Ep 51: Equanimity & The Calm In the Storm with Mindful Parent Michelle Gale 0

Oct 12, 2018

Hello and welcome to this episode with mindfulness educator, corporate trainer, podcast host and author of “Mindful Parenting in a Messy World,” Michelle Gale.

This conversation, rooted in how to bring more equanimity to our lives–finding our center of calm in the storm–came to me just when I needed it most, during a start to my fall season marked by big school transitions for my children, travel away from home, and supporting my family after my father’s bypass heart surgery.

In the midst of all of that, it was such a gift to have this time with Michelle, whose journey brought her from working in technology startups like Twitter to a deep dive in mindfulness training. Michelle draws on that training today as an advisor to organizations like Wisdom 2.0, in trainings with corporations like Disney and Google, for summits and workshops for parents that she organizes, and as a parent with her own two boys at home.

An awareness of our impact in the day to day, through being a mindful parent, is something that Michelle embodies in her own parenting, in the appreciation she describes for her own mother, a single parent who adopted Michelle at the age of four months old, and in the ways that she makes mindfulness relatable and accessible to those she teaches.

I learned so much from Michelle in the time we spent together, about answering our own calls for life-long learning, about slowing down, raising our awareness and making the implicit explicit, of the importance of bringing compassion, especially during times of transition, and how to draw on our experience as mothers as a source of learning and transformation.

When we began, I asked Michelle to lead us through a Three Breath Practice which I heard her share about on Deborah Reber’s TILT Parenting Podcast. The practice became the bookends for this episode, the opening that allowed us each to make intentions for our time together, and the challenge that Michelle invites us to integrate into our lives.

As you listen to this episode, I invite you to slow down by taking your own three breaths with us, tap into Michelle’s intention for finding “equanimity,” your center in the midst of chaos, and open yourself to Michelle’s wisdom. If you do, I’m certain you’ll find more of your calm in the storm and connect more fully to your own mindful parenting in a messy world.

In This Episode We Talk About:

The Three Breath Practice and how I’ve begun using it to help me make better decisions about how to use my time.
The concept of “equanimity” and the importance of creating awareness and space for our discomfort so that we can come back to our center.
Michelle’s appreciation for “Attachment Theory” through the lens of her own experience being adopted at the age of four months. Also the realization that she doesn’t have a newborn photo and how that drove her inquiry about who was mothering her before she was adopted.
Michelle’s journey to mindfulness and how she roots her practice in the day to day experience of mothering, especially in the challenging moments, like when our children can’t fall asleep alone or when they struggle with homework.
Michelle’s ritual before sitting down to do creative work that she has introduced to her children as well before they do homework.
Michelle’s passion for changing the landscape of how corporations think about supporting parents and the E.P.I.C. snapshot moment that happened for Michelle during a training at Macy’s.
How her experience in circle and community enabled Michelle to call more of that connection into her life and more about the tools she uses to “call in”.
How Michelle is bringing her mindfulness practices to her health, especially as she navigates the transition to menopause and the hormonal swings and changes that come with it.

Resources and Topics Mentioned:

Tilt Parenting Podcast: Michelle Gale on the Power of Mindful Parenting in a Messy World

The Sweet Spot: How to Accomplish More by Doing Less by Christine Carter

Jonathan Field’s Good Life Project Community where Michelle and I first connected

Wisdom 2.0

This Episode is Dedicated by:

Katie Krimitsos, CEO & Founder at Biz Women Rock and the Women’s Meditation Network and the host of the Meditation for Women Podcast. Katie’s beautiful dedication shines a light, through the example of her mother Linda, of the ways we can make an impact in our day to day lives through being a mindful, loving parent.

You can connect with Katie on Facebook, Instagram or through her website.

This Week’s Challenge:

Michelle encourages us to find a place in our life where we can consciously use the 3 Breaths Practice that she modeled in the episode. The practice includes:

Focusing on your breath coming in and out
Letting your body relax; and,
Asking yourself, what’s really important and what really matters?

By noticing an area of our lives that needs more consciousness (like reaching for our phone for distraction for instance) and using this practice, we can invite more intentionality, awareness, connection, and equanimity into our lives.

Learn More About Michelle:

Michelle Gale is the podcast host and author of the book “Mindful Parenting in a Messy World”, a mindfulness teacher, executive coach and a corporate trainer. She works in corporations, schools and communities teaching and speaking to fellow parents about mindful parenting.

Michelle’s Website

Facebook

Twitter

Michelle’s Mindful Parenting Resource List

Announcements:

Join the Journey to Right Livelihood

I’m so excited to be part of a special program, Journey to Right Livelihood as a learner. And as an affiliate, I’ll also offer Mother’s Quest bonuses to deepen the experience for members of my community who decide to come along too.

If you’re interested, you can learn more at this link and also come over to my private facebook group, where I had a conversation with the founder, and one of my teachers and mentors, Lindsay Pera. It’s not too late to join us!

Click www.mothersquest.com/community to request to join and listen to our conversation

LIVING WITH PRESENCE and PARENTING WITH PURPOSE Online Conference

Expert advice to find more peace, ease, presence and spaciousness in your family through the Online Conference hosted by Michelle and a phenomenal group of mindfulness experts. Learn more and purchase the conversations if you choose by visiting the site here.

Mother’s Quest Circle

If you’re on a quest to live an E.P.I.C. life, but you’ve been feeling challenged, isolated, or unsure of the path ahead, the Mother’s Quest Circle may be the source of connection you’re looking for.

The Mother’s Quest Circle provides inspiration, coaching and community for an intimate group of no more than 10 women who are ready to say “yes” to:

Reflect together, in a community of like-minded mothers, on what matters most
To consciously live a more E.P.I.C. life
To take bold action toward one of the E.P.I.C. life guideposts before the end of the session
To hold space for sharing, coaching, and championing one another so we are “in community” on our journey

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

---

Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Download this Episode

Ep 50: Weaving our Ancestral Threads with Genealogist Nicka Smith 0

Sep 27, 2018

Welcome to another new episode of the Mother’s Quest Podcast, one I’m sharing after a short break, so I could focus on transitioning my children into the new academic year, welcoming in the Jewish New Year and supporting my parents as my father recovers from bypass heart surgery (he is doing much better and already plotting to get back on the golf course!)

During this time of reflection and connection to family, it feels right to bring forward this episode on ancestry with Nicka Smith, a professional photographer, speaker, host, and documentarian with more than 19 years of experience as a genealogist.

I learned about Nicka through my friend and previous podcast guest Jenjii Hysten, one of Nicka’s biggest cheerleaders, who regularly acknowledges Nicka’s expertise in African ancestored genealogy and her ability to connect young people to their ancestry. Nicka’s experience and accomplishments are vast: she has edited and designed volumes of family history that include narratives, photos, and genealogical information and is the host of BlackProGen LIVE, an innovative web show focused on people of color genealogy and family history.

Using Nicka’s life experience, this episode goes deep in how to give ourselves permission to step into becoming our own family historians, the importance of connecting the threads of our ancestors to who we are today, the challenges and emotions involved in tracing genealogy for African American people whose ancestors were enslaved, and the idea that we can become today the ancestors we aspire to be for our descendants by taking the political and social action our times demand.

With Nicka’s guidance, I’ve started the process of connecting the threads of my ancestors. To be honest, I was a little skeptical that I would find anything particularly interesting. But, while visiting my parents in Los Angeles, my mother and I stayed up late on the couch looking on ancestry.com at documents connected to her mother, my grandmother, Ruth.

My mother shared details about Ruth’s life in a previous episode’s dedication, that I’ll link in the show notes. We knew that her mother had married (what we say in Yiddush) a “nogoodnick” who left my grandmother destitute with three young girls to raise on her own.

That night on the couch, we found a strange named document connected to my grandmother’s records titled Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York City. We clicked on the link and soon saw evidence that my grandmother and her youngest sister had been left in the care of an orphanage. But that some time after, my great grandmother, came back to get them. My grandmother, who was only 2 at the time, never spoke of this to us and may not have known. But now my mother and I know that our ancestor, against the odds, found a way to reunited with her children. Had she not, my grandmother’s fate would surely have been different, and my mother and I might not have been here today.

I know now that my discoveries as my family historian are just beginning. I hope this episode and what I uncovered about my great grandmother give you permission to step into becoming your family historian, to explore the untold stories of your ancestors, and to weave the threads between yourself, your ancestors and your descendants, that will help you more fully live your E.P.I.C. life.

Much appreciation,
Julie Neale

In This Episode We Talk About:

How a simple hobby back in college turned out to be Nicka’s passion and purpose in life.
The diverse community and landscape that shaped Nicka’s worldview
The layers to Nicka’s “genealogical cake” including revelations she learned about her family ancestry: the Native American blood in her family, the fact that her great great grandfather was legally married to a white woman in the late 1800’s, and that her ancestors were enslaved on the same plantation for more than 30 years by a slave-owner from western Massachusetts.
Nicka’s ancestor who took great risks to advocate for his birthright as a Cherokee Freedmen to the Committee on Indian Affairs and the impact that had on Nicka.
How Nicka’s 3 year old son teaches her to experiment and to explore new experiences
How we can use tools like ancestry.com and a database of documents to help us explore our lineage..
The life-long trauma experienced still by Nicka’s grandmother’s grandmother, in her 90’s, from being forcibly separated from your parents during their enslavement and how that connects to the children separated at the border today.
The case of Plessy vs. Ferguson and how the descendants of slaves and slave owners now unite to fight for civil rights
The threads that connect us to who we are across generations and the ways that Nicka’s ancestors activism have shaped her own.
Nicka’s challenge for me and for you to step into the role of family historian

Resources and Topics Mentioned:

Nicka’s Website

Black ProGenLive – Nicka’s YouTube show with twice monthly broadcasts feature a panel from BlackProGen and friends discussing a myriad of topics in the world of genealogy.

Coming to the Table Post about Researching Slaveholding and Slave Trading Ancestry

Birthright: 8 Generations of Cherokee Freedmen and Our Story of Redemption

Plessy and Ferguson: Descendants of a divisive Supreme Court decision unite to create a civil rights organization

Ancestry.com – start here to set up an account and step into your own role as a family historian

Family History Is at the Heart of Pixar’s Coco

Kamala Harris’ remarks on Separating Families at the Border and How We Will Be Judged Harshly

Episode of the Mother’s Quest Podcast with the dedication from my mother to my grandmother Ruth

Episode with my father David Lieberman, inspired by an oral history and genealogy workshop I attended

This Episode is Dedicated by:

Carrie Caulfield Arick, the founder of Ya Ya Podcasting, a company that helps podcasters put their best voice forward. She’s spent over ten years putting together her own family tree and assists her father, historian at Seabreeze Park in Rochester, NY piece together the stories of notable park guests and employees through genealogical research.

You can connect with Carrie on Facebook, Instagram or through her website.

This Week’s Challenge:

Nicka challenges everyone to give yourself permission to step into the role of family historian. Sign up for an account with ancestry.com and begin with yourself to trace your family tree backward. Investigate to trace your own lineage and see how history repeats itself.

Take a deep dive, and ask yourself these questions: How did we get here? Who immigrated? Why? And apply that to your present.

Announcements:

Join the Journey to Right Livelihood

We start today, Thursday September 26th!!

I’m so excited to embark on this program, Journey to Right Livelihood as a learner. And as an affiliate, I’ll also be offering Mother’s Quest bonuses to deepen the experience for members of my community who decide to come along too.

If you’re interested, you can learn more at this link and also come over to my private facebook group, where I had a conversation with the founder, and one of my teachers and mentors, Lindsay Pera.

Click www.mothersquest.com/community to request to join and listen to our conversation

What My Open Heart Surgery Taught Me About Coaching

Read the blog post HERE

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

—

Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Download this Episode

Mussar Yoga for Reflection and Renewal *Encore* with Edie Raphael Brotman 0

Sep 14, 2018

We are welcoming back the 5-Day Mussar Yoga Challenge, which officially kicks off today. This is in line with my podcast episode with Edie Raphael last year on Mussar and this season of renewal. Come along for five daily prompts in the Mussar Yoga Challenge at the Mother's Quest Facebook Group.

Mussar is an ancient Jewish practice that invites us to contemplate, journal on, talk in community about... a character trait in our lives, for a specific period of time, in this case 5 days.

I'm fascinated that the "middah" we picked last year, "order" is also the issue I identified to work on without fully realizing it.

Have you heard of Mussar before or did you participate in the challenge last year? What do you think about it? Do you have your own rituals or practices for reflection and renewal this time of year?

Listen and learn more in my podcast episode with Edie if you want to go deeper.

PLUS Would love to support you in a one-on-one 90 minute Clarity Session if you want to go deeper. Special rate through Sept. 19th. You can book your session here https://mothersquest.as.me/FallClaritySessionSpecial

Ep 28: Mussar Yoga for Reflection and Renewal with Edie Raphael Brotman

Hello and welcome to the Mother’s Quest Podcast that I’m bringing to you at the start of the Jewish New Year. The holiday kicks off a ten day period, known as the Days of Awe, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement.

This time of year, regardless of your religious faith, is a season of reflection and renewal, as our children get settled into a new school year and the leaves begin to change color. I wanted to take advantage of this time to turn inward and create an opportunity for change not only for myself but also for members of the Mother’s Quest Community.

I decided to reach out to mindful mother, Edie Rafael Brotman, author of the book “Mussar Yoga,” to learn from her how she approaches self-improvement through blending the ancient Jewish practice of Mussar and the ancient Eastern practice of Yoga.

Edie’s book was a trusted resource in a Mussar class I took a few years ago. I was enthralled by the process and know that the experience planted seeds for Mother’s Quest. So, when I reached out to Edie to see if she’d share her approach on the podcast and then lead a 5 day challenge in the Facebook Group and she said “yes,” I was thrilled.

Edie is a workplace consultant and coach for a business consulting firm called Rewire Inc that leverages emotional intelligence, mindfulness and communication. She has her PhD in Sociology and was an adjunct professor at UVA, Case Western Reserve University and Towson University.

She’s also a highly trained yoga instructor, was named one of Baltimore’s favorite yoga teachers in Baltimore Magazine’s “Best of Baltimore” and co-founded Off the Grid Yoga and Camping Retreats.

In this episode, Edie orients us to Mussar in which character traits, known in Hebrew as “middot,” are the centerpiece of the practice. Edie and I explore her E.P.I.C. life story, how she came to mindfulness and Mussar, and how reflecting on middot in her life has enriched her and her relationships.

Edie also shares how her mother influenced her independence. And how her mother’s untimely death jump-started Edie’s journey to discover Mussar and connect it to Yoga as a bridge to connect Jewish spirituality and her love for physical activity.

I appreciated so much about this conversation with Edie, especially the deep dive into the history of Mussar practice, and how she came to this connection between self-improvement, spirituality and the physical body. I’m so excited to continue the exploration of all of these things, and hope you’ll decide to come along too as we challenge ourselves together during this season of reflection and renewal.

In This Episode We Talk About:

Why the fall is the perfect time to undertake a Mussar Yoga Challenge
How I first learned about Edie and her Mussar Yoga Book
The path of renewal Edie’s mother took in her career, how that impacted her, and how her mother’s passing brought her to Mussar
The power of mindfulness and daily meditation to become more conscious and aware of emotions as they arise
Mussar as a way of rewiring your brain so it is in alignment with universal precepts
The origins of Mussar and the people who pioneered the teachings
The traditional way to practice Mussar, utilizing self-reflection on one character trait at a time on a continuum, and how Edie blends it powerfully with Yoga
The connection between body and spiritual growth

Resources Mentioned:

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – Jewish new year holidays
Mussar Yoga: Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul
What is Mussar?
Mussar Institute
Rabbi Israel Salanter
The Path of the Upright
Ben Franklin Circles

This Week’s Challenge:

Join the Mother's Quest Facebook Group and do the 5-Day Mussar Yoga Challenge at www.mothersquest.com/community

Announcements:

ARE YOU…

Hopeful that the new school year will be a positive, powerful experience for your child?
Thinking about how best to set your children up for success?
Wondering what new practices you can build into your life and theirs to help make that possible?
Getting lost in all the paperwork and volunteer requests and want to ground yourself in what’s most important?
Ready to focus fully on YOU and YOUR life now that your kids will be in school?

If you’re feeling a similar desire to press “pause” on the busyness as I did and reflect on your vision for this year, what’s working and what needs to shift, and what key guidepost would help you move forward more intentionally, I’d love to support you with a 90 minute clarity coaching session.

You’ll leave with:

Clarity about what matters most to you in your future vision for this year
Reflection on what beliefs/ways of being you want to leave behind and what lessons you want to carry forward
Commitment toward one E.P.I.C. Guidepost and key action(s) that will help you and your children move forward intentionally

✨Fall Special Clarity Coaching Session ✨

A 90 minute session for the price of a 60 minute session
Book By September 19th
Say “yes” if this is calling to you. It’s an investment in yourself and your children.

$198

Just click the link below by Sept 19th to schedule a time at this special rate.
https://mothersquest.as.me/FallClaritySessionSpecial

Whether I have the opportunity to support you now or not, I wish you and yours a sweet and meaningful beginning to this new season.

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

---

Mother's Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Download this Episode

Ep 49: A Conversation About Courage with Sage Hobbs and Julie Neale 0

Aug 23, 2018

Honored to share this special episode of the Mother’s Quest Podcast featuring a conversation I had with author and coach Sage Hobbs as a guest on her show, Naked Conversations. I loved all the themes that we discussed and wanted to introduce more of you to Sage’s work, so I’m excited and appreciative that she gave me permission to share in this way.

This is the last of a series of previously released conversations that I’m bringing to you this summer as I’ve focused on time with my children and transitioning them to school. In two weeks, I’ll be back with a brand new conversation, so make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast so that new episode comes straight to you.

Sage and I cover so many topics in this episode, from personal challenges, to losing ourselves in motherhood, to the power of storytelling to feel our common humanity, to activism. Underneath them all is this idea of defining courage for ourselves, exploring how we’ve been expanding our leadership in more courageous ways, and how this helps us pursue a fuller expression of who we are.

The theme around courage is particularly resonant for me right now, as I’ve been stepping into new territory advocating for two police accountability bills being deliberated on in Sacramento, and after I helped to bring a powerful play called The (M)others, of mothers who have lost loved ones to police brutality, to Sacramento just last week.

It’s also resonant because in their own ways, my children have been stepping into more courage. Starting a brand new school, especially when you’re differenty-wired, has required each of them to move out of their comfort zone and hold a positive picture of what’s possible for them.

My oldest son Ryan and I went on another milestone hike together, where he re-committed to not letting fear stop him from living his YOLO life. My youngest Jacob and I have been doing some affirmations together as part of our Miracle Morning Challenge happening in the facebook group right now, and he chose this affirmation from my list as his own, “Like an alchemist, I transform fear into curiosity and excitement.”

I hope this episode gives you an opportunity to reflect on courage in your life, and to find some inspiration to transform any fear you or your children have at this time of year, into curiosity and excitement for yourselves.

In This Episode We Talk About:

Definitions of courage (one from my 14 year old!)
What it means to live an E.P.I.C. life
The moments that moved me to activism for police accountability
Using growth mindset to explore challenging topics
Leadership and permission
My incredible story of two birds trapped in my house, and their timely lesson
The Women Podcasters in Solidarity Initiative

Resources Mentioned:

Making the World a Better Place, One Leader at a Time with Rachel Rosen
The Power of Healing in Community with Sera Snyder
This is Not the Life I ordered
Planting Seeds for Mother’s Quest
Courageous Conversations about Race with Nicole Lee
Intersectionality and the Age of the New Heroine with Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin
Living Out Loud with Jenjii Hysten
The blog post about the two birds
Women Podcasters in Solidarity

This Episode is Dedicated by:

Rachel Rosen, a seasoned facilitator, leadership coach, inclusion strategist, and speaker, and the Founder of SPARK For Humanity, the interactive, community-building card game where everyone belongs.

She dedicates this episode to Jillian Roth of Mama J Consulting and Anjela Ford of Anjelabundance.

Learn more about Rachel:

www.rachelvrosen.com
www.spark4leadership.com
www.spark4community.com
On Facebook SPARK For Community and SPARK Leadership
On Instagram @spark4community, @spark4leadership &@sparkapcommUNITY
Rachel’s Crowdfunding Campaign

Learn More About Sage:

www.sagebhobbs.com
Naked Conversations Podcast
Sage’s Book Naked Communication
Facebook @sagebhobbs and Instagram @sagebhobbs

This Week’s Challenge:

Reflect on your own definition of courage and share it in the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group. Explore using the affirmation “Like an Alchemist, I transform fear into curiosity and excitement” for yourself and your children as you start the new school year.

Announcements:

Fall Clarity Session Special

In our family right now, we’re getting adjusted to two big milestones. Jacob has started kindergarten and Ryan is in high school. To start the school year well, I made sure to invest in myself to reflect on what matters and get grounded, and I know that helped them to start well. In honor of this critical time of year, I’m offering a special rate for a 90 minute clarity coaching session and would love to support you, and your children, to begin the year mindfully. Go to https://mothersquest.as.me/FallClaritySessionSpecial to book your session by the end of August for this special rate. Wishing you and yours an ease-filled and intentional start of this school year.

Support The (M)others and Two Key Police Accountability Bills

In CA, lawmakers are deliberating right now on two key police accountability bills, SB-1421 and AB-931. In advance of that deliberation, I worked with Nikki Yeboah, the producer of a powerful play called (M)others, to bring forward the stories of those who’ve lost loved ones to police brutality to the Sacramento community. The showings were powerful and we’ve decided to bring the play to other cities in CA, those with the highest rates of police-involved shootings. Visit gofundme.com/slash take-this-play-to-senate to learn more about this effort and how you can support. We also need your support to call CA lawmakers and tell them to vote “yes” on these two bills. Find additional background on the bills and a call script for here https://www.indivisible.org/resource/police-reform-california/.

Acknowledgements:

A big THANK YOU to our “patrons” for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

Rachel Rosen
Chandra Brooks
Jen Simon
Monisha Vasa
Celia Ward-Wallace
Vanessa Couto
Desiree Adaway
Rachel Steinman
Katie Hanus
Denise Barreto
Sage B. Hobbs
Samantha Nolan-Smith
Jody Smith
Emily Cretella
Collette Flanagan
Titilayo Tinubu Ali
Carly Magnus Hurt
Lizzy Russinko
Suzanne Brown
Mara Berns Langer
Mallory Schlabach
Katharine Earhart
Jessica Kupferman
Jen Jenkins Dohner
Genese Harris
Tonya Rineer
Liane Louie-Badua
Cristin Downs
Erin Kendall
Niko Osoteo
Erik Newton
Claire Fry
Divya Silbermann
Rachel Winter
Caren and Debbie Lieberman
Cameron Miranda
Fran and David Lieberman
Debbie and Alan Goore
The Sustainable Living Podcast

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

—

Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Download this Episode

Ep 48: Lessons Learned Since Episode 24: Intersectionality and the Age of the New Heroine with Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin 0

Aug 10, 2018

Hello and welcome to this special revisited episode of a conversation I had a year ago with Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin, titled "Intersectionality and The Age of the New Heroine.” This episode was one of my most impactful conversations and one that set me on my own heroine's journey to use my voice and leadership in new ways.

So much has happened since that conversation. Sparked by that episode, and the horror of the Charlottesville Rally that took place a few weeks later, I launched the Women Podcasters in Solidarity Initiative and held a series of interviews on the subject of anti-racism and police brutality. I hosted an Impact Circle with other mothers where we made commitments to step into more action and raised dollars and awareness for the groundbreaking work of Mothers Against Police Brutality.

I kept taking steps, one after the other.. Elizabeth invited me to speak about this work and my journey on a panel at her Gaia Women Lead Conference, and a week later, I witnessed the story of Laurie Valdez and other women who have lost loved ones to police brutality in the powerful play (M)others. The last few months brought me to a Father’s Day special episode with Assemblymember Rob Bonta on the podcast where we talked about his commitment to this issue and I began working with the play (M)others’ producer to bring the play to Sacramento ahead of key votes on critical police accountability bills in CA SB-1421 and AB-931.

Along the way, messages from my conversation with Elizabeth have taken on deeper meaning, I've learned powerful lessons from incredible guides, and experienced signs and synchronicities that help me realize I’m moving forward on an aligned and purposeful path.

So, it also felt right at this full circle moment to re-release the episode with a new introduction with reflections a year in, and a new dedication provided by one of my guides, activist, coach, speaker and now co-host of the new Families Fighting Mass Incarceration Podcast, Chandra Brooks.

In this new introduction, I share five lessons I’ve learned over the last year as I moved into anti-racism and police accountability advocacy:

Lesson #1 - Be willing to hold discomfort and a growth mindset

Lesson #2 - Move from guilt into responsibility and action

Lesson #3 - Raise your awareness and bear witness to the impact of police brutality

Lesson #4 - Open yourself to signs and synchronicities on the journey

Lesson #5 - Choose to answer the call

If there is a cause that is calling to you, but you haven't yet answered it, consider this post your cosmic nudge to take your first few steps, find your guides, and trust that you can make a difference.

And, if making a difference on the issue of police brutality is one that has been calling you, but you didn't know how you could help...there is an opportunity in CA RIGHT NOW that needs every soul who is willing...

✨To support bringing (M)others to Sacramento through contributing money to and sharing the GoFundMe page (linked below). Though we reached out initial fundraising goal, additional funds will enable the play’s producer to bring (M)others to other cities in CA.

✨To reach out to CA lawmakers to urge them to vote yes on AB 931 and SB 1421; and,

✨To urge lawmakers and those you know in Sacramento to attend the play on August 13th or August 16th and witness the powerful (M)others stories that need to be heard.

Along this journey, I took a class called Diversity is an Asset with Desiree Adaway and Jessica Fish. One of the points that Desiree drives home at the end of every call is that none of us can truly be free until all of us are free. I hope these reflections and the episode to follow from Elizabeth inspires you to step from guilt and helplessness into action, into your own heroine’s journey, and to working toward freedom for all of us.

Resources Mentioned:

The (M)others Play and the (M)others GoFundMe Site
Ep 07: Living Out Loud with Jenjii Hysten
Ep 32: Sit at the Table & Own Your Power with Chandra Brooks
Ep 27: Courageous Conversations about Race with Nicole Lee
Ep 31: Brave Spaces and Solidarity with “Rad Women” Author Kate Schatz
Ep 33: Beyond the Trauma: Legacy, Compassion and Change with Mothers Against Police Brutality Co-Founder Sara Mokuria
Ep 44: A Family Legacy of Service and Leadership with California Assemblymember Rob Bonta
Women Podcasters in Solidarity - explore the series I recorded on anti-racism and police accountability and over a dozen other powerful episodes recorded by other podcasters who joined the Initiative.
Diversity is an Asset Post from Desiree Adaway written after the Charlottesville Rally

Phone Scripts and other Resources for CA Police Accountability Advocacy [Editable &Printable]

This Episode is Dedicated by:

Chandra Brooks, author of the book called Black, Brown & Political: Get Informed, Get Empowered and Change the Game and co-founder of the new podcast, Families Fighting Mass Incarceration. Dedicated to the organizers of the San Jose Women's March 2018, Vicky Mattson and Jenny Bradanini.

Families Fighting Mass Incarceration Podcast
Black, Brown & Political: Get Informed, Get Empowered and Change the Game!

Original Show Notes for Episode 24: Intersectionality and the Age of the New Heroine with Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin

Hello and welcome to this Episode #24 of the Mother’s Quest Podcast. I’m so honored to bring you this important and powerful conversation today with Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin, who through her daily Resistance Lives on Facebook, guides thousands of us with a voice of reason and optimism during the twists and turns of today’s political landscape.

Known as a “celebrated career coach” and “fearless entrepreneur” Elizabeth, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with a J.D. from George Washington University Law School, transitioned from a fifteen year career as a Wall Street securities litigator and trial lawyer to found The Gaia Project for Women’s Leadership. The organization offers virtual and live programming that cultivates leaders from the ground up to to grow what they call “New Paradigm Women’s Leadership.”

Elizabeth is also a mindful mother. No matter how full her life gets leading women around the globe or fighting for our democracy, she prioritizes bringing presence and focus to her two children, both under the age of 5.

In this episode, we talk about how Elizabeth grew up in a very progressive community and had a strong intuition she would make a massive difference in the world. She attended her first protest when she was just 15 years old and now she’s leading a new awakening in activism – one that challenges her over 20,000 followers, of which I am one, to take daily political action, to truly listen to one another and to others with differing perspectives, and move forward as intersectional feminists, shoulder to shoulder.

We also talk about the new heroine’s journey where the heroine brings back the lessons learned along the way, her words of wisdom for me as I set out to raise awareness and create space for uncomfortable but important conversations about race, how we can “bear witness” for those who have different experiences than our own, and Elizabeth’s challenge to all of us to use our voice for change.

We packed so much depth and wisdom in this conversation, including the first ever lightning round exploration of the E.P.I.C. Guideposts.

I look forward to hearing about the ways in which this episode will inspire you and invite you to join the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group to share with us and participate in a special Q & A on Thursday, August 3rd at 11:30 am PST with activist, leadership specialist, and former NAACP Vice President Chandra Brooks.

I left this conversation feeling more inspired than ever myself to step up and into the role of the New Heroine during these times. Moved by my experience with Elizabeth, I commit to daily political action, to stretch myself to have brave conversations and use my voice for change, to truly listen to others, and to consciously cultivate this Mother’s Quest community I’m growing.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Elizabeth’s unique upbringing in progressive New Hope, Pennsylvania where 50% of the population was gay and there was a strong counter-culture.
The necessity of letting go of our anger, being willing to listen, and leading from a place of healing to hold a vision for and create the holistic society we seek.
The feminine energy and ongoing cyclical nature of the New Heroine’s Journey.
The massive acceleration of purpose and mission brought about by our current political situation.
Intersectionality within the Resistance and how women with privilege need to investigate our own internal biases so we can create a culture where everyone is safe regardless of our race, gender, sexual orientation or immigration status.
Feedback for me on an initiative I’m exploring to raise awareness and funds for Black Lives Matter; the importance of listening and “bearing witness” for communities who have different experiences than ours.
The profound moment of reconciliation at the Gaia Lead Conference that had everyone in tears.
The importance of consciously cultivating the businesses, work-places and communities that represent all of us and how even the smallest gestures of reaching out can really make a difference.
A lightning round version of how the E.P.I.C. guideposts are showing up in Elizabeth’s life and the lessons she’s learning along her heroic journey.

This Week’s Challenge:

Elizabeth asks us to think of ways we can stretch ourselves, outside of our comfort zone, to use our voice for good. And believe that we can change the world by making a difference even in one person’s life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Gaia Women Lead Website
RISE (Resist, Inspire, Speak, Empower): An Activist/Leader Bootcamp starting Oct. 15th to help us use our voice for change
#ResistanceLive
Elizabeth’s Speaking Tour Information & Tickets
The Heroine’s Journey
Council on American-Islamic Relations
The video I sent to Elizabeth before our podcast interview – Black parents explain to their kids how to deal with police
The post that explains what happened when I committed to starting Mother’s Quest Two Trapped Birds: Opening the Door for Mother’s Quest
Episode with Jenjii Hysten where we talk about her emotional Facebook live which first called me to “bear witness” regarding Black Lives Matter Ep 07: Living Out Loud with Jenjii Hysten
Episode with Women’s March Organizer Paola Mendoza Ep 16: Rising Up with Paola Mendoza
Episode with Kathleen Shannon where we discuss blocking our time Ep 20: On Being Mom and Being Boss with Kathleen Shannon
Sally Yates, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Siskind – women who are new heroines in their own ways

Listen Now

Announcements:

Take this Play to Senate - Support our GoFundMe Campaign & Action Steps

In CA, at the time of the release of this episode, lawmakers are about to deliberate on two key police accountability bills, SB-1421 and AB-931. In advance of that deliberation, I’m working with Nikki Yeboah, the producer of a powerful play called (M)others, to bring forward the stories of those who’ve lost loved ones to police brutality to the Sacramento community and to the lawmakers who will vote on this bill. We need your help to raise funds, to spread the word, and to call CA lawmakers, urge them to attend, and to vote yes on these bills. Visit gofundme.com/slash take-this-play-to-senate to learn more about this effort and how you can support. Willing to make phone calls to CA lawmakers? Find additional background and call scripts for the CA bills (among others) from Indivisible here https://www.indivisible.org/resource/police-reform-california/.

Spark Your E.P.I.C. Life

Join me for the first "Spark Your E.P.I.C. Life" Pilot! Four consecutive weeks of one-on-one coaching using a signature process I've been facilitating in my circles this spring 🍃

I have space for three clients to experience an intensive, one-one-one, four-week coaching process. Could this be you?

✨Do you feel like you're on the threshold of a powerful shift in your life?

✨Are you ready to spark new perspectives, new ways of being, and some E.P.I.C. action of your own?

✨Have you wanted to participate in the Mother's Quest Circle but the timing wasn't right or you prefer to work one-on-one?

We've been having an amazing experience in the Mother's Quest Virtual Circle and I want to bring the same practices and flow to work one-on-one in a more focused period of time...over one month instead of three.

Interested? I'd love to schedule a time to check-in about what's happening in your life and how this could support you.

✏️Sign up for a discovery session at this link or message me some times that could work for you if you don't see something that fits your schedule.

https://mothersquest.as.me/discoverysession

Acknowledgements:

A big THANK YOU to our “patrons” for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

Chandra Brooks
Jen Simon
Monisha Vasa
Celia Ward-Wallace
Vanessa Couto
Desiree Adaway
Rachel Steinman
Katie Hanus
Denise Barreto
Sage B. Hobbs
Samantha Nolan-Smith
Jody Smith
Emily Cretella
Collette Flanagan
Titilayo Tinubu Ali
Carly Magnus Hurt
Lizzy Russinko
Suzanne Brown
Mara Berns Langer
Mallory Schlabach
Katharine Earhart
Jessica Kupferman
Jen Jenkins Dohner
Genese Harris
Tonya Rineer
Liane Louie-Badua
Cristin Downs
Erin Kendall
Niko Osoteo
Erik Newton
Claire Fry
Divya Silbermann
Rachel Winter
Caren and Debbie Lieberman
Cameron Miranda
Fran and David Lieberman
Debbie and Alan Goore
The Sustainable Living Podcast

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

Mother's Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Download this Episode

Ep 47: Celebrating Episode 00: Planting Seeds for Mother’s Quest An Introduction 0

Aug 2, 2018

This episode introduction comes to you from my hotel balcony in San Miguel de Allende Mexico, where Chris and I are celebrating our 21st anniversary and our children are on a special trip with their grandparents.

To make space for vacation, I decided to re-release two episodes and take a break from recording. Next week, at the one year mark of the Charlottesville Rally, I’ll share again my original conversation with Resistance Live’s Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin along with a new introduction where I share what I’ve learned since answering the call to fight against police brutality. Please stay tuned for that episode and see the link in the show notes for how you can help this cause right now.

For this week, when I thought about the first episode from past seasons I’d like to share again, the first introductory episode 00, titled “Planting the Seeds for Mother’s Quest,” came immediately to mind. It seemed right to revisit this episode, because this summer has been a time of reflecting on milestones, in my own personal development and learning, with my children, and in the development of Mother’s Quest since that first recording.

In the last few months, I spoke about my journey on a panel at a conference for the first time, the podcast hit a big milestone, reaching over 20,000 downloads, with over 45 episodes, in 30 countries, with 7 podcast platforms, our Facebook group passed 500 members, and I stepped into new territory advocating for police accountability bills in the state of California. I completed the first virtual Mother’s Quest Circle pilot and the first Spark Your E.P.I.C. life one-on-one program and launched a new blog series called “Tales of our Humanity.” My children have experienced tremendous growth too, one graduating from preschool and the other middle school, and each taking on new adventures that have stretched them in different ways.

Seeds I planted when I recorded this episode have taken root in amazing ways. And, at the same time, the original intention to use my voice, to create space for powerful conversation, to build community and to grow in a reciprocal relationship with my children have stayed constant.

I’m appreciating the power of marking a new beginning, enjoying the journey, staying true to a vision, and allowing the original seeds of intent to flourish. I hope in listening to this episode again, or perhaps discovering it for the first time, you’ll feel grounded in the original messages of Mother’s Quest and also inspired by what has been possible since….so you can plant some new seeds of your own and trust that they too will grow.

Episode 00: Planting Seeds for Mother’s Quest – An Introduction:

Welcome to this introductory episode of the Mother’s Quest podcast. This solocast will give you a preview of what to expect in this twelve week season and reveal the stories behind Mother’s Quest E.P.I.C. framework, the podcast logo and the mantra that closes each show.

This solocast, and the podcast that it officially kicks off, is a birthday present to myself. This milestone birthday, on December 1st, 2016, and the reflective and transformative experiences in the months preceding it, inspired me to start my quest and this podcast.

For the first time in my life, I have the desire to create and share publicly something deeply personal; to use and share my voice; to commit to something I am calling my E.P.I.C. life; and to build a community to support me and other mothers along the way.

In the episodes that will follow, I interview other mothers to learn their words of wisdom. But this episode is an opportunity for me to use my own voice and share some lessons I’ve learned since the moment I decided to cross the threshold and begin living my E.P.I.C. life.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

How attending a creative workshop hosted by Elizabeth Gilbert last year began a process of self-reflection and helped me to start dreaming
The mission behind Mother’s Quest, and what it means to live an E.P.I.C. life.
How two birds that got trapped inside my home became the metaphor that sparked my journey.
Kids are always listening to what we say, to the “seeds” that we plant and nurture in them. And, we are in a reciprocal relationship with our children where we both learn and grow together.
It’s the journey and not the destination that matters the most.
Synopses of the first three episodes of the podcast
The first season of the Mother’s Quest podcast is dedicated to my friend Leslie Fischer, who passed away last summer from pancreatic cancer. How the inspiration of her life crystallized a Mother’s Quest mantra that will close each episode.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/
Theory of Change: http://www.mothersquest.com
The late Wayne Dyer: drwaynedyer.com
The Good Life Project podcast: http://www.goodlifeproject.com/radio/
Jonathan Fields: jonathanfields.com

Announcements:

Take this Play to Senate – Support our GoFundMe Campaign & Action Steps

In CA, at the time of the release of this episode, lawmakers are about to deliberate on two key police accountability bills, SB-1421 and AB-931. In advance of that deliberation, I’m working with Nikki Yeboah, the producer of a powerful play called (M)others, to bring forward the stories of those who’ve lost loved ones to police brutality to the lawmakers who will vote on this bill. We need your help to raise funds, to spread the word, and to call CA lawmakers, urge them to attend, and to vote yes on these bills. Visit gofundme.com/slash take-this-play-to-senate to learn more about this effort and how you can support.

Spark Your E.P.I.C. Life

Join me for the first “Spark Your E.P.I.C. Life” Pilot! Four consecutive weeks of one-on-one coaching using a signature process I’ve been facilitating in my circles this spring

I’m looking for no more than FOUR clients to experience an intensive, one-one-one, four-week coaching process in the month of June. Could this be you?

Do you feel like you’re on the threshold of a powerful shift in your life?

Are you ready to spark new perspectives, new ways of being, and some E.P.I.C. action of your own?

Have you wanted to participate in the Mother’s Quest Circle but the timing wasn’t right or you prefer to work one-on-one?

We’ve been having an amazing experience in the Mother’s Quest Virtual Circle and I want to bring the same practices and flow to work one-on-one in a more focused period of time…over one month instead of three.

Interested? I’d love to schedule a time to check-in about what’s happening in your life and how this could support you.

Sign up for a discovery session at this link or message me some times that could work for you if you don’t see something that fits your schedule. https://mothersquest.as.me/discoverysession

I’d like to identify the four individuals this week, get scheduled and start next week!

Mother’s Quest Tales of our Humanity #2 of 52

On the heels of attending Kate Schatz’ launch event for her new book “RAD GIRLS CAN,” and in the wake of the tragic loss of life and promise of Nia Simmons, I’m honored to share a series of stories about an incredible 7 year-old girl, Havana, written by her mother Bethany Edwards.

Along with the support of her parents, Havana is already proving there are so many things she CAN do to make a difference, defying stereotypes based on the color of her skin and her age, at every turn.

Havana sees the potential in herself and in her peers. She said it best at a recent event where she spoke “Every single girl in this room is a warrior. And every girl here can change the world.”

Here’s to Havana, here’s to her mother Bethany, here’s to our humanity.

Read Here

Reflection on the Mother’s Quest Podcast Milestone

It’s a big milestone for the Mother’s Quest Podcast 20,000 downloads! Lessons from my father on seeking our fate. And join me in the first “Spark Your E.P.I.C. Life Pilot. Watch the video here.

Acknowledgements:

A big THANK YOU to our “patrons” for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

Jen Simon
Monisha Vasa
Celia Ward-Wallace
Vanessa Couto
Desiree Adaway
Rachel Steinman
Katie Hanus
Denise Barreto
Sage B. Hobbs
Samantha Nolan-Smith
Jody Smith
Emily Cretella
Collette Flanagan
Titilayo Tinubu Ali
Carly Magnus Hurt
Lizzy Russinko
Suzanne Brown
Mara Berns Langer
Mallory Schlabach
Katharine Earhart
Jessica Kupferman
Jen Jenkins Dohner
Genese Harris
Tonya Rineer
Liane Louie-Badua
Cristin Downs
Erin Kendall
Niko Osoteo
Erik Newton
Claire Fry
Divya Silbermann
Rachel Winter
Caren and Debbie Lieberman
Cameron Miranda
Fran and David Lieberman
Debbie and Alan Goore
The Sustainable Living Podcast

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

—

Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Download this Episode

Ep 46: “Owning our Truth” with Renegade Mothering’s Janelle Hanchett 0

Jul 19, 2018

I’m honored to share with you this episode with Renegade Mothering’s, Janelle Hanchett, mom to four ranging in age from 4 to 16, and author of the new memoir “I’m Just Happy to Be Here.” I reached out to Janelle after reading her raw and honest blog post about raising teenagers. In my experience raising my own teenage son, I saw myself in Janelle’s words, and shared her post with every friend I know parenting teenagers.

I’ve since become a fan of Janelle’s wildly popular blog. She started Renegade Mothering in 2011, when after reunifying with her husband and children after years battling addiction, she settled into sobriety, suddenly “woke up” amid the daily life of working and raising her children, and felt overwhelmed by the feeling of erasure in motherhood.

To determine if the rest of the mothering world was crazy or she was, she started writing after her kids went to bed and invited readers to join her. Writing irreverently about the humorous and darker sides of motherhood, and eventually sharing her own recovery from alcoholism, she attracted an audience of hundreds of thousands of readers, and in May 2018 published her first book, the powerful memoir “I’m Just Happy to Be Here.”

The theme of being honest and real, owning our truths, seeing ourselves and therefore being able to truly see our children runs through this powerful conversation and carries forward into the challenge that Janelle gives us. She invites us to create space to reflect on, name, and be honest with ourselves about the parts of motherhood that we just don’t like. I added to her challenge that I would create a gathering with local moms this summer and give ourselves permission to name and also share these truths with one another. Photo and update on how that goes to come.

I hope you’ll say “yes” to claiming space for yourself, owning your truths, finding connection by doing this with others, and that you’ll share your photos and your experience with us.

I loved this conversation with Janelle, but admit that after finishing her book last night, I have so many more questions for her. She’s agreed to do a follow-up video conversation, that you’re invited to, in the month of August. So, I encourage you to order Janelle’s book, “I’m Just Happy to Be Here,” read it, join the Mother’s Quest group so you’ll get notified when our conversation is scheduled and come with your questions.

Looking forward to claiming space, uncovering and owning more of our truths together.

This episode dedicated by Jen Simon, Writer and Mom:

Jen’s biggest secret went viral — although she was a mom, she was addicted to prescriptions pills. After her explosive Washington Post essay, she has been contacted by hundreds of women all saying the same thing: this was my story too. Jen has written about her addiction for Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Babble, and The TODAY Show. She was recently a guest on The TODAY Show and also filmed a video for their website.

In addition to writing about addiction, Jen writes about motherhood, postpartum depression, relationships, pop culture, and feminism. She has contributed to Yahoo, Slate, Woman’s Day, and more than two dozen other publications. Her essays have been featured in six anthologies.”

www.jensimonwriter.com
Facebook @JenSimonWriter
Twitter @NoSleepInBklyn
Instagram @JenSimonWriter

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

How a blog post Janelle wrote on parenting a teenager led me to seek out more of her voice as a guide on my own motherhood journey.
Janelle shares about her childhood being raised by her own renegade mother.
We talk about her early years of marriage… parenting, studying, working, and sinking more deeply into alcoholism in the midst of the massive identity shift of motherhood.
In sobriety, the awakening she experienced of being erased by motherhood, the need to claim space for herself, and how that led to the creation of her blog, Renegade Mothering.
Janelle’s quest to realize herself as a human constantly seeking truth and seeing how she can offer the world something of meaning
Having children with a broad age difference and how Janelle engages her children through the little in-between moments.
How Janelle strives to “see” her children for who they uniquely are, remembering she can’t save them, while also teaching them, and remembering that they are not the justification for her existence.
Janelle shares the impact that her writing has had for her, her children, the mothers who read her blog, and families of those who have experienced addiction and recovery.
Her passion for deconstructing patriarchy and the false expectations society has for mothers, letting go of guilt and shame and of being a sanctimonious mother
How Janelle invests in herself, her writing, her spirituality and all the connections that help her stay sober
The strong and powerful friendships in her life and a special group of friends that participate in a weekly rotating dinner practice
Our realization that our children really are watching us. They are aware of and shaped by us more than we think.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

www.renegademothering.com, Janelle’s Blog – Renegade Mothering
“I’m Just Happy to Be Here“: A Memoir of Renegade Mothering
Connect with Janelle on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
A Quote by Margaret Atwood “I am not your justification for existence”
Jena Schwarz and her 11’s Writing Group where I delved into naming truths of my own on a daily basis in a powerful writing experience
Langhorne Slim – the singer whose approach to writing music that reaches his listeners mirrors what Janelle hopes to do with her writing

Blog posts mentioned in this episode:

Ep 41: Reclaiming Ourselves in Motherhood ~A Mother’s Day Special~ with Graeme Seabrook
“Mama, why aren’t you in the PTA?” – Janelle’s blog post from the Renegade Mothering website
Why aren’t we talking about parenting teenagers? I’m lost AF.
“Mama, did you leave me on accident?” – The blog post about Janelle’s son saying “Mama home!” when she needed to leave for her writing
Mother’s Quest Tales of our Humanity #1 of 52 – Janelle’s recent post about her daughter Ava became the first of the series of 52, “Mother’s Quest Tales of our Humanity”

This Week’s Challenge:

Janelle challenges us to create a space to reflect on, name, and be honest with ourselves about the parts of motherhood that we just don’t like and that we want to say no to. I added to her challenge that I would create a gathering with local moms this summer and give ourselves permission to name and also share these truths with one another. Photo and update on how that goes to come. You’re invited to do the same and share your photos and truths in the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group.

Announcements:

Join the Mother’s Quest Community

As I finished Janelle’s book, book with tears in my eyes, I was struck by the power of owning our truths, seeing ourselves in our whole humanity, the good and the bad, and the connection that’s possible when we share those truths with one another.

I resonated with a particular passage in her book where she writes about finding her voice and her Renegade Mothering community. She says “When I found my voice, I didn’t find answers–I found a purpose for every moment I had lived. I found power in every blackened room in my mind, every fear, every sad parent, every futile word and nightmare memory. Because it led me to you, to the place where we are the same, to the place where words draw a line from my bones to yours, and you look at me and say, “I know,” and I look back at you, thinking “Well I’ll be damned. I guess we’ve been here together all along.”

That’s how I feel about finding my voice through this podcast, about owning the questions I get to explore here with truth-seekers like Janelle, and in realizing, when you listen and engage with me, that we’re not alone in our pursuit.

If you haven’t yet and want to join the deeper conversation and the community, reach out to me at julie@mothersquest.com or follow the links in the show notes to join our free facebook group. If you’re already a member, invite a friend to join us. In the group, stay tuned for an announcement about a special live and interactive conversation with Janelle. Together, I look forward to exploring more questions, seeking more truth, and making more connections.