strings and, if you're not careful, can threaten to steal your peace.
As a mom who is currently standing in that strange space between "done with school" and actually launching into the world with my second oldest now, I have caught myself wondering if he's really ready.
And the answer is that, he's as already as I've been able to make him.
And now with two boys leaving my home, what I've come to realize is that the real question is…am I ready?
Preparing your child, and yourself, for their eventual "launching" into adulthood is what I'm diving into in this week's Happy, Holy Mama Podcast episode.
Because, one of the hardest parts of homeschooling isn't teaching our children. It's learning how to gradually let them go.
The truth is, they will have gaps.
We all have them.
And thankfully God is not asking you to create a flawless adult before graduation.
He's asking you to prepare them to the best of your ability, and then trust HIM with your child when you can no longer be there for every moment.
We'll talk about:
If you're navigating the emotions of raising teens, preparing a graduate for the next chapter, or simply wondering how to hold both sadness and hope at the same time, then grab your earbuds and join me for this honest conversation about trusting God, releasing control, and preparing both your child and yourself for the beautiful, and exciting, next season ahead!
Join me here for: Getting Your Child (and Yourself) Ready to Launch After Graduation.
Then come work with me HERE!
Get your FREE Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint HERE!
Sometimes at the end of the school year I feel completely drained.
Sometimes in a good way, because we've done everything I wanted to get to. But sometimes I'm drained because we were so focused on the work that we didn't fit enough of the rest or play that we needed.
And honestly, that's completely normal.
You've spent months pouring yourself out for your family, checking all the boxes, managing all the schedules, and carrying all the responsibilities, if rest and fun aren't on your check-list, then of course they won't get done!
Unfortunately what can happen is that when summer finally arrives, it can feel tempting to swing from one extreme to the other and you might end up spending the entire summer putting off anything that feels like work, because your brain doesn't want to go back there.
It can feel tempting to think in all-or-nothing terms.
I'm either working all the time, or I'm getting nothing done. Most of us don't live in the balanced middle.
Which is why, this summer, I want to invite you to practice living in the balanced middle to create your And Life.
A life that includes rest and productivity. Fun and purpose. Peace and progress.
In today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I'm sharing why having an And Life doesn't require more energy from you, it actually gives you more energy.
It simply comes down to:
Simple? Yes.
Easy? Not necessarily. But, it is significantly easier, and more enjoyable, with a mentor and friends keeping you company!
If you're ready to stop bouncing between guilt, overwhelm, and distraction and to make room for the kind of summer break that feels balanced and fruitful, grab your earbuds to join me for: What You Need for a Life-Giving Summer.
Join Summer Lovin' HERE - it's not too late, we start this week!
Grab your FREE Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint here!
As a homeschooling mom of seven, one of the things I coach on most often is setting healthy boundaries with your children to protect your peace.
So many parents are afraid of their children's push back and negative reactions, so you hesitate to create rules and enforce boundaries.
But that only leaves you feeling stuck, trapped, and at the mercy of your children.
In this episode, I'm going to teach you how to stop letting your child's potential reaction manage your parenting.
I'm sharing four real-life examples of boundaries that come up frequently in parenting, covering issues like repetitive asking, responding to disrespect, and enforcing rules about chores and assignments.
I rarely give out scripts, but I'm giving you the exact dialogue I use in my own home so you can hear my tone and tweak the wording to feel natural and right for your family.
Grab your earbuds and join me to learn how to calmly, respectfully, and confidently step into your role as the leader and maintain a peaceful inner dialogue in: The Boundary Scripts That Stop Your Child's Emotions From Running the House.
Grab your free Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint to plan your year with the Lord Here!
Get the details for the new pricing structure of Happy, Holy Mama MEMBERSHIP here!
I used to feel exasperated, frustrated, and utterly exhausted almost every time we had to do anything outside of the house.
Everything from getting coats and shoes on to finding the Mass bag was a complete production.
Even transitioning from one task to another within our home felt like herding cats! I was stuck in a cycle of overwhelm, spinning my wheels trying to keep our day flowing and feeling like I could never get to the things I wanted to do.
That is, until one day I discovered a simple truth: the joy and peace I craved would come from intentionally slowing down to teach my kids the foundational life skills I wanted them to have…not from pushing harder or doing more.
In this week's episode of the podcast, I'm making the argument that skill-building is not an extra task—it is a worthwhile and vital role of a homeschooler.
Grab your earbuds and join me to learn how to stop trying to just survive a homeschool day, but to truly enjoy your life and your family in: The "Summer School" That Will Change Everything
Grab your free Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint to plan your year with the Lord here!
Get the details for the new pricing structure for the Happy, Holy Mama MEMBERSHIP here!
My son, Noah, is graduating from our homeschool this week and I thought it would be super fun to have him on the podcast to talk about his journey!
In today's very special episode, we talk honestly about the fears, freedom, challenges, and beautiful growth that came from homeschooling through the teen years…for both of us!
We share what it looked like to pull him out of traditional school in middle school, how homeschooling helped him discover his passions and independence, and why high school became less about checking boxes and more about helping him become the person God created him to be.
This conversation is full of encouragement for homeschool moms who are wondering:
Noah also shares his perspective as a homeschooled teen—what helped him thrive, how he found friendships and leadership opportunities, and why learning to follow God's voice mattered more than having everything figured out.
If you've ever felt nervous about homeschooling through high school, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged, hopeful, and reminded that you do not have to do this perfectly to do it well.
You'll hear:
This episode is a beautiful reminder that homeschooling is not just about academics—it's about helping your children become who God created them to be.
Grab your earbuds to join Noah and me for: Homeschooling High School with Confidence!
Get your FREE Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint here!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!
Mother's Day is coming… and if I'm being honest, it can feel a little complicated.
Maybe part of you hopes it will be beautiful and life-giving… And another part of you is already bracing for disappointment.
In today's podcast, I want to meet you in the middle.
Because here's the truth: your happiness this Mother's Day doesn't have to depend on everything going "just right."
You can have whatever kind of Mother's Day experience you want to have, regardless of what your family does or doesn't do for you.
Today I'm talking about how and I'm sharing:
This episode is a little love letter to your mother's heart as you prepare for Mother's Day (and which you can apply everyday)!
Grab your earbuds and join me for more peace, more intention, and more grace this week in: How to Prepare Your Heart for Mother's Day.
Take advantage of the BRAND NEW Pricing Structure for Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
Sometimes everything just feels… heavy. Especially at the end of the school year.
You're exhausted, you've been up all night, taking care of everyone else all day, and when you finally have a chance to look up all you see are the problems.
The house feels out of control, you feel hopelessly behind, and you realize that you're not sure you have the energy for this today (like, any of it).
Here's the thing… when you recognize that feeling of being surrounded by a thick, heavy, wanna quit fog, that's not the time to make decisions.
Unfortunately, that's the time when it feels the most tempting to throw in the towel for the day (or even for the year) and look for a way out.
In this episode, I'm talking about these moments of desolation and why, as homeschool moms, we have to be so careful not to make big changes when we're tired, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained.
Not only because it's nearly impossible to think clearly and logically when you feel like this, but also because you just don't make great decisions from those emotions.
So what do you do instead?
Today, I'll walk you through what it looks like to continue the path you've already chosen with the Lord, with less pressure, less perfection, and more peace while you wait for the fog to lift.
Grab your earbuds and join me for this short, sweet, and to the point episode for your busy end of school season: When to Make Changes (and When NOT to!)
Get the details for Happy, Holy Mama here!
Today I'm opening up a much-needed, hope-filled conversation about neurodivergence in Catholic families with Ginny Kochis, author of Quirky Catholic Kids.
Because here's the truth so many moms need to hear:
Your child isn't broken. And neither are you.
In today's episode we talk about:
This conversation is full of both deep encouragement and real, practical tools you can start using right away!
Because holiness doesn't look one way and "typical" isn't the goal.
And your beautifully unique, unrepeatable child is fully capable of becoming a saint exactly as they are.
If you've ever felt alone, overwhelmed, or unsure how to support your child grab your earbuds and join me for: Raising Quirky Catholic Kids with Ginny Kochis.
Get Ginny's Book Quirky Catholic Kids HERE
Happy, Holy Mama Membership
Have you ever caught yourself silently keeping score as your husband sits down while you're still going>
That quiet resentment starts to rise with every icky thought…
"That must be nice…" "I never get a break…"
You know it doesn't feel good. You know it's not what you want in your marriage.
But you're not sure how to stop.
In today's episode, I'm gently unpacking what's really happening beneath that frustration, and why it has less to do with your husband and more to do with what's going on inside your own heart and mind.
We'll talk about:
Because here's the truth:
You don't have to earn your rest. You're not alone. And your marriage was never meant to feel like a competition.
Grab your earbuds and I'll walk you through how to lay down the scorecard and step into a more peaceful, life-giving way of loving your family, starting with your marriage in: How to Stop Keeping Score.
Come work with me > here!
Have you ever felt like you're a completely different mom depending on the day? One day patient and present… The next day overwhelmed, overstimulated, and wondering what's wrong with you?
Here's the thing: nothing is wrong with you.
Today, I'm joined by Elissa Miller, Catholic homeschool mom and hormone coach, and we're talking about something that so many of us experience… but rarely understand: our cycles.
We're making sense of: Why your energy shifts from day to day. Why your emotions feel different week to week. Why homeschooling can feel easy one day…and impossible the next.
And instead of fighting your body, what if you could actually work with it?
We talk about:
Because you're not inconsistent. You're not broken. And you're not failing. You're beautifully designed.
When you start to understand your body, then you can show up with more peace, more compassion, and more grace for yourself and your family.
Grab your earbuds and join me and Elissa for: Hormones, Homeschooling, and Hope!
Come work with us in Happy, Holy Mama!
As a mother, you are incredibly capable of handling "BIG suffering," from growing and birthing a human, to major tragedy or life-threatening illnesses.
But if you're constantly feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and that you've hit your limit with all the 'little' moments of suffering each day, then I've got a special podcast episode for you.
Because it's not the big events, but the daily, hidden crosses that truly steal your peace.
Whether you are enduring:
…there is likely one thought rolling through your mind that makes all this feel impossible…
"I can't handle this."
The solution is not more discipline, more motivation, or even more planning.
The solution is more love.
Love of God, love of self, love of your children…and expanding what you can handle, with love.
In today's podcast, I'm talking about why, and how, expanding your capacity for LOVE is the answer to expanding your capacity for all these moments of daily suffering that steal your joy.
Grab your earbuds and join me for a Holy Week deep dive into: How to Expand Your Capacity.
Get access to The Self-Coaching Toolbox Live in Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
Sometimes the thing God is asking of you feels… big, scary, or even a little impossible. And it can be really tempting to listen to the fear, especially if you're not sure how to distinguish between God's voice and your own.
In this episode, I'm sharing how I've learned to recognize God's voice through the many "calls within a call" in my life.
From widowhood, to motherhood, to homeschooling, to coaching, every one of those yeses have led somewhere I never could have planned.
Today, I'm finally sharing a special announcement that's been unfolding behind the scenes! This feels like the next step in that same invitation to trust Him more deeply and I want to bring you along the discernment journey with me.
And, because I'm a life coach, I'll also walk you through simple, practical ways for you to practice discerning God's voice with more clarity and peace.
If you've been wondering, "Is this God… or is this just me?" grab your earbuds and join me for: Discerning God's Voice: Answering a Call Within a Call
Because He is speaking, and every fiat (yes!) matters!
Click here to come work with me in Happy, Holy Mama!
Click here to learn more about Homeschool Better Together!
Over the past few weeks I have been talking with so many mamas who are teetering on the edge of giving up on homeschooling.
They are feeling discouraged and defeated, wondering if their kids would be better off somewhere else.
Not necessarily because it's what is best for the kids, but because they are tired.
Tired of fighting with their kids about sitting still or staying focused.
Tired of no one listening, and constantly being interrupted.
Tired of making all the decisions, just to have their plans thwarted.
Tired of trying all day, day after day, and not seeing the progress they'd hoped for by now.
In today's episode I'm sharing some of the coaching I've been offering these mamas who actually want to keep homeschooling, but don't want to keep dealing with all the hard stuff.
And I'm going to share with you my prayer to filter your decisions during this season through the Holy Spirit.
If you've been feeling discouraged in your homeschooling journey lately and need a little reset for your heart, some tools to keep on keeping on, and process to know if it's time to end this season of your life, please grab your earbuds and join me for: When to Quit, Make a Change, or Stay the Course.
Grab your free resource here: 30 New Thoughts to Think (to Put a Bad Homeschool Day in Right Order)
Come work with me in the Happy, Holy Mama Membership!
This week my oldest child turns 19 and I am truly marveling at the man he is becoming.
But it didn't always feel like a sigh of relief.
I used to lie awake at night worrying that I was messing up my kids.
I used to worry if they weren't learning what they needed, if their behavior meant I had made the wrong choices, or too many mistakes.
I would dread the day and would look back and blame me for all of their stress, lack of preparation, and pain that I was sure they would have in the future.
And it would all be my fault.
But that's not where we actually are all these years later!
In today's podcast episode, I'm reflecting on the journey of how I have worked on giving up control over other people's behavior, and really stepping up into the identity of the happier, holier mama that I always dreamed of being.
It doesn't mean I have it all figured out. It just means that I have learned how to fall in love with the journey, even when it's hard (which it often still is!). And I want to share some of that knowledge with you!
If you've ever felt like your peace depends on your child's behavior, or gotten stuck second-guessing your decision to homeschool because of it, grab your earbuds and join me for: The Idol of Control: Behavior and the Three Rs of Surrender and Unconditional Love.
Happy, Holy Mama is OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT AGAIN!
Click here to join in time for this week's Stop Yelling Refresh Workshop!
As a homeschool mom it can feel like everything in your home rests on your shoulders.
The meals. The lessons. The messes. The schedule. The spiritual atmosphere.
It's easy to slip into the belief that if you don't manage everything perfectly, it will all fall apart.
In this week's episode, I'm sharing a gentle invitation for the homeschool mom who feels stretched thin and responsible for everything.
I'm talking about what it looks like to move from pressure and self-reliance into peace and true stewardship of what the Lord gives you, including the work He is asking you to do.
If you've been craving more calm… More clarity… More connection with God in the middle of your very full days…
Then grab your earbuds and let's talk about: The Idol of Control: Time and Self-Reliance.
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is OPEN for enrollment! Get the details HERE
Why is it so hard to choose what to do for Lent?
Why do we (me included!) put so much pressure on ourselves to pick the perfect sacrifice… the one thing that will finally move the needle… the one decision that will change everything?
If you're a homeschool mama who finds herself stuck in indecision, or piling on five spiritual (or non spiritual!) goals because you're afraid one won't be "enough," this episode is for you.
Today, I'm talking about the hidden idol of getting it right. The subtle fear that if we choose wrong, it won't count. The quiet pressure to optimize our holiness, our motherhood, even our Lent.
But what if the deeper invitation isn't about choosing the perfect sacrifice?
What if it's about slowing down… noticing the common thread beneath all your goals… and learning to trust God more than you distrust yourself?
In this episode, you'll learn:
Lent isn't about misery. It isn't about proving yourself. It isn't about finally becoming the flawless version of you.
It's about union. Trust. Surrender. And setting down the idols that stand between you and the Lord.
If you struggle with keeping Lent simple, doable, and sustainable, grab your earbuds and join me for: The Idol of Getting It Right: Lent, Homeschooling, and Trusting God.
The busyness of the semester is in full swing and, frankly, I'm tired!
Not the kind of tired I was when our first six kids were eight and under, but still feeling pretty exhausted.
I know I'm not the only one.
There are days when we can absolutely pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get the things done. And then there are days when everything just feels nearly impossible.
Yes, it might have to do with how much sleep you're getting, but it also might have a lot to do with how you're talking to yourself.
What I've learned, and what I'm talking about in today's podcast episode, is that there is a major difference between being physically tired and emotionally tired.
If you catch yourself saying, "I can't handle this. I don't wanna do this anymore. This is too much," then, maybe the thing you're actually tired of is feeling incapable and inadequate to handle the life God is giving you.
My sisters in Christ, here's the truth: God does not give you more than you can handle, especially when you lean into Him for strength.
If that feels hard, please grab your earbuds and let's talk about what's really wearing you down, and how to lay it at the foot of the Cross in: Physical vs Emotional Exhaustion.
Join my Beloved Lent Study HERE! The doors close this Friday, February 20, 2026 at midnigth Eastern time!
Do you know what makes a great saint?
It's not their patience, kindness, or gentleness that are the hallmarks of great saints (I mean, St. Nicholas was punching heretics afterall!).
Being united to God's will for your life is the key to being a great saint…and it is the antidote to suffering.
Believing in His purpose and plans for you as His beloved daughter is essential to being united to His will and open to what He permits in your life.
Accepting His will is crucial for your growth, and the growth of those in your care.
And surrendering and uniting your will to His plan and will for you and your family is the key to your ultimate happiness, not only here on earth, but ultimately in heaven as well.
Becoming a saint is simple: unite your will to God's will moment by moment.
But this is one of the most challenging things in the world to do, because of the pain that sometimes goes along with His daily will for our lives (babies, toddlers, teenagers, husbands who seem to actively work against you) are not things you typically want to accept, surrender, or be united with.
And yet, that is the work of becoming a great saint.
Every Lent you are being invited to open up to God's will and plan for your life in a deep and profound way. How will you accept that invitation this year?
Grab your earbuds and join me for this week's podcast where I re-share my personal testimony of falling in love with God's holy will for my life through tremendous suffering, and the growth that it has yielded ever since: Blessed Be God: A Reflection on Loss, Suffering, and God's Will.
Get the details for BELOVED here!
Do you know what impacts every Catholic homeschool mom, especially when we're feeling tender, overwhelmed, or unsure of ourselves? Other people's opinions.
Today, I'm talking about what happens in your heart and mind when someone criticizes your parenting, questions your homeschool choices, or simply gives you that look that makes you spiral.
I unpack the truth about how emotions actually work, why other people can't "make" you feel shame or discouragement, and how our own thoughts often become the loudest voice in the room.
I share with you simple steps to calm your nervous system down when you feel triggered by other people's words, and three gentle questions to ask God to help you root yourself in His truth, instead of someone else's opinions.
This episode is for the mom who's tired of being knocked off course by fear of judgment, whether it's from family, strangers, friends, or even the voice in your own head.
Grab your earbuds and join me a mini-lesson that I teach all of my clients, and that I deeply believe will have a directly positive impact on your day: How to Stop Letting Other People's Thoughts Derail Your Day.
Join BELOVED Lent Study HERE to give up the feeling of being "not enough" for Lent this year! Doors are now open!
Feeling better about your homeschool doesn't start with a new curriculum or even a better chore chart.
It starts with Right Order: making time for God, hubby, kids, then tasks.
Or, at least, that's what we all desire our days and weeks to look like!
The reason you might not be living this in reality is probably because you're honestly not sure how to do that - and make it work.
Which is why in this week's podcast episode, I'm talking all about calendaring in Right Order.
Starting with your priorities.
Because here's what I see over and over again: we keep telling ourselves we don't have time for prayer, we don't have energy for our husband, and connection with our kids will have to wait until the "real work" is done.
And yet the more we chase productivity first, the more disconnected we feel… and the more stuck we become. Something's gotta give.
Today's podcast is an invitation to take a hard look at your priorities, with some practical tips thrown in to support your God given call to marriage, motherhood, and homeschooling.
If you've been feeling behind, over burdened, or like you can't move forward unless you do more, especially with thoughts like: I'm not organized enough. I'm not patient enough. We're behind. We haven't done enough…
Then I made this episode for you!
Grab your earbuds and join me for: The Priorities and Micro-Decisions Required to Put Your Day in Right Order.
Join the Waitlist HERE!
I've been noticing on social media over the past few weeks that so many parents were itching to send their kids back to school, which wasn't surprising.
But what did surprise me was how many homeschooling parents are feeling tempted to throw in the towel, because it's just feeling so hard to keep going.
This has been stirring up a lot for me, especially for the parents who deeply desire to homeschool, but are feeling overwhelmed, inadequate, and without any other option.
I think it touches a tender place in my heart, because I can remember a time when I felt that way too. And so I've been reflecting recently on why I no longer do.
So in this week's podcast episode, I share what I've discovered!
I unpack a little bit of why it can feel really hard to be with our people all the time… and why it can feel confusing when we deeply desire connection, but we don't always know how to have it.
Especially when our kids seem to resist lessons, avoid assignments, and argue about chores!
Here's the main takeaway from today's episode that I deeply want you to get: if you are homeschooling and you feel that urge to send your kids away or have a break, nothing's wrong.
You are not broken. You probably just haven't been taught the tools to slow down and connect (with yourself or with them).
It is not too late. You can learn how to do this. You can learn how to connect with your kids in a way that is life-giving for both you and for them…
You can put your life in Right Order.
And when you do, you can feel more satisfied and fulfilled and content in your life exactly where you are.
If you are in need of some encouragement and love this week, grab your earbuds and join me for: When Homeschool Feels Like Too Much: The Missing Skill No One Taught Us
Join the Beloved Waitlist HERE! We begin soon!
Episode 200 of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast is a milestone I never could have reached without the steady support of my husband, Lucas. So for this special milestone episode, I invited Lucas back on the podcast for a candid, real-life conversation about what happens when one spouse goes first in the inner work, and the other decides to join in. We share what it looked like inside our actual marriage when Lucas was coming home depleted, feeling burned out, and realizing that trying to "fix the outside stuff" wasn't touching the deeper problem underneath: That, in his words, he wasn't taking responsibility for his own feelings and therefore wasn't being the leader that I needed him to be. Lucas shares what shifted for him and how husbands can start making those shifts for themselves right now. This conversation is for wives and husbands. Wives: you'll hear from me about why your growth really can change the whole emotional climate of your home, without you trying to control or "fix" your husband (psssst…he's not broken!). We talk about the way our thoughts about each other either build trust and safety… or quietly poison connection, which will directly impact how well you live in Right Order. Husbands: Lucas speaks directly to you about the pressure you carry, the temptation to check out, and the difference between "being emotionally available" and emotionally dumping on your wife. He shares what it means to take responsibility, not through dominance or control, but by becoming steady, curious, charitable, and strong in a way that makes your wife feel safe again. (Yes, we even talk about how confusing modern messages about masculinity can be, and the mindset that actually helps a marriage thrive.) If you're in a season where you feel like two ships passing in the night… Or, if you've been stuck in resentment or exhaustion… Or, if you love each other but don't quite know how to find each other again in the day-to-day… Or, if one or both of you intellectually know that you are living your dream life, but somehow not enjoying it… Then Lucas and I want to invite each of you to grab an earbud and together join us for: Interview with a Homeschool Husband Part 2: How to Have a Happy, Holy Marriage.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Waitlist for more information about what's coming in 2026 for Catholic homeschooling mamas, papas, and your marriage HERE!
As a mom, I crave guidance and a structure of my day. Most moms I know do too, to some extent!
What I've been reflecting on lately is why I prefer structure, and I've realized that when I have structure, my heart and mind are more orientated toward God. When there is less structure, my mind is constantly troubleshooting and reacting. Which can sometimes make it feel like I'm less connected to God and my purpose, leaving me more sad and discouraged.
Which is why I've always been attracted to the idea of a Rule of Life, but I've honestly rejected it more often than not, from my own misunderstanding of its rigidity. Especially through various seasons of life and motherhood, like pregnancy, postpartum, and littles.
Here's the thing, as a Catholic homeschooling mother, our work is hidden, repetitive, and often interrupted, and yet this is exactly where God is working.
God isn't waiting for your life to settle down. He is here with you now.
Which is actually why having a Rule of Life is actually so valuable! It helps you anchor yourself in Him within the work He calls you to do throughout the day.
In today's Happy, Holy Mama Podcast episode, I share how having a Rule can help you shape your goals and define your roles, focused on having purpose for your day with a spiritual framework, and a way to live the mission God has placed on your heart with mercy and charity.
And in the podcast today, I'll even give you some ways to vary your own Rule of Life depending on the season you're in, to help you remember that your children and daily responsibilities are not obstacles to your spiritual life, they are part of your path to holiness.
So grab your earbuds and join me for: Mission Living and Creating a Rule of Life as a Catholic Homeschooler.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Waitlist HERE!
In this final part of our three-part series, I'm diving into the struggle that every single homeschooling mom deals with: your own fears, anxieties, and the sneaky belief that you are not enough.
I'm unpacking, what I call, the Litany of Not Enough that so many of us carry every day, how it's impacting your relationships, and your homeschooling, and why doing more will never heal it.
Today, I'm talking about what it really means to live in Right Order and giving you several key shifts to make that you can implement today to calm your heart and lean into this beautiful vocation of motherhood and homeschooling that God has called you to.
This final episode in this three-part series is like a mini-retreat and masterclass for your mama's heart, your mindset, and learning how to rest into this vocation with trust, surrender, hope, and grace all wrapped up into one.
If you've ever felt inadequate, overwhelmed, or exhausted by trying to be enough, then grab your earbuds and join me for: A Catholic Homeschool Mom's Guide to Putting Your Life in Right Order, Part 3: Your Mama's Heart and the Litany of Not Enough
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Merry Christmas, my beautiful sister in Christ!!
Today I'm making a bold claim: that most homeschool issues are not academic issues at all, but parenting and behavior issues.
Even when learning challenges are present, what feels most painful day to day is often the behavior that feels out of your control.
I share why unwanted behavior can pull us into a blame-shame cycle, how it impacts your heart, and how that directly impacts how you're showing up with these beautiful children that God has gifted to you.
We talk about free will, boundaries, connection, and what it really means to serve Jesus in the Calcutta of your own home.
This episode is about slowing down, protecting your heart, and learning how to respond to your children as the best version of yourself…especially in the middle of meltdowns, resistance, and hard moments.
When you begin to put relationships before tasks and focus on forming the person before the student, everything starts to shift.
Grab your earbuds and join me here at the beginning of Christmas Week for: A Catholic Homeschool Mom's Guide to Putting Your Life in Right Order, Part 2: Unwanted Behavior
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Limited time, only available until December 31, 2025.
BIG NEWS!! Happy, Holy Mama's Annual Membership tier is now available to the public for the first time ever! Get an entire year of Catholic life coaching support for your mama's heart, mindset, time management, emotional regulation, behavior management, and SO much more for just $297!
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There are three major areas of life that seem to trip up every Catholic homeschooling mom at some point, if not everyday: time management, other people's unwanted behavior (especially our kids), and our own self-doubt.
These are each such important topics that have tremendous impact on the experience of the mother, that I've decided to create a three-part podcast series that breaks each of those struggles down in to simple, practical lessons that will help you make real change, without feeling overwhelming.
Whether you're brand new to homeschooling or you've been doing this for years, this first episode gives you both fresh insight and gentle reminders for your heart that will directly impact the way you steward the time God gives you each day.
You'll hear practical ways to stop spinning in frustration, take ownership of what's actually yours to manage, and choose the next best step with intention and hope.
Why are we taking the time to dive into these topics at the close of the calendar year?
Because the new year is when you begin setting goals and making new plans for the second semester and beyond. You'll be able to do that more effectively if you've taken the time to think about your major pain points before you sit down to set goals.
These three episodes will help you start putting your life in Right Order for the new year, but also enjoy the last three weeks of this year, especially the Advent and Christmas seasons so much more deeply with peace and presence.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: A Catholic Homeschool Mother's Guide to Putting Your Life in Right Order, Part 1: Time Management.
Every year on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, I'm drawn back to the day I entrusted my life, and then years after that, my business to Jesus through Mary.
That simple offering has shaped the way I understand love as the foundation of a peaceful, joy-filled life, especially in the daily moments that feel anything but peaceful.
In this episode, I share the lessons I've learned from staying close to Jesus through Mary, lessons that have carried me through those everyday frustrations we all know too well.
Like the mornings when the kids won't wake up on time and school gets pushed later and later.
Or the constant bickering that keeps you putting out fires instead of doing what you hoped to do.
Or the chores that never seem to get done the way you want them done, leaving you hovering instead of living.
Those are the moments that seem so small, yet they're the very moments that can steal your peace and drain you if you aren't being fueled by love.
Mama Mary's example of acceptance, surrender, generosity, and trust can completely transform the way you move through days like that.
If you're tired of feeling stuck in discouragement or resentment during the hard moments, this episode will help you see them differently.
Grab your earbuds to join me for today's podcast episode that I pray will leave you with a renewed sense of hope, and a clearer path for how to live the mission that God has placed on your heart to raise and educate your children at home in: Fulfilling Your Mission: Lessons from the Immaculate Conception.
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As we step into Advent and the first days of a new liturgical year, I've been reflecting on how this season invites us to slow down, simplify, and refocus on the Lord.
Stepping into this season also brings up something I see constantly in coaching and in my own home: distraction.
Our kids wander off, lose focus, read a book instead of doing chores, or get sucked into the chat box during an online class instead of paying attention to the teacher.
And nothing sends a homeschool mom through the roof faster than when your kid isn't doing what they should be!
But what I've come to understand, through a lot of prayer, trial, and humility, is that when I'm going ballistic, I'm the one who's actually distracted.
I'm distracted by an ideal.
Distracted from the here and now.
Distracted from my real work.
Grab your earbuds to join me for a powerful episode where I'm going to share some strategies to help you and your kids to focus more, but of course deep down, we are going to be talking about how to calm down.
How to refocus.
How to listen.
How to create compassion and connection.
And how to step into the mission that God has placed on your unique heart to raise and educate these children to become great saints one day.
Join me right now for: How to Solve the Problem of Distraction.
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As we head into a season full of special occasions, extended family dynamics, and old patterns, I've been thinking a lot about boundaries, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what it actually means to be self-sacrificing.
We all need better boundaries, especially with the people outside our immediate home during the holidays, because boundaries are vital for protecting our peace.
But so often, boundaries feel bad because we confuse protecting our peace with being selfish.
We get told to "offer it up" and "serve others," and while those are beautiful invitations, how we go about doing that matters just as much as the actions we take
In today's podcast episode I explore the difference between harboring a grudge and simply being guarded, the distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation, and why you can forgive someone fully and still not want them present in certain spaces of your life.
And how setting healthy boundaries to protect your peace can be an act of unconditional love.
Because Christ calls us to unconditional love, not servitude.
Self-sacrificial love is intentional, it bears good fruit. If the fruits of your actions are guilt, shame, resentment, or emotional turmoil, that's a sign you might be acting sacrificial, not being sacrificial.
And we talk sort through it all in today's value-packed episode!
So, if you're wrestling with grudges, navigating historically hard family dynamics, and dreading the upcoming holidays (or even just homeschooling today), then grab your earbuds and join me for: Boundaries, Forgiveness, and Being Self-Sacrificial.
Celebrate the Catholic New Year with me!
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You know those seasons when you know you should be grateful, but you can't quite feel it?
Like when life feels heavy, when the house is loud, and your heart just can't catch its breath?
In today's episode, I talk about why gratitude can feel so hard, especially when you're overwhelmed, when blessings don't look the way we expected, or when fear and unworthiness sneak in.
Listen, there's nothing wrong with you. You just don't know how to release the tension or recognize God's presence in the middle of the mess.
That's okay, most people don't know how to do that either.
Which is why I am re-releasing this most valuable podcast episode to help you see how even the hardest moments can become invitations to deeper trust with our Lord, especially right before the holidays.
Gratitude isn't about pretending everything's okay, it's about finding peace and hope right where God has permitted you to be.
I always say, gratitude is the gateway to hope. Grab your earbuds and I'll explain how that works in: MVP When Gratitude Feels Hard.
You're having a bad day, a bad week, maybe even a bad semester, and you start to think…maybe it's me.
Listen, there's nothing wrong with you, your family isn't broken, you're not awful at time management, and you're honestly the best homeschooling mom for your family on the planet.
You're just stuck in the negative emotions of life and don't know how to move forward, let alone grow through them.
You are not alone, my friend.
In fact, this has been coming up in coaching so frequently that I've made a podcast for all my clients to give them some extra coaching love between our sessions…and I want you to benefit from it, too!
So, please grab your earbuds and join me for some free coaching in: How to Get Unstuck and Grow Through the Hard Parts of Life.
And then come work with me in Happy, Holy Mama to get unstuck anytime, any place, with an awesome community of Catholic homeschooling mamas just like you.
Get the details HERE!
This past week my whole family (myself included!) has been fighting a cold.
It got me thinking about what we do as homeschool moms when we get sick and how hard it can be to actually give ourselves permission to rest and recuperate.
So I'm keeping this episode short and sweet and giving you some really practical ideas for how to take a sick day!
We'll talk about how to do things a little differently, redefine what "counts," and still feel peaceful about your homeschool when life doesn't go as planned.
We'll also talk about the mindset that either helps us rest well or keeps us stuck in guilt and perfectionism.
When mom is sick, it can actually be an opportunity to model self-care, compassion, and teamwork for our kids. Grab your earbuds to hear more in: How to Take a Mom Sick Day
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We do this as moms all the time: we think it'll be better when.
When the kids are older.
When it's the weekend.
When the semester is over.
When Christmas finally comes.
But the truth is, there's no such thing as "over there." There's only here, this present moment, which is the culmination of all the little moments that led you here.
In this episode, we're talking about the Arrival Fallacy, that sneaky lie that tells us peace and joy are waiting for us at the finish line, when really, the way you go through something is the way you'll arrive.
If you've ever found yourself frustrated, overwhelmed, or disappointed by the holidays (again), I want to help you build a new foundation, one rooted in peace, presence, and hope.
We'll talk about how Mary's Way of calm generosity, peaceful presence, and unwavering hope can change the way you walk through busy seasons, and how to start magnifying hope instead of stress in your home.
Because just like Mary, we can learn to expect sorrow and still live in hope.Grab your earbuds and join me for: Mary's Way: Choosing Hope Over Disappointment.
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So often, we feel torn between caring for ourselves and serving our families, wondering if self-care and self-sacrifice can truly coexist.
It happens all year long, but it really can become a problem during the holidays, if you're not intentional about how you balance the two during the ordinary seasons of life.
I want to help you see that they not only can — they must — if we're going to love from a place of peace, presence, and abundance all year long.
In this week's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, we'll explore how to care for ourselves in ways that strengthen our ability to pour out love freely, without resentment or burnout.
My prayer is that by the end of this episode, you'll feel renewed in your vocation, confident in your "yes" to God, and ready to embrace your daily sacrifices with joy and grace.
Grab your earbuds and join me for this most valuable podcast episode: Joyful Self-Sacrifice.
Join MAGNIFY the only extended Advent life coaching course for Catholic homeschooling mothers to help you have more peace and presence before, during, and after the holidays!
I want to invite you to pause for a moment and take a deep breath.
Now ask yourself this gentle question: Do I believe my child is capable?
Not just when they're doing well… but when they're struggling, when they're distracted, when they roll their eyes, or when they say "I can't"?
It's easy to believe in our kids when they're showing us proof. But the real work of motherhood — the holy work — is believing in them before we see the fruit.
Belief isn't pretending. It's choosing to see your child the way God does — full of potential, still learning, still growing, still worthy of love and respect every step of the way.
And sometimes, the hardest part isn't believing in them — it's believing in yourself as their mom.
You're the first model of what belief looks like in action. When you let go of the judgments, the comparisons, and the "shoulds," you create the space for your children to rise into who they were made to be.
It's not instant, and it's not easy — but it's holy ground. And this is just the first of five Mom mindset shifts and skills that I share about on this week's podcast episode.
So grab your earbuds and join me today for: Five MOM Skills for Raising Self-Sufficient Kids.
Work with me HERE!
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Have you ever wondered how to actually teach your kids to study, without turning it into one more lesson plan?
Over coffee with a friend, I realized I’d never sat down and created “study lessons” for my children.
Instead, what we’ve done has been years of practicing, trying, failing, and repeating small, doable habits that slowly grew into something powerful.
In this week’s episode, I share the simple shifts that helped my kids develop confidence, motivation, and focus. And not through lectures or checklists, but through everyday moments of learning and living together.
You’ll hear what it looks like in real time, why it matters for both moms and kids, and how these practices can actually transform the atmosphere in your homeschool.
Working on these skills takes time, patience, and consistency, but the fruit is so worth it: kids who are more self-sufficient, a family who fights less, and a homeschool that feel more like the joyful, connected, faith-filled places we all long for.
Grab your earbuds to listen in and discover how these skills for students and moms alike can come together to create harmony in your home and homeschool in: Study Skills for Self-Sufficient Students.
Come work with me HERE!
I can’t tell you how often I get frustrated when things don’t go the way I want them to.
It’s super frustrating!
Whether it’s kids fighting, everyone interrupting me at once, or a lesson that just isn’t sinking in, it can feel like pressure building up inside that just has to burst.
And in those moments, it feels urgent—like the house is on fire and I need to fix it right now.
But one of the coolest things I’ve learned in my work as a life coach is how to respond to these ‘fires’ calmly and intentionally, instead of exploding.
In this week’s episode of Happy, Holy Mama, I share how to bring calm acceptance into those fiery moments, so you can see more clearly what your real role is, respond with peace, and stop pouring gasoline on the very fires you want to put out.
You can’t control every circumstance, but you can choose how to respond. And that choice is where peace begins.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: When Things Aren’t Going Your Way
Come work with me HERE!
When I first started homeschooling, I can’t tell you how many times I found myself erasing and rewriting plans in my planner every time something didn’t go the way I thought it would.
Someone would get sick, or we’d want to linger longer on a subject, or a new documentary would pull us down a rabbit trail—and suddenly all my careful planning for the year felt ruined.
Then I discovered a new, simpler way of homeschooling that felt like a lifeline.
This simple rhythm, and one intentional mindset shift, completely changed how I planned and gave me the freedom to take things one step at a time.
I finally had the space to be present with each of my kids while still moving forward with confidence.
The thing that was missing? Feeling overwhelmed.
This rhythm has been a game-changer in our home and I’m really excited to share it with you this week!
You really can do it all—you just can’t do it all in one day, especially on a school day.
And that’s okay. Let me explain how!
Grab your earbuds and join me for: Getting More Done with Focus Time
Come work with me HERE!
What should we do when headlines and heartbreak feel like too much—especially when you’re trying to homeschool.
It’s important to name the reality of evil without letting it hijack your home and your heart.
In the episode you’ll hear:
It’s okay to be in the sorrow. You’re not falling behind when you choose presence over productivity for a day.
If your day feels like pushing a boulder through mud, this conversation will help you step out of the mud first, so you can move forward with peace.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: Homeschooling During Sorrowful Times
Come work with me HERE!
Today the Church celebrates the birth of Our Lady and it has me reflecting on my own beginnings as a Catholic life coach and podcaster.
When I first sat down to record, I was nervous, uncertain, and honestly a little scared.
Who would want to listen to me?!
But like Mary, I knew God was inviting me to say “yes,” even when I didn’t understand what He was going to do with it.
Just three years and over 40,000 downloads later, and with so many new listeners recently finding the podcast, today I’m going back to the beginning.
I want to share my story: how God walked with me through grief, marriage, motherhood, and homeschooling, and how He transformed my heart by teaching me to keep saying yes.
It’s vulnerable, raw, and full of gratitude for the ways He has helped me write my story so far.
If you’ve ever wondered how to trust Him with your own story, I’d love to share mine with you.
Please grab your earbuds and join me for: MVP Becoming a Happy, Holy Mama
Learn more about my work as a Catholic life coach for homeschooling mamas HERE!
Do you ever end the day feeling guilty for yelling, wishing you could take back the words you said in frustration?
You’re not alone.
That was me, and it’s so many Catholic moms who struggle with overreacting, losing patience, and feeling disconnected from the very people we love most.
Now, as a life coach I’m on a mission to help as many Catholic homeschooling moms as possible calm down and enjoy their kids and homeschooling, whether you come work with me or not.
Which is why I’m releasing for the first time to the public, the audio of a live masterclass I offered two years ago called How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting!
During the masterclass, I opened up about my own journey from chaos and disconnection to peace and connection in our home.
I taught about the root causes behind why we yell, what’s really happening inside when you lose your temper.
And I shared the first steps you can take to begin breaking free from the cycle of regret.
If you long to stop overreacting, rebuild trust with your kids, and feel more confident as the mother God created you to be, this episode will show you the way forward.
So please grab your earbuds and join me for: The How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting Masterclass!
Join RECLAIM The Stop Yelling Challenge HERE! Doors close Friday, September 5, 2025 at midnight Eastern time.
When my third oldest son was little he was a screamer.
Like multiple times a day for at least 20 minutes at a time and we spent years trying to figure him out.
We tried parenting trick after parenting trick, with very little success.
Ultimately, you know what worked?
Patience, love, compassion, and a willingness to be in the hard part with him, instead of wishing it was over.
That’s what helped us build a foundation of trust that allowed him to learn the tools that could help him have a good life.
But the real trick was that I had to learn them for myself first. And like Jacob shares in our conversation on today’s podcast, he had to decide to go first in his own way, too.
And now here we are 10 years later and we want to share our journey with you!
I am so excited to share an inspiring and powerful conversation that I had with my incredibly brave 15 year old son, Jacob on the podcast today.
So please grab your earbuds and join us for: Building a Foundation of Trust, a Conversation with My Homeschooled Teen Son.
Join RECLAIM: The Stop Yelling Challenge HERE TODAY!
When I first became a mom, I longed to have Mama Mary by my side in every moment of my motherhood. I didn’t yet know about consecrations, so in my desperation, I went for something bold—a miraculous medal tattoo on my ankle. (Spoiler: consecrations are easier and far less painful!)
In this episode, I share my journey of learning what true meekness looks like—not weakness, but the gentle strength Mary embodied through her total trust, surrender, and holy detachment. I open up about the years I spent overwhelmed, snapping and yelling at my kids, and how that vicious cycle of guilt and shame kept me stuck.
But I also share the turning point: when I finally discovered the tools to regulate my emotions, restore my relationships, and start enjoying my motherhood again. You’ll hear how these same tools now help the Catholic homeschool moms I coach to heal disconnection, stop the yelling cycle, and fall in love with their motherhood—even if it feels “too late.”
Because the truth is, it’s never too late. No mom is beyond hope, and no child is beyond help. And when your motherhood feels better, every area of your life—your homeschool, your marriage, your family rhythms—begins to flourish.
Whether you’re struggling with yelling, snapping, or just feeling out of control in your home, this episode will give you hope, practical insight, and a reminder that God’s mercy is bigger than your mistakes.
Plus I’ve got a BIG announcement at the end for you, if you are a self-identified ‘yeller.’
So please grab your earbuds and join me today for: Your Child is Not a Dyson.
Enroll in RECLAIM: The Stop Yelling Challenge HERE!
If you were a teacher in a brick-and-mortar school or professor in college you would have designated time when you would prep your day, prepare the rest of your week, do research, grade papers, and receive students' questions either via email or in person.
However, as homeschoolers we have the added obstacles of toddlers and babies underfoot, laundry that needs to be changed over, meals that need to be made, and children delivered around town for various activities.
So how do you get it all done?
Especially as we jump into a new homeschool year?
This week I am re-releasing one of the most valuable podcast episodes that will help you balance your home and homeschool day so you can actually get to the things you say you want to get to!
I'm sharing a couple of my favorite strategies for fitting the most important things into your day and have the added benefit of helping your children build skills of meeting deadlines and thinking about their own time in new ways...all because you start doing it first!
Grab your earbuds and let's dive into today's podcast episode that might just change how you experience, and enjoy, your day: MVP: Mom's Office Hours
Work with me HERE!
Homeschool mamas have the best of intentions this time of year.
Whether you love hitting the ground running with all the subjects or you prefer easing in gently, there’s no one right way to start your homeschool year.
But today, I’m making the case for taking it slow on purpose.
Why? Because starting with just a few key subjects (or skills) can help you build momentum, create muscle memory, and stack up some early wins.
And those wins matter, especially when things don’t go quite according to plan (which they never do perfectly, right?).
In today’s podcast episode, we’re talking about:
✨ The truth about how brick-and-mortar schools really start the year (spoiler: they take it slow too!)
✨ Why limiting subjects for few weeks is a smart move ✨ How to train your brain—and your kids’—to get back into your homeschool rhythm ✨ Evaluating and tweaking to find your sweet spot ✨ How to stay focused on people over accomplishments
You really can ease into your homeschool year with confidence and peace, because even if you feel rushed, there is absolutely no rush to God’s plans for your children’s education.
Grab your earbuds and let's kick off this ease-filled year together!
And if you need help troubleshooting when you feel stuck, come work with me inside the Happy, Holy Mama community for the support you need—exactly when you need it.
Click here for details on how we can work together.
You’re staring at the homeschool plans you once felt so excited about… but now they just feel overwhelming. Your house is a mess, the kids are wild, and the doubt starts to creep in:
“Why can’t I keep up?” “This isn’t good enough.” “I’m not good enough.” “Maybe they were right, I can’t do this.”
If your daily thoughts sound more like criticism than compassion, if you’ve ever felt ashamed, defeated, or like you’re failing at the thing you care most about, you are not alone!
So many mothers talk to themselves in a way they would never speak to another adult, even though they admit with shame that they talk to their children like that to some degree.
In this week’s episode I’m going to help you recognize that voice for what it really is, a bully.
And then, we’re going to do something radical: I’m going to show you how to stand up to her.
Not with toxic positivity, but with truth, compassion, and the fierce love of a best friend.
Because when you stop bullying yourself and start standing up for your own dignity and worthiness, everything shifts.
You feel lighter. More capable. More connected. More like yourself again.
And you begin showing up for your kids, your marriage, and your homeschool with the grace that comes from knowing who you truly are: a beloved daughter of God, who is always worth fighting for.
If you’re tired of feeling heavy and hard on yourself, and you're ready to feel seen, supported, and lighter inside your own mind and heart, I’ve got a podcast episode that will speak directly to the little girl inside you who just wants a hug.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: Don’t Talk to My Friend Like That!
Come work with me HERE.
We just wrapped up an incredibly energizing Planning Week inside Happy, Holy Mama, and I couldn’t wait to share some of the most powerful moments with you! Whether you’re just starting to plan or want a fresh lens to look at your current homeschool year, this episode offers a simple filter to help you focus, reset, and move forward with greater clarity and hope!
Plus, I share one beautiful mindset shift that can change how you show up each day as a homeschooling mama, a wife, and a daughter of God. Let’s begin the year with peace, purpose, and the grace to grow into the happier, holier mama you were made to be. Grab your earbuds and join me for: A Marian Mindset Shift for the Upcoming School Year + Recap of Planning Week!
Get access to Planning Week HERE.
Trying something new shouldn’t feel like failure waiting to happen, but for many Catholic homeschooling moms, even good changes can trigger self-doubt, pressure, and shame that makes you want to quit, sometimes before you even start. I don't want you to get stuck there, especially at the beginning of Planning Week when 100+ Catholic homeschoolers are learning new things for their homeschool year. I want to help you understand why your brain resists change, how it quietly sabotages your best intentions, and what to do when your inner dialogue starts to sound like a middle school bully. So grab your earbuds to learn:
The work you're doing matters, mama. You matter. How you feel matters. And it's entirely within your control to shift and change. Homeschooling isn't just about your children's education. It's an opportunity for you to grow closer to the Lord and it starts with how you speak to yourself. Tune in to learn how to uproot self-sabotage and begin living, homeschooling, and mothering with clarity, confidence, and Christ-centered compassion. Grab your earbuds to join me today for: How to Stop Self-Sabotage P.S. It's not too late to join me for Planning Week, we kick off TODAY! Click here to join and I'll send you everything you need!
We're halfway through summer, and many Catholic homeschool mamas are feeling that tug to start planning for the new school year, or at least start thinking about it.
Whether you're knee-deep in organizing your curriculum or still trying to enjoy summer break, I want to help you avoid some of the biggest pitfalls I see moms fall into when planning their homeschool schedule.
This week, I’m talking about the top three planning mistakes that can make your days feel more chaotic than peaceful.
I’ll share the one mistake that I see Catholic homeschool moms make more than anyone else. It has nothing to do with planners or curriculum... and everything to do with your heart, which might be feeling a bit burnt out right now.
We’ll explore why the solutions I’m offering to these three mistakes matter so much, and how skipping these steps keeps you feeling overwhelmed and behind.
I’ll also share what’s really going on underneath it all when you hesitate to plan or follow through, and how to start shifting that mindset with God’s help.
This episode will help you clear the mental clutter, reconnect with your purpose, and move forward with more peace and confidence, no matter where you’re starting from.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: My Best Homeschool Planning Advice!
Get my FREE Masterclass: How to Heal and Prevent Burnout HERE
Join Planning Week July 14th-18th, 2025 HERE!
Our family just moved across the country. Nine of us packed into one vehicle for 3,000 miles over eight days. All to follow God’s call to a brand-new place, without a job lined up, without local family, and without all the answers. It’s still fresh, still unfolding, and honestly, still a little messy. But I'm brave and sharing my first reflections on our trip and the move with you now, in the thick of unpacking boxes and rebuilding routines, because God is already teaching me so much about what it really means to follow Him without peace being the first fruit. If you’ve ever felt unsure, resistant, or doubtful, especially after making a big decision you believed was led by the Holy Spirit, I hope this episode serves you. Today’ we’re going to talk about:
Listen, just because peace isn’t present right away doesn’t mean you’ve made a bad choice! It might just mean there’s a deeper work God is doing in your heart. Grab your earbuds and join me: When Peace Doesn’t Come Easily.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FREE MASTERCLASS: HOW TO HEAL AND PREVENT HOMESCHOOL BURNOUT!
Have you ever struggled with feeling selfish when you try to set boundaries with your kids?
Or have you wondered how to respond more peacefully in challenging moments with your kids and wish you had better boundaries already in place?
If so, you are not alone!
Creating healthy boundaries is one of the most popular skills I teach, because they are crucial for maintaining the peace in our hearts and homes.
Which is why this week I’m honored to revisit a deeply meaningful conversation I had with Lisa Mladinich on the Homeschooling Saints Podcast where we explored what it truly means to create healthy boundaries.
You see, the way I teach boundaries is different than you’ve probably thought of them before.
If you’ve tried setting boundaries and they haven’t worked, it’s likely because you were either using them as a way to push others away or you were trying to control someone else’s behavior.
Unfortunately, neither of these works the way you’d really want them to, and typically leads to disconnection and frustration for everyone involved.
When boundaries are done properly, they can actually draw us closer to those we love, by helping us stay rooted in clarity, intentionality, and peace
This was such a powerful conversation that continues to resonate powerfully with Catholic homeschool moms, which is why I’m re-sharing it with you now!
So grab your earbuds and join me and Lisa Mladinich for: Creating Healthy Boundaries!
Get your FREE Creating Healthy Boundaries resource HERE!
Come work with me HERE!
One of the most common struggles Catholic homeschool moms face is trying to pray in the middle of a noisy, messy, and busy life.
Whether it’s the audible noise of your kids or the visual noise of clutter, it can feel downright impossible to pray, or focus on anything else, when your sensory systems are on overload.
But here’s the truth: the noise doesn't control you. You are in control of you.
The work that’s needed is not about controlling the noise.
It's about taking back your power, finding your calm in the middle of the chaos, and showing up as the peaceful, intentional mama God is calling you to be.
Which will help you create a calmer, less chaotic home around you!
Grab your earbuds and join me for: MVP When Noise Feels Painful.
Get the details for Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
Do you worry about your kid’s lack of motivation? Have a rambunctious teenager who has passions, but no goals? Or worry that they won’t end up where they should, based on their current trajectory? You just want to make the right decisions to help them have their best possible future. It would be nice if you could shortcut some of the hardship and learning curves you may have had to face on your journey, but you can’t do it for them! Well today’s episode is a treat, because I am re-releasing an episode I recorded two years ago with long-time Homeschool Connections teacher, Tan Books author, and History in a Minute YouTuber, Phillip Campbell. Phillip and I had a fantastic chat about his not-so-straight journey to now being one of the most famous Catholic high school teachers in the world! He shares his ups and downs, college experienceS, and what he’s learned along the journey. This is such an important conversation for parents to listen to to remember one of the most important things: it’s going to be okay. God is always with our kids. And that your kid doesn’t have to have it all figured out by the time they graduate. My own major takeaway from today’s episode is that once they choose to do something, our kids can accomplish anything. Phillip’s interview today is a testimony to just that! Grab your earbuds and listen to: MVP: It’s Going to Be Okay with Phillip Campbell
Join Summer Lovin' HERE!
We have big hopes for the summer, like to organize and declutter the spaces in our home, put away this year’s homeschool supplies and get ready for next year, and maybe relax and enjoy our kids more!
Unfortunately, if that’s not happening yet, then you might already be feeling the summer overwhelm start to creep in.
And without the structure of school, maybe you’ve been finding yourself yelling more than you’d care to admit.
If this is you, I get it!
And since we’re all busy mamas just trying to do what we do better, I’ve designed this week’s podcast as a mini-masterclass to help you stop yelling immediately.
You’ll leave today’s episode with one simple action and one powerful mindset shift that can help you calm down, and feel more capable and self-controlled right away.
So please grab your earbuds and join me for: How to Stop Yelling This Summer.
Join SUMMER LOVIN' HERE
Get your FREE seat to this Friday's Catholic Homeschool Conference HERE!
Ever wonder why asking for what you want feels so risky and vulnerable?
It’s not the request itself that’s hard, it’s what you’re telling yourself the other person is going to think about you because of that request, that keeps you from even trying.
In today’s podcast episode, I’m bringing back an MVP (Most Valuable Podcast) where I’m going to be talking about those sneaky thoughts that feel true, but aren’t actually rooted in fact.
Thoughts like “I’m not smart enough to homeschool high school” or “It’s selfish to spend money on myself.”
These sentences create big emotions that shape your actions and keep you stuck in patterns you don’t want, prevent you from doing what you really want to do, and likely what God is calling you to do.
You’ll learn how to recognize these thoughts, how they’re affecting your relationships, and how to shift them so you can confidently ask for the things you want without fear, guilt, or shame.
Grab your earbuds and join me for this first step toward creating the peace and joy you’re craving in your home and your heart: MVP: How to Ask For What You Want.
Then come join me in Happy, Holy Mama for our Summer Lovin' program beginning Monday, June 9, 2025!
Get all the details for a limited time special kick-off-to-summer pricing for new members HERE!
You’ve heard that communication is essential for a healthy marriage, but it’s also absolutely essential for a healthy family.
In today’s episode, I’m walking you through the six communication rules we use in the Brown family to help reduce misunderstandings, strengthen emotional connection, and stop wasting precious time and energy on hurt feelings.
These rules have helped us build trust, keep our hearts soft, and truly listen to one another, even when big feelings are involved.
And these rules aren't just what I use with my kids as their mother. It's how my husband and I interact, too, which has created a vibrant and fun marriage that we both enjoy!
But you know what my favorite part about using these rules as a family? Now that we've been practicing them as a family, the kids use these rules amongst themselves now, too! I'm super excited to share them with you today!
Grab your earbuds and join me for: The Six Brown Family Rules of Communication.
Join Happy, Holy Mama and get ready for Summer Lovin' HERE!
If Mother’s Day felt a little off for you this year, you’re not alone. I’ve had years where that day brought more sadness than celebration, and the more I talk with other Catholic moms, the more I realize how common that is.
In this episode, I’m sharing some of the lies that sneak in and steal our joy, especially around Mother’s Day, and what I’ve learned to believe instead. Things like: You are loved. You are wanted. Your happiness matters.
If you’ve been feeling unseen, unappreciated, or just kind of disconnected, this conversation is for you. Let’s talk about how to stop waiting for others to make us happy and start choosing it for ourselves!
Because when mom is happy, everyone else feels it too.
Click HERE join the Cross the Finish Line Workshop this week in Happy, Holy Mama!
Register for the FREE Catholic Homeschool Conference HERE!
It’s that time of year again: you're picking out next year’s curriculum while also trying to survive the end of this one!
Today I’m walking you through how to make curriculum decisions without all the second guessing and overwhelm.
We’ll talk about why how you talk to yourself about decision making matters way more than you think.
I’ll share with you how you can shift your mindset today to create more clarity and confidence before diving into your research.
Then I’ll share some practical tips, including some of my favorite places to research curriculum!
Finally, I’ll share how rooting your choices in what God wants for your family is more than just about academic goals, and how this mindset can totally change the way you approach the end of this year and prepare your heart for next year.
Don’t go into curriculum choices spinning out in confusion!
Instead, grab your earbuds and join me for: Curriculum Decisions.
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As we pack our bags and head off to Rome with our oldest two sons, I’m reflecting, again, on how quickly plans can change. Just last week, we learned about the passing of Pope Francis, and in a moment, everything about our trip shifted. My old instinct would have been to get worried, disheartened, and feel inconvenienced. I would have tried to whiteknuckle my way through what God was willing for us, which would have totally wrecked my already busy week, and our trip. In today’s episode, I’m sharing how to stop resisting reality with sheer willpower, which is draining your energy and your joy. We’ll talk about:
Listen, friend, the saints didn't whiteknuckle their way to holiness. They learned to want what God wanted, even when it hurt. And they found deep joy in doing so. Grab your earbuds and join me for today's episode! Click here to learn more about Happy, Holy Mama
As our family embarks on a massive cross-country move and prepares to graduate our oldest son, I’ve been reflecting on the spiritual growth that comes from embracing God’s will in the thick of life’s chaos, and the sacred power of the present moment.
Even when it's hard and messy.
In today's podcast episode, I share the difference between our last big move (cue toddler, puppy, homeschooling, and house showings!) and this one, and how learning to surrender the pain, instead of resisting it, is the path to peace. 💛
This episode is an invitation for you to recognize Jesus reaching for you in the dark tombs of overwhelm, anxiety, and discouragement—and to take His hand into the light of resurrection.
You'll be reminded that your children are not distractions from your spiritual life—they are a vesself of the Holy Spirit to you in your spiritual life.
If you're longing for real peace in the middle of the mess, if you're tired of letting pain and perfectionism steal your joy, this episode will lovingly encourage you to say “yes” to God—in your motherhood, marriage, and daily homeschooling duties.
Let’s talk about:
✨ Plus, I’ll share how you can join me inside Happy, Holy Mama as we Calm the Chaos of May and finish this homeschool year strong—with peace, confidence, and grace.
Grab your earbuds and listen in, be encouraged, and together let’s: Resurrecting This Present Moment.
Click here to join Happy, Holy Mama to Calm the Chaos of May!
In Happy, Holy Mama this week we are diving into the concept of becoming happier through learning how to suffer well.
And when I was thinking about what I wanted to share on the podcast to support my students in that process, I couldn’t stop thinking about an episode I released last year for the 20th anniversary of my first husband’s passing.
I had already experienced quite a bit of suffering in my life prior to becoming a 20 year old widow, but that experience took what I thought I knew about suffering to an entirely new level.
It also showed me what I was capable of.
And more importantly, it showed me what God is capable of through my fidelity to unifying my will to His will for my life, regardless of how difficult the circumstances might be.
This skill is vital for our happiness, not just in eternity, but right now in this life that God is knitting together for us, with our cooperation, moment by moment.
I am honored to share my experience, knowledge, and training as a life coach with my students in the program to teach them how to do this for themselves on a daily basis!
And I am honored to share my story again with you here today, as we go into Holy Week and suffer with Christ on calvary, in our day-to-day lives.
Please grab your earbuds and join me for this most valuable podcast episode: MVP Blessed Be God: A Reflection on Loss, Suffering, and God’s Will.
CLICK HERE to join us in Happy, Holy Mama TODAY to learn how to unite your own daily suffering to Christ's redemptive suffering and fall more deeply in love with your life as it is right now.
Where do you draw the line between what’s your job and what is your child’s responsibility?
That line gets blurred when you’re a (normal) mom who is concerned about your child’s growth, education, emotional maturing, spiritual development, and preparation for the future.
It’s so much!
Unfortunately, if that worry leads you to hyperfocusing, micromanaging, and/or stewing about their behavior, work ethic, or grades, then you’re probably not loving homeschooling right now and may even be considering other options for next year.
If your heart wants to enjoy your motherhood and homeschooling journey with more peace and surrender, please grab your earbuds and join me for: Responsibility.
Get the details for Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
Are any of your relationships feeling challenging right now?
Maybe a relationship with one (or more) of your children is feeling particularly strained.
Or maybe you and your husband aren’t quite on the same page, and you can see the impact that’s having on the rest of interactions with other people.
Or, perhaps, you get so mad at yourself that it can be hard to know how to be around other people.
Here’s the thing: when your relationships are feeling stuck, then everything else feels harder.
Which is why right now, in the middle of Lent, is the perfect time to pause and reflect on what might be keeping those relationships stuck.
Sure, the other person might have some work to do, but since that’s not within your control, then it’s not much use focusing on how to get them to change.
Instead, please grab your earbuds and join me for today’s episode where I offer a slightly new perspective on a vital piece to improving any relationship: Forgiveness.
Ready to take the work deeper?
Join us in Happy, Holy Mama!
Click HERE for details.
I spent so many years of my motherhood focused on changing other people’s behavior that at one point I looked at myself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the woman looking back at me.
Who was this person who felt out of control, unhappy, and stuck?
How on earth was I supposed to change myself when it seemed like the whole world, especially my children, were out to thwart my best efforts?
After years of healing work in my relationships with myself and with God, I am finally able to answer those questions. But not just for myself, I have answered those questions in a way that I can teach you how to do it for yourself, too
I’d like to invite you to please grab your earbuds and join me for a short and sweet episode to give you three tangible steps to take today to improve your own behavior.
Click here to for all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership!
Do you ever struggle with feeling behind?
Like you’re not making enough, or any progress, toward your goals?
Whether it’s feeling behind in your Lenten goals or homeschooling goals, this thought process runs rampant during this time of year.
And it never ever helps you do better, but it absolutely wrecks your confidence, and perpetuates a cycle of second guessing.
So, if you ever say to yourself:
If only I had been more consistent in the past
If only I hadn't been so relaxed before
If only I had been more diligent or self-disciplined
Then please grab your earbuds and join me for: If You’re Not Making Enough Progress.
Click here for details on my Beloved Lent Study.
I consider all mothers to be experts in their field of study. Whether that is feeding an army of people, changing diapers, or knowing the fastest route to basketball practice, you have unique expertise. I totally understand that you might not feel like an expert, especially when it comes to certain childrens’ ways of thinking or behaving, BUT, I’m willing to bet, if you gave it just a little bit of thought, that you would discover that you know so much more than you give yourself credit for. And I love to have experts on the podcast! Which is why I’m so excited to introduce you to one of the expert mamas I know, Michele. Michele is a military wife, homeschooling mama of four, and self-proclaimed ‘task master’ who wants to share some of her story about developing hope through prioritizing her relationships over the tasks. She is a beautiful witness to the changes that are available within a family if just one person decides to change. I’d like to invite you to please grab your earbuds, and join me and my beautiful client, Michele, for a delightful conversation about The Reality of Putting Relationships Before Tasks.
Get details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
I think a lot of us choose a Lenten sacrifice hoping that giving up that thing for six weeks will turn into a permanent character change. And sometimes it does! But that honestly only happens if you’re not white knuckling through Lent, waiting for Easter so you can have that thing you gave up again. You know what I mean. Counting down the days, hemming and hawing about whether you should wait until Easter Sunday or if sun down on Holy Saturday counts. When I was thinking about what I wanted to sacrifice this year, I thought about the deep internal changes that I always desire to make during Lent, but rarely ever intentionally work on, because what I have chosen in the past was fairly superficial. This year I wanted to choose something to begin now with intentional focus, but without an end date. So I’ve been asking myself, what is something that I hold dear and have a hard time letting go of? When I think about it, I hold a lot of things dear! Like my children, my sleep, my privacy, my marriage, my rest, a tidy house, my quiet time in the morning. None of these things felt like I was being asked to give them up though…so I continued to go deeper. In the past I had been drawing to giving up sugar, cream in my coffee or social media. While those are worthwhile things to give up if they are vices, and crutches, or distractions from the work God is asking you to do. But again they are actually fairly superficial. That’s when I came to the real question: what is UNDER, or behind the vices? Identity beliefs. Grab your earbuds and join me for today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast where I dive into the #1 Identity Belief that needs healing this Lent and how you can bring your kids along the healing journey with you.
JOIN BELOVED LENT STUDY HERE!
My third oldest child turned 15 this past weekend and as I spent time looking back over photos of his youngest years of childhood, especially when he was really little, there was a noticeable difference in how I felt this weekend, compared to past years.
Instead of feeling sad or twinges of regret remembering some of the hardest years of my life, this weekend I noticed joy, peace, and contentment while thinking about those memories.
I didn’t realize that shift had happened until I paid attention to the lack of sadness! But that didn’t just happen. It was hard earned.
I’d like to invite you to grab your earbuds and join for today’s podcast episode where I break down the steps that I went through to create that shift over the past several years to: Heal the Past in the Present.
Click here to join BELOVED!
Over the course of my careers as a wife, mother, homeschooler, and life coach there is one feeling that I have seen be a bigger plague on the happiness and holiness in a family more than any other.
The feeling of being ‘not enough.’
Of not having enough.
Of not being capable enough in one way or another.
This ‘not enoughness,’ or lack (scarcity is another way we talk about it in coaching), infects our marriages, disconnects our relationships with our kids, and distracts our homeschooling efforts.
And none of it comes from God.
As I reflected on what I wanted to share with the members of Happy, Holy Mama this Lent, God placed this ‘not enoughness’ at the forefront of my mind and heart. He wants to heal that ‘not enoughness’ if you’ll let Him.
But it does take a bit of work on your part to be open to the healing He wants to offer you.
In today’s podcast episode I talk about the seven things you need to have to allow that healing to happen, all of which will lead you to the #1 thing the saints tell us will make us happier and holier than anything else in the world.
Grab your earbuds and join me today for: Give Up Feeling Not Enough for Lent.
Join BELOVED for Lent inside Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
Did you know that you have about 65,000 thoughts per day? And did you know that about half of those thoughts are in decision making form? This is important information, because there are two things that I hear moms complain about in February and the first one is decision making about next year. The second is being consistent enough to survive this dreary month. While I’ve done a few different podcast episodes on decision making in the past, and I talk about consistency within other concepts that I teach on, this week is the first time when I dive into the connection between the two. Because when you can get to the root of your decision making struggles, then you are able to become more consistent with following through, feel more accomplished, and build the confidence you need to homeschool with peace and satisfaction. Grab your earbuds and join me as I explain how and why this works in today's episode: Decision Making and Consistency.
If you want to raise kids to be in this world, but not of this world, then they’re going to need strong character
They're also going to need a firm foundation, ideally rooted and home with you, to give them a fighting chance of becoming great saints in this broken world.
After a surprising conversation with my almost 18 year old son about what he appreciates about me and what I do that helps him everyday that helps him feel prepared to go out into this world after he graduates this spring, I wanted to share some of that with you in hopes of giving you an idea of where to start.
This episode is filled with lots of good information, some of which you might already know, some might be new to you. But you’ll walk away with tangible things to try right now with yourself and with your kids to make forward progress in each of you growing in virtue and character.
So grab your earbuds and join me for today’s episode: 10 Tips to Raise Kids of Strong Character.
Get the details for and join Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
When I first started homeschooling I had sage advice coming at me left and right.
And at first I took it all in, relishing the dream that my homeschool might be one day when I had it all figured out…and I felt just like those sage, seasoned mamas.
They were so confident.
Wise.
Certain.
But at the time, I felt none of those things.
And so, unfortunately, their sage advice was falling on somewhat deaf ears.
What I really needed was someone to share the nitty gritty, the hard stuff, the mistakes they’d made, and what they learned from those mistakes.
That would have been more helpful to me, because I felt like I was drowning in my own mistakes.
And I was terrified that I was messing everything up.
Like I’d heard God wrong and had made the worst mistake of all - thinking I could homeschool when, maybe I shouldn’t have been.
I wasted a lot of time researching local schools those first few years and would have appreciated someone sitting me down and walking with me hand in hand to do it in a way that was right for my family.
Last week on the podcast I shared some of my biggest mom mistakes and ways to heal your motherhood while you work on improving your homeschool.
This week on the podcast I am opening up my homeschool to you and sharing some of my biggest homeschool mistakes and what I’ve learned in the process.
My prayer is that you’ll walk away from today’s episode more calm, more open to God’s word in your heart, and specific areas He might want to work on through you as you answer this call to home educate your children.
So grab your earbuds and something cozy to drink and let’s hang out!
I’d love to be that seasoned mom who shares what you really need to know about homeschooling, regardless of how long you’ve been doing it for.
Join me for today’s episode: My Top 10 Homeschool Mistakes and Lessons Learned.
Get all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!
When you look back over your earlier mothering years, or even just last week, do you have pangs of regret and sadness at how you handled things?
Me too.
But I’ve found a way to turn those past mistakes into blessings for today, to improve your relationships, and start to increase your overall enjoyment and experience of your motherhood.
Which is the first thing that needs to improve before you try to improve your homeschooling.
Listen friend, it’s never too late to start becoming the happier, holier mama that you deeply desire to be! I’d be honored to show you where to start.
Grab your earbuds and join me for today’s rather vulnerable podcast episode: Healing Your Motherhood.
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE.
Last week was...powerful, to put it mildly. So powerful that I'm compelled to share as many nuggets from each of our Reset Your Homeschool days with you knowing that the Holy Spirit has something powerful in store for you, too, this semester.
During Reset Week we covered:
Join me today for a breakdown of each of our Reset Your Homeschool Week topics, our biggest takeaways and wins, and listen for what the Holy Spirit what might want you to takeaway from the work that we did.
I'll also share with you info about the Ordinary Time Stewardship Challenge happening right now in the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to make consistent forward progress on time management tools and skills with guidance, accountability, and community!
Click HERE to get all access to the workbook and all five replays of Reset Your Homeschool Week PLUS an entire month of the Happy, Holy Mama Memberhip (including the beginning of our Ordinary Time Stewardship Challenge)!
Many kids are starting back to school this week and as a homeschooler you are likely one of them or considering it.
BEFORE you play with your sparkly new planner, jump back into curriculum, or changing what you've been doing, I want to give you four steps to follow to make planning smoother, and a few mindset shifts to make whatever plans you create more repeatable so you follow through and make progress for the rest of this school year!
Grab your earbuds and join me for: A Mid Year Reset for Your Heart and Homeschool.
Join Reset Your Homeschool Week, five days of time management workshops and coaching support tailored entirely to your Catholic homeschooling lifestyle HERE!
What do you wish you could tell yourself when you were younger? Either as a younger woman or a younger mom, what do you wish you would have known? For me, I wish I could have known how to rest in the present moment. I wish I would have had more peace amidst the chaos. I wish I would have known how to enjoy my kids more when they were little. I wish I would have known how much God loved me and that I didn't need to search for it anywhere else. This is at the heart of Fiat Life Coaching, the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, and the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast. And this year, I have a very special focus for the work I am putting out into the world...to help you truly be all for Jesus. Please join me for a very special episode as I share a few things to consider to help you learn how to be in the present moment and be all for Jesus, today. I'll also share with you some exciting details about other ways I'll be supporting your good and holy desire to become the happier, holier mama you deeply desire to be in 2025! So please grab your earbuds and something cozy, and join me for: Love in Action.
Sign up HERE for THIS FRIDAY'S free live masterclass: How to be a Calm, Joyful Homeschooler!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!
Sometimes, I look back at certain Christmas photos of our family next to the Nativity scene after Christmas mass, and I feel a twinge of sadness, regret, or even bitterness because I know how painful getting that photo was.
Whatever happened surrounding that photo was just hard, and those memories are forever connected to those photos.
If you know what I'm talking about and would like to have a different experience this year with more peaceful memories, then I'm thrilled to share with you with a few things to consider and reflect on so that you can be a source of peace for your family this year, regardless of what happens.
So please grab your earbuds and join me for this short and sweet episode (less than ten minutes!), which can change your whole week: Let Peace Begin With Me.
And I hope you have a very merry and blessed Christmas!
Click HERE to sign up for the free masterclass on January 3, 2025 How to Be a Calm, Joyful Homeschooler!
Self-care gets a bad wrap, because it can be over-indulgent if you’re not careful.
On the opposite end of the spectrum there is ‘offering it up,’ which, if done well, can be extremely powerful for God's good work. But, if used against yourself, being self-sacrificing could end in some deeply painful and harmful self-neglect.
This tension between being sacrificial and taking care of yourself is often what causes mamas to stay head-down and task-oriented this time of year, instead of really resting in the presence of our Lord and Mary in the manger.
Because it can be so hard to know how to be present without being lazy, or how to be joyful when things feel so hard.
Self-care doesn’t have to be frivolous.
And being self-sacrificial doesn’t have to be miserable.
As I prayed about how to share this important message again with you this Advent, I went back and re-listened to the episode I did last year on this topic. That’s when I realized it was actually one of our most popular episodes!
So, I am so pleased to share with you once again, (because who doesn’t need to re-hear deeply important messages about joy at Christmas time?!) one of our Most Valuable Podcasts: Joyful Self-Sacrifice.
Grab your earbuds and something cozy and listen to this powerful Advent episode, I pray it serves you!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!
Do you ever feel like you're stuck looking at the crumbs and mess, feeling bombarded by the noise, and have zero drive to get up and keep going?
Motherhood, and especially homeschooling, can start to feel like a hopeless endeavor if you're not careful and purposeful about what you choose to focus on.
Whatever is the center of your focus is what will continue to grow. So, if you're focused on the things that feel bad and are 'going wrong,' then you'll inadvertantly create more opportunities for things to go awry, be upset, and get stuck in that negative cycle.
So how do you break free and actually start to grow in virtue, even when you're surrounded by mess and disorder everywhere you look, including in the mirror?
Grab your earbuds and join me today as I take you on a little trip to change your focus and keep moving forward toward: Becoming a Virtuous Mother.
Subscribe to get weekly life coaching tips on your Catholic homeschooling life HERE.
Work with me HERE.
The dream is a cozy and simple Advent, where we can be present and peaceful as we await Jesus' birth with joyful expectation. Unfortunately, between holiday preparations, shopping, music recitals, multiple family obligations, meal prep, and, oh yeah - every day life, Advent is often anything but the dream. In today's podcast episode, I'm sharing with you a few things to think about to simplify the next four weeks, in both your home and your homeschool, so that when you look back over this season, you have the best, coziest, most joyful memories. Grab your earbuds and join me today as I talk about how to Trade for Perfect for Present.
Happy, Holy Mama details are HERE!
Subscribe to get life coaching tips for your Catholic homeschool life HERE.
Between the litrugical calendar and the secular world, this time of year lends itself toward celebration and thanksgiving! It really can be such a wonderful, joyful experience. But what about when gratitude feels hard? When a blessing doesn't feel like a blessing or a gift doesn't feel like a gift? Instead of slapping on a fake smile through gritted teeth, wishing you felt better, I'd like to invite you to spend a few minutes with me today unpacking this emotion that we know we should feel, but can sometimes be hard to find. Grab your earbuds and join me today!
P.S. Mark your calendar! Fiat Life Coaching will be running our own version of a 'Black Friday' sale this week, but instead we're celebrating the Catholic New Year! 😇Get on our email list with the link below and keep your eyes peeled on your inbox for all the details coming out this Wednesday! 👀
For email notification about our sale and to get life coaching tips and encouragement to your inbox on the regular subscribe HERE.
Get details about Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
It can be so hard to communicate with your husband, especially at the end of a long day, or in the middle of a tough situation.
We need to have important conversations, especially when it comes to our family's budget, financial health, and look at the upcoming holiday spending. But how do you do that when, in the past, it's ended in anger, hurt feelings, and disconnection?
In today's episode, I'm going to:
Yep, even around money.
My hope is that what you'll learn in today's episode is going to help you connect with your hubby more than you likely have in a long time.
And as a total bonus, you can apply this to the way you communicate with your kids as well!
Then, when you're ready, come join us in Happy, Holy Mama to learn how to take your communication with your hubby, kids, God, and even your parents to the next level!
Monthly Membership is now open! CLICK HERE to get the details and get started today!
Fear of the government, social media, bad influences, and misinformation are just some of the external fears we face as moms.
However, it's the internal fears that tend to keep us up at night.
Am I do a good enough job? Will they have what they need? Did I mess up too badly? Am I ruining them?
With so many things to fear, it's easy for a mom to feel paralyzed with what to do and how to raise courageous kids in this bonkers world, especially if the mom isn't sure how to do it for herself.
If that resonates with you, please grab your earbuds and let's hang out and unpack what's going on under the surface so you can begin unwinding the fear you might feel stuck in and start: Raising Children Without Fear.
Click here to join Magnify! the 8 week Advent course beginning now in Happy, Holy Mama!
How much time do you waste beating yourself up every day? Or even how much money you spend on ways to feel better? Do you realize how much you invest in feeling bad?
This isn’t a condemnation, most people do this completely unintentionally. And then, unintentionally, beat themselves up further for having done all of that and it becomes a vicious cycle and leads to getting stuck.
And, unfortunately, during this time of year, it leads to sour memories and expanded waistlines.
Which is why I want to spend time now, before we go into the holiday season, shedding some light as to why you do these things and a few simple steps to follow, so you can start getting a handle on it sooner.
Because learning how to be intentional now is what will allow you to begin practicing it before things get busy.
Which means you’ll already have the foundational skills laid, so you can truly enjoy yourself, your family, and your homeschooling all the way through Christmas.
And that is the secret sauce to begin the next semester in January peacefully and intentionally, instead of feeling exhausted, discouraged, and drained.
Grab your earbuds and join me for: How to Go Through the Holidays Intentionally
Join Magnify! and get everything else in Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
Do you ever just want to throw in the towel when your kid seems to prioritize everything else in the world, instead of completing their school work?
Or when you catch them on their screens when they should be doing their chores? Throwing in the towel feels like you’ve failed and is the step right before sending your kids to the nearest public school.
Since that doesn’t seem to be what God is actually asking you to do, you might think that a reasonable ‘solution’ might be to lower your expectations. But somehow that feels like a sneaky way of throwing in the towel, so what is a well meaning homeschool mom to do?!
Grab your earbuds of course!
And join me as I breakdown how to set you and your child up for success, without giving into defeat or shame in this week’s podcast episode: Maybe I Should Just Lower My Expectations.
And if the Holy Spirit is tapping you on the shoulder to go deeper with this work, please come join me in Happy, Holy Mama right now for only $49/month! When you join this week, you’ll lock in that lower price for as long as you maintain your membership.
Get all the details and join now before the price goes up at midnight this Sunday on November 3rd by clicking HERE!
When I was a younger mom I wanted to learn more about myself, because I really wanted to change how I reacted (or overreacted as it were) to my kids, messy house, pretty much everything in my life.
But I really resisted learning about the Four Temperaments, because it felt like I would be ‘put into a box’ that I couldn’t get out of.
I didn’t like the idea of some test confirming my worst fears about myself and I was afraid there would be nothing I could do to change it. In this particular case, ignorance was bliss!
Except I was still overreacting and felt like something was deeply wrong with me and maybe I was just doomed to be unhappy in this beautiful life God was giving me. I felt sad, angry, and sorry for my family. It was a really dark time.
But then I heard a life coach say that my past doesn’t dictate my future and that I could learn tools to nurture my natural tendencies (my temperament) to become the version of myself that I deeply wanted to be.
That my family didn’t have to change in order for me to enjoy my life.
In that moment my entire life shifted and it’s never been the same since - for the better!
Today’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast I talk a little bit more about my experience with the Four Temperaments and what kind of impact life coaching can have for you, if you know how blessed you are, but aren’t necessarily feeling blessed.
Grab your earbuds and join me today for: Nurturing Your God Given Temperament and a VERY BIG Announcement!
Get all the details for MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP to Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
One of the biggest obsatcles to having more peace in your day is finding acceptance of uncomfortable and even painful situations you find yourself in.
Especially when it comes to your kids.
I can already hear you reply, "But I can't be okay with bad behavior! Or disrespect!"
Or anything else that feels problematic right now.
Like poor worth ethic, lying, politics, inflation, or just your husband's bad mood.
And I totally agree, you don't have to be okay with those things!
But being okay with something is very different than accepting it.
If you're most people and really struggle with understanding the difference, I created today's podcast episode just for you!
So grab your earbuds and let's dive into: The Difference Between Acceptance and Condoning.
Make sure you're on my email list, beacuse later this week I'm unveiling a new way for you to work with me and you will not want to miss those details!
Join my mailing list HERE.
Let me guess...rushing the kids to get their chores done doesn't seem to help. Nagging them to focus on their assignments doesn't either. And yelling...well that certainly doesn't get you any closer to getting out the door with all their belongings on time. So what does help?
Grab your earbuds and let's talk about what you need to do (and what you need to let go of) in order to save time in your homeschool day today and How to Save More Time in Your Homeschool Day.
Then check out Happy, Holy Mama by clicking HERE.
Book a Consult Call with me HERE.
My husband and I recently took our oldest son on a couple of college visits to Catholic universities with the sport programs that he hopes to participate in.
These visits went the way we’d expected them to, leaving with official offers from head coaches and significant academic scholarships to each.
But the conversations we had with our senior along the way were what changed his ultimate trajectory and will likely lead to a better, richer college experience for him.
Grab your earbuds to join me as I share my experience as a first-time college mom, reflecting on our parenting journey that's led to where we are right now (for better and for worse).
I’ll share some things to keep in mind as you’re preparing your kiddo for college and, most importantly, how to make the most of the time you’ve got this precious child still in your home.
And don’t forget to check out the details for my first ever public WORKSHOP this Friday: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting!
If you loved the free masterclass version I gave last year, this will take what you learned then to a whole new level. Click here to get the details and sign up!
When was the last time you looked at your life just to find the miracles? You might not think it's a good use of your time, but in today's episode, I'm going to share with you why I think it's one of the best ways to spend your time. Because when you can find the miracles in your life, especially in your past, then you'll have little to no trouble handing your (or your children's) future over to God. And when you can trust God with the future of your family, then every single day becomes so much more beautiful and doable. Grab your earbuds and let me share my story about how St. Padre Pio helped me start my coaching practice, and other miracles, in today's episode: The Miracles of Your Life with St. Padre Pio!
If you are prone to resisting or avoiding something uncomfortable, like prioritizing yourself, asking for what you need, planning your time, or saying No to someone...
...then you're going to want to listen to this episode.
I'm going to walk you through a deeper understanding of the impact of your emotions and how to start using them as currency to create the experience you want to be having of your homeschool life, instead of letting them keep you stuck.
This is a powerful episode that you're not going to want to miss, so grab your earbuds and let's dive in!
Click here to come with with me!
Between putting out fires, constant interruptions, and legitimately more time needs than there are hours in the day it can feel like there's too much to do and not enough of you. I need to get better at time management! is one of the most common complaints I hear from homeschooling mamas, but they never know where to start...because everything feels so painful. Which is why I've taken the most common time management mistakes I see and boiled them down into the five most problematic areas of time management, so that you can figure out exactly where you need to start.
Click here to join my email list and stay in touch!
THIS WEEK I'll be teaching how to solve for the Top 10 Time Management Mistakes including the specific steps for Time Auditing, Planning, Calendaring, Evaluating, and managing your own negative thoughts and emotions about you, your life, and the time God has given you.
Get all the details HERE and join us for both workshops this week!
If you have anxiety around how much you have to do and frustration over not having enough time to do it all in, then I have a short and sweet podcast episode just for you today! Because the thought, there’s not enough time, is one of the biggest MYTHS you are likely believing… …and it’s just not true. In fact, that thought is actually covering up a different, bigger concern that you don’t even know is in your brain. So, in today’s episode, I’m going to shed some much needed light into this dark area of anxiety and frustration that every homeschool mom I know struggles with, so you don't stay stuck there any longer. Grab your earbuds and join me for today’s short episode: #1 TIME MYTH That’s Keeping You Stuck.
CLICK HERE to register for my brand new live masterclass This Friday, September 6, 2024, How to Steward Your Time Like a Saint.
Registering for the class ensures that you get the zoom delivered to your inbox on the morning of the class, as well as the replay after the class is over, in case you can't make it in person!
Some of my worst homeschooling days have been the ones where I have lost my peace over every little thing. Like repeating myself for the nth time, being interrupted left and ride, and feeling like we were never going to finish an entire day's plan within one school day. On my worst days I have felt overwhelmed, angry, inadequate...and deeply believing that I was ruining my kids. And in today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I share with you the one thing that shifted everything for me and my family...and how you can do it, too, today. Grab your earbuds and join me for: How to Turn a Rotten Homeschool Day into a Beautiful Memory.
Work with me HERE.
Watch Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life HERE.
You might be a homeschooler who doesn’t like to look too far ahead into the future, because it feels overwhelming to plan more than a few weeks in advance. If that’s the case, then, unfortunately, you might also be someone who struggles at the end of the year if you don’t up where you had hoped to in May. That’s because when you don’t think about what you want the end result to look like, then:
So spending time at the beginning of a new school year thinking about what you want the end of the year to look like is a highly valuable use of your time! Because when you know what you want it to look like at the end, then you’ll be able to break down the steps to get there, which will help you know what to do today. Which means you’ll waste less time, be less overwhelmed in the long run, and have a more productive school year! In today’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I’ll walk you through why you want to define your goals, the steps to define your goals, and the mindset it takes to reach them. Grab your earbuds and join me for: Defining End of Year Goals for Today’s Success.
Work With Me HERE!
If you've ever spent the Sunday morning drive to mass dreading other people seeing your hot mess family and fuming that you're running late, you have probably tried to fake-it-til-you-made-it as you arrived.
Likely to find that it didn't last long, because it just doesn't feel genuine and takes a significant amount of energy, that you probably just didn't have left.
In today's episode, I'm going to share with you the difference between the fake-it-til-you-make-it mindset and the Acting As If mindset and why Acting As If will be one of the fastest ways to start making internal change.
Work with me here.
Book a free Consult Call with me here.
Too many mamas get stuck in runaway train type thinking that sounds so true that you often don't question it.
I also often see too many well meaning friends try to combat that thinking by disagreeing with it entirely, which doesn't always feel right to you, if those thoughts have a smidge of truth in them.
Thoughts like:
I can't do this.
I am no good at this.
I am ruining them.
They would be better off in school.
And others.
These thoughts feel so rotten, because they sound so, so true.
They FEEL so, so true.
And it's honestly not useful to argue with them in order to change them.
But I don't want you living under the weight of those thoughts any longer, either, because they're are what are keeping you disconnected, frustrated, and unhappy!
That's why, in today's podcast episode, I share with you the ways I prefer to respond to those thoughts that is rooted in an even bigger, deeper truth.
Borrow these new thoughts that I offer you whenever you get stuck in that Scarcity Mindset in the future and come back to listen to this episode as often as you need it!
Get the details for how we can work together here: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership
Subscribe to the Fiat Life Coaching email list here: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/subscribe
We all have a money story. For some of us it's a story of pain and deprivation and scarcity. For some of us it's different. Easier, lighter, and less fear around money. Regardless of what your history with money is, what you tell yourself about it now, is absolutely impacting your money decisions. And my guest on this week's podcast episode wants to tell you how to start changing your story, have more financial freedom, and teach your kids how to create their own story, starting in your homeschool. Grab your earbuds and join me and my very special guest, Amanda Teixeira from Wallet Win, as we discuss: Catholic Money Mindset.
Find Amanda at https://walletwin.com/
How do you handle failure? Have you ever clarified what that looks like for yourself?
I'm guessing probably not! Well, the problem with not knowing the specifics of HOW you do something is that then you don't know what to do DIFFERENTLY.
That's exactly what I'm talking about in today's podcast episode!
I'm going to walk you through a short exercise I led the Happy, Holy Mama Members through during Planning Week 2024 to unpack the feeling of "failure" and gave them a process for how they could handle it better.
So, if you don't love the way you experience failures in your life and want to do it better, grab your earbuds and join me for: How to Handle Failure Better!
Book a Free Consult Call here.
Grab your free Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint here.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership and watch the replays of Planning Week here.
Pilar, mama of 3, joins me on the podcast this week to share her experience in going from being a full time OB/GYN to a full time stay at home mom and homeschooler!
She bravely and lovingly shares her heart for our Lord, with the deep connection to our Lady, and how they've led her through this time of change and growth, especially in caring for her oldest child, who is neurodivergent.
Whether you think your personality just isn't quite right for the work God is calling you to do, or you're trying but feel like you're ruining it, Pilar's story has something for everyone.
Please grab your earbuds and join us as Pilar so generously shares her journey to Cultivate the Home, as the Lord is calling her, and you, to do.
Join me and Pilar in Happy, Holy Mama!
We are diving into Planning Week THIS WEEK!
5 days of workshops and coaching on essential tools, concepts, and skills that will make your homeschool more enjoyable this year!
PLUS lifetime support as you implement your plans from her through this finish line.
Join Happy, Holy Mama HERE to jump into Planning Week (replays are available to start now even if you're 'late' to the party, we'll catch you up!)
If you have ever felt tension in your jaw, neck, shoulders, or tightness in your chest and shortness of breath, and ready to throw in the towel, then I'm willing to bet you know what it feels like to be burnt out.
Or at least on the verge of burnout.
In today's episode I dive into some of the reasons you are, or have been, burnt out, most of which boil down to you trying to do a job that doesn't belong to you.
I'm going to give you a job description that the Lord gave me when I asked HIM what our job is as a Catholic homeschooler, and it might surprise you.
Grab your earbuds to join me for today's podcast and then go sign up for my NEW masterclass this Wednesday called How to Prevent Burnout and Love Your Homeschool! Sign up HERE for the class!
Parenting teens is hard enough, but did you know your mindset is what makes it feel better or worse?
Yep, it's not just about their hormones, big feelings, and outbursts...
...the way you show up with them is what will make or break your relationship with them.
You have more power than you know, mama! Let me tell you all about it!
Grab your earbuds and join me in today's powerful podcast, which is like a mini-masterclass in and of itself, to learn my five favorite mindset shifts to improve your relationship with your teenagers!
Speaking of masterclasses, join me for my newest free masterclass: How to Prevent Burn Out and Love Your Homeschool! Click HERE to register for the new masterclass!
Click here to join Happy, Holy Mama right now to get in before Planning Week, July 15-19th to plan your year with peace, confidence, and SUPPORT. And as a lifetime member, you'll have support throughout the entire year as your implement your plans now and all the way through the finish line!
When she first reached out to begin coaching, Michaela just wanted to stop yelling and get more organized.
In this week's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, Micheala and I walk through how coaching helped her reach those intial goals, and also how it helped her through some of the trials she's experienced over the last few years while she was working toward them.
Like giving birth to her sixth child just a couple of months after her mother passed away, and how coaching supported her, and continues to support her, to the point to where she's now thriving!
Michaela so beautifully shares what's been the most beneficial for her to learn and her favorite coaching tools that she practices still that help her maintain her progress, which she hopes will serve you, too!
Finally, Michaela shares some of the more surprising results of this work that she's had through some of these intensely hard moments. Results that happen for my clients more often than not after we work together and that you might be interested to hear. Grab your earbuds and join us as Michaela and I discuss her inspirational journey: Embracing the Vocation of Motherhood.
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership by clicking this link!
There's always something that needs to be done, which can drive moms a bit batty, prevent you from taking a much needed rest, and drive you to overwork.
The urge you feel to get up and tidy or finish a project when you should be resting is exactly what I'm diving into today on the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast.
In this week's short and sweet episode I talk about some of the common thoughts fueling those urges and I'm giving you a few simple steps to try the next time you notice you're overworking.
Listen to today's episode to learn how to have a better experience of the work you choose to do and feel more confident to say no to work to prioritize rest.
Get your access to Catholic Homeschool Essentials by clicking this link to dive into invaluable life coaching tools to make what you start in this episode deeper to enjoy your homeschool summer break even more.
This week’s episode truly feels like going on a Catholic homeschooling retreat!
My client Robin, Happy, Holy Mama of 4, joins me on the podcast this week and, oh my, what a wealth of wisdom and goodness she is!
Robin shares her story that did not start out as a homeschool journey, but that once God called her family to homeschooling, it’s been a source of growth and learning, not just for her kids, but for her as well.
She generously shares about her struggles with dyslexic children, fighting a scarcity mindset of not feeling adequate for the job of teaching her own children, and how God brings her back to the path He wants her on over and over again through our work together.
Join us today and take a deep, relaxing breath as Robin describes the incredible joy and goodness that homeschooling can be, even through trials.
Grab your earbuds and listen to this inspirational episode: Cultivating Joy and Freedom in Education!
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE to join us this Thursday, June 13, 2024 for our next monthly workshop where we'll be diving into how to not absorb your children's behavior!
Worried about your homeschooled kids losing their knowledge or skills during the summer?
What you might be more worried about is what you might have to go through this fall, if your kids slide backwards in their knowledge and skills...
...both of which you worked very hard to help them earn this year!
If you're looking at making some decisions about whether or not to do some school work over the summer, then I'd like to invite you to spend a little time with me in today's podcast episode where I'll walk you through a different way to think about it, so you're making that decision with clarity instead of worry.
I'll also walk you through the steps to take to avoid the summer slip, if you decide to do some school, so you can keep making progress toward educational goals and still take a much needed summer break!
Click here to get Catholic Homeschool Essentials
One of the most infuriating things moms go through is trying to problem solve without knowing what the actual problem is or what to work on. This is even more challenging and frustrating when there's an internal issue that you're unaware of and so it feels like nothing you do works. In today's podcast episode I talk a little about my own experience before I made some significant changes and how homeschooling, though it was an answer to God's call for our family, didn't magically solve my problems. I explain what I learned over years of trial and error that I now each my clients how to do faster with life coaching tools so that you can work on the areas you need to work on and implement solutions that are right for you...not just what worked for me. In today's episode I'll walk you through the top three areas to work on to drastically improve your homeschool experience and share with you the eight essentials I teach my clients to help them have the biggest transformations with the fastest results. Results like feeling calmer, connecting more, not absorbing other people's emotions, and stewarding the precious time God gives them, better. All of which help you have more awareness of what's going on and problem solve at a higher level, to serve God better, through your family. Grab your earbuds and listen to dive into: What to Work on to Drastically Improve Your Homeschool Experience.
And because I believe so deeply that these eight essentials tools, concepts, and skills can help you, too, I put my best teachings into a brand new digital course to help you get started with the work I do, in this struggling economy.
And to celebrate the launch of this new course, Catholic Homeschool Essentials is $100 OFF for this week only!
Which means that until June 2, 2024 you can learn these essential life coaching tools for only $97!!
Find all the details for Catholic Homeschool Essential HERE!
Want a chance to win a FREE ticket to this year's Catholic Homeschool Conference?!
All you need to do is share the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast with your friends, family, on social media, wherever you feel good to do so!
You can also leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any of your favorite listening platforms.
This does not have to be a glowing review, just an honest one, please! If you love it, though, please throw in as many stars you believe the podcast deserves as this helps others find and be served by the podcast a little easier!
THEN, please shoot me an email to emily@fiatlifecoaching.com to tell me all the ways you shared or where you left reviews and I will enter your name into the drawing for each of the ways you supported the podcast!
This is entirely on the honor system and is just my way of saying THANK YOU for being an incredible listening community and get a chance to serve more Catholic homeschool mamas at this year's incredible event!
I will draw the winner THIS FRIDAY, May 24, 2024 at 9pm PDT and I will email the winners shortly thereafter.
Speaking of which, today's episode is such a treat! This week I welcome back Maureen Whittmann, one of the co-founders of Homeschool Connections, who also founded and continues to run the Catholic Homeschool Conference!
As always, we had such a delightful conversation about being Catholic homeschoolers and how the work she does for both platforms got started and how they continue to meet the needs of thousands of Catholic homeschoolers every single year!
If you're looking for excellent resources, make sure you check them out.
If you'd like to guarantee you have a ticket to the conference and want a discount, please use the code HSC10OFF at checkout to receive $10 off your ticket price. And then you share your free ticket with a friend if you're a raffle winner!
Are you tired of policing your kid's work, checking on them over and over to make sure they've finished it?
Are you tired of struggling with a kiddo who doesn't WANT to do the work you've assigned and seems to be entirely unmotivated?
Or do you have a teen who doesn't seem to care about what they do or don't do and you're not even sure they'll graduate?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, then today's podcast episode is for you!
Today I'm going to walk you through four different scenarios of times when your child's goals will save YOU a tremendous amount of effort and heartache.
And if your child doesn't have goals yet, I'll walk you through how to help them make their own (which is the secret sauce for those goals actually being acheived)!
Grab your earbuds and let's talk about Helping Your Child or Teen Create Their Own Goals AND Reach Them!
Check out all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership on my beautiful new website here!
Grab your Homeschool Blueprint here!
Whether you are a veteran homeschool, brand new to homeschooling, or considering homeschooling in the near future, today's episode is for you!
I have taken my BEST advice for Catholic homeschoolers and put it all into one powerful episode that will serve even the most seasoned mamas with love, support, and a little Catholic truth.
Grab my new FREE planning resource for Catholic Homeschool Mamas here: Download The Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint!
Grab your ticket for the Catholic Homeschool Conference HERE.
Check out all teh deatils for how we can work together in the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!
Talking about our bodies is a fairly uncomfortable conversation for most people, but when it comes to talking about what's menstrual cycles and even charting with our daughters, sometimes mamas feel a bit lost. Christina Valenzuela felt similarly unprepared with her own children and that's when God placed on her heart to create Pearl and Thistle, cycle prep courses for Catholic families rooted in St. John Paul II writings on the Theology of the Body. Christina wanted her courses to be something that would bring parents and daughters together. Her courses provide a foundation for families to have a better understanding of the purpose and goodness of our human bodies. And, through our conversation, we revealed that many women find healing of their own early cycle years as they learn alongside their daughters. Please check out Christina's website, make sure you use the coupon code below, and check out her newly released book! pearlandthistle.com @pearlandthistle on IG @pearlandthistle on FB 10% off coupon on CYCLE PREP for your listeners! Use coupon HAPPYHOLY10 at checkout to get 10% off an individual copy of CYCLE PREP: First Period Course for Girls New book, published through Our Sunday Visitor, The Language of Your Body: Embracing God's Design for Your Cycle, release is April 2024 Quick write up: What good can we find in our cycles, especially when we ponder the fact that both men and women are equally made in the image and likeness of God? The Language of Your Body delves deep into this and other groundbreaking questions, using the wisdom of saints like Hildegard von Bingen, Pope John Paul II and Thomas Aquinas to explore this unique, fundamental aspect of God's design for female bodies. Despite menstruation being labeled sometimes as a "woman's curse," the Catholic Church invites us to claim our cycles for good. This book is a beacon to all women searching for positive ways to integrate our menstrual cycles into our sense of self, our relationships, and our prayer.
Have you ever wondered what curriculum writers think about when they are creating the curriculum you use?
Ever wanted to get some coffee and pick their brain about how they use it in their own family and apply it to real life?
Well, if so, I have a treat for you today. I am joined by Olivia Spears, creator and founder of Into the Deep Catholic catechesis curriculum.
Her heart and mission is to help evangelize the next generation through truth, goodness, and beauty.
She lives and breathes this Catholic homeschooling lifestyle right alongside all of us and is such a breath of fresh air for your research-frazzled heart.
And Olivia is an absolute delight to talk to!
Check out Into the Deep here and use the promo code FIAT10 for 10% off her stunning curriculum!
Are you ever afraid to say what you'd really prefer to, because you're worried the other person will be mad at you? Maybe it's how you'd prefer to follow through with your kids when they don't finish their work or chores. Maybe it's what you wish you could say to your husband about how he parents the children. Maybe it's what you wish you could say to friends, but don't want to drive them away with your hot-messiness. Listen, this is a NORMAL human reaction and it's all based in fear. Fear that keeps you stuck and keeps your family from living into the potential of what God is dreaming for each of your lives. In today's podcast I'm going to share how this has been coming up in coaching lately and what you need to do to get unstuck from the fear... ...and start feeling more authentically you. The you whom God created exactly the way He meant to, for a reason, for a purpose in this world. So please grab your earbuds and something cozy and let's talk about when you're afraid of someone else's reactions...especially if you're afraid of them being mad at you.
P.S. Do you desire an authentic Catholic community of homeschooling mamas who GET you? Who GET your life and what you're going through? Who will never question your commitment to homeschooling or suggest you 'just send your kids to school,' when you're having a hard day? If so, please join the BEST place on the internet to be an authentically Catholic homeschooling mother and not feel alone on the journey again: the Happy, Holy Mama Membership. If you have questions before you join, just hit reply to this, or any, email I send you and I'll get back to you shortly. You are not alone mama. Don't stay stuck! All you have to do is reach out.
If you're a Catholic homeschooling mama you ARE, factually, very busy!
However, if you are FEELING busy, but not feeling PRODUCTIVE, I can help.
Last weekend I recorded a free public masterclass called: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day and it was SO lifegiving, affirming, and USEFUL for those who came, I decided to put the audio of the class so that it can serve you, too!
In the class I shared my story of what my life was like when I felt like I had no space or time for myself, being buried under babies, toddlers, and tantrums.
I shared insight about our to-do lists as moms and what might be going on, if we feel like there isn't enough time to do everything there is to do in a given day.
I also gave the over 120 women who signed up for the class my #1 process to create space interally so they could get more time and LIFE back in their day.
I'd be honored to share this class with you now, so please grab your earbuds to take my masterclass: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching email list here!
Grab your ticket for the Catholic Homeschool Conference here!
It’s the most infuriating experience to want to do better yourself, but feel like your own behavior is contingent on what someone else does. Especially if that someone else is your own child and should know better.
And then you end up feeling like a bad mom because you can’t seem to get yourself under control.
Guilt is almost always followed by shame and that one-two punch just makes you want to run and hide from your kids…which of course doesn’t teach them how to change their own behavior, either.
In today’s episode I’m going to give you my one simple strategy to come back from a mistake. And when you are willing to do this one thing, then you begin to lead by example.
You become the adult you want them to be someday, even after a mess up.
They learn the best things from you, which was the whole point behind homeschooling in the first place.
Sign up for my new live masterclass THIS FRIDAY NIGHT here: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day!
Details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership are here.
Have you ever noticed what you spend your time on while you wait for something? A doctor's appointment, a child to go to the bathroom, a pot of water to boil? What about what you're choosing to do while you wait for your children to grow up, wait for them to grasp a new concept, or learn a new skill? What you focus on in the moments of waiting matters because it directly influences how you react or respond to those around you. And right now, during Holy Week, what you focus on while you wait for the resurrection of Jesus will directly impact the way you and your family experience the Easter weekend, and beyond. This week I have a short and sweet podcast episode for you that will help you refocus your attention during this time of waiting so that it becomes more productive. Not just for your homeschooling efforts, but for the kingdom of God.
Grab your earbuds and let's talk about making the time that you spend waiting more productive.
Sign up for my new live masterclass on April 5, 2024: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day here!
Does Time feel like it steals your peace? Or does your children's behavior feel like it steals your peace? These are the two things that most moms lose their peace over every single day. In Happy, Holy Mama we coach on Time, Behavior, Curriculum, and SO much more each week in group coaching. Click here to get the details for the program, including how to join today to have support and Catholic community while you learn how to have more peace and feel more capable and confident in your home and homeschool. Do you have questions you'd like me to answer before you join? Please book a free Consult Call to chat with me face to face!
It's way too easy to go about your day feeling frustrated about the kids, homeschooling, and the house and then take it out on your hubby the next time you interact with him.
That could be in an angry text you send him, or throwing a screaming toddler at him when he gets done with work, or even treating him like he's done something wrong to contribute to your own bad day.
Today's episode will help you Improve Your Relationships and put your life in Right Order, starting with your marriage.
Because when your marriage is feeling stuck and even a bit painful, then everything else feels stuck and painful, too. Including your relationships with your kids and your homeschooling.
So today let's start digging into this vital relationship that can help your whole life feel more life-giving when you intentionally support it today.
Grab your earbuds and let's talk about how to: Have a Lifegiving Marriage
Join the free Podcast Facebook Group.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to support your marriage!
Homeschooling (and Time Management are 80% mindset and 20% strategy.
You’re probably just trying to do it the other way around, which is why it can feel so frustrating, even infuriating, to want to manage your time better and feel like you just can’t.
Or like all the pieces of your life are actively working against your best efforts to accomplish all the things on your to-do list, including homeschooling!
It can feel like a losing battle, unless you understand what’s going on in your brain.
In this week’s podcast episode, I am going into the brain science, the mindset, behind great time management skills. I’ll give you some powerful insight into why it feels so hard to do what you really want to do and end up doing the things you’d prefer not to.
And I'll give you a few reflection questions to take this deeper with the Lord and what He is calling you to focus on right now.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership and get access to our Deep Dive Workshop (and replay!) this Thursday, March 14th!
Managing time isn’t as hard or mysterious as you’re making it out to be. There isn’t some magic formula for managing it ‘right.’ And there isn’t a one-size fits all way to organize your day that would solve all your stress, that you just can’t figure out. It's not true that you can't create a schedule or routine that works for your day, you're likely just thinking about it in an unproductive way and just don't know where to start. Here's what it all boils down to:
In today’s podcast I am diving into all of it so grab your earbuds and listen to: Manage Your Time Better.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to participate in our next Monthly Homeschool Strategy Workshop on Time Management!
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In my life coaching work we practice thinking about what you hope your kids will say about you as their mother and homeschooler, in the future. And then taking action now to help create that outcome.
We dream about what our children’s futures will look like, and sometimes it keeps us up at night.
If you ever worry about your kid’s futures and what they will say about their experience in your homeschool, then today’s podcast episode will help you take a big deep, calming breath and rest into what God is inviting you into today.
I am joined today by former homeschooled student, now adult and published author, Maddie Dobrowski.
Maddie and I had one of the most life-giving conversations on the podcast. We talked not just about her book, The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism (which is amazing and you should get your copy right now!), but we actually primarily discussed her experience as a homeschooled student and how it has played an integral role in forming her into the successful adult (and practicing Catholic for everyone keeping score) she is today.
She has the most incredible insight from the student’s perspective, shares vulnerably about how her life hasn’t necessarily turned out the way she expected, but how beautifully it is turning out to be. And she attributes so much of it to the examples she had growing up in a big, Catholic, homeschooling family environment.
Especially her mother’s influence.
I walked away from this conversation feeling like I had just been on retreat and I think you will, too!
I’d like to invite you to listen in on this delightful and inspiring conversation: You’re Doing Better Than You Think You Are with Maddie Dobrowski.
Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching weekly life coaching emails.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast Free Facebook Group
Get The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism by Maddie Dobrowski
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Join Maddie's Substack
Do you go into Lent thinking maybe this will be the year you'll finally kick some bad habits and make big changes (and maybe lose some weight in the process)?
Do you have half a dozen ideas for what to give up, but never get around to clarifying what you're actually going to focus on? (This was me for forever.) Or are you the kind of penitent who starts out peaceful and self-controlled, with a clear goal in mind?
Whatever you're M.O. is, I'm willing to bet that at some point, either during Lent or on just your normal homeschool day, you're tempted to give up. To quit. To throw in the towel and go down an easier, more familiar path. I want to help you have more success with Lent this year than you've had in the past, which will set you up for more success in life as well. That's why during today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I am going to shed some light as to the inner workings of your human brain and why it resists change so much. I am also going to teach you how to catch yourself before you quit (or in the act of quitting) and how to come back to focus so you can keep moving forward toward your goals, during Lent and beyond. Grab your earbuds and let's dive into today's episode: Give Up Giving Up For Lent.
Click here to get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to Quit Quitting for Good with support and community!
Have questions first? Click here to book a free Consult Call to ask me all your questions before joining.
This week is not just Ash Wednesday, it's not just Valentine's Day, it's also the100th episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, AND February 14th is also the 20th anniversary of the passing of my first husband, Joey. It is a FULL week! So as I was reflecting what I should talk about on the podcast this week, it seemed super obvious to me to share more of my love story with the Lord. And like most love stories, it's not all lovely. It's not all roses. It's not all happiness. There is pain and loss and suffering on the journey, probably not unlike your own story. But there is also tremendous joy and growth through it all. So this week I am inviting you to join me as I reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of God that can be found through pain and loss when you learn how to unite your will with His Holy Will. What better way to head into Lent? Especially if you've struggled with this season in the past. As always I end the podcast with questions to help you reflect on how to engage more with God's Holy Will for yourself, to go deeper with the Lord, and make significant shifts in your own life, especially in regards to areas of your past that need some healing love. My fervent prayer today is that you walk away from this episode feeling more capable of offering a heartfelt, "Blessed Be God" in the midst of pain and adversity. Which, lets face it, might be what homeschooling feels like on this Monday morning in February. I'd be honored if you joined me in my love story with the Lord in today's episode: Blessed Be God: A Reflection on Loss and My Love Story with God's Holy Will.
** Links mentioned in the episode:
Are you taking a break from social media this Lent and want to stay in touch with me? Join my mailing list HERE.
Not giving up social and want to connect with me on Facebook? Join the brand new Happy, Holy Mama Podcast Facebook Group HERE!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE.
Book a free Consult Call to disucss joining the Membership HERE!
If you were a teacher in a brick-and-mortar school or professor in college you would have designated time when you would prep your day, prepare the rest of your week, do research, grade papers, and receive students questions either via email or in person.
However, as homescholers we have the added obstacles of toddlers and babies underfoot, laundry that needs to be changed over, meals that need to be made, and children delivered around town for various activities.
So how do you get it all done?
I'm sharing a couple of my favorite strategies for fitting the most important things into your day and have the added benefit of helping your children build skills of meeting deadlines and thinking about their own time in new ways...all because you start doing it first!
Grab your earbuds and let's dive into today's podcast episode that might just change how you experience your day: Mom's Office Hours
Ready to join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership right now and don't want to wait? Book a free Consult Call with me HERE to talk with me about what's holding you back from doing what you want to do during your day, what's keeping you from enjoying your homeschooling lifestyle, and how working together in the Membership is going to help you make those shifts right now for more connection and more productivity.
Are you just finding me and want to do go deeper with my work before joining the program? Sign up here to take my hit free masterclass: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting and I'll send you the replay to watch instantly!
How often do you confess not making enough time for prayer? Or lose your cool around the state of your home?
Not look up when your kids are talking to you or rush them through something so you can get back to what you'd prefer to be doing?
In today's episode I'm going to share my own personal experience with each of these areas and how I found peace and healing through learning how to turn them into a Holy Hour.
I'm going to share with you some deep mindset shifts to start making right now and reflection quesitons to help you begin immediately.
Grab your earbuds and let's talk about how to Turn Cleaning into a Holy Hour!
Want help navigating any obstacles you can forsee coming up as you want to implement this work and making it a permanent change? Book a free Consult Call with me here to talk about how to get started creating these significant and powerful changes in your own life.
How often do you feel embarassed by, ashamed, or resentful of by your past?
Have you ever noticed how your behavior changes here and now when your thoughts turn to things that have happened in the past?
Have you ever noticed the impact of being focused on the past is having on your life here and now? Especially in sneaky ways, like how it's hard to receive compliments or believe your husband when he says you're beautiful.
That's what I'm diving into in today's podcast episode! How the past influences and impacts our current experiences and how, too often, it keeps you stuck.
I'm going to give you some loving advice and coaching as someone who used to be STUCK in repeating past mistakes and I'm going to share what I've learned as I reflect on my 40th birthday.
Of course you'll walk away with a few questions to ask yourself as you begin your own reflections and hopefully start making changes today to how you allow your past to influence your present.
Grab your earbuds and let's dive into: How to Stop Getting Stuck in the Past
Book a Consult Call HERE to talk with me about how coaching can help you let go of your own past and start living into the present moment more fully!
Ever wonder why you have a hard time letting something go?
For example you have at thought like: I can't get anything done!
And then suddenly you see half finished or not-started projects everywhere?
Which, of course, leads to further hamster wheel thoughts like:
I can't follow through.
I can't do what I want to do.
We're not where we should be.
This is how you get stuck in a loop of negative thinking, finding proof everywhere you look of how things aren't how they should be.
There is an actual biological reason for this!
In today's episode I'm going to explain what's going on in your brain and how to get off the hamster wheel of negative, unintentional thoughts, and start thinking on purpose.
If you were a teacher in a brick-and-mortar school, then you would be required to take classes on a regular basis to continue your education, grow and build onto your skills, and learn the newest techniques and strategies to provide the best experience possible for your students and for yourself.
And yet, there has never been such a continuing education program for homeschoolers, let alone Catholic homeschoolers. That's why I created the Happy, Holy Mama Membership.
In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the six essential skills I have determined that every Catholic homeschooler needs to enjoy and thrive in this call from God to homeschool your kids. Because if you're answering this call from God to marriage, motherhood, and homeschooling, but not enjoying it, then I'm willing to bet it's because you're lacking in one, or more, of these essential skills.
Even if we never work together, today's podcast will give you some insight on which skill areas God might be tapping you on the shoulder to work on with Him this year.
If He's tapping you on the shoulder to do this work with Him through the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, then I would be honored to be your coach and have a small part in your journey with the Lord!
You can get all the details for the membership HERE.
Or you can join right now by clicking THIS LINK.
Are you using the past as evidence for what's possible in your future?
Do you self-sabotage your New Year's resolution and quit in the first few weeks?
Do you set goals or just take a bunch of actions that have a common theme? Then get frustrated when you don't produce different results?
In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the mindset that keeps you stuck and how to step into the mindset that will actually support the changes you want to create in your life!
I'm going to show you why the actions, good as they may be, might not work out and how some small changes to your thought process can make those exact same actions more transformative and productive to your overall desires!
NEW MASTERCLASS is THIS Friday!
Register HERE for How to Get Your Homeschool Back on Track and I'll send you the replay after it's over.
Check out the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership which will be open THIS FRIDAY, January 5-12, 2024 and get ready to join us!
You can join the waitlist for Happy, Holy Mama here!
If you find yourself getting bogged down in the to-dos, attitudes of kids, and starting to feel disconnected to the true meaning of Christmas, then I'd like to invite you to take a small pause with me in the middle of this busy day to find rest and peace with Mary in the manger.
In today's special Christmas episode of the Happy, Holy Mama podcast, I'm going to walk you through a short meditation with Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus to be filled up with hope, peace, and joy. Grab your earbuds and let's reconnect to the true reason for the season.
Does it feel like there’s a tension inside of you between being self-sacrificing, ‘offering up’ your suffering and self-care?
Like maybe those two things don’t mesh and, because it’s so confusing, then you might be hesitant to do either one?
At least, not well.
Let alone joyfully.
That’s what I’m talking about in today’s podcast episode. I’m sharing with you some beautiful insights that were the fruit of regular conversations happening inside the Happy, Holy Mama Membership this past month as some of us prepared for a consecration to Jesus through Mary on December 8th.
Insights like what it means to truly become a 'handmaid of the Lord' through our motherhood and how to become so close to Jesus in our children.
And how the deep self-care we do inside the membership and how doing that deep work is what makes being self-sacrificial so much more doable and even joyful.
Grab your earbuds and something cozy and listen to this powerful Advent episode: Joyful Self-Sacrifice.
Join the waitlist HERE for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, which opens for enrollment on January 5-12, 2024!
Register HERE for the free masterclass on January 5, 2024 : How to Get Your Homeschool Back on Track
Get all the details for Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE.
Because I have met SO many women on Consult Calls who tell me on that they worked right up to Christmas and then went back to school immediately after the New Year, I feel that what happened in our kitchen this week was worth sharing in hopes of helping you prevent that for yourself this year, if it's not what you truly want to be doing. In today's podcast episode I'm going to share a conversation I had with my husband about the discomfort he was feeling about where we are at in our homeschool here in December. I'm also going to share what followed: a simple process WITH our high schoolers, to find out exactly where we ARE and where we are NOT. Which led us to make clear, confident decisions about how to finish this semester intentionally despite a LOT of life things that happened! I'm going to walk you through the simple evaluation we use in our own home to gather this data for your family. And I'll leave you with some gentle reminders to help you give yourself permission to stop. To slow down. To enjoy each other. Build trust with yourself and with them that you'll allow yourselves to rest and connect, without making everyone pay for it by "buckling down" when you start back up, or "do some school during the summer." Grab your earbuds and let's get real today, friends.
Get all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE
Join the waitlist for Happy, Holy Mama HERE!
While we all intellectually know that our Christmas won’t be perfect, somewhere inside most of us are still striving for a version of perfect.
We want a plan. We want it organized and done ahead of time. We want to know where we’re going and what’s going to happen. We want to plan for all contingencies so no one is disappointed and we can all go home happy.
This is as far from the first Christmas as it gets, and yet the first Christmas was truly the only perfect one in human history.
Join me for today’s podcast episode where I talk about how perfectionism is manifesting in your Advent as well as your homeschooling.
I’m going to give you four suggestions to do right now to be more intentional this Advent and then how to apply them to your homeschooling as well, so that you can finish both seasons the way you truly want to.
Join the waitlist for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE.
Click here to register for the free masterclass on January 5th: How to Your Homeschool Get Back on Track.
One of the reasons you feel overwhelmed and bogged down with a million decisions each day is because you're not giving your brain enough space to think outside of those times (those times exist, I promise), in order to creatively problem solve in the moment.
And because this happens over and over, then you may have begun believing that you don't know what to do, because it feels like you're constantly putting out fires.
It may feel like you've lost all ability to solve problems in a calm, meaningful way.
And it may even feel like you can't hear God telling you want He wants you to do.
In today's podcast episode, I'm diving into why this happens and the steps you can take to step back and listen to the Lord clearly.
I'm giving you specific questions to ask yourself ahead of time to prepare as well as what to consider in the middle of a challenging moment.
Doing this is what helps you build trust with yourself and your with your kids and allows you to live in and from peace more than overwhelm!
Grab your earbuds and something warm to snuggle up with and let's dive into how to become a creative problem solver.
Join the waitlist for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
It's Thanksgiving week here in the US and this can feel like the beginning of a needlessly busy season.
It's so hard to feel grateful, peaceful, satisfied, and accomplished when there is so much to do and in the back of your mind you're worrying about what your mother-in-law might say about your home, children's behavior, or offers her unsolicited opinions about homeschooling.
If Thanksgiving, or the holidays in general, have been historically painful for you and you're kind of dreading what's about to happen this week, then today's podcast is just for you.
I dive into what's going on in your brain that takes you out of gratitude and give you a simple Thought Exercises to get into a better mindset this week as well as a way to think about organizing your schedule this week.
We're all busy right now, but it doesn't have to be painful. So grab your earbuds and something warm to snuggle up with for this short and sweet episode to help set you up to end this week with true gratitude, regardless of what happens.
Join the Waitlist for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership Here!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
Are you one of the MANY mamas struggling with feeling tired all day, going for that afternoon cup of coffee to keep going, and mamas struggling with secondary infertility? If so, today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast is just for you. Deeply Faithful Catholic, homeschooling mama, and Functional Medicine practitioner Rita Johnson and I had a fantastic conversation about living out our Catholic homeschooling lifestyle while dealing with the real struggles that our bodies present. She talks about her own struggles with infertility, guilt over having children but the desire for more, and her own path to healing her mind, body, and soul, which is now the work that the Lord has called her to do with other women. This is not an episode you're going to want to miss! Grab your earbuds and let's dive in to this powerful episode: Infertility and Healing Your Body with Rita Johnson.
Connect with Rita at Natural Fertility care.org And her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@divinemercynutritionalcare
Communication not your strong suit?
Do you get frozen and tongue-tied when your kids ask you a million questions? People please and say Yes to everything, even when you'd prefer not to, because you don't think you know what to do?
If this, today's podcast is going to give you the #1 thing to STOP doing right now to improve your communication not only with your children on a homeschool day, but also with how you speak to yourself, how you speak to God, your husband, your in-laws, and improve your relationships in general.
I'm also going to give you some excellent questions to ask yourself and others to gather more information and make better decisions about what you want, so you can communicate more clearly.
Ready to start communicating better? Grab your earbuds and listen in to today's short and sweet podcast episode: Stop Doing THIS for Better Communication!
Links mentioned in today's episode:
The Replay is available for my free masterclass: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting - watch HERE!
Get all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE - it opens for enrollment in January!
Want special offers for the Membership, even before it opens? Join the Waitlist HERE to have access to those special offers.
Want to get started with my life coaching work BEFORE January? Book a Consult Call HERE and let's talk about the best path forward for you to have support and encouragement THROUGH the holidays this year!
Even if you don't consider yourself a 'fearful' person, there might be ways that fear is sneaking into your life and you're just not aware of it's presence or effect it's having in your heart and home.
In today's podcast episode, I'm going to share where fear actually comes from - and it's not political parties, Halloween, homecoming dresses, the pope, or your children.
I'm also going to share some ways that fear might be showing up as anger, frustration, irritation, or anxiety about the world around you, about your kids, your home, and your homeschooling.
We're going to talk about what fear and anger make you want to do and how you can know what emotions you're operating from on a daily basis, especially if they are emotions you don't don't want running the show.
With this awareness I'm then going to give you a few exercises to go through you so can take back control, start managing your mind around fear, and start showing up with more love, peace, and self-control.
Grab your earbuds and let's dive in!
Get the Replay of the free masterclass: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting!
Washing dishes through hidden, bitter tears is not how you want to end the day.
However, since it's the only moment you get to yourself you take your time, even though it’s past your bedtime. Bedtime is such a fluid phrase for you, it doesn’t actually mean the same thing day to day, even though you’d prefer it to.
But that would take mountains (of laundry) getting up and putting themselves away. It would take high school papers being turned in on time so you can correct them before 10pm.
It would take you being more consistent in what you ask of them and you’re just too tired to fight their negative attitudes, especially after battling to wake them up to even start the day at a decent hour. Every. Single. Day.
Instead of beating yourself up for how it’s been going, how you didn’t do it ‘better’ in the past (which is why, you tell yourself, they are the way they are right now), and drowning in a sinkful of suds and discouraged tears because it’s all on you, I would like to invite you to listen to today’s podcast episode: How to Stop Doing Everything for Your Teens.
Because today I’m going to lay down some truth about what you’re currently doing and why you do what you do. I’m going to give you a glimpse into where that leads if it continues.
I’m also going to give you some practical things to do, including actual phrases you can use, if they feel good to you to try, with your teens to stop doing everything for your teens (and kids of all ages really) and start becoming the adult you hope they can become someday.
Register HERE for my brand new LIVE Masterclass (and have access to the replay as well) happening THIS Friday, October 27th at 10:00am PST/1:00pm ET: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting.
If we could just get our work done, THEN we could take a break.
THEN we could get something done.
THEN I can breathe and maybe even enjoy my kids.
But you don't get your work done. You don't breathe and you're not enjoying your kids or your relationships as much as you'd like.
If your current line of thinking, which sounds a lot like this before that, isn't working for you, then today's episode is going to invite you into a different way of thinking about what needs to come first.
Spoiler: it's the relationships before the tasks.
I'm also going to give you some good questions to ask yourself, and even ask your kids if you're feeling brave, to faciliate a conversation about how you want to do things differently as a family to make things more connective, more enjoyable, and maybe even a little fun.
I'm also going to give you a few ways to think about the upcoming holidays in a similar fashion, so you can think ahead, make a great plan, and build in time for rest, connection, and fun this year!
Watch Now: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life, my FREE pre-recorded Masterclass!
Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching email list HERE to hear about all the upcoming events like new masterclasses and when the Happy, Holy Mama Membership will be opening again!
Do you worry about your kid’s lack of motivation?
Have a rambunctious teenager who has passions, but no goals?
Worry that they won’t end up where they should, based on their current trajectory?
You just want to make the right decisions, help them have their best possible future.
It would be nice if you could shortcut some of the hardship and learning curves you may have had to face on your journey, but you can’t do it for them!
Well today’s episode is a treat, because I am joined by long-time Homeschool Connections teacher, Tan Books author, and History in a Minute YouTuber, Phillip Campbell.
Phillip and I had a fantastic chat about his not-so-straight journey to now being one of the most famous Catholic high school teachers in the world!
He shares his ups and downs, college experienceS, and what he’s learned along the journey.
This is such an important conversation for parents to listen to to remember one of the most important things: it’s going to be okay. God is always with our kids. And that your kid doesn’t have to have it all figured out by the time they graduate.
My major takeaway from today’s episode is that once they choose to do something, our kids can accomplish anything. Phillip’s interview today is a testimony to just that.
Grab your earbuds and listen to: It’s Going to Be Okay with Phillip Campbell
Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching Emails
Take the pre-recorded Masterclass: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life
Get my Free PDF Download 30 New Thoughts to Think (To Put a Bad Homeschool Day in Right Order)
We're fairly early on in the school year, which is about when most homeschool moms start to question the plans they started off with. Or maybe you're realizing that you never really had a plan in the first place and you'd like to get something established.
Something doesn't feel quite right, isn't flowing the way you wanted it to, or flat out isn't working at all.
Self doubt and confusion creep in and you end up spending tons of time in research mode to find the "right thing" only to end up frustrated that it might not exist.
Instead of throwing the entire day out with the bath water, I want to give you a few tips to establish, or tweak, your homeschool routines to make sure that they are working for you, not against you.
Book a free Consult Call here
Take my Free Masterclass: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life
Do you get frustrated when your kids don't say thank you or when they expect things to appear as if out of nowhere?
Do you find yourself feeling sad, helpless, or even resentful that they seem entitled and/or ungrateful?
Instead of staying stuck in those negative emotions that come up around your children's attitudes, I want to invite you to listen to today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast.
There are some important pieces to your relationships, and the culture in your home, that might be missing, or have gone unpracticed. In today's episode, I'm going to give you some insight as to what might be going on.
You'll walk away with a few things to try with your family, regardless of their ages, that can help plant the seeds of gratitude that can grow and come to fruition sooner than you think.
I have found that gratitude is the gateway to hope. So if you've been feeling sad, disappointed, and a little hopeless about your children's attitudes towards you, or what they are given, then I pray today's episode offers you a bit of hope for how it could be different.
Happy Monday!
Book a free Consult Call with me here.
Click here take my free pre-recorded masterclass: The Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life.
Join my email list to be kept up to date about upcoming live events that I'm hosting by clicking HERE!
Does it feel like your mood, worth, and even your value is tied up in how productive you are?
Like if you could just get more done, then you would finally feel better?
If this sounds like you, then I have a fantastic friend I want to introduce you to today in my episode, Being More Productive with Kelsey Pasquarell!
Kelsey is going to share with you SO much goodness and wisdom from the work she does not only as a productivity coach, but also as a Catholic homeschooling mama.She shares her story, her journey, and some extremely practice tips for how you can shift not only your behaviors to be more productive, but also your mindset to make those behaviors your new way of living.
Listen here to a super fun and powerful conversation I had with my new friend, Kelsey Pasquarell on Being More Productive!
True Presence Podcast
www.truepresence.life/webinar
If it felt easier (not that it was easy, but maybe easier than it feels right now) to homeschool when they were little and now it's feeling hard because they're older, then today's episode is for you.
Even if your kids are still little and it's feeling difficult to trust yourself to know what's best for them, today's episode is for you, too.
In fact, there are so many areas that we lack trust in:
It all boils down to how we trust ourselves.
In today's episode I'm going to dive into what lack of Trust in yourself looks like and reveal the two reasons you aren't trusting right now.
I'll talk about where some of this comes from and give you some good questions to ask when you're thinking about saying Yes to something without giving it proper consideration.
If trust is one of the hardest things for you to do in your homeschool day, then grab your earbuds and let's hang out!
If this is the work God is whispering in your ear to do with Him this school year, then please reach out to me for a free Consult Call so we can talk about when that started, how it's been showing up in your life since, and I'll show you the exact path you can take right now to start building trust with yourself, your kids, and with God. It doesn't have to be like this anymore. You can feel better, more peaceful, and more confident, all it takes is deciding it's time. If you're ready, let's talk.
Brand New Free Resource!
30 New Thoughts to Think (to Put a Bad Day in Right Order)
It's the beginning of a new school year and I cannot tell you how many times I get asked:
I'm thinking about homeschooling this year, what curriculum do you recommend?
Or, I've been homeschooling for a while and I'm thinking about switching it up, what do you recommend?
Okay, FIRST off, this is 100% dependent on what the goal is for your homeschooling journey.
If you plan to send your kids back to the school system someday, then my recommendations will be different than if you're wanting to make this your new way of life.
So there isn't ONE set of curricula, publisher, or even philosophy that I can recommend. It's 100% tailored to your unique family - as a life coach this is what I do best!
Second, there are several things to consider when you're looking at making a change, not just the curriculum itself.
In fact the curriculum is typically one of the LAST decisions to make.
So, in today's episode I am sharing with you my very best homeschool curriculum tips to help you make the very best decisions about curriculum (and so much more) for your family this year!
Book a Consult Call with me here!
It’s been another long homeschool day and you’re looking forward to when your husband is done with work so you can get a break.
After a quick rundown of how the day went and what to expect from now until dinnertime, you pass off the littles to your husband on your way out the door to drive the bigs to their afternoon activities (something you’ve been looking forward to all day, because it feels like a break to drive them somewhere, anywhere).
You may or may not have remembered to say hello to him when you saw him after work, it escapes you as you drive away from the house and toward the five minutes of quiet you’ll have after the bigs get out of the car and on to their next thing.
You have a good marriage, but maybe not necessarily what you would call a ‘great’ marriage.
If you’re expecting time, the advancement of your children’s ages, and being ‘less busy’ to take your marriage from good to great (or painful to less painful), then today’s podcast is for you.
Today I’m talking all about what your marriage has to do with your homeschooling and how to prioritize your husband even during a busy homeschool day so that you can start having the kind of marriage you dream about having one day when your kids are grown, sooner.
Learn the first few steps to improve your marriage now even while your kids are little in today’s episode: How to Have a Marriage You Look Forward To.
Book a free Consult Call with me here to learn how to improve your unique marriage with life coaching tools right now.
Last week was Planning Week inside the Happy, Holy Mama Membership and there was SO much goodness that I wanted to share it ALL with you on the podcast!
However, in attempting to summarize 10 hours worth of coaching into one short podcast, I will limit myself to 5 nuggets from Planning Week 2023 to share with you today, including (but definitely not limited to):
Three things to prevent burnout this year
How to create goals
How you think about your past impacts your present
How curriculum fits into your life
R.I.M. = Relationship, Identity, Mission
I am still getting emails from the mamas inside the group saying how much they appreciated the content, the time to work on their plans, and the coaching through the toughest things they struggle with all year - often their own thoughts about themselves and fears about their kids.
So I know you'll benefit from this, too.
I tried to give you as much as I possibly could here, I pray it serves you as you plan and implement your own homeschool year this year!
If something you hear today sounds like work the Lord is calling you to go deeper with and you'd like to chat with me about working together, please book a Consult Call with me today!
Let’s talk about holding grudges. Here are a few symptoms that can let you know if you are a grudge holder:
If any of these sound familiar to you, then you, my friend, are a grudge holder. I used to be one, too, so I know how rotten this feels.
I want to lovingly let you know that holding grudges is a symptom of a larger issue: not managing your mind or having emotional regulation, aka, expecting other people to provide your happiness.
In this week’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I’m going to give you two tips from my own marriage to help you stop holding grudges by learning how to fight fair.
These were HARD lessons for me to learn and I want to share them with you so you can learn them, hopefully, a little more gently than I did.
In today’s short but sweet episode, you’ll learn what’s actually yours to control and how to step into that ownership.
You’ll walk away with specific ideas on how to let other people off the hook for things they don’t actually mean (but you’re upset about anyway) and start building connection instead of contention.
These two nuggets I have for you will help you have more peace in your relationships and stop holding grudges once and for all!
Book a Consult Call with me here!
Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
[First Name],
Just a few short years ago, when my kids would fight, it would send me through the roof.
I hated hearing them fight. It felt like it was all the time, like they were never going to figure it out, and like it was completely out of my control.
There was yelling, tears, guilt and shaming…from my kids too.
If this sounds like you please know that all of the thoughts I just mentioned above are just thoughts. THey are not facts. It’s not true that they are fighting all the time, that they will never figure it out, and that it’s completely out of your control.
Those thoughts just feel so true that you believe them.
Which is what’s keeping you stuck instead of getting into creative problem solving mode.
In today’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast I’m going to shed some light on what’s actually going on, why your kids fighting feels so rotten, why it feels out of control, and give you some practical things to try the next time your kids fight.
Listen, mama, your kids will always have something to argue about, but it doesn’t have to send you into a panicked, fight or flight state anymore.
Do my kids still fight? You betcha.
But it’s no longer an emotionally devastating experience for me. And it doesn’t have to be for you, either.
Grab your earbuds and listen here to: When Kids Fight.
P.S. The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT right now through this Saturday, August 12, 2023! If you've been on the edge of your seat waiting for your chance to join so you can learn how to: * Manage your mind, * Have emotional regulation, * Dive into Catholic homeschool mindset and strategy, * Manage your time, * and now lose weight!!
All with a Catholic centered life coach (that's me!) and among a community of faith-filled Catholic homeschoolers just like you answering this call to motherhood in this unique way...
WAIT NO LONGER!!! Click this link for all the details and join right now!
One week from today the members of the program will begin diving into Planning Week where I will be coaching every single day for five days in a row, teaching my unique process to plan your home AND homeschooling so you know exactly what to do every single day to make the most progress this year with peace and confidence.
Join right now to have access to the membership, the content, the coaching, Planning Week, monthly workshops FOR LIFE.
Got questions? Email: emily@fiatlifecoaching.com and I'll get back to you shortly!
Otherwise, I'll see you inside the membership!
When your kids don’t produce the grades or the effort in your homeschool that you’d like them to, what do you make that mean?
Does it send you into a panic or fit of frustration?
I mean, this is their future right? Shouldn’t they care more? Shouldn’t they want to be successful in life?
We know that they do want to be successful in life, to have a good life, a happy life. But our definition of success and theirs is likely very different.
Your definition of success comes from your past, your history, your childhood, and your even your marriage.
Their definition of success is coming from you. So if you are valuing what they produce over who they are, then that is what they will likely go out into the world valuing as well.
So as you sit down to plan your school year, I want to encourage you to also write out your definition of success.
Do this for yourself and for your kids separately, because you’ve likely been owning a lot of your kid’s behavior and efforts as evidence of your own success and, unfortunately that never produces the results you hope for.
I also want to encourage you to come listen to me dive more deeply into this topic during this week’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast: Defining Success.
And then make sure you also sign up to join me for my brand new free masterclass this Saturday, August 5th at 9:00 am PST/12:00 pm ET:
2 Steps to Becoming a Decisive Homeschooler (and Stop Second Guessing)!
Sign up for the free class here!
And get ready to join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership that will be open for enrollment this Saturday, August 5-12, 2023!
Today I am speaking to all the mamas who have littles at home. And even if you don't anymore, I promise that what I say today will speak to you in some way, so too all the mamas out there: grab your ear buds and listen up!
Every single one of you needs what I'm going to tell you this week to enjoy the experience of your life with your kids, regardless of what age they are, but especially if you have a bucket of little people in your home.
I'm going to shed some light on the thinking that's keeping you stuck.
I'm going to help you make a few vital mindset shifts that will make whatever else you try more doable.
And I'm going to give you some practical things to start implementing to allow your children to become more independent and helpful way younger than you likely think they can be.
And then go check out all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, because enrollment for the program will be open August 5-12, 2023!
Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching for up to date information on free masterclasses and open enrollment for the program!
Your teen just stares blankly at you, gives you a one word grunt response, and looks generally disinterested in his own life
and you want to absolutely explode.
This is his life after all! He should care. He should have an opinion.
And the fact that he doesn’t seem to drives you completely bonkers. And bonkers looks like you pushing, prying, digging, and maybe some nagging about decisions you want made.
Because you just want this teen to have a good life.
But that might not be how he’s interpreting your efforts.
In today’s episode I share some insight as to what might be going on and I give you a few things to consider, things to try, and ways to connect
instead of whatever hasn’t been working so far.
Walk away from today’s episode feeling more like your teen’s mama and less like his warden.
So throw your earbuds in and listen up!
Happy Monday!
With love,
Emily
P.S. Check out my free masterclass that hundreds of mamas have loved, Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life to dip your toes into what I do with my life coaching clients. And then shoot me an email and tell me your top takeaways to emily@fiatlifecoaching.com !
Have you ever wondered HOW to have a better relationship with your teenager?
Or do the teen years scare you and you're not sure if you want to do them at all, maybe you'd rather just skip them and jump straight to the 'good' stuff of the adult years with your kids?
Well today, I am joined by Parenting and Teen Life Coach Ben Pugh where, together, we shed some serious truth and good news about parenting the teen years!
In this super fun, impactful conversation Ben shares his unique perspective as a former teen 'knucklehead' turned high school principal and why parents of teens need to calm down.
In this episode you'll also hear:
You can get some more awesome advice from Ben about parenting your teens through his freebie Teen Relationship Tune Up
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership will be opening for enrollment soon! Get all the details for the membership program here!
Want me as your Catholic Life Coach and don't want to wait for the membership to open? Book a Free Consult Call with me right now HERE.
We’ve all had rotten days where we’ve spent more time demanding, yelling, and overreacting than we would care to admit.
Too often mamas want to just write a bad day off and start over tomorrow, even if it’s only 1:37pm on a Tuesday.
In today’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I want to share with you 6 things you can do right now to interrupt the bad day and start the recovery process with you and your family.
Spoiler alert: the way to recover from a bad day is connection.
But HOW to start the recovery process mid-meltdown?
HOW do you connect when you’re in the thick of feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, guilty, ashamed, and inadequate?
How do you salvage the relationship even if you've totally lost your cool?
How do you keep your family connected to God through our Catholic faith, even on a bad day?
That’s what I’m going to share with you today, so listen here!
Want to go deeper into the life coaching tools I teach and see them applied to your Catholic homeschooling lifestyle? Watch my FREE Masterclass by clicking below:
Intro the Loving Your Homeschool Life!
There are two main reasons you might not have healthy boundaries right now.
One is because you’re trying to create them during a painful or unpleasant moment. Unfortunately that rarely ever works, because in the moment your emotions are likely high, which means your intellect is low.
Therefore making decisions ahead of time, when you’re calm, ensures that you make significantly better decisions and have less decision fatigue in a heated moment.
The second main reason you might not have healthy boundaries is because you’re focusing on controlling the wrong thing with the boundaries you do create. For example, you’re trying to keep your kids from doing (or not doing) something you don’t want.
Instead, I want to offer that healthy boundaries help you focus on what is actually within your control and will ultimately protect your peace.
But first you have to have peace to protect.
You can hear me talk about how to have peace by putting your life into Right Order and then explain how to Create Healthy Boundaries to protect that peace during this week’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast: Creating Healthy Boundaries.
Then, download my free PDF resource to help walk you step-by-step through my process to create the exact Healthy Boundaries you need for your own family, by showing you how to make the best decisions ahead of time.
This is one of the most popular strategies that my clients love to use and healthy boundaries are something we create together in nearly every coaching call we have, because THEY WORK!
It is my PLEASURE to share this long awaited episode that is all about creating healthy boundaries that protect your peace as well as protecting the most important relationships!!
This was an absolutely delightful interview that I had with best selling author Lisa Mladnich and which was first released on the Homeschooling Saints Podcast in May 2023.
I am truly over the moon to share it with you here!
After you listen, don't forget to click Creating Healthy Boundaries to download a free resource to walk you step by step through my simple, unique process.
Are you on the edge of your seat waiting for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to open for enrollment again? Well, there is a "secret" Back Door to getting into the membership between open enrollment periods.
Hop on a Consult Call with me and I'll help you get clear on what your goals are for your life, how you want to experience your life while you work toward those goals, and I'll show you how my coaching and this program will help you do all of that with support along the way.
Booking your Consult Call is the key to the secret Back Door to the membership. Want in? Book your call now and I'll see you soon!
Self-Confidence is one of the most illusive feelings for women, but I would argue even more so for homeschool moms.
We're confident that we can change diapers and (probably) potty train someone.
But handling teenagers, homeschooling high school, and essentially doing things we've never done before are intimidating if we're lacking self-confidence.
In today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast: How to Have Self-Confidence I share with you the difference between confidence and self-confidence.
I give you a simple exercise to go through to start building self-confidence right away in order to step into the nerve-wracking things God is currently inviting you to do.
So that you can do them with more peace and more self-confidence, regardless if you've ever done them before.
Because when you are willing to believe in yourself with this simple mindset shift, you can start enjoying the experience of your life right now so much more!
In today's episode I also share with you a Secret Back Door to getting into the Happy, Holy Mama Membership between open enrollment periods, so make sure you listen to the end of this short podcast episode, in case you're on the edge of your seat waiting for the day it opens again (later this summer)!
Click here to listen to today's episode: How to Have Self-Confidence!
Book a Consult Call with me HERE if you're ready to do this work, start building your self-confidence that is rooted in who God created you to be and start enjoying the experience of your life on a deeper level than you ever knew was possible!
Feeling drained, overwhelmed, and defeated are all symptoms of trying to live your life out of right order.
It's no wonder you feel that way when you spend the majority of your time trying to DO the tasks of life all while fighting the relationships that should be primary.
When you learn how to prioritize the relationships over the task, and live your life in a certain order, then everything else flows smoothly and nearly effortlessly.
In today's podcast episode, I go into detail about what this order is with the Three Tiered Fountain and how to recognize when you might have a leak in the pipe.
When you are ready to put your life in right order and learn how to keep it in that order, then that's where the magic happens!
Your relationships are filled up, which makes the tasks of life get done so much more easily.
When your life filled with connection and unconditional love in right order, it has an eternal ripple effect.
And it all starts with YOU, the mama.
Listen today to learn how to do this for yourself and your family!
When you're ready, reach out to me for a Consult Call HERE so I can show you exactly where the kink or leak is happening and exactly what to do about it so you can start enjoying the experience of your life so much more.
If you're used to feeling like you need a summer vacation from your summer vacation, today's episode is just for you.
Today I'm talking about how to do summer better this year.
Listen to today's podcast episode to learn more about how to tap into the future version of yourself who has had the summer she's always wanted to have and how that impacts what you choose to do this season.
Questions you'll hear on this episode include:
And I'll walk you through how to determine what those goals are so that you can make an intentional plan for how you want to meet them so that you show up on the first day of school this fall rested, rejuvenated, and ready.
Come meet me at the Catholic Homeschool Conference THIS WEEKEND, June 9-10th! Click HERE to get your tickets! You have access for the entire next year to watch all the replays so get your tickets now before mom-brain kicks in!
Feeling behind is one of the MOST common topics that I coach on, because mamas all over are believing a story that they are not where they should be. Your kids are not where they should be in their curriculums by this time of the year. Your 8 year old should know how to tie their shoes by now. Your teenager should have better executive function skills. And because you BELIEVE these stories, then when you think about them then they feel like a massive problem that needs to be dealt with urgently. That sense of urgency is what keeps you focused on the TASK of fixing the problem, instead of PAUSING and having some clarity on what is ACTUALLY going on. That sense of urgency is usually coupled with disappointment for not being where you think you should be, chased with a heaping portion of frustration. And when you're in problem-solving mode then you typically show up with your kids, or your husband, with a load of guilt and shame. All because of these stories that you're believing. It's time to PAUSE the stories - interrupt them! Get curious with the Holy Spirit and look at what HE is doing in your family...and in you here. What could He be inviting you into? What is He in control of? What does this look like from the perspective of His eternal timeline? Learning how to take a PAUSE and ask some really good questions will help you not only have more clarity now, with these circumstances, but they also help you align your will to God's will in other areas of your life as well. Come listen to me talk more about this on today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast! Then come book your free Consult Call as well so I can help you go deeper into what stories you are holding onto, what you need to let go of, and how to start living into the Will of God so much more fully.
Do you feel called to start a business or take a "Jobby" (business that's maybe more of a hobby) to the next level?
I have invited my good friend, Sterling Jaquith to come onto the podcast today to share her story about her conversion to the Catholic faith, to homeschooling, and then how she started multiple successful businesses...with kids at home!
She is now a Catholic business coach for women of the Catholic faith who hear a distinct call from God to own and run a business and she helps you do it while you have kiddos at home.
This was a super fun conversation to have where we both share our real experiences about running businesses while homeschooling!
You can find Sterling here: Made For Business
And I HIGHLY recommend you take Sterling's Free Webinar THIS FRIDAYMay 26th at 8am PST/11am CT! Sign up for the free Webinar here: Grow Your Business with Kids at Home
I have a confession to make: the popular Catholic Christian phrase, "I'm giving myself grace," used to really bug me. I kept using the phrase - and still do!, but didn't really understand what it meant. It just felt wrong the way it was being used, so I did a little research. Grace is a gift from God alone. We are incapable of giving it, because it is only a gift that God can give. There was the rub. THAT'S why it was bugging me so much - it wasn't mine to give! Instead, when I used the phrase, it was more like I was giving myself permission or having patience with myself. Both of which I fully agree with. But I wanted to understand grace more, so I took it to prayer and spiritual reading. And finally, through working with hundreds of mothers in my life coaching work, it all clicked. We cannot give grace, but we can allow grace to be given by being more receptive to receiving it from God. God freely gives you the grace to do the work He calls you to do, but when you try to control everything, then you effectively hold back, or even fully reject, the grace you need. The grace He is constantly offering to you. You need to learn how to be more receptive. How to stop trying to control what isn't yours to control. You need to learn how to 'give yourself' grace, by giving God your wholehearted yes to what He wants to give you, no matter what the package looks and feels like. Come dive deeper with me into the SIX POSTURES that will allow you to make tangible progress toward being more receptive to God's grace in today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, "How to Give Yourself Grace." Let's dive in, Happy Mother's Day! With love, Emily P.S. If you want to work with me as you Catholic life coach to uproot the negative thoughts and feelings that are preventing you from giving God your wholehearted Yes!, then please book your free Consult call HERE!
P.P.S. Get your ticket to the Catholic Homeschool Conference HERE!
Sure my kids still have moments where they flat out ignore me. Yes, they don’t necessarily ‘hop to’ when mom asks them to get back to their school work. Or pick up the living room. But the difference now is that it doesn’t hurt my feelings, send me into a panic, or cause me to melt down when other people behave the way they want to. It no longer triggers bitterness or resentment. I no longer carry a grudge about having to remind my kids to do what I ask. I no longer make it a problem for me when other people, who have human brains, do human behaviors. My choices produce my consequences. Their choices produce their consequences. Accepting what IS helps me to stop arguing with (and losing to) reality. Taking ownership and responsibility for what is mine is what allows me to release what isn’t. It helps me get curious about what might be going on beyond what I can see with my human eyes and aids me in seeing with my mother’s expert, almost x-ray, vision. Through that lens to see God’s fingerprints all over my kids, the mess, and the untouched school work. Tapping into unconditional love in those moments is what comes through in my voice to my children as I remind them to do what was asked. They don’t hear irritation anymore. They don’t hear anger. They don’t hear shame. They hear their mom, who loves them deeply, connecting with them in a way no one else on earth can. They hear their mom who loves and respects them. Who has set firm boundaries, follow through with the consequences of those boundaries being broken. In today’s episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast I go deeper into three of the most common circumstances that I have found myself in, and also what I hear from my coaching clients all the time, that have historically caused us not to show up the way we want to. I also go into the four things you can do during those circumstances to come through them without bitterness, resentment, or creating a grudge with the people you love, without even realizing it. You can also come take my free class Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life to go deeper on some of the concepts I touched on today!
You can also check out all the details for the Podcast Giveaway for free admissions to the Catholic Homeschool Conference this June 9-10th, 2023!
And if you discover that you have a built up store of resentment and bitterness that has become a grudge toward your kids, husband, extended family, God, or even yourself, then please reach out for a Consult Call to learn more about private coaching. I can show you where your particular grudges are truly coming from and how my work as a Catholic life coach can help you not only get unstuck from those unwanted emotions, but start to reverse their effects immediately when we work together. Book your free Consult call here!
The advice I offer to new moms is not your typical advice. Yes, I have a TON of homeschooling and time management strategies to help make your life simpler and easier, but none of them will be useful without the best mindset on board as a solid foundation for the strategies. That’s because homeschooling is 80% mindset and 20% strategy. That’s why in today’s podcast episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast I am sharing my five favorite Catholic homeschooling philosophies that, I believe, every new (and seasoned) homeschooler should try to embrace to make her own home and school experience so much more lifegiving and joy filled. Regardless of where you are in your homeschooling journey, come listen to today’s episode to rest deeply into some thoughts that maybe you’ve forgotten along your journey. And maybe even learn something new.
"As a new homeschool mom, I wanted an experienced homeschooler to just tell me what to do. Emily was this wise mentor and more, because she taught me skills that transfer to all areas of my life and relationships. Not only did she share her hard earned wisdom, but she taught me to tap into and trust my own wisdom and expertise." - Robin, Mom of 4
If you are brand new to homeschooling, or have discerned it for next year, WELCOME to the best club on this side of heaven! Thank you for your YES, your FIAT, to this call from God to homeschool your children! Not everyone is called to homeschooling, but if you are, it is my mission to help you enjoy the journey! Listen to today’s episode here! Happy Monday! With love, Emily P.S. Have you heard about my Podcast Giveaway for three free admissions to the Catholic Homeschool Conference?? Check out all the details for how to enter the drawing HERE. I'll announce the winners in TWO WEEKS during the Mother's Day podcast episode on May 15th! P.P.S. Do you want to work with me as your Catholic life coach one-on-one? Book your free Consult call here to meet with me, talk about your unique life, and your unique struggles. I'll show you exactly what is keeping you from having more peace and not feeling confident in your home and schooling. You will walk away from our time together with so much more clarity and hope than you've had in a long time with specific steps to start enjoying the experience of your life so much more. I look forward to meeting you!
Why are we afraid of asking for what we want? Whether it's asking kids to do their chores or school work, asking friends to help shuttle your kids here and there, asking in-laws for help watching your kids, or asking your husband for money for a haircut or new clothes ...these are all scenarios that tend to make mamas feel queasy. This is what I'm diving into today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast. I walk you through what goes on in your brain during each of the above scenarios and give you some good questions to ask yourself so that you can have more awareness of what you truly want, and how to go about asking for it without fear. I talk about the Thought Errors that many of mamas are believing that are not only keeping you stuck in fear, but also preventing you from enjoying the experience of your life more. Is it wrong to have desires? Do you know the difference between good and bad desires? Is it selfish to want something that is 'just for you?' Listen here to find out!
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is currently open for enrollment this week! Click HERE to find out all the details and enroll before the doors close this Friday, April 28, 2023!
The program will reopen Summer of 2023.
If you've ever been curious what life coaching is, what it's like to be coached, and how it's different from therapy and counseling, this podcast episode is for you!
Today I walk you through how to know if you are ready for coaching, or if counseling or therapy would serve you better at this time.
I walk you through what I do in coaching and what happens on a typical coaching call.
I also distinguish between private coaching and group coaching and how powerful both can be!
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership opens for enrollment this Friday, April 21, 2023 and will be kicking off the open enrollment period with a brand new free Masterclass:
Four Pillars of Effortless Homeschooling register for your free seat HERE (this gives you access to the replay as well!)
Click here for all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership.
Enrollment closes Friday, April 28, 2023 and will reopen again later this summer.
Check out the Catholic Homeschool Conference here
Enter the Podcast Giveaway for free admission for the Catholic Homeschool Conference HERE!
Happy Easter, Alleluia! He is Risen!!!
Something I hear in almost every one of my Consult Calls with perspective clients is that they desperately want to have a better prayer life. To be more intentional with God and cultivating a deeper prayer life. But they struggle to make time for it, because there is just so much to do.
If that is you, then this episode will help shed some light on why you might struggle with that and give you a fresh perspective on how to think about the relationship with yourself and, ultimately the relationship you have with God.
Register for my brand new free Masterclass here: 4 Pillars of Effortless Homeschooling
A replay will be available to those on my mailing list, so make sure you register to get on my list and have access to the replay if you can't make it live!
Check out all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here! Open enrollment happens April 21-28, 2023.
Details of the Catholic Homeschool Conference free admission podcast giveaway, click here!
If the weather has historically dictated the end of your school year, but you'd rather end it intentionally instead, this episode is for you!I hear from so many moms that they feel so behind, that their kids aren't doing enough.
However, when I ask them when they plan on ending their school year, they don't have a concrete answer.
They let the weather, the kid's behavior, effort, and everyone's moods ultimately dictate when, and if, school ever officially ends.
The problem with this is that you never end up taking, and actually enjoying, your summer vacation, because you aren't doing it intentionally.
You aren't taking a break on purpose.
So you spend your summer feeling like you're playing hooky from school, instead of truly enjoying the rest and connection you need.
Today I'll walk you through some simple questions to help you clarify what you want the end of your school year to look like so you can finish strong and confident!
You can decide today, in these short ten minutes, when and how you'll end your school year and skip the drama!
Doing this simple step is what will allow you to enter your summer vacation intentionally and give yourself, and your kids, the much needed break you can all deeply enjoy!
Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (HERE) AND fill out the Catholic Homeschool Conference Giveaway HERE to enter to win a free admission to this year's CHC!
Details for the Catholic Homeschool Conference are HERE.
You can also find all the details HERE for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, my life coaching program for Catholic homeschool mamas who want to have more peace and confidence to enjoy the journey.
Start getting ready now, the doors will be open this spring for enrollment in the program April 21-28th!
Do you struggle with guilt for leaving the kids at home to do something for yourself?
Or just go grocery shopping in peace?
If taking a break during the day, making time for your own prayer, or just to get ready in the morning causes you stress, guilt, and anxiety, then you might actually be experiencing a different emotion that you haven't named yet.
In today's episode we call that feeling out and bring it to light: trapped.
You'll hear why you're feeling trapped and how that feeling is also preventing you from enjoying the time you do spend for yourself once you take it.
You'll leave today's episode with some new ways to consider time for yourself as well as practical ways to start enjoying it more (and more often!).
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership will be open for enrollment April 21-28, 2023, click here to get all the details for the program.
Enter the Podcast Giveaway to win a free admission to the Catholic Homeschool Conference by leaving an honest review of the podcast on Apple Podcasts (click here for Apple Podcasts) AND submitting an entry form on the website (click here for the entry form).
BOTH must be completed in order to enter the drawing. The winners will be drawn and announced on May 15th. You can enter as many times as you wish!
Don't want to wait for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to open in order to work with Emily as your Catholic life coach? Click here to book a free Consult Call.
All Catholic homeschooling mamas who work with Emily privately ALSO are gifted free access to the Happy, Holy Mama Membership during your time working with her! The best of all worlds!
Happy 1 Year Anniversary of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast!
Today Emily is joined by co-founder of Homeschool Connections, Maureen Wittmann!
A vetran homeschool mom of many, now helping to homeschool some of her grandchildren, Maureen is the voice of the future self most of us hope to achieve someday of peace and calm.
She offers so much hope to those of us here in this moment who are struggling with our 'why' and wondering if what we're doing is right or enough.
She also shares what she thinks is the most valuable part of homeschooling, you'll definitely want to listen in!
Maureen wants to invite you to check out Homeschool Connections, an online platform offering over 500 recorded independent courses and 220 live courses to help your children fall in love with learning. Homeschool Connections is here to help YOU homeschool joyfully and comes with a very affordable price tag to make it even easier.
Check out Homeschool Connections here.
To celebrate the one year anniversary of the Happy, Holy Mama podcast, Emily is giving away THREE free admissions to the Catholic Homeschool Conference!
Check out the Catholic Homeschool Conference here! (this is an affiliate link)
To enter the giveaway please:
You MUST fill out the form to enter, so please don't forget that vital step!
The drawing winners will be announced after Mother's Day!
It's finally here, the long awaited podcast on CHORES!
In this episode is jam packed, so grab a pencil and paper!
Emily walks you through the lesson she took directly out of the Happy, Holy Mama Membership on how to create a doable chore routine and how to implement it with peace!
She walks you through:
If you want help :
Then please book your free Consult Call with Emily here!
https://fiatlifecoaching-discoverycall.as.me/consult
Info about the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, opening back up in April can be found here!
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Today's episode is a fabulous conversation with David Nekrutman, founder of Biblical Excavations, a curriculum for Christian homeschoolers to understand and study the old testament through a Hebraic lens! He is a WEALTH of knowledge, has a deep love for homeschooled students, and loves to bridge the gap between Christians and Hebrews! Enjoy! Challah Bread Recipe: https://www.biblicalexcavations.com/shop/printable-challah-recipe/ Hebrew Coloring Book: COUPON CODE FIAT23 https://www.biblicalexcavations.com/shop/my-book-of-hebrew-letters-coloring-book/ Biblical Excavations Community: This is our free community on Mighty Networks https://biblical-excavations.mn.co/share/OgG1Cv7xkq0uiUeL?utm_source=manual
Are you trying to fit an entire day's worth of tasks in before your head hits the pillow?
If so, listen up, because in this episode Emily will walk you through a simple process to put your life in right order so that you get the most important things done while not losing sight of your relationships.
Simplify, consolidate, delegate, delete.
Book a free Consult Call with Emily right now to get help with what's keeping you overwhelmed in your life, why it's feeling hard to simplify or delegate, and how to reconnect with the most important people in your life.
Book your Consult here.
Free resources for Moms to help put your life in right order:
Daily Examen for Homeschool Mothers
Litany for Mothers
Lent is here and many Catholic moms are tempted give up everything!
Sugar! Social media! Video Games! TV!
Oh wait, not all of those are ours to give up.
We set ourselves up for failure by either setting our sights too high or even too low.
And we aren't discerning what will make the most spiritual impact AND be doable for us, in the season we are currently in.
In today's episode I give you a couple of simple questions to help you discern what you should do or give up for Lent.
I also tell you what three things you really need for a healthy Lenten practice and HOW to do them so you can get the most out of Lent this year and make the longest lasting progress on your spiritual journey.
Download the free Daily Examen for Homeschool Mothers here
Book a free Consult Call with Emily here.
If you are someone who worries a lot, feels scattered from trying to do too many things and not getting enough done, and/or beats yourself up for your past - THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU!
Heads up, today's episode is a pretty personal one.
Trigger warning: As I talk about the significant role Unconditional Love plays in how we experience suffering, I talk about the accident when I lost my first husband on Valentine's Day 19 years ago, and I briefly mention my two miscarriages.
If you have experienced a loss (or many), I pray this episode serves you in the ways God intends for you. And if you are not up for listening, I know He will provide what you need in other ways. May God’s peace be with you, my friend.
Today's episode is a reflection on my own personal growth in these last 19 years and how the unconditional love of God that I've experienced through suffering has led to even deeper growth with Him.
I talk about how it influences my second marriage, motherhood, and how it currently permeates my homeschooling…which has sometimes felt like suffering through the years!
I'll walk you through three main areas I've noticed the most significant personal growth and how these experiences also prepared me for the work God is calling me to do now with my life coaching clients.
To uncover areas where you are hiding from suffering and are holding onto conditions that keep you from loving wholeheartedly - reach out to me for a free Consult Call today.
When you can see clearly what you're doing to escape pain, then you gain so much more awareness of what you might be unintentionally considering suffering.
With that awareness, then you can start choosing what you WANT to do more intentionally, instead.
And root those changes in unconditional love so they last.
And when unconditional love is the reason you do everything in your life, then you stop feeling scattered and you prioritize your life so much more simply.
You get the important things done every single day.
And you trust God so much more deeply than you ever have before.
Book that free Consult Call HERE to stop fearing and instead start loving more fully, today.
Today I'm walking you through the 5th Day of Reset Your Homeschool Week inside the Happy, Holy Mama Membership where we started creating doable schedules with all the mindset we cultivated and the information we gathered during the first 4 days of Reset Week. Go listen to the most previous four episodes of the podcast to hear how we did that, then come listen to this FULL podcast! You're going to want to grab your planner, or spiral notebook, to write down these steps. Pause, do the work, keep going. If you have tricky, unique circumstances in your life and homeschool and you want help navigating this process, then reach out to me for a free Consult Call. I will help you see what's standing in the way of creating a schedule that works for your family.
I will show you where else in your life those hinderances are causing problems. I will show you the exact work I can help you with to not only create a plan you enjoy, but also a life you love. And when we work together in my coaching practice, I will walk with you step by step as you learn this process, practice it, implement what you've created. You will have consistent support as you practice, do the work, go deeper, repeat. BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULT CALL WITH ME: https://fiatlifecoaching-discoverycall.as.me/consult INTRO TO LOVING YOUR HOMESCHOOL LIFE, FREE MASTERCLASS: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/intro-to-loving-your-homeschool-life-signup/ HAPPY, HOLY MAMA MEMBERSHIP: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
In today's episode Emily explains why the current way you think about the decisions you want to make is keeping you stuck in indecision and confusion.
She shares a simple mindset shift that can change everything - change the way you think about yourself, your decisions, and your ability to make decisions confidently and quickly.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership today to have instant access to the replays of Reset Your Homeschool Week and all the self-coaching tools and weekly live coaching Emily offers to Catholic homeschool moms who want to have more peace and confidence everyday.
Join HERE
If you haven't evaluated your home or homeschooling in a while, then it's time to bring all of that out into the light!
In today's episode Emily walks you through WHY evaluating effectively is necessary and how to do it like a scientist instead of a judge.
Then she shares a simple three step process to evaluate quickly so you can make the best, fastest decisions possible, in order to create the results you truly want to have in your life.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE
and get all the replays for Reset Your Homeschool Week!
In today's episode Emily helps you understand emotions on a deeper level and how being more intimately aware of what they feel like in your body can help you become more intentional. And when you know how to be more intentional, then you are more able to CHOOSE better, higher quality thoughts and feelings and will produce better results in your life.
She also gives you her favorite three self-coaching questions that help bring you back into this present moment so you are more able to meet God, hear His voice, and align your will with His. Which, again, will help you produce the absolute best results possible, when you are more willing to listen to God's voice, louder than your, current worried, stressful, and overwhelming thoughts.
Come join The Happy, Holy Mama Membership TODAY to learn how to do this for yourself and have immediate access to the Reset Your Homeschool Week replays that this podcast episode was based from.
Join HERE.
If you are tired, exhausted even, after the holidays and not sure you are up for more this January, you're going to want to listen to this episode. Today Emily walks you through why you're feeling burnt out and the four things you need to prevent burnout in the future.
This episode was recorded after the first day of Reset Your Homeschool Week inside the Happy, Holy Mama Membership where Burnout 101 was the theme. Emily coached new homeschool moms, as well as vetrans, who spent the week preparing the homeschools for the next season of life to have the best experience possible.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership today to catch the replay of all five days of teaching and coaching to start applying this work to your unique life and family immediately.
Because the longer you go without prioritizing the work for yourself to feel better, the longer it takes before your family starts to feel better.
The longer it takes before your house to feel more managed.
The longer before peace and confidence are your primary daily emotions, instead of burnt out.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE
Watch Free Masterclass: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life Here
Do you struggle to reach your goals to pray more, because of distractions like visual clutter or loud noise? If so, you'll want to tune into this episode, because Emily will share what's going on inside your brain when that happens and gives you three steps to get through it without overreacting.
This episode will be useful to anyone who struggles with noise in particular. If noise of children feels like an attack to your senses, then you'll want to listen, because being able to be in control of your own emotions, even when external circumstances feel challenging and even painful, is one of the most valuable skills you can cultivate as a human, but especially as a Catholic homeschool mother.
Emily also describes what's going on inside the Happy, Holy Mama Membership THIS week: Reset Your Homeschool Week!
This week is focused on teaching and coaching on 5 areas that most Catholic homeschool moms struggle with in some form or another:
Burnout - the three things that cause it
How to Stop Feeling Stressed and Overwhelmed
How to Effectively Evaluate
How to Make Confident Decisions
Make Confident Plans with Peace
Read all about Reset Your Homeschool Week inside the membership HERE,
Then join the program and get coached LIVE all week long to set yourself up for the absolute best homeschool year yet!
You don't have a YOU problem, you have a THOUGHT problem.
Your brain offers you thoughts and you don't question their truth, which has you spinning your wheels and stuck in some destructive and limiting thought patterns.
And is responsible for creating the results you currently have.
I know you want to make real change, to feel better, and to have confidence, but making some exterior goal in the New Year is not going to get you closer to creating the experience of life you really want to have.
Instead, you need to clean up your garbage thinking in order to create those desired results in a simple, smooth way.
Listen to this episode in full to hear why your brain does this and what to do to start making tangible progress toward you long term goals right now!
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership - now offers payment plans!
Book your free Consult Call for the membership and/or private coaching!
Reset Your Homeschool Week details!
In today's episode Emily talks about having peace on the journey, because how you walk the path is how you arrive at the destination.
She walks you through a powerfully calming meditation on Mary in the manger at Christmas while you consider what you are currently magnifying in your life...and what you would prefer to magnify instead.
Are you currently magnifying lack of trust and fear like Eve, or are you magnifying peace and acceptance like Mary?
When you can learn how to unite your will with God's, then you wholeheartedly accept, you CHOOSE, what God is asking of you without fear and arguing.
Which helps you enjoy the journey, the experience of your life at Christmas, in homeschooling, or even on a roadtrip to a beach vacation so much more.
And when you enjoy the journey of your human life, turning your thoughts into YESes for God, then when the time comes for you to go home to God, you'll be ready.
Because this is our saint story and we're only in the middle of it.
Reset Your Homeschool Week
Happy, Holy Mama Membership
We all have difficult people in our lives. Children with behavioral issues and/or diagnosis. A husband who comes home tired and grouchy. The lady at mass with the permafrown whenever your family sits too close. Extended family during the holidays who believe homeschooling is ruining your children and are not afraid to tell you, loudly. Toddlers...'nuf said. You know it’s coming, you can see it happening, but you feel helpless to stop the unwanted behavior. It feels utterly out of your control. You wish there was a better way to be with the people in your life, so you could enjoy your relationships more. There is. What you need is clarity. When you have clarity, then you know WHY you respond to the difficult people the way you do (likely with irritation and anger). When you have clarity you can see what decisions need to be made to make the situation better. Clarity helps you be decisive without fear. With clarity you support yourself as a best friend would. And with clarity you can respond to yourself, and everyone around you, with UNconditional love, no matter how they are behaving. You do this on a typical Tuesday morning when your kiddo is melting down about their math assignment, with the toddler who is finger painting with something disgusting, AND with your mother-in-law’s less than kind opinions of your parenting at Christmas. Clarity ushers in peace. And peace provides the path for the Holy Spirit to move in your family through you. The path for unconditional love to reign in your home at Christmas AND throughout the entire year.
Make sure you listen to today's episode for more information about HOW to do this and what it can look like in your life.
And then come join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership right now to have start having clarity THIS Christmas. Join here to get started today and have the peaceful experience of your life that you've always wanted.
With love, Emily
Today's episode is the second half of the interview Emily did with Krystal, one of the members of the Happy, Holy Mama Membership! You will hear Krystal share how life coaching has impacted every area of her life starting with her marriage and then filtering down into her motherhood and even producing a super fun weight loss result, all of which came from being completely rooted in her identity as a daughter of God. You will not want to skip this episode!
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership details.
Book your free Consult Call with Emily
In this incredible conversation with one of the Happy, Holy Mama members, Emily deep dives into how this mama went from being a chemical engineer to homeschool mom of 5 out of 7 of her beautiful children, starting with the oldest kids!
Emily digs into the thoughts and feelings that Krystal went through during her discernment process with each of her children, and ultimately what the decision to pull their kids from private Catholic school came down to.
Next week we will continue to the rest of the conversation where Krystal shares how this work has not only affected her homeschooling, but each area of her life including some wonderful and surprising fruit!
You won't want to miss the beginning of this incredible conversation today.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!
If you are stressing out about hosting, or being a guest, this week for Thanksgiving (or any other occassion), then you need to listen to this episode! Todays' episode will walk you through why you are feeling stressed, how it's showing up in your homeschool this week, and then Emily will give you a very simple, doable process to go through to minimize the stress with confidence. This is a must listen to if you are already feeling overwhelmed and the day isn't even here yet OR if you are cleaning Thanksgiving morning and noticing how much anxiety you're feeling, it's not too late - listen now!
Episode mentioned in this podcast is Ep 27: The Three Essentials of Catholic Homeschooling
Also mentioned is the Happy, Holy Mama Membership
In this episode Emily shares a couple of stories about her experience at mass with littles, boundaries she learned how to set that helps create amazing results for her family, and the #1 emotion she generates everytime she wants to learn or teach her children something new.
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is open for enrollment and when you join you get a free 30 Minute private coaching call with Emily to get clear on what you want to work on first. Join today at Happy, Holy Mama Membership
Ever wish someone, anyone, would acknowledge the hard work you put in? Do you feel guilty about wanting that acknowledgement? In this episode Emily talks about what you are actually wanting and how to get it, no matter what everyone else in your life does or doesn't acknowledge.
Are you feeling disappointed? Discouraged? Frustrated? Overwhelmed? Whatever your top emotion is today doesn't have to be the emotion you go to bed with tonight. In this episode Emily walks you through her proven 3 step Get Unstuck process of how to feel better faster.
She also mentions her free Masterclasses that are available to watch on demand to help you dive into the life coaching work she teaches. Watching one of these classes has the added benefit of adding you to her mailing list, so that you get notified immediately when she offers NEW live Masterclasses outside the membership! Find all the details here:
How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/how-to-stop-feeling-overwhelmed-sign-up/
Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/intro-to-loving-your-homeschool-life-signup/
Happy, Holy Mama Membership details: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Have you ever wondered what your husband REALLY thinks about the homeschooling work you do, your homemaking, and what he wants you to know deep down about you as his wife, if he could tell you anything at all (and have you actually believe it)?
In today's episode Emily shares an honest conversation between her and her husband of 16+ years where here shares the reality of what life was like before coaching and what life is like now. The differences he sees, how it has helped their homeschooling, but most of all it has helped their marriage and parenting.
Her husband talks about how many men think and how coaching has helped him related to Emily better, has helped their communication, which has improved their entire family and created more peace in their home.
Happy, Holy Mama Membership: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Whether you are isolated from other people or just head down in the busyness of life, mom friendships are tough. Add in homeschooling and it can be extra difficult, espeically if you are expecting others to act a certain way in order for you to be happy.
In this episode Emily shares her journey about friendships, happiness, and offers some practical things to consider in your own life so you can show up as the unconditionally loving friend you've always wanted to be.
Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership today! Click here for all the details: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Is your to-do list making you feel overwhelmed, defeated, and discouraged? Is it limiting you rather than helping you live to fullest life?
In this episode Emily dives into the limited beliefs that are keeping you stuck trying to accomplish a never-ending to-do list and helps you shift into different thoughts that might just allow you to throw the to-do list away.
Litany for Mothers
You want your teens and tweens to start taking owership of their own education, but you have no idea how to do that because you're too afaid of failure. In this episode Emily gives you specific questions to ask yourself to help you root yourself in your role as the homeschool mom and what's truly yours to own.
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is welcoming new members! Join here to do this work with Emily and have support all year long, starting now:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
In this episode Emily addresses that urge you feel when your child isn't responding to their assignments the way you'd like them to and you think making a big change is the solution.
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is now open for enrollment! You can find all the details for the membership here: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Whether you are new to homeschooling or are a seasoned veteran, by the time late September rolls around, you might be starting to run out of creative steam and hitting a wall of decision fatigue. The enthusiasm and excitement of the new year has waned and between the work and the attitudes, you’re starting to feel a bit weary with the repetition of each day.
If this sounds like you and you are looking for permission to slow down and just enjoy your family, then in this episode is for you. Emily is going to help you decide on what your three essentials for your bare minimum homeschool day are, so that when life starts to feel like a grind, you can step back and remember how to enjoy this call to homeschool your kids!
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership is about to open, for all the details about Emily's life coaching program for Catholic Homeschool Mothers visit:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Your child’s lack of motivation and distractibility drives you bananas because it feels like they are falling behind, jeopardizing their future, and wasting your time. In today’s episode Emily shares some questions to help you have awareness and intentionality if you’re worried that they might be falling behind.
The Happy, Holy Mama Membership opens for enrollment soon, find all the details for the program at fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Homeschooling isn't the goal. In this episode Emily shares what the actual goal is for a Catholic homeschool mom and walks listeners through a simple exercise to help you get clear on your own goals, which helps you have clarity on what to do each day to work towards your goals.
Happy, Holy Mama Membership opens for enrollment soon, check out all the details for the program here: http://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
In this episode Emily walks you through the steps to take your to-do list from being overwhelming to being doable. When you learn how to effectively prioritize your to-do list then you begin to implement it in a way that allows you to stay in the present moment, put your relationships before the tasks, and find the balance you are striving for.
How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed:
https://youtu.be/7redUb70xX0
In this episode Emily explains why you are not being consistent and what to do about it. She gives you some practical ways to manage expectations, honor the decisions you make, and be consistent moving forward so that you can love your homeschool life!
Free Masterclass: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/intro-to-loving-your-homeschool-life-signup/
In this episode Emily talks about the two main components of managing your mind, how to know if you need to start managing your mind, and how simple steps to get started today!
Fiat Life Coaching:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/
Happy, Holy Mama Membership:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Fiat Life Coaching YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAJ5VWUkz6M3t7RDTzlKcLg
Emily shares what she’s truly afraid of as well as practical steps to help you calm down your fears and your overwhelm, so that you can truly hear God speaking to you and start showing up in your life the way you really want to.
Mentioned in the episode the Litany for Mothers:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/litany-for-mothers-2/
In this short but sweet and powerful episode, Emily shares the moment she knew that she was the perfect mother and homeschool mother for her children. She shares how this confidence is the fruit of having awareness and intentionality with the thought patterns you show up in your life from. She invites listeners to begin this work for themselves through her FREE Masterclass: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life. Link to watch the class is below.
Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life Masterclass
Emily’s new YouTube Channel: Fiat Life Coaching is up! Watch Here
Today’s episode is a fabulous conversation with Stephanie Clarisse, host of the 500 Seconds to Joy Podcast! Stephanie vulnerably shares some of the lies she has believed in her life that have kept her from living fully for God and how she has broken through those lies with truth she found in sacred scripture. Her heart for sacred scripture and deep love of the Catholic faith in her marriage, motherhood, and homeschool life will leave you inspired and peaceful. Enjoy!
500 Seconds to Joy Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/500-seconds-to-joy-intentional-living-for-christian/id1481909779
Allow the Holy Spirit to alight on you the wisdom that He desires you to have, and the plans He wants you to implement by praying more than you plan. In today's episode Emily gives you practical tips for how to do this when planning your year and your day. These tips will also help save you time and money when you have the urge to chuck the curriculum because homeschooling is feeling hard.
In this episode Emily discusses the goals and feelings we want to achieve by planning our homeschool year and often we think it requires the perfect plan and the perfect planner. She shares what it takes to have a peaceful, joyful, and happy homeschool year - the mindset you go into your planning with and the mindset you implement your plans with.
She invites all listeners this week of July 11-15, 2022 to join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership that is open for enrollment right now! All those who join the membership will have access to the Planning for Peace Workshop on August 5th!
Doors close to join the membership this summer on July 15th!
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Motherhood is under attack right now. Mom sets the tone in the home, so who else would be better to isolate from the family and make them feel trapped? In this episode Emily addresses that feeling of ‘trapped,’ she addresses where that idea is coming from, and how to break free from it by creating boundaries and gaining emotional regulation with managing your mind.
Happy, Holy Mama Membership - opens for enrollment THIS week July 6th!
Out of Hiding by Steffany Gretzinger
Taken straight from the Happy, Holy Mama Membership! Learn what is keeping you from trusting yourself and how to repair that trust. Not trusting yourself is what keeps you stuck and unable to make decisions that move you forward. In this episode you will learn the steps to take to make confident decisions and how to support yourself along the way. You will also be able to view failure in a new light and write your story of trust from here on out!
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/making-confident-decisions/
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
In this episode Emily talks about your love-ability. How you are 100% love-able and you are capable of loving 100% unconditionally, but fear and pride limit you, and God, from loving yourself and your family unconditionally. She talks about what the real problem is and what to do about it even when you are feeling sad, frustrated, and angry.
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/subscribe-to-fiat-life-coaching/
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/litany-for-mothers-2/
Emily describes what an outburst, or mommy-meltdown, feels like and where it comes from.
She then walks through the three steps you need to take to release the pressure you feel within you in a healthy way in order to prevent a mommy-meltdown, tap into the wisdom God gives you, and become intentional with how you show up.
This helps you get unstuck and live in the present moment!
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership#membershipfaq
Today Emily shares common negative self-talk thoughts that Catholic homeschool mothers are thinking over and over again that are making it so hard to love their lives, because their emotions are keeping them so disconnected from themselves, their children, and the true identity of who God created them to be. She shares ideas of how to cleanse the palate of a tough day, and how to move into intentional thinking and feeling rooted in the truth of the identity as the daughter of God that you are.
And how to start looking at your life in the most loving, merciful, and compassionate way possible.
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
In this episode Emily talks about what is preventing you from enjoying this moment of your life, the expectations and judgments you have for the people in your life, and what to do with those unintentional thoughts. http://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
In this episode Emily walks you through how to evaluate your homeschool year to put a stamp of closure on this year, which will set you up to be ready to plan for fall with confidence and peace! She also makes a very special invitation to get ready to join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership program that will open for enrollment in July 2022! She shares tons of details about the group in this episode. For more details about the group, please visit:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership/
Whether you are a seasoned homeschooler or this is your first year, Emily speaks to why we struggle to give ourselves permission to be done at the end of the school year. She gives insight as to what your brain goes through when trying to finish everything well beyond your family's tolerance for school, and how to finish with intentionality, even without completing the math books. She teaches you how to have your own authority to give yourself permission to be done for the year, without adding negative-self talk to your summer break.
Emily explains the biggest lies that mothers believe and reveals the truth that God wants to offer them about how He created them to be. Litany for Mothers Free Gift:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/litany-for-mothers-2/
Emily talks about what is getting in the way of having what you really want. She breaks down what happens in your brain that feels like it is out of your control and teaches you how to have love and compassion for yourself in response to those feelings.
In this short, but sweet edition of the podcast, Emily announces the three winners of the podcast launch drawing!
Learn the reason you feel stressed, overwhelmed, and wish your life could change. Dive into the thoughts that might be keeping you stuck wishing your life were different. Learn how to intentionally choose thoughts that will help you take ownership of your life back and become a vessel of God's will and divine love, compassion, and mercy in this world, strating with you and your family!
Happy Easter!! Emily teaches listeners how to tell what areas of their lives are needing impr ovement and how to start dreaming again. She takes them through a tried and true inventory of their lives and shares what the root is that is holding them back from taking action to make those changes.
Easter Gift on the homepage of the site!
Free Class: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life!
Emily talks about the crosses that we carry and why they feel so heavy. She helps listeners understand the difference between crosses God asks us to carry vs the crosses we choose. She offers questions to help you reveal what carrying those unnecessary crosses is costing you and what to do with them this Holy Week. Podcast Launch Drawing Entry:
https://fiatlifecoaching.com/podcastlaunch/
Emily talks reveals the truth about happiness. She teaches about emotions, emotional regulation, and why emotions are so important.
She also gives specific questions to ask yourself when your emotions are causing your life to feel extra painful.
All of this helps listeners learn how to have emotional regulation, to do the work that God has for them to do in the world, and how to teach it to our children.
In this episode Emily talks about the one and only reason to homeschool. She talks about discerning God's plan for you in your life and how to know if you are being called to this life.
Podcast Launch details: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/podcastlaunch/
PaintedSanctuary: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintedSanctuary?ref=profile_header
Word on Fire Podcast: How to Discern God's Will for Your Life https://www.wordonfire.org/videos/wordonfire-show/episode19/
Get to know Catholic Homeschool Life Coach Emily Brown! Emily shares her story, her loss, and all the Holy Spirit moments on her journey to choosing homeschooling! She talks about how she homeschools all 7 of her children using life coaching tools steeped in our rich Catholic faith. She explains how she works with other homeschool mamas in her life coaching practice, to begin loving the life God gives them through this call to homeschool!