Bloom With Bridget: Recent Episodes
Bridget
Sometimes you have to fall apart in order to come together and be the person you were designed to be. Welcome to the Bloom podcast where you'll hear stories about growth, impact and contribution and learn how to be present where your feet are. I invite you to join me on this journey as we navigate the seasons of life making the most of the moment you’re in right now, with the people that matter most to you. Quit searching for the life you want and create it! It’s time to live your life in full BLOOM and be the person you were designed to be. Because this world needs what only you have!
WELCOME BACK!!! Bloom has been quiet for the last few months and I am so excited to share this episode with you! I have missed this. I have missed YOU! So, it's good to be back.
I am here to share with you where my head and my heart have been over the past few years and walk you through my journey in real-time. I've had some big changes that I've been navigating. I've had some hard questions to ask myself. I've had some deep work to do,ut that is what BLOOM is all about. It's the growth, it's the falling apart so something new can begin.
Let's dive in!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
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To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
In this week's episode, I'm downloading my take on the recent Barbie movie. Whether you've seen it or not, there's a take away for all of us.
I won't spoil my review, but I will ask you if you're living a life of pretend? Are you really experiencing and living this life or are you going through the motions? Regardless of where you stand on the movie, there is a lesson to be learned.
Tune in to hear more!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
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Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
If He calls you, He will equip you. And when He calls you out, you have to be ready to step out in faith, like today's guest. On this episode, I'm joined by Angel Welsh, a women of faith and fire. If you know her, you know she is on a mission! A mission to leave lives better and serve her community.
She's endured loss and hardship and yet still rises. It's that spirit and her faith that has led her to where she is today. Every step mattered. Today, Angel is the Founder and Director of My Sister's Keeper, a women and children's shelter in Owensboro, KY.
You won't want to miss this episode! It will expand your heart and increase your faith. To learn more about Angel's mission, My Sister's Keeper and how you can get involved, visit My Sister's Keeper online.
Follow My Sister's Keeper on social:
Instagram @mysisterskeeper270
Facebook @mysisterskeeper270
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Listen up, because you are going to love this week’s guest on Bloom! Chrysty Lockhart is a wife, bonus and bio mama, teacher, host of the Start Scared Podcast and someone who used to be bound by what she thought she was supposed to say, do or be. SO much so that she has lost herself in the chaos of everyday Mom life and is trying to discover who she is in real time!
Chrysty is passionate about empowering and motivating other Mamas to cut through the BS stories they tell themselves and find clarity to start putting themselves first, because who they are outside of being a Mama still matters! Chrysty is on a journey towards becoming more confident and free by ditching the negative self talk and learning to love all of herself. Tune in to hear her share how she's embracing what real beauty looks like.
Be sure to give Chrysty a follow and see all of the amazing things she's doing!
@chrystylockhart
@startscaredpodcast
@tiderunnerretreat
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
We can miss who we were created to be, because we are attached to what we’ve decided to be. And in that process, we become those titles and labels we've given ourselves and can loose our identity. We get caught up in what we are doing rather than dedicating our effort into who we were called to be.
Today, I share some of the common labels of success that we oftentimes hide behind called success mountains.
The Five Success Mountains:
- The Marriage Mountain
- The Motherhood Mountain
- The Money Mountain
- The Mending Mountain
- The Make A Difference Mountain
While none of these are bad things, they often keep us in the comfort zone of what we know. We forget to focus on who we are not what we do, we stay small. You're already amazing. These things that you do are just a bonus. They don't define you, they just add to who you already are. You are more than that. And it's time to fully step into who you were created to be!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
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To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Are you someone who is looking for someone to link arms with? If so, you are going to love today's guest! Join me along with Courtney Evans, for a conversation about bringing others in. Courtney is a wife, mama, photographer and the founder of Cultivate BG, a networking community for entrepreneurs in the Bowling Green, KY and surrounding area. She's created an amazing community that she wants to share with YOU!
In today’s conversation, she shares how necessary cultivating connection is necessary for growth and invites you to be a part of it! Pop in those earbuds and push play on Let’s Cultivate, with Courtney Evans now available on your favorite podcast platform.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
What’s your reaction when someone tells you, “you’ve changed?” For me, I used to feel disappointment and hurt when I would hear those words. I thought that I had let them down. I felt like I was not being true to the version of me they knew.
What if instead of feeling shame or hurt when someone told you that you’ve changed, you felt pride and gratitude in its place? And you actually held space and honored this version of yourself and how far you’ve come?
Change can be a good thing. Embrace it.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
We're going on a bear hunt, I'm not afraid!
How many of you remember imagining going on a bear hunt as a child? I do! I would pretend all the time with my mom and sister and other kids that I would babysit that we were walking into the deep dark woods in search of a bear. But, at each turn, we would encounter an obstacle. Maybe it was a log on the path, a body of water, that had to be crossed, a dead end path that lead nowhere and we had to find a new way - but as the saying goes...
You can't go over it, can't go around it, you had to go through it. And such is life, right?!
We may feel like we are in the middle of a bear hunt, figuratively speaking (hopefully not literally, but if so - cool!). Oftentimes, our response is to just go around the obstacle or go over it or under it - but what we need to do is go THROUGH it.
We must face whatever it is and know that by going through that challenge, we will realize that we can endure hard things. We can endure scary things. We can overcome whatever it feels like is holding us back.
What are you avoiding? Maybe it's time, you suit up and get ready to go on this bear hunt with me. Let's face whatever it is that's tough for you right now and go through it together.
And P.S., don't forget your bear spray!
To check out the episode referenced in this one about Phrases I've Stopped Saying, follow the link!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Will today be "Day One," or "One Day?" Will you keep telling yourself that you'll get around to it one day or are you ready to commit and say, today is the day I start?
This is a quick episode where I share how recently starting the 75 Hard program prompted me to ask myself - am I putting off things I want for my life that I can do right now? Am I telling myself that I'm not ready, not qualified, not knowledgeable enough? Yes. And maybe you are too. If so, get ready to push play and take action!
To learn more about the 75 Hard Program by Andy Frisella you can find out more at AndyFrisella.com.
A great book referenced in this episode is, The Power Of One More, by Ed Mylett.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
When someone asks, “tell me a little bit about yourself,” do you speak to WHAT you are or WHO you are? We can get hung up on the titles and the many hats we wear that we forget to really share who we are and what makes us unique.
In this episode, I'll dive into some creative ways to think about how you share more about who you are with others. Enjoy!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
You are your ancestors' wildest dreams. All of those who came before you, paved the way to bring you to this very moment. You are living the dreams and passions that someone who came before you only dreamed about.
Join me on this joint episode with Cristal Jacobo, an embodiment coach, a speaker and community builder as we chat about how we tap into the past to propel us into the future. You are made for more. Because of you, lives will be changed.
To discover more about Cristal, follow her on Instagram @cristalijacobo and @she.ismadeformore or visit her website cristaljacobo.com
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
There are 86,400 seconds, 1,440 minutes and 24 hours in one day. How you choose to spend them is up to you.
I'm reflecting in this episode after losing a loved one and there are a lot of things in our lives that can be replaced in our lives; but there are some things that can't. Loosing someone is one of them.
If nothing else, this episode is a reminder to tell the ones you love they matter, call them, visit them but make sure they know you care. Because time is the only currency you spend once in this lifetime. Make it count.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Do you remember the first time you learned how to ride a bike? Or really trying anything for the first time? My daughter just learned to ride a bike for the first time this weekend and it reminded me of all of those times I was so close teeter tottering between my fear and the feeling of accomplishment on the other side of it.
How long will you delay that feeling of doing what you thought couldn't be done? How long do you postpone what you're capable of staying stuck in all the reasons why it won't work out?
It's time to get BIG on your life! Stop playing it safe and small. Stop living out of your fears and live out your dreams! Push past those fears and take action.
I can't wait to hear what BIG things you're going to do in your life, because that inspires me to take action to and live out those dreams and opportunities that have been put in my life.
To go back and listen to the "Get Big" episode I mention on this week's podcast, you can go back and listen.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Instead of focusing on what we want to do in life, we should be focusing on how we want to feel. Our lives can change in an instant and it's not going to be our title, our status, or our accomplishments that matter.
They say that in order to be the person you want to become you have to visualize that you are that person. But in order for me to be her, I needed to go back and find her. To find the old version of Bridget that had that spark, those dreams, those unique gifts and things about myself before anyone else told me who I was. Maybe you need to do that too.
I've been working through some journaling exercises lately and writing down the following and breaking into three different columns so that I can dust off the real me.
- What is not bringing you happiness right now?
- How can you incorporate happiness into your current situation?
- What DOES make you happy?
Once you've identified those things, work to filter more happiness over into the things that aren't making you happy. If you're going through life thinking that you don't deserve happiness, you'll never feel like you're worthy of receiving it.
And trust me, you deserve happiness!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
In this episode, we are CELEBRATING!!! This marks the 100th episode of Bloom With Bridget and as I'm pushing play on this milestone, I want to ask you what are you celebrating in this season of life that you're in and I invite you to join me.
Life is meant to be celebrated. Why do we stop celebrating? Why do we stop celebrating other people? And why do we stop celebrating ourselves? Don't get so caught up in all the things and the work you're doing to get "there," that you forget to celebrate "here."
It's so easy to clap for others, but are you clapping for yourself? Are you celebrating all of those steps, that effort, those pivots? Don't discount those special moments, because they all count.
So stop what you're doing right now to celebrate all the things big and small. You're here and that matters. Cheering for you always!
In this episode, I mention a book called How Are You Really, by Jenna Kutcher. It's the question we all need to be asking ourselves and others.
I also mention a practice my family started called Give Me Five to share our daily gratitude around the dinner table. You can go back and listen to that episode here, Seeds of Happiness.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
In this episode, I'm going to let you in on a few sayings and phrases that I am challenging and looking at differently and some I'm removing from my conversations completely.
As we grow and evolve, so do our thought patterns and beliefs, but if we're not building new patterns and thoughts in their place, then we're going to get the same results. So here's what I'm leaving behind as I step into this growth focused version of myself:
- That's just the way that it is..
- That's just the way THEY are...
- If I can just get through this...
- I'll do that when...
These word box you in. They limit you and the ability for others to evolve as well. It prohibits you from creating change and new possibilities.
Don't settle for the way that it is. Don't believe that people can't change. Stop getting through your life waiting for things to get better and don't wait for things to slow down before you take that next step.
Life is meant to be lived. It's meant to be experienced. Ask better questions to get better answers. Don't settle for the same
To develop that figureoutable mindset check out this book Everything Is Figureoutable, by Marie Forleo. I promise you won't be disappointed! It's one of my all-time favorite books. Enjoy!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Have you heard of the term quiet quitting? It's become a practice that is sweeping across corporate America and quite possibly our very own personal lives? Quiet quitting is performing the minimum amount of work possible in your job. It's showing up physically, but not with any effort or desire to take pride in what you're doing.
We've all probably experienced an example of this, but there's also a good chance that we may even find ourselves in this practice...doing the minimum. We've become complacent and comfortable with not putting in a lot of effort. And when we don't show up in our day, we aren't showing up in our life. We are quitting on the dreams and desires to build a beautiful life and settling for mediocre.
If this is you or someone you know, this episode is for you. I hope it lights a fire under you and reminds you that you can't quit. People are counting on you. You are counting on you. We need you to show up and show out.
Don't quit on your dreams. Don't quit on your life. Don't quit on YOU!
Some of the books mentioned on this episode speaking to the 1% er's in life were written by David Nurse and can be found by following these links:
Pivot & Go + Breakthrough
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
We all know what it's like to give the BEST gift and wait in anticipation for the recipient to open it, right?! And, we know what it's like when that gift isn't received.
This episode is a reminder to you to use your gifts and to appreciate the gifts you've been given. I saw a message that said: "Your gifts are God's gift to you. What you do with them is your gift to Him." Let that sink in.
Don't waste your gifts. Don't set them aside thinking they're insignificant or pointless. They matter. They are meant to be shared with those around you. They are meant to honor Him in the things we do. Give someone your gift today. It will bless them and you.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
This is a real, raw episode about my experience of giving up social media during Lent. This episode is really about cultivating your life so that it truly benefits you and the direction you want to go.
This is based off of my experience - it may not be your experience, but hopefully there are some things you can take from today and use as a guide to design better habits and practices that water the right seeds in your garden.
I realized that I was so dependent on my phone and careless with my time when it came to allowing myself to be consumed with social media. After my sabbatical, I came back with a fresh perspective and decided to curate a feed that actually worked for me, not against me. In order to do so, I had to: mute, moderate or move on from certain pages.
In doing so, I've cultivated a social feed where I can feel peace and joy not overwhelm and comparison. If this sounds like something you need in your life right now, tune in and share your feedback with me!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
This episode was inspired by my daughter who painted these words:
Don't let others break you down when you're shining, even if you're the odd one stay like that because it makes you stand out and SHINE!She's been down with two bum legs and has been painting canvases, lots of them. As I was cleaning up one day, I noticed one that caught my eye that had my word of the year on it - SHINE and after she explained to me what it meant, I knew she needed to be the one to come on Bloom and share it with you.
I hope you enjoy!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
It is the first day of SPRING!!! But maybe you feel like you're still stuck in a different season?! I do. I am in a slow season. A season where I've had to step back and reevaluate my priorities and make sure I'm setting myself up for success in order to be ready for the next season ahead.
Join me on today's episode as I talk through how I'm leaning into this slow season and try to understand what it's trying to teach me.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Do you ever ask for something and miss the opportunity it's wrapped in? I do. When I ask for better relationships, more patience with my kids, a deeper faith, I often miss the potential ways to build that. I want immediacy. I don't want to wait for it, I want it now, because there are too many other things I need to be doing right?!
If we want to grow, if we want to more - we have to put in the work. We have to stop seeing our challenges as obstacles and see them as opportunities to grow.
There is no magic wand. The distance between where we are now and where we want to go is called effort. So if you're asking for a change, for more, stop waiting for it to magically happen and look for those opportunities to grow.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
Join me this week as I chat with Krista Clark. Krista is a wife, mom, certified nutritionist, fitness instructor and spray tan artist. With all the things she manages, being in control is often necessary. Lately, she’s finding ways to let go and allow her life to play out with open hands and no blueprint. In doing so, she's making time for herself and those she loves while building a community of people around her who support her.
Tune into this week's episode where she shares how this practice is shaping her life in a brand new way.
Check out the tools she shares in this episode, to help her set the tone for her day that can be found here:
Project YOU, by Redbird Press
The Bloom Deck, by Jessica Boarman
Follow Krista's journey on these platforms:
KC Radiant Health on Instagram
Kpclark30 on Instagram
Krista Clark on Facebook
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
A line from the Declaration of Independence says that as American's we are all given access to..."Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."The pursuit of happiness is a trap. It's something we've all been told and will spend our lives chasing. The pursuit of it becomes unattainable, elusive, far fetched. It becomes something of the future that robs us of enjoying happiness right here in the now.
Join me this week as I share a recap of my top takeaways from the book, The Gap And The Gain, by Ben Hardy and Dan Sullivan. I'll cover the difference between a gap mindset and a gain mindset as outlined in their book.
If it's not already on your TBR list, it will be after you listen!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
"Old flowers bring new seeds." This was Haley Kelly's response to her healing journey. For someone who had dealt with tremendous loss and pain, Haley shares with me how she chose to find peace and purpose in her pain. It wasn't always pretty. It wasn't always easy. But it was always worth it.
Haley is a woman on a mission to spread the love of Jesus and she believes that when God calls you to something - He's is going to see you through it. You can't but help to hear Haley's peace through her words as you listen to her story.
Haley is also an author of a four-week devotional journal, Finding the Normal in the Abnormal and leader of the annual Bruised Warrior Women's retreat in Bowling Green, KY. She's following that fire inside of her and challenges you to do the same.
To hear more of Haley's story, follow along on Instagram at Haley Kelly.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
We’ve all had those moments when we see something go from a vision to reality. It’s pretty incredible isn’t it?
What was once utilized as a switchboard center for Southern Bell phone company back in the early 20's, then nearly condemned is now a thriving event venue and space for people to come together in union on Union Street in Madisonville, KY. This week's guest Gloria's Chilcut has taken her vision for U Creative Space and imagined a place where YOU can come to spark your own creativity.
Join me as I sit down with my one of my dearest friends as she shares how she brought her idea to life to create a space that she had the vision to share where people could come together in union.
To keep up with Gloria and U Creative Space, check out:
ucreativespace.com
U Creative Space on Instagram
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
So I recently did a glam photo session which was way out of my comfort zone. I'm a stand in the back type of girl when it comes to pictures so to be front and center was not my jam. Until I met Melanie.
Melanie Hodskins started a photography business 10 years and has traditionally stuck to maternity and newborn photos, but she decided to stretch herself outside of her comfort zone and try something different without using props to make women feel beautiful in their own skin.
Most often as women, we don't feel comfortable without a baby on our hip, a purse on our shoulder, or our phones in our hand...we cling to things that help cover us up. Who are we detached from all of these things? Without all of these props? But we deserve to see our beauty and document those moments of life and all it's in betweens. Get ready to push play on this episode to feel inspired and beautiful!
To check out Melanie's work or to book your next session, visit:
melaniehodskinsphotography.com
melaniehodskins on Instagram
melaniehodskinsphoto on Facebook
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
In today's episode, I interview Caroline Clark who shares her word of the year and the depth behind it. When she shared her word with me, I was taken aback and curious as to why she chose this word, because let's be honest - it's DEEP!!!
She chose discomfort.
Discomfort. (n). slight pain. mental or physical uneasiness.
Discomfort isn't typically a word that most would seek out to have as a constant reminder about the type of person you want to show up as throughout the year. But Caroline did.
So often, we seek comfort. We seek easy. We don't want to put in the work to see the results. We're afraid to face the unbearable. Join us as she talks through how she plans to use discomfort to propel her growth and being okay with being uncomfortable.
If you connected with this conversation, send it to someone else who needs to hear it or reach out to Caroline on social and tell her thank you.
I appreciate you being here!
Bridget
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
It's a new year and that means it's time for a new word of the year!!! This has become one of my favorite exercises because it has shaped me in so many ways over the past few years. If you're not familiar with it, I get it - it can seem a little woo woo. But I'm here to tell you, it's powerful. And if you're open to it - it can really transform your year and quite possibly your life!
The first time I chose a word of the year in 2021, my word was BLOOM and you all know how that turned out! It became a part of my life in so many ways. It molded and shaped me and continues to do so even today. I mean, this very podcast and the Bloom Box are all thanks to that one tiny little word!
Last year, my word was DELIGHT. And delight I did. But I don't think I would have been able to enjoy and fully soak up all delight had to offer had I not experienced bloom. My words that I have chosen have set the tone. They've been the foundation for the following year and have prepared me for the next season. Had I not experienced them in the order in which I did, I don't think it would have been as meaningful. And I feel the same about my word for this year.
My word of the year for 2023 is SHINE! I want to shine so that others can see the light of Christ in me. It's not for my personal attention, it's to point to Him. I believe that I have been given this gift, this platform this voice to do something good. So here I am. You might need to pull out some sunglasses, it's about to get bright in here!!
I'm giving you a throwback song that will be my anthem this year as I stay rooted in my word, Shine, by Collective Soul There's a verse in the song that says, teach me how to speak, teach me how to share. That's what Bloom is about. That is why I'm here. To teach and share. Through this podcast and through the Bloom Box, I want to build something bigger than myself. I want to plant seeds that will someday water a garden so beautiful with wildflowers galore!
And I'm so grateful you're here on this journey with me.
If you're unsure where to start, a good resource to guide you through the word of the year process is, One Word That Will Change Your Life.
If you're interested in snagging a word of the year bracelet, here a few gals that can hook you up!
Jackie Blue Handmade
Hampton & Co. Designs
Happy New Year my friends!
XO,
Bridget
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
When you're looking at the end of 2023, what does your life look like? As you get ready to set your goals and intentions for the upcoming year, I want you to set some different goals. Instead of thinking about what you want to accomplish, I want you to think about who you want to become.
Don't rush through your dreams as a checklist. As you're working toward building yourself, let your dreams be the bricks that build the person you want to become.
As you're building out this next year, ask yourself these questions and reflect:
- Where did you see growth and where did you not? What surprises happened along the way?
- What did you accomplish? Give gratitude for all that you've been able to do and where you are in the growth process.
- What lights you up? What do you gravitate towards? If time, money or access to resources was unlimited and nothing could hold you back- what would your life look like?
- Are your goals for you? Or, are you making them mirror someone else's? Your goals and dreams won't look like anyone else's. What do YOU want?
- Who's surrounding you? Think about the people in your life. Are those individuals conducive or counter to your growth? Are they building you up or are they holding you back? Those people beside us and the environment that you are a part of impact who you become or who you don't become. In addition to whose beside you, who is in front of you? Who can be a mentor to you that can help guide you in the direction that you're going?
- Think about your time. Your growth is going to cost you. You have to be disciplined if you want to make progress. Your time has to be intentional, it can't be wasted if you want to build.
2023 is going to be a great year. I feel it for you. Now, let's get started!
XO,
Bridget
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
We are in the season of Advent. A season of waiting. And as I'm reflecting on the anticipation of the birth of Jesus, I'm also reflecting on what I'm waiting on and how I respond during those seasons.
All of us are waiting on something and we all experience seasons of waiting. And [insert the Jeopardy theme here] but it can feel like FOREVER when you're waiting. It can feel anxious, it can feel confusing, it can feel scary and we can feel empty. Waiting is hard. And I think it's even harder today, because we have been conditioned to want it now. We want it yesterday. So waiting can feel like an eternity.
When viewed this way, we often miss the lesson during these periods of waiting. It's in those moments that we are being strengthened. That our roots are being deepened and built. We can't rush the process, but we try everything in our power to do so. Waiting seasons teach us something. They are preparing you for the next. So don't rush them, seek out what you can gain from these waiting periods rather than feeling weighed down by them.
In addition to learning from them, know that instead of waiting "for," we can wait "with." We don't have to wait and it be empty, we can lean on others, we can lean on our faith and not go at it alone. And that feels a lot better than doing it by yourself.
Whatever you're waiting on, know that you're not alone. Know that there is a lesson to be learned. Slow down and look for it. And in that, you just might find your answer.
As promised, here is my recipe for streak free floors!
Go Clean Co. Floor Cleaning Solution
1 gallon of hot water
1/3 cup of bleach
1/4 tsp of powdered tide
You're welcome!
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
As we enter into this holiday season, we need to remember that we get to decide what that looks like. It doesn’t have to be stressful or fast, it can be joyful and enjoyable.
This week, I share some practical ways to keep you in the moment this holiday season so you can make the most of it to take you from overwhelmed to overjoyed. I hope you enjoy!
Be sure to follow @bloomwithbridget on Instagram for more!
www.bloomwithbridget.com
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.
Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!
To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.
The good ones are always dirty. That's how you know they've been used.
I said this to a friend who was sharing a favorite recipe with me for my Thanksgiving contribution dish and not only is it true about recipes, it's true about our life.
But so often, we shy away from the dirty. We hide our messy. We apologize for it. But what if instead of feeling embarrassed about it, we embraced it? In this episode, I'm going to encourage you to look for ways to not be afraid of the mess as we are about to head into this Christmas Season. It looks different to think about doing something and actually doing it. Don't be worried about rolling up your sleeves and getting dirty for the benefit of someone else. Take action to seek out opportunities to serve.
For all of you orange juice cake fans, here's the recipe:
Orange Juice Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 large box vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of oil
Beat ingredients together and baked in a greased bundt pan at 350 degrees for 30-45 min. Remove from oven and poke holes throughout cake with a fork for icing to seep in.
Icing
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of orange juice
Boil 2-3 minutes and pour over cake. and let sit and cool before serving. Enjoy!
Being grateful and thankful isn’t something we feel all the time. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that we are making a difference. We need to be reminded that what we do matters. That it’s important to continue to show up, even when it feels like no one is watching. That we are loved even when we feel lonely. And that this world is brighter, because we’re in it.
What are you collecting in life that reminds you of your blessings? When I need to be reminded. I go to my thankful drawer. It's full of notes, letters, drawings and words of encouragement that remind me that this work is important.
Tune in to hear more.
Share your favorite gratitude practices with me @bloomwithbridget on Instagram and don't forget about the November Gratitude Challenge on social too!
I'm so grateful you're here!
Bridget
Fall is a great reminder to let go. As the leaves fall this time of year, take time to think about some of those things you can shed and say "no" to in order to make room for more of the things that bring you joy and fill you up. This can be people, places or things.
In this episode, I'm going through my list of "NO"vember and also sharing a few of the things I'm saying yes to. Take time this week to jot down your thoughts as we go into the last two months of the year. Think about what a difference this could make and help to set you up for success going into the new year.
I hope you enjoy!
~ Bridget
If you haven't already, head on over to bloomwithbridget on Instagram to check out the gratitude challenge this month.
I have also added a submission form on my website podcast page for you to submit feedback and share content ideas of what you want to hear more about as well as speakers you think would be great guests on the show. So please share your thoughts!
It’s Halloween and in this week's episode, it’s all about the different masks we wear. The ones that mask our feelings, our personality and our own self image. When we pretend to be something that we’re not, we cover up our best parts.
Only you can be the main character of your life. No one else can dress the part but you. It’s time to remove those masks that hide the light that shines within us.
Don't forget to head on over to bloomwithbridget on Instagram to enter the Bloom Box giveaway! Drawing ends 11/1, good luck!
I mentioned The Growth Deck by my good friend Jessica Boarman, you can snag yours here on her site jessicaboarman.com/shop
Or, to snag your very own, you may do so at bloomwithbridget.com
How much time, energy and effort do we put into running someone else's race rather than our own? For me, it's more than I'd like to admit.
We think we should be going at a faster pace or the same distance that someone else is going because that's what they're doing. That's not always true.
We are called to run the race marked for us. Our race. Not anyone else's. For me, I don't always do this because I'm trying to make up for what I'm lacking. But what if it's in those weaknesses of our own, that those are really opportunities to grow closer and depend on God? You know, the one who actually mapped out our course and knows exactly the race, the pace we should be running?!
Instead, think about shifting your mindset to focus straight ahead. Not who's heels your chasing or who is running close behind you, but ahead to your race. No one else's.
This life isn't a competitive sport. It's a solo sport and there's only your race to run.
bloomwithbridget.com
bloomwithbridget on Instagram
Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown referenced in this episode.
Authentic: Of undisputed origin; genuine. adjective.Being authentic means being true to who you are. Not wavering your truths, core beliefs or mindset. Not allowing the influence of others, your environment or society to shape you into something you're not.
In this episode, I talk through the thought behind trying to chase a better version of ourselves and how this competes with authenticity. How it can become this elusive thought of being never enough and diminishes where we are at the present moment.
When we allow ourselves to be authentic, we become free. Free from striving. Free from performing. Free from pleasing and perfecting. We allow ourselves to just be who we were designed to be.
In pursuit of trying to better myself, sometimes I forget that I’m already good. That where I'm at, is where I'm supposed to be so that I can gather the tools necessary to equip me for the upcoming season.
We forget to take in those gorgeous views at the top of that mountain and give gratitude for the hard work and effort that got us there before we walk down and prepare for the next summit.
Stop trying to chase a version of “best.” Trust the process and know that what God has in store for you is above what we or anyone else says it is. So, the pressure is off. You don't have to chase the next version of yourself, you can enjoy freedom right where you are and experience the joy of being authentic.
www.bloomwithbridget.com
Knowledge is power. But without action, it's wasted. If we just absorb what we hear and do nothing with it, what good is it doing us or those around us if we're not applying it and sharing it?
This week's episode is to encourage you to be someone who takes that knowledge to the next level. You may not be the smartest person in the room, but by diving in, figuring things out and gaining experience, you are becoming an expert.
You are an investment that is worth being cultivated, stretched and grown. Take time to apply what you are learning. Put it to use and make it work for you.
Be a doer. Make knowledge work for you.
www.bloomwithbridget.com
Until we understand what we're trading our life for, we don't understand what we're trading our time for. What are you trading your time for?
Time is valuable, but are you placing value and priority on the time you have making the most of it? If not, let's dive into this episode to and start making your time work with you, not against you.
How we spend our days is how we spend our life. Don't waste your time. Make each day count, make each moment count.
For more growth in between epsisodes, head over to bloomwithbridget on Instagram or bloomwithbridget.com
XO,
Bridget
What if. Two words that can bring two very opposite results. What if it changes everything? But what if it does?
Our thoughts are the water to the seeds that we're planting. If we water them with doubt and fear, it will not take root and grow. But if we water them with hope, faith and possibility - good things will grow. What are you watering your thoughts with?
It's time to change the soundtrack that's on repeat in your mind and replace it with a new script. We all have a choice to choose how we are going to view things. Times of limitations are oftentimes the breeding ground for breakthroughs. Your situation is what it is. But it's what you do next that matters most.
How will you use your circumstance as an opportunity for more? As a man thinketh, so he is. Think what you want to become.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, hop on over to bloomwithbridget on Instagram or my website bloomwithbridget.com.
The Bloom Box is LIVE!!! Check it out and order yours today at bloomwithbridget.com/bloom-box
See You Soon!
XO,
Bridget
This darn cold still has me grounded but I wanted to show up for you guys this week and share with you some of the lessons being grounded has taught me.
- Your to-do list can wait. It's not that important.
- Let others help. Don't rob them of the ability to serve.
- Know your limits. Pay attention to those signs that you're doing too much.
- Give yourself some grace.
Every circumstance can teach us something. Use this as advice when you're sick, overworked, over committed and over whelmed. It can wait. Taking care of yourself is what's most important. Not only that, it's vital!
Take Care,
Bridget
Visit my website or follow me on Instagram @bloomwithbridget
I am under the weather this week, so my husband and oldest are taking over the podcast!
I hope you enjoy hearing them share stories and laughs about me and catch a glimpse at real life to know just how lucky I am to call them mine!
XO,
Bridget
www.bloomwithbridget.com
bloomwithbridget on Instagram
Today, I'm going to tell you a story about my very first bloom box. It was a gift given to me last Christmas and it is one I will treasure forever. It was validation and support for my dream and it was thoughtful and intentional in all the best ways.
This episode is about thinking bigger, dreaming bigger and letting go of what YOU think it can be and leaning into what HE can allow it to be. We all have limitations, but when we let go of our expectations and allow God to work through us, it will be fruitful.
This episode is also about celebrating. Celebrating the highs and celebrating the low's. It's about experiencing the 1's in order to be grateful for the 10's. I'm thankful for my 1's, 2's and 3's, because when that 10 comes - it's pretty darn special.
Bloom is a 10. It hasn't always been easy, but it's always been worth it.
I hope you enjoy this episode!
Be sure to follow along on Instagram at bloomwithbridget and on my website bloomwithbridget.com for all of the details about the first launch box! I can't wait for you to get your hands on it!
XO,
Bridget
What would you do with an idea? Would you hide it or would you grow it? Well, I decided to grow my idea and on this episode, I FINALLY share with you what I've been working on!
It's been a long time coming, but in the process, I've learned so much. I've stretched muscles I didn't even know I had and figured it out along the way, but I've been able to use this experience to develop who I am becoming.
Visit my new website to access my podcast episodes, learn more about my idea and go deeper into my story.
I can't wait for you to listen to this one!
XO,
Bridget
Have you ever played the game Two Truths and a Lie? It's hard to tell the truth from the lies sometimes. Well this episode is about cutting through those lies that are keeping you small and telling them to get gone! It's going to motivate you to take action on your dreams because if they are in you, they are for you!
I hope this episode ignites a fire within you to go after that thing you've had on your heart. I hope you quit listening to the lies that you're not good enough, smart enough, capable or ready and know that YOU ARE QUALIFIED!
XO,
Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
It's always you vs. you. Your race at your pace. Yet, it's so easy to compare and compete with everyone around us; to feel like we're not qualified or under equipped. Like anything new, the growth happens in the process, by putting in the time learning and figuring things out. Every new experience is an opportunity to go beyond where we are presently.
So how do we recognize that this journey we're on is not a sprint, but a marathon? When we speed through the process and spend it measuring up to others, we rob ourselves of the joy of the journey and the pride that comes from all of our hard work.
As you listen, think about your journey and who you're becoming. When you find yourself falling into the comparison trap, remember - this is your race at your pace. Be grateful for the growth ahead and the growth you've seen behind you. Each step is putting you one step closer to where you're meant to be. Be so grateful for that!
XO,
Bridget
To bloom in between episodes, check out @liveyourlifeinbloom
Are you a yesser? Someone who says yes to it all, overcommits and spreads themselves too thin? This is typically my style. But I'm working through learning how to say no more to the things that don't align with who I want to become and where I want to be and those things that keep me from the people I love most.
Too often, the word "no" carries a negative connotation. But "no" can be a beautiful thing. It can bring peace, freedom and joy. It's ok to say, no. When we become so aligned with where we want to go in life, we must learn to use the word no so that we can make room for the right yeses when the come along. When we overstuff our lives with the wrong things - it doesn't produce more results, it just produces more stuff. And sometimes that "stuff" is heavy and weighs us down.
We've all heard the saying - "Show me how you spend your time and I'll show you your priorities." Are you going all in on this one life you've got? Or, are you spinning on the hamster wheel of life going round and round? It's time to say no to the wrong things and start prioritizing your yeses so you can make room for the right things.
XO,
Bridget
https://www.instagram.com/liveyourlifeinbloom
Texting is the norm. It's how we work, live and play. But is it hindering communication in a way that's keeping us from having good conversations? I think so. The average person sends anywhere from 20-60 texts per day. No wonder we're distracted all the time.
This weeks episode was inspired by a friend who called me out of the blue and it made me think about how little time I spend actually talking on the phone and how I have replaced that with texting.
So it's time to find other alternatives to keep communication fresh. Mix it up! Send a voice text, FaceTime or send a video recording of you singing Happy Birthday. There are lots of options. It's time to start making technology work for you, not the other way around!
Here are some helpful tips on how to take charge of messages and notifications:
- Set A Focus Time
- Turn Off Notifications
- Don't Reach For Your Phone When You Wake Up
- Don't Go To Bed With Your Phone
- Pay Attention To What's In Front Of You
Texting is good for certain things, but there are many other things so much better than a text. This week, get creative with your communication skills. You just might find out that you've missed the days of chatting on the phone.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, hop on over to @liveyourlifeinbloom and share what spoke to you in this episode or other tips and trips you can share.
For a good laugh, check out this video 17 year olds dial a rotary phone
XO,
Bridget
One of my favorite vacation bible school songs growing up was, "Deep and Wide." And now you can all thank me for getting it stuck in your head!
In this episode, I break down the steps I'm navigating coming off of isolation from a pandemic and how that has affected my relationships. I am choosing to be intentional and eliminate small talk in order to fill the awkward silence.
I want deep. I want meaningful. I want real. And I bet you do too. Walk with me through this episode while I share nuggets from a recent book that speaks to finding your people in a time where distance demanded and connection was lost.
To find your copy of the book, Find Your People and the book club kit and all things related, go to Jennieallen.com
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, hop on over to Liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram.
XO,
Bridget
Welcome back to Bloom with Bridget! In this week's episode, I wanted to let you all in on a real time experience and walk you through navigating a recent circumstance where things didn't go as planned for me and my family while on vacation.
From sick kiddos that forced us to extend our stay, to flat tires and ending up having the gas station experience of a lifetime, I walk you through how to shift negative energy to a posture of gratitude and find some joy along the way.
Even in the storms, you can still spot the rainbow if you're looking for it.
Tune in and enjoy!
Bridget
To bloom in between episodes, hop on over to @liveyourlifeinbloom
I'm a week late posting, but the message is still relevant.
Today, it seems that we are more divided than ever before. We are living is times of hatred and outrage that spurs so quickly. Times where we're forced to pick a side rather than listen to understand. Regardless of which side you're on, what your beliefs are, I hope you are reminded by these words as you listen to today's episode to be kind.
Be kind because someone voices a different opinion than yours or stands up for something you disagree with, it doesn't mean they become your enemy. At the end of the day, we can choose to believe what we believe to be the truth AND, we can also choose to be kind and show respect to others who think, act and look differently than we do.
I have respect for those who stand up for what they believe is right and I want my girls to do the same. But when it's done out of proving a point or out of anger, it's not going to unite anyone towards a common goal. It's only going to divide.
People can be hurtful. But I believe that most want to do good. They want to show kindness and be open minded. Look for someone on your path this week that you can show kindness too. Remember, if you want to make waves, it starts with a ripple. It starts small and grows. Let's sow seeds of kindness wherever we go.
I hope you enjoy today's episode,
Bridget
To bloom in between episodes, check out @liveyourlifeinbloom
If you're feeling depleted, exhausted and ragged, this episode will show you how to put a little more joy back in your day. Intentionally!
Do you have a joy list? If not, you will after today. A joy list is simply that - a list that you've identified all of the things that bring you joy. Once you have your list ready, we're going to put it into action and put it on your calendar.
You get one shot at this life. Make sure you're making the most of it and take control of what's getting your time and attention.
When we fill our days with the things that make us happy and bring us joy, we often find that our work, our relationships, our outlook in general is more meaningful.
So to start, I want you to listen to this episode and make a joy list. And that will consist of all the things that bring you joy. Whether that's a certain place, certian people or certain experience.
Once you have your list, I want to task you with being intentional about adding these things to your calendar. By making it common practice to add more joy to your day, your days get better, which means your weeks get better and soon your months and your years follow.
You've got one shot at this beautiful life. Make your today's count and your tomorrow's will thank you.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow me at @liveyourlifeinbloom
See you next week!
XO,
Bridget
Here's the link to the book I shared. It's a great read with lots of sweetness!
The Lemonade Life
A previous episode on doing a calendar audit that would also be helpful can be found on Bloom With Bridget Episode 36, Where Are You Going
As we get ready to celebrate Father's Day, I want to be honest and say that what is supposed to be a day of celebration is actually a hard day for me and I'm sure many others. It's a day when we celebrate all of the dads and father figures in our lives, but it's one that I can't pick up the phone or stop by for a visit because I lost my dad to cancer 4 years ago.
I don't have any tips or to do's in this episode, but what I do have is honest real conversation about losing someone and how that is a pain that never goes away. And because it never goes away, it is now a part of me; a part of my story.
This episode is intended to let you know that if you've lost someone that's dear to you, you're not alone. This episode is meant to remind to celebrate. Celebrate with those that are still with you and the ones that have gone before you because of the legacy that still lives on today.
This episode is about letting the river lead you, rather than trying to steer the boat. Let it take you where it will and let it heal you in the process.
XO,
- Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
I went antiquing with my husband last week for my birthday and we stumbled across a beautiful piece of furniture that inspired this episode.
The piece was gorgeous and had so much character and so much mystery all at the same time. The store owner knew very little about the piece other than the fact that there wasn't another piece like it. He was right, it was breathtaking.
So I started thinking about this antique in relation to our lives and the stories they tell. What's our story? How do the markings of the past shape who we are today? All of the craftsmanship and time put into creating a piece like this, like us is so unique. When you think about it this way, it's impossible not to be amazed at the level of detail that went into creating who you are today.
All of the circumstances and people placed in our lives shape who we are today. Our past may also shape us, but it doesn't define us. Our lives are living stories. They are all unique and different. We were meant to stand out. We are not an exact replica.
Be so proud of who you are and the story about your life that has been written, because good or bad - it didn't happen to you, it happened FOR YOU for a reason! Don't blend in. Be who you were created to be. I promise, there's no on else like you in the world and that's amazing!!
- XO
Bridget
For more blooms in between episodes, check out @liveyourlifeinbloom
Serendipity (n.) finding something good without looking for it.
To build on last weeks episode of the types of people we need in our life, there are also those people who show up coincidentally, by chance or by happy accident. I believe that there are no accidents but rather something called serendipity. People are placed on our paths to guide us along, push us, encourage us, build us and grow us.
This week, I'm joined by Jessica Boarman, a friend, co-worker and someone who was placed on my path on purpose. In this episode, we chat about how God has used her life through experiences and her blog to touch the lives of others who are experiencing grief and loss among other things. She shares how her hardships have allowed her to connect with others and give them hope. It's the word "serendipity" that has showed up in her life and she knows that her purpose has meaning.
I know you're going to enjoy this one and I hope you, yourself will look for ways to open your hands to receive more of these serendipitous moments and seek opportunity to say yes.
You can find more of Jessica's wisdom at jessicaboarman.com to read her journal entries or follow along on Instagram at The Journals Blog for inspiration and insight.
To hear her speak and many other amazing women at the Fuel Conference in August, get your ticket today!
XO,
Bridget
Liveyourlifeinbloom
I have been blessed to have a lot of amazing people in my life. People that have helped me grow and others that have allowed me to push myself to be the type of person I want to become. Upon reflecting on these individuals, I came up with a top five list of the types of people I need in my life and wanted to share with you. Yours may look completely different than mine, so I encourage you to think about what you need in your life based on the direction you want to go. Here's my 5:
- Faithful Friend
- The Encourager
- Mentor
- Growth Friends
- Lifers
In addition to identifying these, I've got three challenges for you after listening to this episode:
- Think about the types of people you're surrounding yourself with and are these people conducive to your growth?
- Think about how you're showing up for others. Are you being the type of friend to someone else that you expect them to be?
- Thank those people in your life who have impacted you. Be grateful for what they've taught you.
People matter. Let them know!
XO,
Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
Here's a link to snag a copy of Find Your People along with other resources. You'll thank me later!
My girls love to play the game"Would You Rather." Mostly it revolves around something disgusting you have to eat or ridiculous you have to do. I love the way the game challenges you to decide which is the lesser of the two. Do you ever do this with yourself? Are you just being busy or are you actually seeing progress and results?
A rocking horse is moving, but it's not going forward. In this episode, I share some practical tools I use to ensure my work has meaning, purpose and intention. If you're ready to take action and see results, it's time to press play on your progress!
@liveyourlifeinbloom
This episode is a "walk and talk!" I am out on a walk, sharing my thoughts and feelings about the holidays and how we celebrate while having a real conversation with you.
Everyday is a reason to celebrate the special people in our lives. We don't need a holiday as an excuse to celebrate them. My grandmother once said that "Everyday you're here is Mother's Day." She taught me that it's the time we spend together that matters most. More than any card or store bought gift.
Every time you're together, be grateful you're together!
Think about the people around you and reach out to those who are alone who may not have someone to spend the holidays with. Think about those who are hurting that don't have their loved ones with them to celebrate or are waiting to become a mom. You don't have to give birth to have a motherly influence on the children around you.
See everyday as a gift. It's time to give more of our presence rather than making it about "presents." Don't live your life going from one thing to the next thing. Live your life with purpose and intention. Make sure those around you know how much they matter and celebrate them everyday every time you're together!
XO,
Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
It's planting season y'all! We are talking gardening and planting seeds literally and figuratively in our lives. Now that we've finally been able to get our garden in the ground, this episode has me reflecting on last year's harvest and deciding the seeds we plant and the blooms they will produce tomorrow. We've learned a lot and are fine tuning what worked and what didn't.
What type of seeds are you planting? Are they preparing you for a plentiful harvest or are they rotting your soil? This is true in ourselves and in others because the fruit we are producing is indicative of the seeds we are planting.
Your grass is green where you water it. Plant good seeds, grow good fruit. Take time this week to think about what you're planting and all of those beautiful blooms you're going to see!
I can't wait for you to listen!
XO,
Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
"God will either give you what you asked for in prayer, or give you everything you would have asked for if you knew what He knew." ~ Timothy Keller
I had the privilege of interviewing Jakie Smith on this emotional episode of Bloom where she shares her journey with infertility as we enter National Infertility Week, this week.
Jackie shares her desire to start a family reminded her a lot like the Easter season and the time in-between Friday to Sunday, waiting for a miracle. It's a three day story. She speaks the the darkness of the blow that makes you question, "why me?," to the waiting period of what's next and then the joy that comes on Sunday.
Jackie and her husband Zach, have their Sunday. Their family has been blessed with two beautiful girls through the process of egg donation allowing her to carry them on her own.
This is a beautiful story, filled with promise and hope. Thank you for tuning in!
Be sure to download and share this episode, because for every download between now (4/24-5/24) I will donated a dollar per download to Jackie's fundraiser to help another family with infertility expenses. Thank you for your support and for being a part of this amazing community. I'm so grateful for you!
As Jackie mentioned, she has created two beautiful pieces this year for the fundraiser and they can be found on her website so be sure to check them out!
Jackie Blue Handmade
Jackie Blue Handmade on Facebook and Instagram
Be sure to follow along at Live Your Life in Bloom in between episodes.
Don't forget to check out this song, Evidence by Josh Baldwin while you're at it!
XO,
Bridget
Sometimes flowers have to push through a little bit of dirt before they can see the sun. Not every season is going to be bright and blooming. Not every season is going to feel fruitful, but every season has purpose.
If you're feeling like you're in a funk and that the work you're doing doesn't matter or you're getting nowhere, you might be experiencing an “off season.”
An off season is simply another season of being cultivated. It’s a time when we are being prepared for the transformation of blooming. It’s getting us ready for what comes next.
In this episode, I talk about the off season - the season of in between. I'll share five practices that have helped me navigate an off season in real-time in hopes that it will help you as well.
If you're in the midst of an off season, embrace it. This is the time where the real work is being done. Where the development of self is happening. Where the development of habits and routines are being formed, where the development of real growth is taking place. This is a time of focusing inward, instead of outward. Big blooms are coming!
I can't wait for you to listen! Be sure to follow @liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram for more ways to bloom in between episodes.
XO,
Bridget
The Generosity Habit
For better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere.
~ Psalm 84:10
I see you. Three words that can have so much impact. To be seen, known and loved is something we all strive for. It's our validation. To know that we matter. That we are important and what we do matters.
It's acceptance, acknowledgement and approval. We've become so busy and distracted that we no longer take the time to see people and connect.
Our society today is so connected, yet we are so far apart. We don't know how to communicate and interact. We live in the world of "now" where everything is short form and instant. We are missing opportunities to see others, to see ourselves and honor where we are. We're missing opportunities to love on people and let them know we care when everything feels so fast-paced and hurried.
How do you see yourself? How do you see others? Who are you seeking validation from? These are all topics we will dive into today, on this episode.
My hope is that you walk away knowing that you are seen, known and loved. You matter. Your work matters. And you have purpose. No matter what your past looks like or where you've been, no matter if no one is telling you or pays attention - you are seen!
Tell someone today that you see them. You see their effort, you see their progress, you see their heart. And then, look in the mirror and do the same for yourself.
XO,
Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
We are tired. Depleted, exhausted and worn out. We let our days run us rather than the other way around. Society tells us that it's completely normal to go, go, go. The hustle and grind have become a way of life for many. If we have nothing to show for our hard work and achievement, then we won't be accomplished, right?! But, we're tired.
I think we're tired for a few reasons:
- Because we're doing too many things, period. We don't know when to say no. It's time to take down some chairs and make room for more of what matters.
- We're taking on someone else's load. It's not ours to carry. And we haven't sought the wisdom to know the difference between what we've been asked to carry and what someone else has been asked to carry.
- We're prioritizing the wrong things. We've let things of little to no importance fill our lives that we no longer have room for the big things.
What are you giving your time and energy to? Is it the most important things in your life or little things that you have made important things? I want you to live your life out of abundance, not exhaustion and depletion. I want you to create the life you want rather than just allowing life to happen to you.
This week, write down your big rocks, medium rocks and little rocks. What matters most. Put that first, then everything else comes after.
Our wagons don't have to be full. It's time to let go and make room for those big rocks in your life so that you have the capacity and energy to carry the load you were called to carry.
XO,
Bridget
@liveyourlifeinbloom
We can change our clothes, change the color of our hair, change our environment, but why do we hesitate to change our mind? Well this episode is your permission slip to do just that!
We all need to embrace the fact that it's ok to change our mind. Change means progress and growth from the person we were yesterday.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. If we don't change, we run the risk of closing ourselves off from our potential. We close ourselves off from being exposed to new experiences, new people, new ideas, new thoughts and new beliefs.
Don't be afraid to change your mind. Be afraid of staying where you are.
Go live a life that makes you come alive. If you're not there today, what do you need to change to get there?
Keep blooming, keep growing and keep changing!
XO,
Bridget
Live Your Life In Bloom
The words we speak are powerful. They can either build us up or tear us down. Let's choose to speak life into people. Let's use them for good and growth.
I saw something once that said, “Are the power of your words bullets or are they seeds?”
It’s so important to understand the power of our words and be mindful that what comes out of our mouth, has the ability to change someone’s life forever. Either in a positive or a negative way.
I challenge you to rewire those limiting thoughts you have about yourself and maybe those around you and speak life. Let positivity, encouragement, love and light flow from your lips and plant seeds that will bear much fruit tomorrow.
I hope you enjoy!
XO - Bridget
Live Your Life In Bloom
A new season is coming. Spring brings new life, new beginnings and let's not forget change. Before we move on to the next season, let's talk about the current season we're in right now.
Maybe you're in a season of rest this winter. Maybe it's a season of introspect and self reflection. Maybe it's a dark season for you or maybe you're in a season of massive growth. Wherever you are, know that the next season is upon us. And it's about to show us all of it's beautiful blooms.
The old is gone and something new is before us. Right now, you are being prepared for something new. As we move into a new season of the year, of your life, know that the current season you're in right now is building you for something great. Even if it feels like this season is breaking you, growth is still happening. Just because you don't see any blooms, doesn't mean that they aren't there.
Change is beautiful. Are you ready for the next season?!
Let's keep BLOOMING together!
XO,
Bridget
Some good book recommendations mentioned on the show:
When Strivings Cease, by Ruth Chou Simons
Maid, by Stephanie Land
To bloom in between episodes, be sure to hop on over to find me on Instagram @liveyourlifeinbloom
"Sometimes you have to let go of something good, to make way for something great." - Bibs Edge
You GUYS!!! This episode is full of so much goodness and is going to bless you abundantly!
Wrapping up her last semester at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, Bibs Edge joined me on Bloom to talk about finding clarity through navigating big life decisions, next steps and just life direction in general.
Bibs is such a gift and her wisdom is well beyond her years. It's easy to see how she has been able to bless so many lives, including mine.
As we began to talk about some defining moments of clarity in our lives, we share helpful ways we can practice finding clarity intentionally that any listener can apply.
In order to do that, we have to cut out a lot of the noise in our lives. Our own noise in our heads, the noise of others and everyday distractions such as technology and the busyness of life.
Here are some ways we are finding clarity:
- Go to prayer - ask Him to guide you
- Get silent and be still - cut out distractions
- Ask yourself what do you want? What do you need in that moment?
- Connect your heart to your gut - what are they telling you?
- Have the courage to act - don't just listen, be a doer
- Get an action plan. Break down the project into bite-sized tasks
- Question your "nevers" - those things that you think you will never do
With clarity comes peace. Bib's best advice is to ask God to "give me the grace to see and the courage to act." Sometimes it's the action that leads the way to the next right step.
There are so many moments of growth in this episode. I can't wait for you to tune in and apply these practices of seeking clarity in your life.
Liveyourlifeinbloom
As we wrap up the final episode in the love series for the month of February, we are ending on a high note!
February 28th marks the one year anniversary of Bloom With Bridget and you guys - I am so full of gratitude to have been journeying with you for this past year! What an amazing growth experience it has been for me and I hope it has been for you also. Thank you for tuning in and sharing, my heart could explode right now with so much love and gratitude!!
I started the month off with ways we can love ourselves, love and relationships, loving others well and this episode is centered around loving your life - right here, right now, exactly where you are.
We spend a lot of time planning and deciding what we want our life to look like and sometimes, we forget to live in the moment and enjoy today. Don't wait until you retire, have more money, aren't as busy or when the kids are grown. Do it today. Enjoy today. Bloom where you are physically planted and be intentional about what's right in front of you.
You can have adventure now. You can celebrate something everyday. Don't put off living your life because you're waiting for someday. Live for today!
For ways to bloom in between episodes, hop on over to Live Your Life In Bloom.
All we need is love. We were created for it. We are wired for it. We weren't meant to be alone. We are built for community. We live in a world today that is so connected, but yet we feel so disconnected. In a time when technology has the ability to bring anyone together from all over the world, we find ourselves apart.
We are called to do two things: love God and love people. Everything we do should be done out of love. Love is not something that we say, it's something that we do. It's action. And we can have big impact through small acts of love. We don't have to go across the country to show love, we can go across the street!
It's easy to love those close to you - your family, your friends, those you interact with everyday. But are you stepping outside of your circle to love others? What about those you avoid or even those that hurt you?
As you listen to this episode, I want you to think about these things:
- How do you define love? How would you describe it?
- How do love others today?
- How can you love more intentionally?
I hope this episode inspires you to take love with you wherever you go and look for ways to put on love and wear it like it's your favorite accessory.
Go out and love others well and put a little gold in someones heart today and everyday.
You can find the An Audience Of One episode where I talk about the Japanese art process of repairing broken cracks in pottery with gold.
For more ways to bloom, follow me @liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram.
https://bloomwithbridget.buzzsprout.com
First comes love, then comes marriage...
I'm joined by my husband, Jacob on Valentine's Day as we talk about our love story. We share some highs and lows of our relationship and give you a peek into real life. This is a raw and real conversation about where we've been and what we've learned along the way. Our relationship has been a constant pivot since day one, but we've learned to adjust and lean into where it's taking us and find adventure.
We talk communication and its role in a relationship, setting a foundation of trust and some fun things in between. There are guaranteed to be a few laughs and maybe some things you didn't know about us. Most importantly, we hope you're able to take something away from our story and see that relationships don't work unless you work them.
I hope you enjoy!
XO - Bridget
Check out the Love The One You're With Challenge that Jacob and I put together for you over on Instagram at liveyourlifeinbloom
To kick off the month of February, I wanted to do a four part series on LOVE. This will be the first and it's focused on loving ourselves - because in order to love others well, we have to start with ourselves first!
On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love yourself? I would guess that we all have some work to do, myself included! We have a tendency to celebrate everyone around us, even complete strangers, but yet don't even celebrate ourselves.
That's why you need a high five! I read a book last year called The High 5 Habit, by Mel Robbins. This was one of my favorite books of 2021 because it allowed me to build upon the relationship I had with myself first and foremost.
Centered around a daily habit of high-fiving yourself in the mirror, it shows you that a simple act can create a big impact when it comes to loving yourself, celebrating yourself and telling yourself I see you and I'm proud of you. You are safe. You are loved.
We need that. We need to look ourselves in the eye and say - YOU'RE AMAZING!
When we start showing up for ourselves in this way it not only sets the tone for how we talk to ourselves, but it also tells others how we expect to be treated.
High fiving yourself in the mirror sounds silly. It's a little awkward at first, but once you lean into it and really give it a go - it has the ability to open your heart in such a way that allows you to truly see how the creator designed you. Flawlessly. Made in His image on purpose - for a purpose!
So the next time you walk past a mirror, put a hand up and tell yourself how much you love YOU!
Be sure to hop on over to my instagram page @liveyourlifeinbloom for a self love challenge this week.
XO -
Bridget
I'm joined by MK + Maria with the Girl Water Your Grass podcast in today's episode of Bloom With Bridget as we continue Part II of the conversation on our words of the year and discuss what we've chosen for 2022.
Building on the foundation from last year, we are continuing to enhance what's already there. Take a listen as all three of us dive into detail about our intentions and what's in store for the new year.
We encourage you to invite the Lord to speak to you to understand where He's guiding you. When we simplify our lives, we find delight and He will find a way to open your heart.Be sure to listen to the Girl Water your Grass podcast. So much truth and wisdom in each episode!
I hope you enjoy,
- XO Bridget
Live Your Life In Bloom
Find Girl Water Your Grass!
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BONUS: I was a guest on the Girl Water Your Grass podcast a few weeks back and wanted to share the recording of the episode with you because next week, they will join me on Bloom! If you haven't already listened - tune in now so that you can catch up before next week!
If you don't follow them on Instagram - check them out here Girl Water Your Grass
Words of the year recap!
Today we have Bridget Reid, founder of Bloom with Bridget podcast and all things BLOOM!, back on the podcast to discuss our words of the year for 2021. Bridget's word for 2021 was "Bloom" and we have never seen a word come to so much fruition as hers did this past year! MK discusses how "Limitless" played out this year and Maria brings "Miracles" all the way home. Join us as we discuss how a word of the year can bring intention and such meaning and depth to your life.
We encourage you to really think before just picking a word, and to actually pick a word for 2022. Our suggestion is to get quiet, and journal and ask the Lord HIS plan for you and your life in 2022. Bridget has some great feedback from "One Word That Will Change Your Life" by Jon Gordon. He recommends asking 3 questions for your word of the year:
1 - What do you need? What areas in your life need to change
2 - What's in your way?
3 - What do you need to let go of?
Join us as we discuss how living life intentionally can change your life. And remember, when you WATER YOUR GRASS, you will BLOOM where you're planted!
Connect with Bridget:
@liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram
Bloom with Bridget Podcast:
Bloom With Bridget on Apple Podcasts
You are a person of influence. I am a person of influence. And it doesn't take being verified on social media to prove you're an influencer, it only takes one person. We can get so hung up on the fact that what we say and do doesn't matter because no one is watching. I promise, people are watching and it's typically those that are closest to us that see.
In today's episode, I share two examples that reminded me that what I'm doing - my girls are seeing. They see me taking action and it's inspiring them to take action. As a parent, I can't think of a better compliment than when your child honors you by following your ways.
This episode isn't meant to tell you I've got it all figured out or that my kids are perfect. It's meant to bring awareness to these moments so we can celebrate and appreciate them more often.
So think about who you're surrounded by. What influence are those people having on you? What influence are you having on them? What do you want to leave others with? You have influence. Now go out there and plant seeds of influence that will impact the lives of others for years to come!
XO - Bridget
Live Your Life In Bloom
My junk email needs some attention. I need to unsubscribe from several senders that fill up my inbox with coupons, the latest news and how I've been chosen if I "only complete this survey." No thank you! Instead of unsubscribing and removing it, I let it pile up.
Like my inbox, our lives may be full of unnecessary clutter that's weighing us down and keeping us from performing at our best. In this episode, I share some of the things I'm unsubscribing from in life in order to continue to keep my soil fertile so that my roots are free of distractions in order for growth to take place.
This year I'm making a conscious effort to clean up and let go of what's not serving me. Maybe you need to do the same. If so, this episode should help you think about some areas of your life that you need to unsubscribe from.
Here are some of the books and podcasts I mentioned in the show:
Gettin' (Un) Busy, By Garland Vance
Atlas Of The Heart, By Brene Brown
The Girl Water Your Grass Podcast The Joy Of Missing Out
Bloom With Bridget Podcast Get Big
I hope you enjoy and thank you for being here.
Keep BLOOMING!
XO - Bridget
Live Your Life In Bloom
A new year is here and that means a new word! My word of the year for 2021 showed up in a BIG way!!! It's what this podcast is all about! Every area of my life bloomed and I am so grateful to be on this bloom journey and be able to share it with you.
With a new year comes big goals and resolutions. Oftentimes, in the process of trying to get better, we forget who we're trying to become. As you're thinking about your New Year's resolutions, think about who you want to become in the process more so than the tasks it will take to get you there.
One of the sweetest people I know, Kirby Green encouraged me to read the book One Word That Will Change Your Life, by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. In the book, it talks about three practices that will help you discover your "one word" for the year:
- Look Inward
- Look Up
- Look Out to Live It
As I was reflecting on what my word would be for 22', I knew I wanted to build on Bloom and continue down the path I was headed, but more. That's when DELIGHT found me. Delight to me, is about appreciating ALL moments - big and small, and being able to appreciate all of it. It's about soaking up the experience rather than checking it off my list. I want to take this entire year to feel delight and commit many moments to my long term memory bank.
Choosing a word of the year and committing to living it out will reap lots of fruit this upcoming year. Are you ready to give it a try?
I want to hear your word! Be sure to tag me at Live Your Life In Bloom so I can help you keep your word top of mind. Let's do this 2022!
Keep BLOOMING my friend,
XO - Bridget
The queen of routine is back this week, as I chat with Jennifer Keller about her recent launch of Project YOU.
Jennifer joined me on an earlier episode where she talked about the benefits of forming habits and routines in order to establish the best version of yourself. Since then, she's taken action to put together a guide that walks you through some of the proven practices that she's followed so that you can develop the rhythm that can ultimately become your life.
In this episode, Jennifer walks you through her 90-day guide and how she uses it along with the story of how it came to be. She also shares the impact it's making inside and outside of her home.
There's never been a better time to invest in yourself than today, but as we lead up into a new year, you'll want to get your hands on a copy. To learn more about Project YOU and purchase, visit www.redbirdpress.net or on Instagram at Red Bird Press
Live Your Life In Bloom
As we get ready to ring in a new year, I wanted to reflect on 2021 as you begin to set your intentions for the upcoming year in order to set yourself up for a year of success. I frequently pull out my intentions for the year and have a self audit to check my progress. There are many things on my list that I accomplished, there are some still in progress and there are others that did not happen. And that's ok, because this is a process. It's a continuation of who I want to be each and every day, not a destination. We never arrive, this is a lifelong journey of blooming.
In this episode, I reflect on three things to help you evaluate your past, identify where you are currently and help set your sights on the best version of yourself in the future. I personally share some of my goals and intentions to give you some insight as to what I'm working on. My goals and dreams will be different than yours, but I hope this gives you some direction and thoughts on how to get started and getting started is the first step!
As you're looking ahead to another year of growth, let's focus on the following as it applies to you:
- Where Have You Been
- Where Are You Now
- Where Are You Going
Once you've mapped this out, you can feel good going into another year with intention and purpose.
I want to hear from you! Share your progress and intentions with me for the year ahead and I'll help hold you accountable. Tag me or message me at Live Your Life In Bloom on Instagram so we can encourage each other. That's what community is all about. We are on this journey together and know that I'm proud of how far you've come and I'm excited about where you are going!
Discovering your purpose | Part II, this time it's geared toward helping tomorrow's generation find their purpose and calling now and discovering their talents and gifts today!
At a very young age, we hear two lies:
- You can be anything you want to be in life
- You will never be good enough and won't amount to anything
Nothing could be farther from the truth. We can be a lot of things and we are all enough, but if we want to live a life of fulfillment and thrive - we can't be anything we want, but rather all that we are.
When we're trying to be something that we're not, we will end up unhappy, empty and lost.
Whether you have children or not, you have someone that looks up to you for guidance. As adults, how incredible is it that we can all do our part to help shape their minds and hearts to live out their calling by raising tomorrow.
Get curious, observe your child's strengths and what they're drawn to and where their passions lie so you can help guide them into not what they are meant to be, but WHO they are meant to be.
I hope you enjoy today's episode. Now, let's start cultivating tomorrow!
Liveyourlifeinbloom
We were created on purpose for a purpose. But do you know what your purpose is? I didn't. I thought I did, but I found myself in the midst of an identity crisis as I began to bloom in my calling. At times I felt myself in a tug of war because my identity was tied up in what I did not necessarily who I was.
In this episode, I share some helpful questions that I asked myself to help unearth what my true calling was that will help you discover where your passion lies and how you can incorporate more of that into what you do.
I've learned along the way, that my purpose is simple and it can be fulfilled in numerous different ways that make up who I am. And I don't have to be just one thing. I can and am - many things.
At the root of what you do and what you are is who you were called to be. When your purpose matches who you are and your work has purpose and meaning - that's when you become limitless. So go be it. We need you, just the way you are because you were created on purpose for a purpose!
Gratitude turns what we have into enough. It turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. If you're looking to bring more appreciation into the everyday, this episode is for you! In it, I share a few of my own gratitude practices to help you get started. Gratitude is something that has drastically changed my perspective, my mindset and my mood. It taught me to see each day as an opportunity to find the good in all things.
When we start to show appreciation for all things, even the small things, we open our hearts to appreciate and enjoy the big things when they come along seeing what's around us and what we've been given as a gift.
I challenge you to start incorporating gratitude into your everyday. It can be as simple as writing down 5 things each day that you're grateful for. For the month of November, I've posted a 30-day Gratitude Challenge on my instagram page @liveyourlifeinbloom, be sure to hop on over and check it out so you can be intentional with gratitude in this season of thanks.
Some of my favorite go-to gratitude journals are:
Moments of Gratitude
Lined Journal Black Hearts
If you missed the episode where I talked about incorporating "Give Me Five" with my family, it can be found here Seeds of Happiness .
Know that I'm so grateful for you!
XO - Bridget
I had the privilege of talking with my friend Sara Aud. Sara is a wife, mother of 4, lover of food and in this episode, she shares her birth story and journey through the darkness of infant loss and infertility. She opens up from the depths of her heart and shares what she walked through after the loss of her first daughter, Emelia Claire and how she has now found light after loss.
If you've dealt with loss of any kind, you know that the hurt, the pain, the sorrow never goes away, but as Sara shares, with God's promise, we get to grieve in hope. Our hearts grow around that grief and we will always carry it. Sara's story is proof that the longevity of loss is real, but we can learn to live beyond our circumstance and carry on.
Sara is such a gift and I encourage you to learn more about her story and journey. You can find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sweetemelia/ or read her blog at
https://sweetemelia.wordpress.com
If this episode has touched you and you know someone that can benefit from Sara's story, share it with them so they can heal and know they are not alone.
John 16:22
So with you: now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no-one will take away your joy.
Continue to look for things that bring you happiness. - XO
Live Your Life in Bloom
Are you shrinking to fit into places you’ve outgrown? If so, this episode is for you and it's time to GET BIG!
Nothing big ever happens by staying small. Too often we shrink ourselves to fit other people. Are you not showing up authentically in order to make someone else feel better about who they are?
What would happen if you didn’t shrink and GOT BIG and showed everyone who you truly are? If you're keeping yourself small, then keep listening!
We need you grow and bloom and take up space. To follow your dreams and stand up for what’s right and be unapologetically YOU! Get BIG. Tell yourself you’re done shrinking. Stop allowing others to keep you small. Show up just as you are, because you are are amazing. Keep on blooming!
Live Your Life In Bloom
Our garden has produced all that it's going to produce this year and we are so grateful for the food it gave us and the lessons it taught us. As a new season is upon us - and with a new season, we say goodbye to the previous. As we are preparing our garden for next year, I'm reminded that like our garden, we too need to prepare ourselves for the next season.
Fall is one of my favorite times of year because the weather is perfect and the colors of the season make me really appreciate God’s beauty. But like our garden, the beauty of the vibrant colors of Fall are short lived.
My friend recently shared a quote with me and it really reminded me that the seasons changing can teach us a lot.
The trees are about to show us just how beautiful it is to let things go. - unknown.I love this because it is truly beautiful to let things go. This new season is an opportunity to let go and prepare for the next season of our lives. We can give ourselves the permission to shed the weight of whatever it is that’s holding us back and keeping us from reaching our full potential.
Think about what’s keeping you from getting closer to to where you need to be? Ask yourself, where am I going? Is this thing, this belief or these actions are they actually helping me or hurting me? What’s keeping you from showing all of your beautiful colors in this season that you're in and how can I let go to get ready for the next season.
I challenge you once you've listened to this episode, to write down 5 things that you need to let go of.
Think about what you can do today - to get you closer to where you want to be, then make it happen!
Live Your Life In Bloom
As promised, here is the recipe for Santa Fe Chili, you're going to love it!
1 lb ground beef
1 lb hot sausage
1 can golden sweet corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of rotel original (do not drain)
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 package of taco mix
Brown beef and sausage and combine with all other ingredients. Cook on low all day in the crockpot or on stove top. Serve warm with crackers or fritos chips, cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!
XOXO
- Bridget
Meet Molly Higgins. She's a young entrepreneur who not only started a new venture in the midst of a pandemic, but she is learning about life beyond the mixing bowl and knows she is going to do something BIG with her life. Owner of Molly's Mixins', Molly is doing what she loves - making life a little sweeter one cookie at a time.
A registered dietician, now full time baker - states that her cookies are "healthy for the soul" if nothing else. Molly shares her journey to take a leap of faith and start her own business to do what she loves. Hard work, determination and grit has kept her grounded and moving forward while literally living out her dream.
Molly shares how she's battled imposter syndrome, being a boundary boss and trying not to get "lost in the sauce" while she navigates the growth of her business. She's discovered that when you say yes to yourself rather than everybody else, you will always win.
You can find Molly and snag some of her addicting cookies on her website every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CST at www.mollysmixins.com or follow her on Instagram @mollysmixins, Facebook at Molly's Mixins or email: mollysmixins@gmail.com.
Thank you so much for being here and I hope you enjoy this sweet episode. For more ways to bloom in between episodes, hop on over to @liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram.
On August 30th, 2021, I wrote in my gratitude journal, "I'm grateful for voice memos." The night before my daughter was born, I missed a phone call from my dad. And now that he's gone, this message has become one of my most treasured memories. Hearing his voice and the love in his words gives me comfort.
At a time when I'm supposed to feel happiness, I have sadness. I associate her birth with his death. Do I still have joy surrounding her birth. Absolutely. But I also think about the events that soon followed. For anyone listening who has lost someone, maybe you can relate.
For me, grief is best described in this quote by Vicki Harrison:
"Grief is like the ocean; sometimes it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn how to swim."For those of you who have lost someone, sometimes the water is calm and sometimes you're doing your best to keep your head above water.
Death is the best teacher. It teaches us that life is so fragile and no one is promised tomorrow. It teaches us to live in the moment instead of rushing through life from one thing to the next.
So slow down. Be present and grateful for time that you have with the people you love. Make the most out of each moment. And if you've lost someone close to you and you're missing them real bad, know that it's ok to be sad. It's ok to want to remember. It's ok to cry and feel sadness. Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning. - Psalms 30:5.
Live Your Life In Bloom
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking at the FUEL Women's Conference. This day was all about Firing Up Everyone's Light and leaning into the amazing community of women present.
While I was honored to have the opportunity to allow my words to influence those present, I myself needed to hear the messages shared as we've all faced unexpected challenges over the last 18 months and still face today. Learning how to navigate has been an uphill battle so it was fueling to allow the day to pour into me.
In a Women At Work survey, conducted by CNBC - 65% of working women say the pandemic has made things worse for them in general and they feel more stress and anxiety than ever before. More than half of the 3,600 female participants surveyed said they feel burnt out, and more than a 1/3 said they've thought about quitting their job in the last year.
Women today are at their breaking point. We are stressed. We are tired. And we are burnt out. But we don't have to stay here. We can choose to look for opportunities to bloom in any circumstance - the good ones and the bad ones.
I hope this episode redirects your focus and reminds you that while you may not be able to control what is happening around you, you are in the driver's seat and YOU get to decide how you will react. I hope you use this season that you're in and look for an opportunity to bloom.
Live Your Life In Bloom
When you've been in the real estate business for 50 years, there are a lot of things that have changed and there are some things that haven't. This weeks guest, Steve Castlen has been a household name since he joined his parents at Castlen Realty following college. Although his profession is selling houses, his real vocation is helping people.
If you know Steve, you know he is one busy man. He's up at 4:00 a.m. with his dogs, brewing coffee for his friends and neighbors who might stop by and on his front porch making sure he doesn't miss the sunrise. As his day begins, Steve likes to reach out to acquaintances and potential buyers to let them know they are on his mind. His parents, the late Elwood and JoAnne Castlen, believed that a business is built by putting people first. Steve still practices that today and attributes the success of Castlen Realty to the team of people he's surrounded by and the simple principal of putting other's first and being there in times of need.
In this episode you'll find laughter, positive perspective and advice from someone who loves what they do. It was refreshing for me to sit down and talk with Steve about his passion and I hope you walk away from this episode affirmed in the fact that your vocation is more than your job. It's your gift. And for Steve, helping people is his gift.
To learn more about Steve or Castlen Realty, visit Castlen Realty.
Live Your Life In Boom
And just like that, all of my girls are in school. No more babies at home. After sending everyone off to a new school year, I realized that now more than ever, how fleeting time is and that I need to be present and soak up these moments while I still have them.
It's a different pace for us. Mornings are a little busier, our evenings are a little more hectic but the stories and excitement are real. And I know that I have to check myself regularly to make sure I'm living in the here and now.
In this season of life that we're in, it can be easy to go through the motions and be so routined and regimented that I don't stop to look up and see what's right in front of my eyes.
Life won't slow down unless we take action to make things slow down. If you're busy and overwhelmed what do you need to do to ensure that you stay in this moment so you don't miss out?
Whatever season you're in, if you're sending your kids to preschool, middle school, high school or college - let it fill you with gratitude and enjoyment. Let this season help you prioritize where you spend your time and energy. And let it show you that the most important things, aren't things - they're people. And while we've been trusted to watch over them, let's make this most of this time with them.
Live Your Life In Bloom
Mother Teresa once said, "If you want to create impact in the world, go home and love your family." A lot of times, we think that impact has to be big and it has to be for many, but what we miss out on is that leading and loving in our homes can actually create a bigger ripple effect than we realize.
In today's episode, I dive into some simple yet insightful conversation with my dear friend Sarah Ford. Sarah is a wife, mother, leader and female powerhouse in her industry. As she was spending more time at home last year due to the pandemic, she found it necessary to get her house in order so that she could open her doors and draw people in and show them love at a time when people were forced to be apart.
After enlisting some help from her family, they hauled off bags of non essentials and they've created a space that's free from clutter, leaving room for an open invitation for others to come in and feel the love!
While reflecting on the way her parents and grandmother created a space where everyone was welcome, Sarah too wanted to create that for her family and friends. She wanted everyone who walked through her doors to know that their presence was felt and seen.
In addition to God's direction, she attributes two books that helped shape her thoughts around hospitality in this episode. You can find them here:
Just Open the Door
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did and it inspires you to take action and open the door! Because remember, it all starts at home.
Follow along at Live Your Life In Bloom on Instagram!
How many times have you walked in on a chapter of someones life and think you know their whole life story? I've done it. I'm guessing you've done it too and I would also guess that even when you think you may know all about them, the odds are - that you don't.
Today's episode is about practicing less judgment and more self awareness as it's happening to make way for compassion, kindness, empathy and less bias.
It's easy to make assumptions about what we think we "KNOW" about someone because it takes effort, time and investment on our part to get to know someone for who they truly are. Who has time for that?! It's easy to label others and compartmentalize them into neat little spaces in our minds so that we can process and make ourselves feel better rather than taking time to find out what they're truly about.
But when we judge others, we create division. We wall ourselves off to new ideas, new opportunities, new relationships and experiences.
I think it’s time to start seeing past the surface and let’s get to know others for who they truly are, rather than what we see or perceive them to be on the outside. Let’s stop putting people in boxes and categorizing them based on what’s easy for us to decide. Let’s get out of our comfort zone and get to know people for who they are. Take time, make an investment in others. Let's realize that there really is more than meets the eye and we all have something to offer Who's with me?!
Live Your Life In Bloom
I've been reflecting on the year and looking back at the goals I had set in January and seeing some progress and some that haven't made it out of the gate. I've realized that my growth journey like yours, takes time. Progress is made little by little, not overnight.
As I take inventory on my life, I know that I haven't arrived. There's still work to be done and I am and will always be a work in progress. To you, I may seem like I have it all figured out and am rocking this bloom process, but I'm human. I get off track sometimes and have to remind myself where I'm going, and appreciate where I've been.
Becoming the person you want to be is not a to do list that you check off. It's a way of life. It has to be lived out each and every day. It's a process.
Let this episode be a reminder that we are growing and evolving and learning together. Let's support each other along the way and cheer each other on on this growth journey.
Please know that I appreciate you and can't wait to see what's in store for you. Let's do this!
Live Your Life In Bloom
The other night, I got caught in a downpour and it made me stop and think - how often in life are we running from things? Why do we rush the moment and tell ourselves that we need to take shelter?
I do this all the time and maybe you do too, I don’t let myself experience moments that could shape me, build me and make me feel alive.
Are you missing out on experiences that can show you beauty or blessings and teach you to be grateful for the exact moment you’re in right now? In this episode, I share some helpful tips to keep you in the moment so that you can bloom where you are planted.
- Be Present and Slow Down
- Remove Distractions
- Go On a Treasure Hunt
- Take a Different Route
- Be Open to New Opportunities
We get one shot at this beautiful life. We can either make the most of these moments that fill our day or we can postpone them. Don’t postpone joy. Don’t put off what is meant for you. Open your arms and your heart to be able to experience the fullness each day has to offer. Even if that means a little bit of rain.
https://www.instagram.com/liveyourlifeinbloom/
Our garden is in full bloom right now! What started as an idea has flourished into a bountiful harvest!! It's like going to the farmer's market every day. It has been so fruitful to reap the benefits and enjoy with our friends and family.
I'm realizing that there are so many similarities between this garden and our lives. There are numerous lessons and skills that this garden has taught us in the few short months since we planted and in this episode I dive into some of those lessons.
As the harvest is coming in, even though it's exciting to see tomatoes turn from green to red and the corn tassels go from white to brown, but what I'm realizing is although it may look ripe, some things still need more time on the vine to grow and fully ripen. There are times in our life when we ourselves aren't ripe yet and we want to rush the process but in reality, we need more time to grow and develop before we are ready. Good things grow slow and everything grows at it's own pace. Patience is a virtue and I'm shown patience each and everyday with this process. We can't rush the timing and we don't need to compare our growth journey to someone else's. So let's enjoy what's happening right now, in the moment because our time is coming.
"Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Another lesson I've learned from this garden is to really trust the process and have faith. This entire process is not my doing, but God's. We've had to have faith that He will provide and take a tiny little seed and turn it into a meal. This is not something we could create on our own and it has truly been a miracle to watch it unfold right before our eyes.
The garden has also been a connection from my past to my present. I've been able to relive memories of when I was younger growing up with a garden and putting some of my grandmothers recipes to use. I've also been able to spend more time with my mom as she shares tips and best practices of preservation so that we can enjoy the fruits of our labor all year long.
When I look back at the progression of the garden and how it started from just a seed in the ground to now vibrant and thriving, I stop to celebrate the progression. In life, we need to make sure we are celebrating our own growth journey. Even though we may not see what's been blooming all this time, the time-lapse of our life would show otherwise.
One of the most rewarding things I've enjoyed about the garden is being able to share it with others. It's been such a giving, yet humbling experience. Living a life of service and contribution to others is life-giving in and of itself. If you want to be blessed, do something for someone else. Share your blessings, even when you don't think you have anything to give. It will come back to you I'm certain.
What can you do today to bless someone else? How can you serve others today? It doesn't have to be big to make a BIG impact.
Our lives, like this garden is a process. Trust the process, cultivate the process and celebrate the process so that you can become ripe on the vine and use the fruit that's produced to serve others.
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." ~ Maya Angelou.
I love this quote and it is so true! There are so many things in life that are outside of our control like the weather, other peoples opinions of you, how someone reacts, a diagnosis - but in the midst of these situations, there are always things we CAN control.
In this episode, I'm chatting with my sweet friend, Hannah Blandford about learning to put yourself in a mindset to focus on things you CAN control rather than the things you can't.
You've all probably heard the saying, life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it. Yes, someone may treat you unkindly or you may receive devastating news, but what happens next and how you react will set the tone for your day, your week and eventually your life. Hannah shares with us some ways she has learned to gravitate more towards what she can control and some tips that help keep her grounded when things aren't within her control. I believe the wisdom she shares with you, will help keep you focused on ways you, yourself can put into practice as you continue down your daily path.
I close the episode with the Serenity prayer which I think ties it up in a pretty little bow.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. ~ The Serenity PrayerYes, there will be things that happen in your life that are outside of your control. "Life Happens," so the saying goes. But how you show up, and respond in every situation will determine how it affects you. When life's not fair, seek to find the things you can control and learn to let go of the rest.
Some of the books talked about in today's episode are:
Self Compassion, by Kristen Neff
The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene' Brown
The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer
You can find Hannah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hdblandford/
To bloom in between episodes, visit Live Your Life In Bloom on Instagram.
I was able to connect with one of my dear friends, Mary Katherine Wathen on this episode and what an impact she is! She shares how she has given her "yes" and applied her calling of working with women in various stages of her life to invite women to rise and be the person they were created to be. She radiates so much light and energy and leaves everyone better just by the way she loves on you.
We talk about some of the most common concerns impacting our culture today such as self image, anxiety, fear of failing and never enough. It's possible to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. When one begins to lean into the fact that there is enough - whether that's time, money or energy, your life will drastically change.
MK will tell you, we are always evolving and we never arrive. Life is about enjoying the process and embracing the journey along the way. If we think we've arrived, we're not growing. We may not always know what's next, but we have to believe that moving forward is better than staying stuck.
I think this episode will resonate with a lot of you and I can't wait for you to press play!
To follow along with MK on her journey for more, you can visit her website, marykatherinewathen.com or check out her Podcast with her dear friend, Maria Spears on Girl, Water Your Grass.
Be sure to follow along between episodes of Bloom With Bridget, on my Instagram page Live Your Life In Bloom.
Talk to you soon!
Bridget
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Suzanne Cecil White. Suzanne shares all the ways she uses her talents as a former teacher to now educate those around her about all things agriculture related and take those around her on a journey in realtime. Whether it's through hands on experiences or creative social media strategy, she takes us along and behind the scenes of what a day in the life is like at Cecil Farms.
Cecil Farms began with her father and is now a family affair shared with her mom, brother and sister. Each play a role in the success of the family farming operation. In 2019, Suzanne and her husband opened an event venue on the farm, called The White Chateau. It has served as a beautiful backdrop and space for numerous weddings, conferences and events. I often tease Suzanne that she is like Kevin Costner in the movie - Field of Dreams and "If you build it, they will come." And trust me, they do!
If you know Suzanne, you know she has a gift to dream big and cast large visions for imagining the possible. To her, anything is possible. This was a lesson she taught her students in the classroom and now she gets to live out each and everyday on a personal level.
We also talk about the importance of community and how this is more about the people you surround yourself with rather than a place. This is sure to be one you will want to listen to again, because it's full of great conversation and seeds to share with others!
To learn more about Cecil Farms, you can check them out at https://www.cecilfarmspd.com/
or follow Cecil Farms or The White Chateau on Instagram.
Keep on blooming my friends!
What does success look like to you? Is it tied to achievement and accolades? Or is it tied to a calling or purpose?
Success just like everything else that we talk about on the Bloom podcast is a choice. You get to define what your definition of success looks like, just like I do. It should look differently for everyone.
It's easy to get caught up living a life that’s defined by things of this world rather than something bigger than ourselves thinking it will make us happy. This was me. I got so caught up in creating a life, I thought mattered, that I forgot to enjoy what was right in front of my eyes.
Society advocates success in the form MORE. It's an unattainable goal, and there’s never enough. What we need to be advocating for is finding purpose in our passion and success that sustainably fuels us.
Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” This is such an important life lesson. It should never be about what we get, but what we give.
I hope you enjoy this episode and it inspires you to get out there and plant those seeds of success!
Liveyourlifeinbloom
As things start to open back up and we get back to a sense of normalcy, this episode will challenge you to think about what version of normal you're choosing.
While I'm glad to see signs that the pandemic is slowing down, I don't want to go back to normal and the way things used to be prior to. I'm choosing a new normal. One that serves me in this next season of life. Maybe you feel the same way too.
This past year and a half was not easy. But, it was also a blessing. It opened my eyes to the reality that I can take the good things from it and leave the not so good in 2020.
Some things that helped me find a new normal were to:
- Take inventory of what was getting my time.
- Choose what to continue and what not to continue.
- Cut out the excess and re-align.
- Set boundaries.
- Stay the course.
- Set my environment up for success.
Choose a normal that works for you. Figure out what good you're going to take with you and what you're leaving behind. We have an opportunity be a better version of who we were this time last year. I hope you're choosing a "new normal" that allows you to bloom and flourish!
@liveyourlifeinbloom
As we set for a life of fulfillment and joy, we often find that as we are in search for something bigger and better. In this process, we sometimes recognize that what we are searching for is with us all along. You've heard the verse, "Where your treasure is, there you will find their heart." In life, where we place value and importance says a lot about how we find happiness.
Today I'm chatting with Amanda Owen who shares her heart and the importance of "riding the wave" to your island of life and finding joy in the journey.
Amanda is the Executive Director of Puzzle Pieces in Owensboro, KY, a non-profit organization that she founded in 2012. Puzzle Pieces serves individuals with intellectual disabilities by creating skills and an environment for them to flourish. After leaving a career as a special education teacher, Amanda knew that she was meant to do more. She had a passion for helping people and she wanted to create a place where individuals like her brother could thrive which didn't exist at the time. She asked, "Why can't that be me?" So, she created it.
Amanda and I read a book together last year, Pivot & Go. There was one chapter in the book that hits home with this message. If you look at your life as an island, a lot of times, we are paddling or sailing our boat towards the island and we are so focused on getting there, that we don't take time to enjoy the waves and the warm sunshine along the way. Or, we don't take time to drop an anchor and enjoy being still and celebrating how far we've come.
Amanda reminds us that when you're riding the wave, bring others on your boat, because it's also about taking others with you along the journey and creating community. You're going to need people to cheer you on and to help you keep your sights on what's ahead.
As you set sail on life, I hope you take time to ride the wave and enjoy the journey. Embrace each moment and recognize that each wave no matter how big or small is a part of your story. Maybe you need to ride out some waves and maybe some waves are meant to take you in a different direction. And that's ok. Each pivot is a new opportunity for more. It's important to not be so focused on your island that you forget to enjoy the journey along the way. Enjoy riding the wave!
Books mentioned in this episode are linked below.
The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
Pivot & Go, by David Nurse
To learn more about Amanda and her journey, head on over to Puzzle Pieces or find her on Instagram at Piecesofmebyamanda. For more ways to bloom in between episodes, head on over to Liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram!
How we do anything, is how we do everything and if you want to change your life, you have to change your habits. If you love a good routine, this episode is for you! I had the privilege of chatting with my friend Jennifer and she talks all things around why culitvating good habits and routines will set you up for success.
Putting in the work, day in and day out is not easy. It gets old real quick and it's not attractive. BUT, if you stay consistent and dig deep to find that grit and determination, you can cultivate a life of structure and productivity to take control of your day.
Developing healthy habits and routines benefit more than just your health. It spills over into other areas such as your mind, body and spirit.
Some things to keep in mind when getting started:
- Do what works for you - your life is not a one size fits all approach
- Write it down, speak it out loud and make it happen
- Try not to focus on the task itself, but who you will become in the process
- Start small and build
- Consistency builds progress
- Give yourself some grace when you fall off the horse. It's about progress, not perfection
- Find someone to hold you accountable
You are in the drivers seat and have control. It's up to you. And, I'm rooting for you!
Some of the books mentioned in today's episode that can help you develop a better routine and create solid habits are:
- Atomic Habits, by James Clear
- 12 Week Year, By Brian Moran and Michael Lennington
- Extreme Ownership, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
- The 5 a.m. club, by Robin Sharma
- The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod
Podcast recommendations:
Ed Mylett
Style Your Mind
Own Your Joy
Girl Water Your Grass
To connect in between episodes, hop on over to @liveyourlifeinbloom on Instagram.
In life, you are either being impacted or you are creating impact. Impact can be big or it can be small. You can go at it alone, or link arms with others for a bigger result. The important thing to remember, is that you realize it starts with you.
In this episode, I'm chatting with Lauren Patton - a married, mom of four who finds ways to intentionally create impact in her life and the lives of those around her.
Lauren is always the first to step up and help others without being asked and in her role as the manager of the Charitable Trust Foundation at Independence Bank, she oversees the dollars that are reinvested back into the community so she certainly plays a role in impacting the lives of others.
Lauren shares her thoughts on how she chooses to ensure that while she's out making a difference that her committments align with her bigger why so that she doesn't get depleted. She explains why boundaries are important and how you can tap into additional resources to create an even bigger impact.
By the time this episode is over, I hope you walk away with ideas of your own and it inspires you to take action and create impact in your life and in the lives of those around you.
For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow me on Instagram at liveyourlifeinbloom
We are so much more than a title, more than somebody's mom, spouse or next door neighbor. Yes, we may be these things, but we must understand that we exist beyond the labels we create for ourselves and those given to us.
In this episode, I had the privilege of interviewing my husband, Jacob. Jacob talks about the various roles he plays in his life at work as President of Independence Bank, outside of work enjoying the outdoors and at home as dad, what he considers his most important title.
We can be many things in life, but when we realize that our titles don't define us, but rather our character - one can no longer be placed in a box. On the flip side of that, what happens when a definition of who we are is no longer a part of our present day? I used to run track. I used to be a cheerleader. I used to fill propane tanks and drive a 26' box truck for my job. Learning how to step into who we are outside of what we do on the day to day is so important to know deep down who we are and what makes you, you. If not, we may spend the rest of our lives searching for our true selves.
I hope this episode leaves you curious to discover your own self and seek out the true character of others rather than creating a fixed stereotype of them. It's then, that we can open the door to something beautiful.
https://www.instagram.com/liveyourlifeinbloom/
When I think about the significance of a table, I'm reminded how it brings people together. The tables in our lives have history and tell stories. They are a place to gather and belong. The people around those tables are shaping you and you them. Whether you know it or not, who you surround yourself has a direct impact on your life, your attitude, your mindset and your potential.
Who's at your table, who are you surrounding yourself with? Are they individuals that foster growth and opportunity? Or, are they individuals that keep you safe and small? Is it time to find a new table or time to pull up more chairs?
I've always been someone who believes that there is always room for more at the table and I've been intentional about making sure those sitting across from me are building Bridget and pushing me to be better.
"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt.
We are all different. And we're all unique with something to offer. We need to celebrate the beauty of others. Variety is what makes our gardens beautiful. So get a bigger table, open the doors and let others in!
Take a listen to the song Crowded Table that I reference on the show. You will want to play it on repeat! And hop on over to Live Your Life In Bloom on instagram for more in between episodes. Thank you so much for being here!
I love a good list! I like to write everything down on paper and get nothing but sheer satisfaction when I get to cross through it knowing that's it done and complete. It creates order and keeps me in control.
After loosing my father, and realizing that in this life - I'm not in control, my lists took on a different meaning. I continued to write things down and create my task lists, but it didn't bring me fulfillment. I could feel myself going through the motions and shifting from what I that was so important, to realizing that it really wasn't.
I decided to take my "To Do" lists and turn them into "To Live" lists that were about creating impact and how I wanted to live out my life rather than simply checking things off as complete and moving on the next thing. I wanted to really live a full, abundant life and leave a mark long after I'm gone.
How are you living your life? How are you telling your story? Are you living a life that's in motion or is it simply written down on a piece of paper.
No one is promised tomorrow so let's choose to live our life to the fullest TODAY!
https://www.instagram.com/liveyourlifeinbloom/
Do you ever think that the more you love others, the more you will be loved? I used to think that the more I gave of myself, the more I would get in return. What I'm finding out, is that the real work starts within first. The more I focus on "building Bridget," the more I'm able to pour out into others. This applies to all areas of my life and I think you'll find it to be true for you also.
There was a sentence from a book I recently read, that said, "We can only love each other as much as we love ourselves." I was taken aback. Then, I did the next hard thing. I started reflecting on how much I love my family and those around me and then I thought, could I love them more, if I loved myself more? I'm guilty. I pick myself apart. I'm sabotaging my own self worth so how can others see value in me, if I don't even see value in myself?
How much do you love yourself? I mean really love yourself?
Two of the most common fears in life are:
- The fear of not being enough
- The fear of not being loved
We all want to be loved and belong and know that we are enough just the way we are. Most of us will spend our whole life seeking approval so that we can fit in and belong. We need to be living our lives seeking the approval from an audience of one - ourselves. It's not up for someone else to decide.
As Maya Angelou once said, "You belong no place and every place and no place at all. The price is high, the reward is great."When one can understand the powerful message behind her words, only then will you be free.
Below you will find the link to the conversation deck, we use with our kids as well as the Instagram page for Bloom with Bridget. Be sure to follow along and keep in touch!
Big Life Journal Conversation Deck
@liveyourlifeinbloom
The essentials in life are few. The challenge is keeping a multitude of non essentials from taking their place.
Oftentimes, on the outside we look tidy and all put together but on the inside we can be a big ol' mess. We overstuff our lives and our thoughts with non essentials that cultivate and environment geared toward order and growth.
In this episode, I talk about how this life of excess can take up too much space in our internal environment of our minds and our external environment around us so we can clear the clutter and make room for what is essential to live a life on purpose rather than by default and being intentional not to accept the chaos.
Thanks for being here and choosing to BLOOM. You can plug in in between episodes on Instagram @liveyourlifeinbloom
When was the last time you had fun? I mean, really had fun? Most of us really have to think long and hard because it's not happening often enough!
In last weeks episode, we talked about planting seeds of happiness and looking for ways to choose happiness on purpose and find the joy in life. This week, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that put me in the best mood and maybe you adopt or create your own and share with me.
- Friday Night Dance Party
- School Drop Hip Hop
- Be a Kid Again
- Go On More Dates
- Daughter Date Night
- Laugh At Yourself
Let loose! Don't worry about what everyone else is going to think about while you're having fun. You're going to look silly at times and it's not going to be perfect, but it shouldn't be. That's fake fun. Be like a kid again, see life as an adventure not a chore. And most of all, don't forget to laugh at yourself! If you're not laughing at yourself from time to time, you're too serious!
It's a new week. Let's bring back the FUN!
Happiness is more than a mood, it's a mindset. It's a daily choice we must make and decide that no matter what comes our way, we choose happiness first.
Is it easy? Not always. Somedays it will be simple and other days, there will be rain. But when, we choose to search for rainbows, we start to see life differently.
While we are out there creating our own happy, we have to watch out for the energy vampires who will drain your energy and keep you low. Remember, you have two choices when it comes to your interaction with them:
- Don't be around them
- Influence them with your positivity
Oftentimes, we think we've really got it hard but in reality, it's not so bad. It's all about our perspective. I'm learning that perspective is not something we have, but something we do. And it's something I have to "do" every single day, multiple times throughout the day. Look for the sliver lining, it's there, keep searching!
Practice "Give Me Five" with your family. Seriously, start tonight! Go around at the dinner table and share five things each of you are thankful for. It will change your heart, I promise.
Here's a link to the book I reference, Chasing The Bright Side and she also has a podcast called, Business on the Bright Side. Check it out! Jess has an incredible story and is a legit optimist. She's truly awesome.
Remember, you have a choice. How will you incorporate happiness into your day?
Keep blooming my friends!
The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. It's a process and it takes time and hard work. We live in a society of now. We often times look for the hack or shortcut but robbing ourselves of the joy and satisfaction that comes from putting in the work and trusting the process.
Thomas Edison once said, "Opportunity is often missed, because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work." This episode is about planting your seed and putting in the work. Good things take time and it won't happen overnight. But I can promise you, the results are worth it.
Peace is a choice. You have to plant it and be mindful of it. You have to create a space for it to thrive. And at all costs, you have to protect it. Don’t get so busy creating the life you want, or the life you think others think you should have that you forget to enjoy the one you have.
In this episode I share a few daily tips that I use to keep myself centered throughout the day and create more peace in my day.
- Be Still
- Be Mindful
- Practice Gratitude
- Set Boundaries
- Let It Go
I'm still learning, but I'm finding more in less. By choosing to focus on the good, the good is getting better.
It’s time to plant those dreams that have been laid on your heart so that you can bloom into who you were meant to be. Stop waiting for the life you’ve always wanted and create it!
This world needs you and all of your talents and amazing abilities. No two people have the same gift so be a dream chaser! You should be on fire for your dreams If you’re not, take listen and discover these tactical steps to as your start the dreaming process.
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Your dream belongs to you and only YOU!
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Be open to receive it.
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Consistency builds courage and PROGRESS over perfection!
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Protect your dream.
“Do the thing and you will have the power,” Ralph Waldo Emerson. Just keep showing up. It’s not about what you get, but who you become along the way as you live out your life chasing your dreams.
My dream expansion journey reignited when participating in the Art of Being a Woman, Masterclass taught by founder, January Donovan. For more information about The ABW Masterclass, visit https://thewomanschool.teachable.com
Check out these good reads that I mentioned in this episode. You won’t be disappointed!
Untamed, by Glennon Doyle https://untamedbook.com
Everything is Figureoutable, by Marie Forleo https://everythingisfigureoutable.com
Daring Greatly, by Brene’ Brown https://brenebrown.com/books-audio/
In this episode, you'll learn more about how BLOOM was formed and what this new season of my life is teaching me. It's all about finding stillness and peace in letting go and blooming where I am planted so that I can bloom into the person I was meant to become. Sometimes this means falling apart so bigger dreams can blossom.
I invite you to follow me along on this journey as we cultivate growth and opportunity with the people who matter most. In between episodes, be sure to follow along on instagram at Live Your Life In Bloom.
I can't wait to plant seeds of opportunity in you so that you can create a life of impact for others.