MamaFuel: The Podcast

Before I tell you anything, let me say this: today's conversation with Christa Couture will move you. Take time. Listen closely. Of the nearly 70 episodes in MamaFuel, all of which I've loved, THIS is the one. THIS is the conversation I'd urge you to listen to again and again.Not only because it's not every day you can listen to a cancer survivor cyborg amputee chanteuse mama of three (as she says "two have died and one is here") mixed indigenous Cree Scandinavian queer radio host non-fiction author and singer-songwriter. Not only that. But also because Christa is a sensitive, generous, warm, kind and thoughtful woman whose intelligence and talent seep through everything she creates, including this conversation.  Given the name "Singing Woman" as a child, Christa weaves and shares stories about grief, loss and life as she processes how life is unfolding. I loved hearing how, at time of recording, Christa was reworking her narrative around Christmas, making space for both grief for her absent sons and delight for her vivacious and very present daughter.  I appreciated learning more about the importance of representation and how critical it is for us to share and talk about our differences. When Christa decided to showcase her "cyborg" limb in its full floral glory, she and the world started interacting differently. It's an important reminder that it's critical for us to share and celebrate difference. There's so much more, but these are "show notes" and not "show encycopediae" so I'll leave you with this: listen and share this conversation far and wide, and support Christa and her work by pre-ordering her book AND ordering her record. You can find her on www.christacouture.com and you'll find links to everything we talk about in the episode when you read the full show notes here.  If you loved this episode, remember to head to the MamaFuel Virtual Village to tell me what you'll keep in your heart from this conversation. Even better, leave us a review and a rating over on iTunes so as many people as possible can hear and share this conversation. Be well!

"We have this extra time as a family right now. How can we make it meaningful?" Samaria Williams, this week's guest, couldn't have been more timely with her question. The world is slowing down right now, providing us all with the opportunity to look at the families and relationships we've created. That might be uncomfortable, delightful or any combination of both. Samaria's wisdom is perfectly timed for us all as we enter this unchartered territory of COVID-19 closures. In this episode, we talk about how important it was for her and her partner to take a frank look at themselves and the stories they had around what was possible in life and in parenting. After separating early in their daughter's life, they decided to reconcile and consciously build their family around their values and their sweet daughter. They chose the road less travelled and faced resistance from the people who loved them the most. "You CAN'T get back together." "You SHOULDN'T give it another chance." "You SHOULD just do it on your own." It's EASIER to parent ALONE..." these were only a few of the stories they held individually and that were shared with them by others. But Samaria and her partner are rewriting their story with conscious decisions, and by allowing in Grace when they feel like they've given it their all, and trusting that all will be as it should be.I can't think of a better conversation to share with you right now. Samaria talks about how she consistently asks herself "what is the best thing I can do to set my daughter up to live a limitless life, and to avoid her having to spend the rest of her life recovering from her childhood?" Head over here to read the full show notes and find the links to the book Samaria mentions, as well as other podcasts I refer to in this episode.Most of all, loves: stay safe. Huge love to you. 

Ever felt conflicted about wanting recognition, fulfilment and challenge outside your family context? Get ready to feel a warm wash over your heart and a burst of inspiration as you get to know my guest this week on the MamaFuel podcast.  Valerie Knopik has navigated the guilt-ridden conflictual waters of maternal love and personal aspiration and, with her husband and children, has forged a life she and her family love. I love hearing how her she and her post-doctorate thesis advisor got creative to cobble together a maternity leave for her. I love how she and her husband waded through all the ICK they faced individually and as a team to land here, twenty years into their marriage, in a solid, mutually-supportive place. I love how Valerie, her dreams, her talent and her career get to fully breathe, expand and flourish in the container of her family. A container where everyone’s dreams have a place and enough space to grow. If all of that wasn’t enough, those of you who are curious about how and why our brains work the way they do will LOVE hearing Valerie talk about epigenetics (her speciality), brain plasticity and how it’s hard but entirely possible to rewire your brain, and in doing so change your life. If you’d like to connect with any of the resources we mention during our talk or quickly find any of the podcast episodes I mention, click here for all the goodies. And if you’d like to be part of the ongoing conversation about this podcast and so much more, join us in the MamaFuel Virtual Village here.

Trigger warning: domestic abuse and gaslighting Sound quality: the sound on this episode cuts out often, but it’s such an important conversation that I’ve decided to air it anyway because done is better than perfect, and I know someone out there will need to hear this. Thanks for your patience with the sound. When I met this week’s guest it was like meeting a human energy source. Katrina Young is a self-made woman whose background of domestic abuse has directed the course of her business and her life.  Now a happy mama of two living safely and thriving in London, Katrina shares her experiences of abuse, how she came to realise that what she was living wasn’t healthy, and how she managed to fight back to regain her voice and her independence. I loved hearing how she’s recently been taking time to listen to herself, how that’s led her to be clearer about her boundaries and has helped her drop her people pleasing habits. I’m inspired by Katrina’s positivity, energy and her willingness to bravely STOP and hear what her soul and her body are telling her. If you’re in a situation of domestic abuse, please click this link to be connected to a number of organisations that exist to help. If your country isn’t listed please let us know and we’ll add a resource for your location.  If you enjoyed this episode and would like to continue the conversation, please click here to join the MamaFuel Virtual Village. It’s a glorious place to connect to other like-minded mamas.  Links:If you live in any of these countries and are facing domestic abuse of any kind, please reach out to your local support organisations, some of which are listed here by country. Click the following links to learn about where you can find support in Switzerland, in the UK, the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the US and a good resource for local support in Canada, by province. If you’d like to connect with Katrina, you’ll find her here.

Lindsay Bong hurtled head-first into marriage, motherhood and all that comes with both of those big life changes. Now that the dust has settled, she reflects on her early years as a mama living in a new state with a new husband and a new life... while grappling with her identity, her role as a mama and the challenges of creating a vibrant community around her. I loved our conversation about learning to ask for what you need, and how as you get more comfortable asking for help (and surviving if the answer is no) you get clearer on what you need and how to get those needs met.  In addition to being a very funny human, a loving mama and an adventurous being, Lindsay is a therapist whose compassion for her patients took some finessing before she could offer it to herself.  Lindsay now keeps a list of what makes her most herself, and consults it often when she's feeling funky. I'm going to do the same, and wonder if you might join us? If you liked this conversation and would like to connect with Lindsay, click here to find the full show notes including links to her gorgeous art, her podcast and more. And, if you haven't already, click here to join the MamaFuel Virtual Village so we can keep this conversation going. Have a gorgeous week. 

This week I’m celebrating a big milestone: 60 episodes of this podcast, celebrating mamas around the world doing big and small things! To mark the occasion, I want to talk about something that breaks my heart: women who are disappearing under their SuperMama capes. So many of us do our VERY BEST for our children. We want to give them what we didn’t have, prevent their suffering and plan for every eventuality. It’s not realistic, but we torture our schedules, our bodies and our minds to try and make it possible. We take up less and less space, in hopes of finally satisfying our little humans or giving them THE BEST of us and the world, all the time. The problem is, in addition to this not being fun, it's also entirely unsustainable. And it's hurting our mental health, our physical health, our careers and our relationships. It's an epidemic, especially amongst international mamas: we expect high levels of functioning from ourselves, with little or no support, and when something's got to give it usually ends up being us. It's got to stop. In this episode I’m sharing three ways that you can start taking up more space in your life, and loosening the stranglehold of the SuperMama cape. It'll feel great, I promise. If this resonates with you, I’d LOVE to hear from you. You can email me here or join us over in the Virtual Village on Facebook so we can talk about it. It’s free and I’d love to meet you there. Happy 60th, beauty. I’m so grateful you’re listening.

Today’s guest is a talented artist, a deeply reflective woman and a conscious mama whose decision to mindfully shepherd her young son through the world has broken many moulds. Before I’d ever spoken a word to Shermain Philip, I was captivated by her art. Her bold strokes and the way she uses light infuse life into the people she’s painting. When I learned some of the stories behind her work, I was hooked.Shermain uses her paintings as doorways into conversation with her son; conversations about the American Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panthers, the Windrush Generation in the UK and so much more. By sharing her art with her son, Shermain gently invites him to be curious. Their conversations have covered complex topics like racism, civil rights, naturalisation, inequality and so much more.  Hearing Shermain talk about the different treatment her son receives in school relative to his white school mates was essential -- those of us who don't have to tell our children that people may assume they're naughty because of what they look like have a duty to listen to the mamas who DO have those conversations. Because we've got to do and be better for every child in the world today and tomorrow.   As we spoke I was struck by Shermain’s focus on legacy, both as an artist and as a mother. She’s mindful of the impact she’s having on her son, and hopes to have a broader impact with her art long after she’s gone. I don’t doubt that will happen. To find out more about Shermain and to see her art, click here. That’s where you’ll also find information about the book we talk about and the other podcasts we mention in this week’s episode. If you'd like to be part of a bigger conversation about the issues we discussed in this week's podcast, head over to the MamaFuel Virtual Village, a free community where we discuss the podcast and so much more. See you there! 

What a pleasure it was to have and listen to this week’s conversation again. My guest Lizzy Russinko is a dear soul, a wildly talented artist, a loving and conscious mama of two, and a wise woman whose friendship I cherish in my heart. If you’ve been listening to the podcast in the past few months you’ll have heard me reference this conversation over and over – so I’m doubly thrilled to share it! Lizzy and I talk about the importance of community, especially when you’re in the thick of the newborn phase. I love her idea of treating everyone she meets as if they’re new… so she never feels isolated because she’s always welcoming everyone else, including in places she’s never been. It’s such an effective way of including yourself and others. I can’t wait to use it! What most impacted me, though, was when Lizzy illuminated a simple but often-forgotten fact: any time we meet someone, we are only seeing and getting to know them as they are in THAT moment. We have no idea who or how they’ve been in the past, nor how or whom they’ll be in the future. If we approach each other (and ourselves) with curiosity, compassion and forgiveness our relationships will deepen and improve.  Who were you before? Who are you becoming? How can you forgive yourself for what you may or may not have done to take loving care of yourself at different seasons in your life? There’s so much juice in this conversation that I just want you to get it into your ears NOW. In fact, this episode deserves to be listened to more than once so you can capture all the goodness within. If you’d like to check out Lizzy’s art or access the other resources we mentioned during our convo, click here. If you’d like to join the conversation we’re having over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village (our free FB community), click here and join us. I’d love to meet you there! ALSO: if you haven’t done it yet, I’d be mega grateful if you’d leave a review and rating over on Apple Podcasts. It makes the world of difference to know you’re listening, that you’re enjoying what I’m sharing here and that it’s helpful to you. Also, the more ratings the podcast gets, the more widely the funky little algorithm will share it with other mamas. And that would be great. Have a gorgeous week!

Get ready for a blast of delight in the form of this week’s guest, Emma Stroud. Em is serious about having fun. So much so that she’s made it (part of) her business to teach adults how to laugh and think in ways many of us have forgotten. She also occasionally gets told off by her son for being too silly. That’s a win in my book! Emma never wanted to be a mum -- until she did. Her journey to holding baby William in her arms was as refreshingly creative as she is. I loved hearing how Emma and her friend and business partner Deon consciously created a family that worked for them. For a while it included two loving couples living in "one big gay house” and sharing coparenting equally. I was fascinated and a little envious of the set-up Emma had then and still has now. It’s every parent’s dream: having someone else fully share the coparenting and having an entire tribe to raise her son. It's meant that when she's mum, she's mum. And the rest of the time, she's Em. Period. I’d definitely be up for that! I loved talking to Emma about the power of words, why it drives me bonkers to hear women say they’re “just mum” and what Emma thinks is behind that. I agree fiercely about the importance of bravery, and how it’s the precursor to curious and open connection.  In fact it’s got me musing, for all of us: where are you curious? Where do you meet other people with preconceived judgements? Where could you be more open? Where could I? Where and how do you put yourself or other women into the "mum box?" I hope this conversation leaves you wondering about the roles you play of have had foisted upon you. About how you meet yourself and other mothers. And about how you might make big, brave decisions to help bump your life out of conventionality so it starts to look and feel the way you want it to, so you can truly be yourself.  I’d love to hear what comes up for you as you listen. The conversation will continue over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village, which is our free Facebook home, and I’d love to read your tuppence. Click here to join us. And if you haven’t yet, please leave a review of this podcast wherever you’re listening. It helps so much to know that these conversations are landing, and it makes the little internet robots share conversations like these with more mamas. If you’d like to learn where to find Emma and discover the resources, films and more that we talk about during this conversation, head over here to the MamaFuel web site for all the goodies.

Rebecca Ching didn’t think she wanted children, until she realised she could build a different kind of family than the one she’d known when she was little. But creating a family came at a cost: Rebecca’s body told her in no uncertain terms that her previously work-focused life had to change dramatically for her to be the business owner, partner and mother she wanted to be.  A few years into parenting and after the birth of their son, Rebecca and her husband learned that their daughter was on the autism spectrum. In that moment, everything shifted again towards finding the best support for their sweet girl and for themselves. It was a bumpy road of shifting relationships, grieving lost friendships and reassessing of every aspect of their lives. But it was made smoother by their absolute conviction that they, and no one else, knew best what their daughter needed.  They became super intentional about the way they were spending their time, with whom and how they were going to lead their family. There were years of intense loneliness as they felt around to find the people who supported them the way they needed to be helped (and not how other people told them they should want), and found ways of showing up fully in difficult moments with their daughter. Working with Brené Brown’s research on shame and becoming trained in The Daring Way was key to Rebecca developing shame resilience and being able to navigate the excruciating situations she’d often find herself in. In this conversation that could have gone on for days, Rebecca and I talk about the insidiousness of comparative suffering, the lies shame tells us to keep us safe, and how deepening isolation makes we mamas so vulnerable. We touch on the tendency so many of us have to numb the tough feelings through service, through being there all the time for others, until we can’t maintain it anymore.   Rebecca explains how shame, trauma and grief are all intertwined, and how there’s no way to avoid the loneliness of our path as humans learning how to be on this planet. When she talked about the thousand little traumas we all live on a daily basis, I could feel it in my body. The tiny misunderstandings, the glancing blows, the disappointments. They combine to create wounds all over our hearts and souls, and eventually our bodies will scream for us to stop. The invitation to rethink how we’re doing life, and to face into shame and the feelings associated with it, is a precious one. Rethink who and what is in your life. How you fill your days. Where you’re going and whom you’re going there with. Really. Because streamlining your life might prevent a bigger breakdown.  When you’ve listened to this episode, go to our Virtual Village to tell us what you thought. I’d love to talk to you about this episode, your experience as an (expat) mama and how shame and isolation have played a part in your life.  If you’d like to learn more about Rebecca and her work or check out some of the books or podcast episodes we mention, click here for the full show notes. 

So many of us feel like we’re drowning in stuff, in expectations, in all the “shoulds” that can weigh upon mothers. Marieke Staub was no exception. While Marieke’s pregnancy and her daughter’s birth were idyllic, she was crippled by post-natal depression for months afterward. Marieke was able to find her way to a healthier way of being thanks to her family, friends, therapy and lots of support. Even though she was feeling better, something still wasn’t right: her overcrowded apartment, filled with all the objects we’re told we need to be “good” mothers, was a source of frustration. When her sister gave her The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marieke got to work and changed her whole life. She now lives in a space that supports her in all ways: in living her best life, in a close and happy relationship with her daughter, running a business she adores. She curated her belongings to create the life she wanted, and she couldn’t be happier. Marieke and I talk about the pressure mothers feel to have all the things for their kids (spoiler: more stuff doesn’t make you better… it usually causes more stress), the disproportionate importance we place on our belongings, how the home we live in can support or hinder our lifestyle and happiness, and how we’re all fully capable of living without so much of the stuff we accumulate. I was fascinated to hear Marieke talk about how decluttering our stuff is never only about the physical objects – it’s about facing our regrets, our grief, our memories, our guilt, celebrating our joys and making decisions about how we want to live moving forward. She also really struck a chord with me when she said that teaching our kids that they're not defined by what they own is one of the greatest gifts we can give, especially in our consumerist culture. YES to that!I’ll be calling on Marieke and her sister to help me declutter my house, and I’ll keep you posted on how that goes over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village, our free online community, so make sure you jump in to follow along. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’m feeling nervous, but I’m going to do it!  To find out more about Marieke and see that photo of my overstuffed house (circa 2010 when my kids were toddlers), click here.

We all carry stories that shape our lives. When those stories are deeply rooted in childhood, the scars can last forever. My guest in this episode is a woman whose mission it is to help all women rewrite those trauma-based stories and thrive. Natasha Bray is a solo mama of one little man, a hugely successful entrepreneur and a source of relief and healing for women around the world. In this episode Natasha tells us about her early struggles with exercise addiction, bulimia, infertility and eventually a traumatic and disempowering birth experience. Signed off her work as a social worker because of stress and depression, Natasha decided to bet on herself: she trained as a Rapid Transformation Therapy practitioner, thinking it would help her nutrition clients. What she wasn't expecting was that it would completely change her personal world. Natasha explains how RTT shifted her inner dialogue about her worth and lovability (in all good ways) and why she's now so passionate about doing the same for other women. I've tasted the magic of RTT and can attest that this modality WORKS. If you'd like to learn more about Natasha's work or link to any of the other episodes or resources I mention, click here. I'd love to know what you thought of this episode. Hop into the MamaFuel Virtual Village and tell Natasha and I what your main take-aways were, and be sure to share this episode with anyone whom you think might benefit. 

Today’s guest is a mama who’s learned through searing personal experience that despite what we might expect, it IS possible to be happier than our unhappiest child. Barb Klein is a mama to two young men, an entrepreneur and a happily married woman whose family life took a huge turn a decade ago when addiction altered their realities forever. Each member of the family has since been learning how to navigate the waters of addiction and the destruction it causes. Over that decade, Barb has found ways to love herself no matter what, and she credits her own journey to self-care and self-love as being the reason she stands so strong today. In this week’s episode Barb shares candidly about releasing her expectations around what it means to be “a good mother,” finding her way back to joy despite the hell her son is still living, and how making space and time for her marriage has kept her partnership solid through it all. Barb’s reflection that we must respect each soul’s journey through good and bad is an invitation to us all to think about how and when we support each other. Barb’s wish that all families of addicted people receive the same support as families of cancer patients went straight to my heart. If you know anyone who is struggling with addiction, or who’s supporting an addicted family member or friend, please reach out. Addiction is not contagious, and people who are watching a loved one suffer can often feel terribly isolated and afraid.   We’re all walking each other home. Listening to this week’s podcast episode will perhaps give us all the chance to open our hearts a little wider to some of the most difficult situations in life and lead with love. Barb shared many resources during our conversation. You can access all of the information we discussed by clicking here to get the full details. In the meantime, I’d love to continue the conversation about today’s podcast over on the MamaFuel Virtual Village free Facebook group. Click here to join us and share your experience with living your full, happy life no matter what.  

Rachel Flower doesn’t shy away from challenging conversations. In fact, she encourages all those around her to engage in such conversations as often as possible. That’s because she knows first-hand the value of truth-telling and the strong bonds that can be created (or repaired) through open, loving and curious conversation. In this week's episode, Rachel and I talk about her deep experience of grief – first losing her parents and her brother at a very young age and later supporting her youngest daughter through her successful fight with leukaemia. Rachel knows that relationships, communication and support matter more than anything else. I was touched hearing Rachel explain how, in times of crisis, many people fell away and others stepped up to offer support in ways she’d never expected. Her story of building a community around her family and later supporting others in establishing powerful tribes is still reverberating through my heart. Rachel is definitely my people: anyone who dispenses with small-talk in favour of connecting bravely, heart-to-heart with those around her, is a person who is changing the world. Her reminder that everything and everyone matters rings so true for me, and I know it will with you too. Enjoy this. If you’d like to get to know Rachel further, you can find her on Instagram here or check out her web page here.  As ever, you can join the ongoing conversation over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village by clicking here. I’d love to chat with you there, so get in touch! 

Buckle up, you’re about to meet a mindful, conscious force of nature who’s carved her own non-traditional path and is ROCKING being a mama to six high-energy kids, running two businesses and enjoying a happy, thriving marriage. I first met Jamie Swanson a year ago, and her brightly-coloured unicorn hair and sparkling eyes had me at hello. I’m thrilled to share this conversation with you this week following a little summer break. Jamie humourously describes her life as “loud” and “like living with six blenders without lids,” which feels like an apt description of homeschooling six vibrant children while running multiple businesses and offering rest and refuge to community leaders in need. She and her husband have made sometimes unexpected decisions that have made it all work, and they’re happier than ever. Those decisions have always been inspired by Spirit and supported by their faith, but they haven’t always been easily accepted within their families or community as they switched traditional roles and often stepped away from prescribed paths. In this week’s conversation, Jamie and I talk about how they make it all work, how she’s navigated mama guilt, why she now feels striking out and living fully into her dreams is the best thing she can do for herself and her children in their current season in life, and so much more. There’s so much goodness in this conversation, but one nugget that stands out for me is this: “If I don’t want things for my kids, why am I accepting that they’re happening to me or that I’m living my life that way?” Why, indeed. Listen all the way to the end and then head into the MamaFuel free Facebook community to tell me what you thought of the episode and Jamie’s beautiful family and life. If you’d like to learn more about Jamie, check out her business page here, and her amazing quilting Instagram account here.And click here to find the comic about maternal mental load that Jamie and I talked about. It's a must-read. 

This week's edition of MamaFuel: The Podcast is chock full of firsts. I realised recently that the conversations on the podcast weren't fully representative of all mamas, so I'm trying to do better by consciously broadening the scope of people I'm talking to. I asked this week's guests to be on the podcast a long time ago, and I'm delighted that our conversation is the first in what I hope will be a much more diverse series of conversations. I'm thrilled to introduce you to Nick and Katherine North, a queer couple with a breathtaking love story, a transgender dad and a whole house full of kids (plus a very naughty puppy). Nick and Katherine are the first couple I've had on the show and Nick's the first dad I've welcomed. I couldn't think of better guests to have as my "firsts" in so many ways.In this week's conversation Nick and Katherine tell us about their introductions into motherhood via abortion (Katherine's first mothering decision), traumatic birth, separation, post-natal depression and so much more. Hearing Nick explain how he tried to be a "good mom" and finding his joy in birthing babies really tugged at my heart. I loved hearing how Katherine and Nick prepared for so long to tell their kids about Nick transitioning to Dad, only to find that their kids weren't that fussed -- as long as Dad gave as much love as Mom, which he does. We also talked about coming out, and how transgender people are endlessly required to explain their identity and how they present to the world. Nick and Katherine live in a very conservative community, and it was heartening to hear how their friends and the broader world rallied to support them as Nick transitioned (and continues to).  Any parent who has a gender curious child will want to listen particularly closely to the part where Nick and Katherine express what every transgender child needs to hear and feel: that they are loved NO MATTER WHAT. No ifs, ands or buts. Simply loved. Nick's message that transgender kids (and their parents) don't have to do ANYTHING to make anyone else feel better, and that their only job it to make themselves feel ok really resonated with me. Everyone else will take care of themselves. It's also not a parent's job to make anyone else feel better about their kid or themselves. Other people's opinions are other people's business. Period. There's so much more I could share about this conversation, but honestly: LISTEN. Again and again. And follow Nick and Katherine, support them and any LGBTQI people in your community. Because everyone could use more love. Deepest thanks to Katherine and Nick for this great conversation. To hear a rich account of Nick and Katherine's love story, do yourself a favour and listen to this amazing podcast in which they explain how their love unfolded. I'll be listening again and again.  My favourite places to follow this amazing pair of luminous beings is on Nick's Instagram here, on Katherine's Instagram here, and on Nick's web site and Katherine's web site (her newsletter is, hands down, the best and most precious writing dropping into my inbox. ever.). I'd LOVE to hear what you thought of this episode, if you have any questions and what this conversation sparks in you. The best way to engage in the conversation is to come into the Virtual Village over on Facebook. It's our free community, and I'd love to welcome you there.   During our conversation, I mentioned the new decision from Mastercard to allow transgender people to choose the name on their credit cards. Check out the moving video they released about this industry first. Bravo Mastercard.  

A little over a year ago the MamaFuel podcast was just a dream. Today I'm celebrating publishing 50 amazing episodes by turning the tables and having a dear friend interview me, asking the questions I usually ask my guests. Things get pretty personal, so if you've been tuning in for a while and you'd like to get to know the person behind the questions, this is your chance. Huge thanks to Noomi Natan for stepping into the interviewer role and having fun with it all!If anything strikes you in this episode, tell me about it in our free Facebook group where the conversation is always ongoing. Click here to join the conversation in our free Facebook group!

Have you ever had a moment where the way you see the world shifts? Like a giant kaleidoscope unexpectedly moves and the clarity you took for granted is gone forever, as a new vision takes shape?That's what happened to this week's guest, the lovely Claire Farrington. Her first son, Theo, was born very prematurely. As she and her partner adjusted to the realities of life in the NICU, they received another unexpected piece of news: Theo had Down's Syndrome.In this touching conversation, Claire openly shares how little she knew about Down's Syndrome and how sad she feels now that her initial reaction to the news of Theo's extra chromosome was so frightened and negative. In the three years since Theo was born, Claire has become a campaigner for families with Down's Syndrome, sharing her story and educating people across the UK and beyond.  Through her blog, Claire candidly shares all the stages of adjusting to life with Down's Syndrome. I'm still struck, weeks after recording, by Claire's deep wish that prospective parents of all ages might hear her message that a Down's diagnosis isn't negative. It's just different. I'm grateful to Claire sharing her story with our community, and even more so because at time of recording, Claire was less than 24 hours away from a scheduled c-section. Her son Freddy was born healthy and on-schedule, and Claire has told me since that this second delivery has helped heal some of the terror she experienced around Theo's much-too-early arrival. When you've listened to this episode, please share it. And if you liked hearing our conversation, I'd be super grateful if you could rate the podcast and leave a review. The more people hear Claire's story, the more perspectives might shift for the better around Down's Syndrome. To follow Claire's family's story, visit her blog here or check out her beautiful Instagram account here. Don't forget that the conversation continues over on the free MamaFuel Virtual Village! Check it out and join in! I can't wait to hear what you think of this and all other episodes of MamaFuel. 

Annika Suoma Frey is an ultra sensitive healer, seeker and guide for women who are ready to live their soul’s calling. She is wise beyond her years, funny, vulnerable, open and one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. She’s also a mama to three little beings under the age of six, in an ever-evolving conscious partnership with her husband, and a person whose willingness to have B-I-G conversations and take scary decisions regularly takes my breath away. In this week’s conversation, Annika and I talk about her difficult youth and the winding road to recognising that she is a divine channel, how life is so much easier and richer (in all ways) since she decided to tune into that channel, and how being fiercely brave led her to the place she is now. Annika shares incredible wisdom about how she prioritises her connection to Spirit, her wellbeing and her marriage above all else, and recounts how intentional separation and conscious decisions have expanded her relationships beyond anything she could have imagined. We also veer into a place that surprised me: systems, and how they support Annika’s freedom and choice by creating true equality in all areas of responsibility in her family. They may not sound sexy, but Annika’s take on systems had this structure-avoider wondering about how I could implement some of what she shares. When she implements systems in the context of self-care, Annika is living her commitment to unconditionally love herself because she knows it’s the only way she can unconditionally love anyone else. We talk about all of this and so much more, but you’ll have to listen to get the rest of the juicy nuggets. ALSO: MY SOUND WASN’T GREAT BUT I’VE DECIDED TO SHARE THIS CONVERSATION ANYWAY BECAUSE IT WAS SO SO SO GOOD. Apologies about the sound quality on my end. If you’d like to learn more about Annika and her work, check her out  online here, on Instagram here and on Facebook here. And be sure to join us over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village here to continue the conversation with Annika and with me.      And finally, if you’d like to listen to the podcast episode with Leslie Potter that I mention in this conversation, click here.  

We all know that taking care of ourselves first is important. The whole oxygen mask in the airplane explanation. Thing is, we hear it so much that some of us may feel it's over-stated and exaggerated; that we can keep pushing ourselves to the bottom of a to-do list when something feels a bit off.This week's guest on MamaFuel is living proof that putting yourself last can have grave consequences for you and your family. Hannah Corne is an accomplished marathon runner and triathlete, the founder of the UK's branch of the Mini Mermaid Running Club, a mum of two and so much more. Earlier this year she started to notice her eyesight changing, and when she eventually went to have it checked, was told she had cancer in her eye. Within three weeks her eye (and the cancer) had been removed.Our conversation was moving, raw and so beautiful. I admire Hannah for her courage facing into the terrifying prospect of cancer, learning to live without her left eye and for her willingness to share her story so soon after living through it. What really sticks with me from our conversation is that Hannah finally got her eyes checked out of a feeling of responsibility to others on the road and to her children -- not a feeling of responsibility for herself or her own well-being. It highlighted for me how DEEP is the learning that we must care for others first and always, no matter the cost to ourselves. It's such a toxic belief, and it's got to stop. Hannah is contributing to changing the messages women get about their self-care through her work with girls aged 7 - 11. Together with her coaching team at Mini Mermaid Running Club UK, Hannah helps the next generation develop emotional resilience, self-love and a passion for fitness. I wish such a programme had been around when my oldest was seven, and hope you'll take Hannah up on her generous offer to reach out to her for more information about the Club or anything else that sparked your interest during our conversation. You can reach Hannah directly here.  If you'd like to learn more about the work the Mini Mermaid Running Club is doing to foster self-belief and resilience in young girls, click here to reach them in the UK, here to reach them in the US and here to reach them in Switzerland.  I hope you'll go have all your checkups after this episode. I hope you'll look at yourself as the precious being that you really are. I hope that you'll hear your body's plea to take loving care of her. I certainly heard mine as I spoke to Hannah. And I hope that you'll reach out and share your story with others, and ask for help when you need it. It really could save your life. 

Alissa Daire Nelson is a modern-day superwoman, but not in the way that term is usually used. She is bold and courageous, she takes space when she needs it and models for her girls what it looks like when a woman – who happens to be a mother – follows her dreams and asks for support from her family to get there. I loved learning about Alissa’s early lesson that as parents, we often resort to using our anger and our power (vocal, physical or otherwise) to control situations with our kids that trigger us, and what she chose to do instead. Alissa decided years ago to draw on this quote from Scream-Free Parenting as her guide: “we are not responsible FOR our children, we are responsible TO them.” That sentence has shaped how she, her ex-husband and her current (and last!) husband parent their two girls. Taking radical responsibility for and to herself has meant many conversations and reckonings when things have gone sideways, which in turn has given Alissa’s teen girls permission to mess up and make up, knowing they always have a voice and that they’ll be heard. Alissa talks about how her girls are the best of friends and shares how asking good questions about when things go well has helped the whole family focus on the positive by choosing to engage in positive behaviours rather than harp on the negative when it arises. It’s fascinating to hear how Alissa and her co-parenting team manage their daughter’s potentially life-threatening chronic illness and how they’ve used practical solutions to empower both of their girls in all aspects of life. There’s so much richness in this week’s episode, so be sure to listen all the way to the end and then join the conversation over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village, our free group on Facebook where the discussion deepens every week.  If you’d like to check out Alissa here and on Instagram here.

I love all my guests, and this week's is no exception. Shari Teigman is a whirlwind of straight-talking, powerhouse New York determination and grit. In this week's conversation we talk about her realisation that to live and thrive, she needed to break away from the traditional mother and matriarch roles handed down through her Modern Orthodox Jewish upbringing, and what it meant to do that in the community where she was raised.Shari still lives and mothers in the place where she grew up; she's founded her business, launched three podcasts, raises her two boys on her own and keeps exploring different ways to belong in this new, truer form of herself. Shari and I talk about the insidiousness of mothers being valued for being selfless, how living in the place you grew up can blind you to the structures that others impose upon you, and how damaging it is that we don't learn to trust ourselves from the outset. We talk about Byron Katie's The Work, which you can learn more about here, how important it is to choose the stories you believe, the importance of learning to be ok with yourself FIRST and foremost, how damaging it is to judge and compare ourselves to others, and so much more.I know I'll be listening over and over to this episode, and I can't wait to hear what you think of it. Make sure you visit us over in the free Facebook group here to continue the conversation about this episode.If you'd like to learn more about Shari and her work, you can find her here online, check out her Facebook profile or follow her on Instagram. 

At the time of recording, it’s the end of Global Maternal Mental Health Week (early May 2019). This is an episode with a difference, and it feels vulnerable and frightening to share it with you. But I’m doing it because this story matters. My mental health journey matters, and as I’ve been sharing it this week online, the response has been incredible. So many women are suffering silently, convinced they’re alone. They aren’t. You aren’t. In this week’s episode you’ll learn why I know first-hand that we must keep conversation and education growing around maternal mental health. I learned about it the hard way, and I wish I’d known of people talking about it at the time. Maternal mental illness is an epidemic that must be stopped. If you know me outside of motherhood, this episode might surprise you. If you know me as a mama, you might still be surprised because I present as (and am) fiercely smart, sharp-minded and quick-witted. I’m also incredibly fragile, just like everyone else out there. Some people sail through life without any mental wobbles. Many don’t. Those of us in the latter camp need support, visibility and most of all, we need the shame and stigma associated with mental illness to be dropped. If you’re a return listener to MamaFuel, you’ll know that mental health struggles come up often during our conversations. We’ve talked about depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, post-natal bi-polar and more. If any of those topics speak to you, click on the links above and you’ll find much to comfort and possibly educate you. If you haven’t ever wrestled with your mental health, I’m so happy for you. But chances are you know a mum (likely many) who are struggling and aren’t talking about it. For them, please listen to this episode and share it broadly. We all need to be part of the conversation. If you’d like to join the MamaFuel-Up Sessions, starting May 7th, 2019, please click on this link to join us. We’ll be gathering for five consecutive days, one hour per day, to start sharing stories, shifting perspectives and collecting tools to help us lead our best life, even when it feels impossible. I’d love you to join us, it’s absolutely free. If you’re struggling, please reach out to your local community, a friend or a health professional near you. Nothing is unsolvable, once we find the right help.Here are some resources in the UK, Canada, South Africa, the US and Switzerland. If you have any more to share for your country, please email me here and I'll gladly add them to list list. Thank you. Here's the link to the MamaFuel Virtual Village, where the conversation about this episode will continue!

If you’re a fan of The Voice UK, you’ll likely recognise the voice of this week’s guest. Sarah Tucker was a breathtakingly talented contestant on the 2019 version of the show, and she captured hearts and carried the dreams of many mamas as she soared in the competition.A few months ago Sarah’s run on the show came to an end, but not before scores of people had fallen under the spell of her voice. What few people knew, however, was what Sarah had gone through to get onto that mythical stage. In this week’s episode, Sarah talks about her lifelong dream to become a mother and the parallel dream she tirelessly pursued to become a professional singer. We talk about Sarah’s difficult passage into motherhood following a missed miscarriage, the power of manifestation, spirituality, social media and the role it played in triggering a crippling post-natal depression after the birth of her second child Josh, and much more. For more detailed show notes, click here. If you’d like to talk to Sarah directly and ask her some questions, then join us over in the MamaFuel Virtual Village here where we’ll be carrying on the conversation. If you’d like to learn more about the MamaFuel Sisterhood, be sure to email me here at anne@mamafuel.me and I’ll get right back in touch to tell you all about it. And remember to keep May 7th in your diary, because that’s when the fun will begin!To follow Sarah's journey and hear her amazing voice, check out her Instagram profile.To learn more about her mortgage business, click here.   

Many parents dread having "THE TALK" with their kids, fearful of using true anatomical language, saying too much or having to answer uncomfortable questions.Today's guest, Sarah Sproule, learned first-hand about the importance of the talk AND how much of an impact having (or not having) the talk could have on her social circle and her children's network of friends. Ever since, Sarah's dedicated her life to helping parents navigate the potentially treacherous waters of talking about sex in ways that connect and build stronger bonds with their children.We explore how to talk to your kids, framing their new knowledge in ways that will preserve their friendships (aka: you're lucky to know this stuff, not everyone's parents talk to them about this), how to talk to them about sexual pleasure, and how to create respectful boundaries around conversations that not every family is prepared to have. I loved Sarah's perspective on culture, and how we're now at the opposite of the "don't talk" spectrum where some people feel forced to talk about things they don't want to discuss yet with their children. We talk about sexting, videos, consent, cyber intimacy and so much more. Listen for the nugget later in our conversation when Sarah explains about the four-to-one ratio to help keep your relationship with your kids on the right track. To learn more about Sarah's work and find out how you can have supportive and loving conversations with your kids about sex, visit https://www.thetalk.ie/ and be sure to join our free Facebook group here to continue the conversation with other mamas. 

Hannah Hardy-Jones could be a stranger in a far-off land, but instead she's a brand new soul sister. Our digital paths crossed somewhere on the interwebs a few months ago and a gentle conversation began, quickly deepening as we discovered shared values and interests.  Our first conversation, recorded to share with you, felt more like one in a long string of conversations than a simple beginning. I'm deeply moved by Hannah and touched by her openness about her experiences with post-natal bi-polar disorder.  Hannah's generous sharing about her life-altering experience and how she manages it now invites us all to look closely at preconceptions or stigmas we may hold about mental illness. We move from trauma in the community (Hannah lives just outside Christchurch and we recorded this conversation a week after the horrific massacre of innocent Muslims in their places of worship), to the importance of sisterhood and support, especially in times of illness, and finally to Hannah's newest baby: an offering that's making the world a better, kinder place for mothers. Find out more about Hannah and her work by clicking here.  Be sure to join the free MamaFuel Facebook group here, where the conversation continues. 

This week's guest is a force of nature, a leader and a wise, wise woman. Debbi Carberry is a therapist, a clinical social worker, possibly Brené Brown's twin, a mama of four, owner and leader of five businesses, loving partner, friend, and so much more.  Debbi and I go deep straight away, talking about shame, self-acceptance, self-compassion, kindness and building individual relationships with each person we love. As our conversation weaves from love to self-criticism, via the power and impact of silent genetic messages that are passed from generation to generation, we exchange our experiences as mothers, leaders and women doing our best, every day. To find out more about this conversation, visit https://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep040-debbi-carberry/

A few months ago I was awe-struck, watching magic in motion. The woman who orchestrated this particular piece of real-life magic is my guest on this week's episode of MamaFuel. Sally Wyatt is an adventurer, a kind, energetic and intelligent woman who happens to be a mama to two tiny human girls, a writer, a dreamer and a courageous soul who spends a lot of time outside her comfort zone. Sally moved to Switzerland less than a year ago (at time of recording) and has already built up a deep network of close friends and soul sisters through a H-U-G-E leap of faith she took late last year. Her willingness to make things happen and to find ways of making things work is inspiring me, and I know it'll inspire you too.  In this week's episode we talk about the benefits of living outside your comfort zone (where Sally is happiest), finding your way back to yourself in the midst of mothering and all the things life throws at you, life as an expat, how moments of change and failure remind you that you're alive, why teaching kids that failure is a natural part of life sets them up for success in life, what it's like to be part of the volunteer team creating a massive event for TEDxLausanneWomen, and so much more.  If you'd like to find out more about Sally and read some of her beautiful and poignant writing, click here to read full show notes and connect with Sally.  When you've finished listening I'd love you to join our free Facebook community, where we'll continue the conversation and where Sally is available to answer any questions or expand on what we talked about in this week's episode. Click here to join the Facebook group.  

This week I'm proud to introduce you to the little being who made me a mama. Her name is Carolina, and she's an incredibly special soul, a super smart girl and a wonderful, complicated, being. We're pressing into the preteen years and today's conversation, as well as being a time capsule of where she's at and how she's thinking, is probably representative of the concerns and priorities shared by a lot of kids her age. We talk about dyslexia, what it was like to be undiagnosed and struggling at school, how it felt to get help with her dyslexia, bullying, big transitions and getting used to new circumstances. Carolina shares her thoughts on what parents can do if they think their kids are struggling with dyslexia or any other learning differences, what she thinks about some new guidelines we've just agreed and you'll get a front seat for a MASSIVE event that happened on the day of recording. It's an unusual and sometimes funny episode which I've left totally unedited, because that's how we roll. I adore my girl, I'm privileged to be her mama and I can't wait for every single day we spend together. She blows my mind every day and I'm happy to share a little of our bond with you.I'd love to know what you think. Make sure you head into our Facebook group to join the ongoing conversation there. 

OOOOOhhhhhh my goodness this week's podcast episode is good... Meet Celia Ward-Wallace. She's an activist, a community building and organiser, a powerhouse entrepreneur, a gatherer of beautiful souls and a mama to two beautiful black girls growing up in South Central Los Angeles. Along with her husband, Celia is raising two upstanding citizens who are already making a difference in our world. In this week's conversation, Celia and I touch on racial discrimination, what it's like to be growing up black in today's America, activism and the role it played both in her upbringing and how it continues to impact her life now, spirituality, white privilege and how to educate ourselves about it, and so much more. I could spend ages writing about this conversation but honestly: LISTEN. Then SHARE. We need to be having these (sometimes uncomfortable) conversations. If you'd like to connect with Celia, get a list of her recommended reading or learn more about her work in the world, click here to get everything you need.  When you're finished listening, be sure to head to the MamaFuel Virtual Village to join the conversation about this and other podcast episodes. It's a totally free group and we're waiting there to have you join us.  And finally, if you'd like to join the MamaFuel Sisterhood, drop me a line at anne@mamafuel.me and let's talk. 

Today's guest once did what so many mamas occasionally dream of doing: she stepped away from everyone and everything and went in search of herself. She said yes to her needs and her life, and in doing so gave everyone in her family permission to do the same. How? By leaving home for longer than she believed was possible.   In her search for solitude, Glyniss found what she'd needed the most: how to remember and reconnect to who she was. This week's conversation centers around Glyniss' brave decision to (temporarily) walk away from the family she'd built with her whole heart and soul. Glyniss explains how she totally lost her identity in striving to be more Walton-ish than Mrs Walton herself, and the dramatic steps she took to save herself.  I won't spoil it all for you by describing what came next, so dive in and share this episode with ALLLL mamas, no matter where they are on the journey. Even if they're mamas-to-be, share this. I wish I'd heard some of the wisdom that Glyniss drops during our conversation before I headed down the rabbit hole of "perfect mothering" -- an unachievable goal if ever there was one. I can't wait to hear what you think of Glyniss' story and her reminder that "when you light yourself up, you're living for and on your purpose," so head to our free Facebook group to tell me what you thought.And if you haven't yet done so, please subscribe to the podcast, rate it and leave a review! I'd love to know what you think and for you to share it. More mamas need to hear Glyniss' message, and I'm excited to share it as broadly as possible.  To find out more about Glyniss, head to www.glynisstrinder.com

OOOOhhh am I excited to share THIS ONE! My guest this week is Julie Neale, founder of the amazing Mother’s Quest podcast, coach and mama of two exceptional and amazing boys. She’s a sparkling soul whose podcast gave me the courage to start hosting these MamaFuel conversations. Julie and I cover a lot of ground, from raising differently-wired kids to discovering your strengths and the support you have in community. I turn the tables on Julie and ask her to walk us through the ways she's living her E.P.I.C. life, sparked to the max with joy and delight at leading other mothers in discovering their version of epic living. You'll want a pen and paper to note down each of the guideposts Julie talks about! Later in the interview Julie speaks spoke movingly about her interview with Sybrina Fulton, whose son Trayvon died as a result of racial profiling and gun violence. Julie and her community are supporting Sybrina’s incredibly important initiative “Circle of Mothers” which allows mothers who have lost their children to gun violence to gather and heal in community. I'd like to help and will be contributing to the fundraising campaign. If you’d like to join us in helping to send more mothers to Sybrina’s retreat, click this link: www.mothersquest.com/circleofmothers. Every contribution helps. Julie’s hoping that her community will be able to raise $15,000 and they’re two-thirds of the way there. I’d love our community to help her get to her goal. Here's where you can hear Julie’s conversation with Sybrina Fulton and to find out more about their fundraising activities: http://mothersquest.com/ep55-sybrinafulton/ For full show notes and links to everything we talked about during our conversation, head to https://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep035julieneale/ And if you liked this conversation, then I'd love you to rate, review and SHARE it far and wide so we can support Julie's fundraising efforts for Sybrina Fulton and, by extension, contribute in some small way to supporting mamas whose hearts have been well and truly broken. Thank you, beauties, for participating if you can.

Life has many seasons, and this week’s guest is ROCKIN’ her current season in life and loving her empty nest. Ann Sheybani is revelling in the time she now has to live life entirely on her terms, engrossed in what thrills her and setting off on countless adventures. I loved our conversation about love and worry (spoiler alert: it’s not the same thing), how you can have it all, but NOT all at the same time. My favourite quote? “This superwoman thing is CRAP!” because we end up like we’re falling short all the time. Not good and so true. When her children were young, Ann tried to shield her children from suffering as their father fell ill and eventually died. That’s when she learned the hardest lesson of all for a mother “you can’t save your kids from pain and suffering. You can’t control everything. The guilt and worry is totally a waste of energy and time. Do your best, trust that you’re doing your damndest, and give it up to god or whatever.” Words to live by. We meander through the quickest way to destroy a marriage and detour over to risk and its benefits for our kids before landing on some real nuggets of advice. Make sure you listen right to the end, because Ann’s wisdom is so, so valuable. I’d love to know what was your favourite piece of wisdom from Ann? Head into our free MamaFuel Facebook group to tell us about it and join the discussion here. If you’d like to learn more about Ann, check out her web site here.

It's a new year with its fresh-scented promise of great things to come. Whatever your ambitions this year, my wish for us all is kindness, gentleness, success, heaps of fun and wickedly delightful adventure. In today's episode I'm doing something scary: I'm telling you what's about to switch around here and why. It's all about belonging, sisterhood and why it matters so damned much to have a group of trustworthy, supportive women who have your back through thick and thin. Today's episode marks a pivot for this podcast, a pivot for my business and the beginning of a massive flourishing for the MamaFuel Sisterhood community.  I can't wait to hear what you think and what your experiences of sisterhood have been. If you haven't yet, make sure you join our free Virtual Village by clicking here so you can join the conversation. And if you'd like me to tell you about the Sisterhood when it opens again, then drop me a line at anne@mamafuel.me and I'll keep you posted. Huge love, pivots and all. 

Today’s conversation is being published a week later than planned because I decided to take a REAL break. From the Internet, from work, from everything. But I’ve stepped back into the digital world to share with you a juicy and thought-provoking interview to carry us into the new year. Dr Stephania Sciamano is a healer, a naturopathic doctor, a shaman, a mother and one hell of a perspicacious woman who talks straight about our relationship with money, wealth and receiving being a direct result of how we care for and think of ourselves. In this wide-ranging conversation Stephania and I talk about radically evolving the feminine AND the masculine to create a beautiful dance within ourselves and with the Divine. She shares how her path from pre-med student to shaman was anything but straight, what radical evolution looks like in her daily life and how we can radically evolve ourselves. If talking soul, energy and trust is your jam, buckle up… this conversation is packed with gems about listening to the whispers of your soul, rebuilding your connection with the Divine and achieving a magical union between your inner feminine and masculine. Stephania talks about something she frequently sees in women: our separation from the Divine and our belief that we’re not worthy to receive. I was hooked by her explanation of how she’s seen countless women find their way back to Source, union, wealth and easeful joy once they become aware of their unconscious willingness to be separate and heal that at its core. I’ll have some of that. How about you? If you draw nothing else from this episode, remember this: once you create space and become in full approval of yourself, THEN (and only then) you begin to radically evolve your feminine, and you can reconnect with your healthy feminine and masculine incredibly strongly. I suspect we’ll be back with a sequel to this conversation, but for now if you’d like to find out more about Stephania, check out her web site here and join her on Facebook here. Join the MamaFuel community online in our Virtual Village on Facebook here and click here to join the Centered Mama’s Self-Lovathon for $199 (special price) using coupon code SELFLOVE2019 to get $80 off!

Today's guest is a wonderful pixie-souled adventurer whose everyday courage inspires me to step off the beaten track. Patricia Agnew is a mama and a grandmother whose love of life is contagious. Any woman who says that her RV is her soulmate is a woman I definitely want to talk to... and Patricia is top of the list in that category!In this episode we talk about the importance of following the nudges in life and trusting that they'll lead somewhere good, the delicate dance of establishing the right amount of space in multi-generational relationships, and why one of the secrets of happiness is to put yourself FIRST always.  Patricia's nuggets of wisdom will stay with me for a while, and at the end of the podcast I read you a list of 10 things she'd love to have been able to tell her younger self. Here's one of my favourite from our conversation: "Try things, and make sure that you do it in the safety of your "tribe" because it's so comforting to know they'll understand whether you do or you don't go through with something." We'll be talking about this episode and so much more over in The Centered Mama's Virtual Village free Facebook group, so head over there to join the conversation.If you'd like to know more about Patricia, check out her blog here: mabelandmetravel.wordpress.com

In today's episode, I'm recording in my new digs... but with really bad soundproofing (thus the cushion)! With an update on what's been going on at MamaFuel HQ. There's been a lot of change in our neck of the woods, and I've been watching how the stories we tell ourselves cause so. much. resistance. to. change. Oh my goodness.  But change is GOOD, for the most part. Even when you like things the way they are. My question to you is this: is it your true heart urging you to stay comfortable, or is it your ego-dressed-up-like-a-fancy-authority? Because our ego doesn't always have it right; in fact, it's usually messing with you in a bid to keep us small and safe. While comfort zones are good at times, we only grow when we move beyond them. Which is what I'm inviting you to do today in your relationships: step outside your comfort zone. Have a good look at your day-to-day life. Do you have a lot of online friendships? How about in-person relationships? Technology is bringing us together and it's also pushing us apart. More and more mamas (and I count myself among them) are feeling a deep craving for personal interaction. Nothing beats being within hugging distance. I'm recommitting to seeing people face-to-face and I'm excited to feel my world open up again. Want to join me?  Come to our Facebook group and let's talk about it. You can join us here. 

Elena Lipson was my first ever self-love mentor. In fact, she is THE Divine Self-Care Mentor, and I credit her and my previous guest Leslie Potter with helping me out of “martyr mama” mode and into grace and spaciousness. Elena is my first guest in this month of focus on self-love. In today’s  conversation we talk about mindful choices, how Elena’s experiences with auto-immune disease led her to explore deep self-care as a path to healing, how she used the positive side of curiosity to imagine a completely different way of living, the BIG decision to homeschool her son and why that helped her grown and evolve personally and profesionally, and so SO so much more. For more information and to find the links we mention in the podcast, head to: http://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep028-elena-lipson/

Heather Dawson is a warrior goddess whose warmth, kindness and optimism always light up even the darkest of situations. Good thing, too, because life's thrown her some doozies... When we were just finishing university together, Heather lost her mum to breast cancer, then struggled through miscarriage after miscarriage (7 to be exact) before her first son was born, and another 8 miscarriages before her youngest made his miraculous appearance. Yep, that's 15 miscarriages. Enough to make anyone lose hope. Not long ago, Heather found out that she carried a gene that made it very unlikely she'd live to see her boys become men. So she took action, undergoing a double mastectomy and reconstruction, followed by a hysterectomy. She's committed to sticking around, and I know she will. This lady is one amazing soul. She's navigated grief, loss and uncertainty like no one I've ever seen, and she's one of the happiest, most positive people I know. Cozy up with a cup of tea and enjoy this interview. Click here to find out more about our conversation and to meet Heather virtually. As ever, I'd love you to be part of the conversation in the Virtual Village on Facebook, so make sure you head over here to join us!

We have four nationalities in our family, and it often makes for interesting conversations when people ask "where are you from?" Today's guest has four nationalities wrapped up in her one being, and earlier this month she decided to step into one of her nationalities more fully.Sharlene Lopez was born to a Scottish mother of Irish descent and an Iraqui father, adopted by a loving British family and educated in Catholic private schools. To say she's the nexus of many influences doesn't begin to cover it. Living in the British countryside with her Argentine husband and two boys, Sharlene has often felt a bit "other" in her village. Troubled by the racism she's always seen in British society and feeling the plight of immigrants to her country, Sharlene recently decided to explore that "otherness" by, as she puts it, "trying on" one of her identities. She chose to embrace her Iraqui heritage and live for a month as an immigrant Iraqui muslim woman. She learned to wear a hijab and abaya and has been experiencing life very differently as she runs her business, parents her kids and shows up in her relationship and her community.Listen to today's episode and be sure to join Sharlene and I in The Centered Mama Project's Facebook group to join the conversation after the episode. It's sure to get you thinking. 

You know how sometimes you meet someone and they just zoom into your heart? That's what happened the day I met Anna Saucier with her sweet baby girl strapped to her chest. The two of them were an oasis of deliciousness in a sea of friendly but decidedly adult people. Anna and I got talking about her bumpy journey through infertility to motherhood, the realities of being mama to two small humans under the age of three, and what exhaustion does to your brain. Basically we were instant sisters. When Anna agreed to be my guest for today's episode of MamaFuel: The Podcast I was delighted. Not least because I know at least one mama out there listening will be struggling or will have struggled with infertility. If that's you, I'm sending you so much love. And hope in the form of Anna and another guest I'll have on in a couple of weeks. In today's (long but juicy) episode, @orchidfertilitywellness and talk about how to talk to couples living through infertility, the power of real talk and the importance of women being in tune with each other. For more information and to find Anna, visit http://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep026annasaucier/

Laura Powner is a powerhouse. Early in her adult life she ticked all the boxes of "success" as it's set out for so many of us. But it's her journey to becoming the woman she is today -- a woman who now listens to her body, her soul and her longings and lets THOSE guide her decisions -- that is the fascinating nugget at the core of today's conversation.  We meander from career to motherhood, through valleys of panic to stretching our boundaries before we land at the heart of how Laura now leads her life: from her inner knowing, from her heart, from her soul. To find out more about our conversation, visit http://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/laurapowner/ 

Welcome to September, beauty! This summer was one of escaping to North America, pondering what "home" really means, and reconnecting with family and with my own JOY. It was awesome. And long. Too long away from our beds. How was yours? Were you vagabonding or enjoying a staycation? In today's episode, recorded alongside a river, I catch you up on what's been going on over the summer, talk about the importance of us taking time for ourselves and tell you the story of the carrot at the end of my summer. I'll be posting links to the podcast I mention in the recording AND the link to join the Village in your pocket (as yet nameless) over on the web site, but it's not ready yet... but I've wanted to reconnect with you, so here's today's episode. Make sure you head to www.thecenteredmamaproject.com/facebook and let me know if you'd like to join us!

Ready to have your mind blown by what's possible when you've got a vision and are open to watching it grow? Meet Amy McLaren, a super-inspiring, whole-hearted woman whose passion for travel and teaching led her to create a charity that's since built dozens of schools for displaced children in Kenya. Amy is mama to two beautiful children, one of whom she and her husband adopted from South Africa. In the midst of her active life with a booming business, a growing charity and a house full of humans and fur, she keeps sight of what lights her up: travel and giving back. In this episode we talk about the importance of keeping your passions alive as a parent, the incredible lessons we can all learn from Kenyan village life, and I slip in two MAJOR announcements for you, so make sure you listen right to the end. Want more info? Check out the full show notes at  http://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep023-amy-mclaren/

I'm excited to share this conversation with you, because it's a heart-to-heart with my dear friend Karen Quinn. She's an artist, a healer and mama to two fully grown men... who in the blink of an eye went from fully-engrossed mama to a premie baby to suddenly finding herself (more than two decades later) in an empty nest with lots of time to rediscover what makes her light up. And boy oh boy, has she succeeded in figuring it out! In this episode we talk about our shared terror that someone would take our babies away if we admitted how awful we were feeling (post-natal depression is not fun), how Karen figured out that giving up everything about herself outside of a motherhood role was NOT the path to joy, and what she's doing about it now that lights her up every single day. For more on our conversation and to learn about this inspiring lady, visit http://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep022karenquinn/

Laura Husson is a woman who lives life according to what makes the most sense in her gut. She follows her intuition and her inner knowing like no one I've ever known. Laura's followed her deep inner knowing even when it didn't make sense, over and over in her personal life and in her business. The results are amazing. Laura is genius at creating and protecting SPACE for inspiration to flow and opportunities to arrive. She's a beautiful mama, a supportive friend and a wise soul who's figured out the magic of creating space, trusting in the Universe and allowing goodness to flow. For more information, visit: http://thecenteredmamaproject.com/podcast/ep021laurahusson/

This podcast was a dream for months, and suddenly here we are with 20 published episodes, listeners all over the world and amazing feedback that these conversations really are reaching your hearts. I couldn't be happier, so to celebrate I've done something absolutely terrifying: a solo show.  Just me, sharing the what, why and how of MamaFuel, telling you what's in my heart and hoping it reaches yours. Thanks for listening, lovely. Here's to 20 more!

Ever met a real, human firecracker? You're about to. Rachel Davis is a high-vibe full-time single mama whose journey back to life from being totally lost to herself happened through music. The change was so powerful that it swept away all the cobwebs and left her polished, thirsty for life and true connection, and committed to making a huge difference for herself, her boys and anyone she meets. Enjoy this power-packed episode and head here to find out more about Rachel and our conversation. 

Julie Creffield is a powerhouse. Her ability to smash seemingly "crazy" goals is inspiring. Take yesterday, for example. Yesterday she completed her first-ever olympic distance triathlon in Paris, having begun training only six weeks before. She nailed it. As she's nailed many B-I-G challenges she's set herself. Julie is a single mama, a prominent figure in the UK running world and a plus-sized athlete who's run more marathons than most of us ever dream of entering. Fresh off the back of her first TEDx Talk in Folkestone a few weeks ago, Julie and I talk about the importance of dropping our obsession with how we LOOK and focusing instead on what and whom we all are. For more information, check out http://bit.ly/MamaFuelEP018JulieCreffield

Today’s conversation is a pretty emotional one for me because what we’re talking about is still raw. A few years ago we knew our oldest daughter was struggling, but we couldn’t figure out why. She’d been a bright and sparkly child whose light had begun to dim after she started school. Her self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness became so overpowering that we feared we were losing her. We eventually discovered that she has dyslexia. Luckily for us, fortune brought us to today’s guest. Rita Waddell is a mama to two grown boys and the outgoing head of Oak Hill School, is a specialised centre that supports children with dyslexia and ADHD. In this conversation I share our family’s journey into the unknown world of learning differences (spoiler alert: I get a little teary.) Rita and I talk about what behavioural and emotional clues parents can watch for, and how to go about identifying and supporting any learning difference in your children. Whether or not you know someone with a learning difference (dyslexia or otherwise), I urge you to listen to today’s episode. Up to 20% of ALL populations are dyslexic, so what you learn today could help you support a relative, a friend or a colleague. For more information or to access the resources we talk about during today’s episode, check out the following links: Free course for teachers and parents: https://www.coursera.org/learn/dyslexia-difficulties This is the specialised school near Geneva where dyslexic children find a safe, nurturing place to learn: http://oakhill.ch/ The Hill Center in the US: https://www.hillcenter.org/ A few additional resources for parents: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/ https://dyslexiaida.org/ https://thisreadingmama.com/

Today I'm thrilled to introduce you to a woman whose deepest expression of her truth is a little unusual. Leela Bunce is a professional clown, a laughter yoga teacher, and actress and a burlesque performer. She's an exquisitely beautiful, wildly talented and very funny woman whose journey into motherhood hasn't been all rainbows and giggles.  In this week's episode we talk about how performing gives her a space to fully express herself and to find freedom, the importance of laughter in shifting our mood and reality, and what an absolute relief it can be to drop expectations and pretense and simply admit that things aren't always rosy and easy.  Leela lives in the countryside so there are some time lapses during our talk (similar to old-school international calls) so stick with us... the raw goodness of this conversation is totally worth it. We even get some impromptu laughter yoga coaching, so find a space to park your car and have at it. You'll be so happy you did. To find out more about ILLUMINATE, the programme I'll soon be kicking off for mamas to step back into their light, go to www.thecenteredmamaproject.com/illuminate To find out more about Leela, go to:www.leelabunce.comwww.shinetime.co.uk If you're lucky enough to be near Shaftsbury this summer, try to get tickets to her show by clicking here: http://shaftesburyfringe.co.uk/news/secrets-blue-stocking-society-shaftesbury-fringe-2018/