Thrive in Motherhood Podcast

Episode 36: In this episode, I'm joined by my friend and Human Design expert, Jamie Woodworth.  Jamie did my Human Design reading over a year ago and I'm really just learning to harness its power.  As a coach said to me recently as I was struggling to give myself permission to make a decision that I knew felt right, "Isn't it like you're fighting against how you're made?"And, that is it! We've been conditioned to fit in certain boxes and then we judge ourselves or think something's wrong with us when it doesn't feel right. Then, we hold our kiddos to the same standards.What if you could powerfully work with your design (and you're child's design)? I recently had Jamie run my boys' charts and let me just say, it makes so much sense and it has shifted how I engage with them in ways that empower and support them.As Jamie state, "I love helping others to know themselves in a different way and to harness the power of Human Design to step more fully into one's authentic self, and to know the way that their loved ones tick."It's a powerful episode and as complex as Human Design can be, Jamie breaks it down as she truly believes "that just knowing a few basic things about Human Design can make a world of difference not only for the listener but also with their kids and partners."Tune in!Want Jamie to provide you with an in-depth reading of your child's chart? Of course, you do!And, get 10% off of all readings/packages through May 31 using promo code THRIVE at checkout  Parenting by Design ReadingConnect with Jamie: Website: www.jamiewoodworth.comSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/jamie.woodworth.58Connect with Irene:irenemckennacoaching.comwww.facebook.com/irenemckennacoachingJoin the Blissful Mom Collective, a membership community for moms on a journey of conscious parenting, empowered relationships, and feeling good!Grab your free download, The 5 Beliefs that are Hijacking Your Happiness

Episode 36: If you're anything like me, making a plan may be a daily thing. And, when things don't go as "planned" your whole day feels off and you're off in search of another plan that will finally let you feel in control and calm this overwhelm for good.I'll let you in on a little secret... it's not about the plan.It's about the feeling you think the plan will give you.Yet, procrastination or not following through is not a bad thing when you understand what it's really about and how to work with it instead of always fighting against it.In this episode, I'm going to share with you what it really is and a plan to get you moving forward feeling empowered and confident!Take a listen and then let me know your greatest insight or aha at thriveinmotherhood@gmail.com.Grab your free download: The 5 Beliefs that are hijacking your happinessJoin the Blissful Mom Collective membership community 

Bonus Episode 002: "You don't have to be an exhausted mom while raising your little ones. In fact, you SHOULDN'T be an exhausted mom while raising your little ones!"Sleep is a vital component of our health and well-being and yet for so many of us, those early newborn sleepless nights become the norm when we're faced with a kiddo who doesn't have the tools for good sleep.And, we may just be unknowingly sabotaging them.In this bonus episode, I chat with Eva Klein, an infant and child sleep consultant and founder of My Sleeping Baby and the Sleep Bible program. She is ALL about helping clients establish healthy sleep habits for their children. This is vital for a child's development and your own mental health and well-being.If sleep feels like a struggle in your family right now, this episode is for YOU!More about Eva: Eva is a Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and is the founder of My Sleeping Baby and the Sleep Bible program.Eva’s main goal is to help her clients establish healthy sleep habits for their children. After experiencing the debilitating effects of chronic sleep deprivation from her middle child, Eva was inspired to help families overcome their sleep challenges. Eva truly empathizes with her clients’ sleep troubles and personally invests herself in their sleep journey.In addition to completing her sleep consulting certification, she is a member of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants and she completed the 2016 Infant Mental Health Community Training through the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Eva also has her Bachelor of Arts from York University and her law degree from the University of Western Ontario.Eva is a proud wife and mother of two girls and a boy (who are all great sleepers) and lives with her family in Toronto. She provides individual sleep consultations, facilitates group seminars and runs an online sleep program and community called the Sleep Bible.Connect with Eva:Free webinar on "How to get your little one consistently sleeping 11-12 hours at night so you can be a functioning human." Website: http://mysleepingbaby.com/Social Media:  @mysleepingbabyConnect with Irene:Website: www.irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 35:  "Patterns are everywhere and being able to become aware of what they are and what you want allows us the opportunities to see the choices we actually have."In this episode, Claire Cetti shares her journey from childhood and the patterns she had to work through to be the mom she wanted to be. Through this process, she developed her C.A.R.E.S. pathway that places the focus on the relationship we have with our kiddos and how we can honor the "me" while holding the "we" as a beautiful place to be.I invite you to take a listen!Oh! And don’t forget to grab Claire’s FREE Guide to Calm right here!Connect with Claire:Website: http://www.ccparentcoach.com/Facebook: @ccparentcoachInstagram: @clairecettiparentcoach

Episode 34:  "Parenting teens can be tough, but it doesn't have to nearly as tough as we're making it."Words of wisdom from Dr. Cam that I'm so excited to share with you in this episode. Whether you have teens or they'll arrive sometime in your future, there's no time like the present to change your approach to create a more empowered, connected relationship.So. many. nuggets. of. wisdom. I have to say I'm actually excited for this next stage. I tell my kiddos all the time to stay young and then I always tell them how much I've loved & enjoyed each age and now with Dr. Cam's wisdom, I can look forward to the next one!And don’t forget to grab Dr. Cam's freebie: 7 Secrets to Motivating Teenagers right here!!Connect with Dr. Cameron CaswellWebsite: http://www.askdrcam.com/Facebook: @ParentingTeensWithDrCamInstagram: @teentranslatorYouTube: Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Apple Podcast: Parenting Teens with Dr. CamTwitter: @ccazLinkedIn: @cameroncaswellFind Irene here: https://irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 33: In this episode, I'm giving a sneak-peek into session 1 of the From Losing Your Cool to Finding Your Bliss mini-course and I'm talking all about the beliefs that take you out of bliss and how the current equation you're using will never get you to the happiness and peace you crave.The course runs LIVE from 4/6- 4/16! Grab your spot here in the course and join me for all 5 sessions https://irenemckennacoaching.com

Bonus Episode 1: OMG! I know you're going to love this episode as much as I enjoyed listening to Gina Bell read her book, Tears & Tulle, and chatting all about living our life in full color and accessing our inner magic even when life doesn’t go the way we hope!Tears & Tulle is the story of a girl and her rainbow tulle skirt. Magical and invisible to all but the girl, the skirt is a source of joy, wonder, and strength.As the girl grows and changes, so does her magical skirt! On her dark days, the girl’s rainbow tulle skirt is a bright reminder to celebrate her inner sparkle.The book (and the rainbow skirt) have been the catalyst for The Tears & Tulle Movement, a women’s empowerment project started by Gina Bell."We're all born with a rainbow tulle skirt of our very own. Sometimes we just need a little help remembering what that feels like." ~ Gina BellGrab your copy of the book here and use the code SPRING21 for 20% off your order through 4/6Connect with Gina and the Tears & Tulle Movement:www.ginabell.coInstagram: @tearsandtulleTwitter: @tearsandtulleFacebook Group: Tears & TulleConnect with Irene:Website: irenemckennacoaching.comMake sure to jump in on the free course: From Losing Your Cool to Finding Your Bliss: how to feel present and grounded in motherhood 

Episode 32: How can you get where you want to go without a clear vision of what you want?Do you know what you're a YES for? Maybe you're more clear on what you're a no for. Just like a GPS makes arriving at the destination we desire with purpose and intention more likely, so does having a clear vision for the experience you desire to create.Otherwise, we're spending our energy pushing back what we don't want.  Feeling like life is coming at you. Like you’re playing a perpetual game of whack-a-mole.Something comes up over here and you whack it down. Something comes up over there and you whack it down.Before you know it you're spending days, weeks, months, and sometimes years always on the lookout for the next thing to whack.In this episode, I'm chatting with the amazing Tracy Nolin Beerman, and we're diving into what it looks like to regain control, get your joy back and create work/life harmony by creating a life vision and she's sharing her FAB Framework (Focus. Align. Become). "Every mom needs a life vision. It is about focusing on what you want because clarity is the cure for overwhelm."Connect with Tracy:The Overwhelm Cure: A Mom's Guide to Work/Life Harmony Let go of overwhelm and create work/life balance in 3 easy steps. Website: http://www.visiondrivenmom.comFacebook: @visiondrivenmomInstagram: @visiondrivenmomPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/visiondrivenmom/Connect with Irene:Website: irenemckennacoaching.comMake sure to jump in on the free course: From Losing Your Cool to Finding Your Bliss: how to feel present and grounded in motherhood 

Episode 31: Erin is a Master Possibility Coach, Speaker, Author, and Mom. We talk about the important role that shadow work & dancing in possibility plays in our parenting. We also got into a discussion on Human Design."When we accept it all, and that there's nothing good or bad, it's just the judgement that we put on it, then we can accept all these parts of ourselves, & then allow ourselves to show up authentically." --Erin Connect with Erin:Website: https://www.erinesser.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/erin.elizabeth606Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinelizabethesserFour Steps to Master My Emotions https://www.erinesser.com/4stepstomasteryConnect with Irene:https://irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 30: Christa Bevan is a Radical mom. Yes, she's super rad, but she also has her own definition of a Radical mom which is SO important. She's also a certified TRE (tension & trauma releasing exercises) provider & coach for Radical moms. She's here to talk about healing generational trauma, what it means to be a "Radical Mother" & what she calls Dynamic Self-Care. Read more...Connect with Christa:Website: christabevan.comFacebook: @theradicalmothervillageInstagram: @radicalmothervillagePodcast: The Radical Mother Village with Christa Bevan

Episode 29: Happiness. We all want. We all strive for it. And most of us miss the boat completely on experiencing it. The problem lies within the whole paradigm in which we see it. And in the way we go about trying to achieve it. Most people live from a place of "if I have this/that then I'll be happy" or "when this happens, then I'll be happy". Well, my friends, we have it all wrong. "Seeking happiness that comes from pleasure, is to be happy when something happens. It is the end result." That is all good & fine. Pleasure is fantastic. Keep after it. AND the thing is, if the reward of the pleasure is the only way you experience the good feelings you desire, you are missing out. And you will forever be seeking it, only to experience happiness when things go your way. Believing that happiness comes from outside of yourself is to believe you have no control over it. From this place, we are totally missing all the happiness & joy that comes from the journey to happiness itself. What if, instead, we consider contentment for a minute? Contentment "is a state of being alive. It is a state & foundation through which you go through life. It isn't disrupted or taken away when life changes.”Read more here...

Episode 28: Anxiety is all too common these days, with us & with our children. Especially after the last year. Thank you, 2020.Today's guest, best-selling author, life coach & psychologist, Tonya Crombie is here to talk about how we can support our children with their anxiety. It probably won't come as a surprise to hear that you must take care of yourself first. You know, the whole, put your own oxygen mask on first analogy. The whole point is that we must get ourselves out of the anxious state first so that we can support our kiddos in doing the same. No amount of telling our children to breathe when we ourselves are in a heightened, irrational state will work. Read more...Connect with TonyaWebsite: https://guidanceforthefuture.com/Facebook: @guidancefutureInstagram: @tonyacrombie3LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonya-crombie-ph-d/

Episode 27: If you're a mom currently raising children this episode is for you. If you're a grandparent, this episode is for you. If you're a caregiver of children, this episode is for you. Basically, this episode is for everyone. It's that good. Even though I've been actively working on parenting with respect & connection for almost 5 years, I got SO MUCH out of what today's guest, Rosemary Clark had to say. She is an Authorized Language of Listening® coach helping moms love the way they parent and holy smokes, you guys, she is a wise woman. She shares with us the basics of Language of Listening® that are anything but basic. They are profound. Basic in concept, profound in effect. I really think you are going to love this one. Read more here...Connect with Rosemary here: Website: https://afteraces.comFacebook: @lovethewayyouparentInstagram: @love.the.way.you.parent

Episode 26: Most of us don't realize that we get to create our own rules. We are so conditioned to the rules of society & of our family that we conform ourselves to fit within these borders, without ever taking a step back to ask "Is this what I want? Is this working for ME? For US?" It takes a bit of growing up to unlearn some of this and really start to carve our own path, which is the only path that leads to true happiness. Listening to Irene and Holly, author & intuitive healer talk about life, happiness & motherhood was such an unexpected delight. One of the most beautiful things in Holly's wisdom is that it’s not some big, grandiose thing. But more a calm confidence & surety in the way of things. It was beautifully refreshing and exactly right at exactly the right time. Enjoy!Read more here...Find & connect with Holly:Website: https://hollyhughesintuitive.comInstagram: @holly_hughes_intuitiveGoodreads: Holly Raychelle HughesLinktree (for all things Holly): @hollyhughesintuitive

Episode 25: I'm sure you've heard the term "inner child." Maybe you've shrugged it off thinking it a term for therapists. But I am here to tell you this is a concept we all could benefit from understanding much, much better. And more importantly, the real benefits come from doing the work to understand & nurture our own inner child. That's what "healing" means in the context of personal growth. It's a process of re-parenting our little selves. Of giving her what she needs so that we, as adults, can stop replaying the same unproductive, self-sabotaging patterns that affect our relationships & really our entire lives. Read more here...Let’s keep the conversation going! Join me over in the Thrive in Motherhood group!Find me & all past episodes on my website: https://irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 24: The whole idea discussed in this episode is that we control our experiences completely. I know this can be a hard pill to swallow, especially at first. It is an ongoing journey to accept & integrate this reality. But the thing is, what's happening "out there" has no power over us. It's our thoughts & the meanings we make about "out there" that creates our experience. Read more here...Let’s keep the conversation going! Join me over in the Thrive in Motherhood group!Or find me on my website: https://irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 23: Mindfulness is a buzz word, I know. But there's a reason. It's where it's at. A strong mindfulness practice creates a solid foundation for the life you want to live. It's what takes us out of autopilot and allows for peace, joy & all the yummy good feels we're searching for. Because those feelings can't be felt anywhere but right here, right now at this moment. It's not a thing to do but rather a way of getting "solid in your foundation with yourself."Today's guest, mindfulness expert & mom of 5, Sarah Gyampoh won't tell you how to "do" mindfulness exactly (there is no "right" way). Rather she dives deeply into how it, or the lack thereof, affects our lives in a big way. Read more here... Grab Sarah's freebie: Practices for connecting with your innate wisdomConnect with Sarah:Website: www.sarahgyampoh.comFacebook: @SarahgyampohInstagram: @sarah.gyampoh

Episode 22: If you are a planner, a scheduler, a lover of order, you are going to LOVE today's episode. This episode will satiate your desire for tangible solutions. Big time. Strategy & implementation coach for Mom entrepreneurs, Lani Jackson, is here to discuss the system she created that allowed her to ditch the on-going, never-ending to-do list that left her feeling defeated Every. Single. Day. Pure necessity drove her to develop a system that works for her to still get done what needs getting done but without the heavy pressure of that damn to-do list that just won't go away, no matter how hard she tried. Read more...Connect with Lani:https://lanijackson.comInstagram: @lanijjacksonFacebook: Brilliant Mompreneurs SocietyJoin me over in the Thrive in Motherhood community!Or find me on my website irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 21: Moms. We only have so many mental resources. You likely are feeling this fact every single day. You feel burned out, overwhelmed, and have "mom-brain". You know, where you can't seem to remember anything. You feel like you’re operating in a fog. You can't quite seem to focus & function as well as you used to. This is why this week’s guest, neuropsychologist & host of The Bold Life podcast, Dr. Nicole Byers, is here. She talks all about the toll on our brains & bodies when our mental resources have been depleted and how to reverse the damage. When we become a mother, we take on so much! It can feel absolutely crazy-making at times. In an instant, we become responsible for these tiny, erratic, explosive, little humans that require so much of our mental, emotional & physical resources. Their needs & demands can feel like they never end and we’re often over-extended and running on empty. It's no wonder we’re operating in a fog and we forget how to function sometimes. Read more here...Connect with Dr. Nicole:Website: www.drnicolebyers.comFacebook: @DrNicoleByersInstagram: @drnicolebyersJoin me over in the Thrive in Motherhood community! Or find me on my website irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 20: What if it didn't require more energy to create what we want, but rather a shift in where we focus the energy we already have? What if instead of focusing on the to-do list, we focused on why that to-do list is important? What will checking off those tasks give us? What is the feeling we think it will give us? Focus on that. Cut the middle man of "having" & "doing" and go straight for the actual feeling & experience we want. The one we think will come once we have this thing or do that thing. This is where we are being invited to set our intention. Where we are being asked to set our sights & commit to.When we focus on creating the experience we want, the feeling we want, we care less about the to-do list & how it will get done. We easily trust that all has its place and will happen as it will. It's all good. This is how we empower ourselves no matter the circumstances. Read more...Let’s keep the conversation going! Join me over in the Thrive in Motherhood community! Or find me on my website irenemckennacoaching.comMore podcast episodes here

Episode 19: You know what it feels like to be stretched thin. You know burn-out. Overwhelm. Stress. It seems like there’s this never-ending list of to-dos and things that must get done: the kids off to school, switch that load of laundry before it starts to smell in the washer, hopefully, get it folded before it wrinkles in the dryer (let's be real, that's not happening), put gas in the car, make dinner, and for the love of all things fresh and clean, take a freaking shower. Combine that with the never-ending questions...please dear God, make it stop. I just might explode or wither away right here, right now. Yet, it's not just the "stuff" we have to do. Almost more so, it's the mental & emotional load that gets un-freaking-bearable. This episode’s meant to help you fight back in a way, (arguably a more productive way) than just reducing your to-do list. It's all about how to combat the inevitable burn-out, the Mom puddle on the floor, at the root. Being proactive and nipping it in the bud, so to speak, before it gets, well, overwhelming, shall we? Read more here...Let’s keep the conversation going! Join me over in Thrive in Motherhood community! Or find me on my website irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 18: The core of this episode is self-love. But it's also So. Much. More. Self-love is explored as the way to remedy, to reverse, to repay, the costs we've been paying in trying to manage other people's happiness. It's about getting radically honest with ourselves about what we need. Then honoring those needs by getting responsible for meeting them on our own. It's not about a guilty responsibility but rather an empowered responsibility. It's not "you should take responsibility for yourself", but more "you get to be responsible for yourself". It's your path to the exact experience of life you want. It's freedom. And self-love is what allows you to choose that path. Because you have to love yourself in order to choose to give yourself what you need & to create what you want.Self-love & personal responsibility are the powerhouse combo that allows thriving. That create the life you want. And isn't that what we all want? Read more here...Let’s keep the conversation going! Join me over in Thrive in Motherhood community! Or find me on my website irenemckennacoaching.com

Episode 17: Hi there! I can't wait to share Amanda Jane Turner with you in today's episode! She is a wife, Mom of 2 and a mindset & leadership coach for ambitious women who are ready to reclaim their lives. (Read full bio here). Amanda’s so full of wisdom & has such a calm, easy demeanor that I could listen to her talk all day long. The way she explains is so easy to understand and she shares some unique perspectives that I know you’re going to love. While I’m familiar with most of the concepts Irene & Amanda talk about, I still struggle at times to live them. This is why I truly believe that continuing to listen & expose ourselves to new perspectives helps us grow. Sometimes you hear that thing you already "know" but it’s said in such a way that it sinks a little deeper into your knowing, into your believing. And sometimes you hear a completely new perspective that blows your mind. I had both these experiences in listening to this episode. Give it a listen & read more here...Make sure to grab the PDF of the Concentric Circles Model that Amanda talks about in the episode. Get it here! Connect with Amanda here:www.amandajane.caInstagram: @amandajanecoaching

Episode 16: Welcome back! In this episode, Irene asks us to consider the concept of who we are being as the path to bettering our experience, to creating change. If you haven't listened to Episode 12: Why it feels so hard to react differently, it's worth a listen, as today's episode builds on that one. Many of us desire SO hard to parent peacefully & respectfully but struggle to do it in real life. We get so triggered by our children. All day long. So we attempt to control them & their behavior so that we can be calm. But hang on, aren't we the adults here? To be who we want to be takes effort, practice, discipline. On our part. What if instead of trying to control our external environment, we focus inward creating the experience we desire from the inside out? Regardless of the circumstances. What if we took ultimate personal responsibility for ourselves? Our actions, our emotional states & our experiences? While simultaneously letting go of the responsibility for these in others? Some big shifts would happen. Read more here...P.S. Let’s keep the conversation going! Join me over in Thrive in Motherhood!

Episode 15: Hi! So glad you're here! In this episode, Irene gets to talk with Diji Shujahi. Diji is a proud mother of 2 beautiful teenage girls, and she shares with us her fascinating journey from an arranged marriage at a young age, living a life that was expected of her to where she is now, the managing partner of a successful international Events and Media company, living her dreams. Her main message: follow your passions unapologetically. Stop feeling guilty. This doesn't mean you having to be a mama with a career. If you want to be home with your kids, do it. But do it because you want to. Because you love it. In other words, find a way to do what you love with your time & energy because that will make you happy. And that's what your kids need. A happy mom. Yes, Diji, yes!!! SO much yes! Our children will not remember all the individual sacrifices we made along the way. But they will remember the energy of the home. Was it a joyful one? Or did we make sacrifices that they didn’t ask us nor want us to make, creating resentful energy in the home? Read more here...Check out Diji's book here: Leveling UP: During a PandemicConnect with Diji:Websites: www.dijishujahi.comwww.pinnaclemena.comInstagram: @dijishujahiFacebook: @DijiShujahiPage

Episode 14: Let's face it. Feeding our children can feel like a daunting task at times. Feeding them healthy? Even more daunting. Honestly, sometimes just feeding myself regularly is too hard. Insert quick, convenient, junk food. Somehow food got so much more complicated as a Mom. Is it easy to neglect this area of our lives? Definitely. Most of us do, myself included at times. Zero judgment. But needing to eat & feeding our children isn't going away, so it serves us to take a good look at what's important to us around food & meal times. And because we do food all the time, it is vital that it works for us. There simply cannot be fighting, pressure, drama at every mealtime. That just might kill me.This is exactly why Irene brought Jamie Truppi, a friend & functional nutritionist, on today's episode to talk about all of this. For moms just like me.This episode is, at once, liberating (you get to do it your way) and totally practical. It isn't necessarily about changing what you eat. It's more about honoring what Jamie calls our Food Values. The perspective she offers has been SO helpful for me and I think it might be for you too. It makes SO MUCH SENSE. Read more here...Make sure to grab Jamie’s great free gift to get you started with creating health & connection with your littles: 5 days of kid-friendly lunches & snacks delivered to your inboxConnect with Jamie:Website: https://www.jamietruppinutrition.com/Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamie.truppiBusiness Facebook: Jamie Truppi Integrative Nutrition LLC Private Facebook Community: Conscious Food CommunityInstagram: @jamietruppiLinked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-truppi/

Episode 13: Get excited guys!! Life + Marriage Coach for Moms, Michelle Purta is here. She's a wife, stepmom, and mom of three kids. She helps women who have lost themselves to motherhood, want to be happier, and LOVE their life & marriage again. She coaches moms on how to stop living life on autopilot and start living life on purpose, deepen their connection to themselves, and strengthen their marriage. She is refreshingly straight forward saying what you may not want to hear but need to. I absolutely loved talking with her, as she dropped nuggets of golden wisdom throughout. Ready to save, improve, or up-level your marriage? This episode is for you...Read on at irenemckennacoaching.com/podcast/013Connect with Michelle here:Join her amazing Facebook community: Marriage in Motherhood Instagram: @michellepurtacoachingwww.michellepurta.com** Link to sign up for Free Workshop: Peaceful Parenting: the 3 keys to turn what you know into what you do mentioned in the intro of today’s episode!! Grab your spot here.

Episode 12: Hey there! Today's episode is all about change & why it's so hard. When I say change, I mean us changing. I think you'll know what I mean. It's the swearing to yourself as you lay your head down at night, that tomorrow you'll be more patient with your kids. Tomorrow you won't yell at them. Tomorrow you'll respond with love & respect instead of reacting in anger when they are pushing your buttons at every single turn. But then tomorrow comes & it's a repeat of the day before complete with guilt & shame that you just can't seem to get it together. I mostly talk about this in the context of parenting, but this isn't just about that. This episode is really about shifting our reactions & behaviors at the root in any area of life. As you know, that is freaking hard. I talk all about it. The 4 stages of change, what they look like, what trips you up, what keeps you stuck from moving through the stages. If you've been on your healing journey awhile now, this one will soothe your soul. Let's dive in...

Episode 11: Hello Moms:) I am excited to bring you today's episode with Aliza Buyarski. Aliza is a mom of 3, one of which is a high energy child. She's challenged day in and day out by the excessive energy & shenanigans that he comes up with. She has supported many families with children with ADHD as well as sensory challenges as an Occupational Therapist; however, the current medical model hasn’t allowed her to support the parents as well as the children. This is one of the many reasons she chose to start her business: Balance the Energy. She understands what you may be going through when others around you don’t, and is here to support both you and your child to succeed. Sometimes that's all we need, isn't it? A little support.Continue reading at irenemckennacoaching.com/podcast/011Join the community at thriveinmotherhoodcommunity.com

Episode 10: I truly believe when we can shift our perspective on boundaries, it makes them more successful & easier to set. If you're anything like me, holding limits with your children can be the hardest part of parenting. Am I right or am I right? Yet, I’m also understanding that having & holding limits for my children is actually how they feel safe & secure. That, right there, is enough to keep me strong in my commitment to be intentional with the guardrails I put in place for my children. Our children need limits to guide them. A lack of boundaries creates chaos in them, never knowing what's okay, what's not, and when. And here's the thing, (maybe this is why it's so hard) we have to balance this all out with honoring our children's need & desire for autonomy. Guide them while also letting them free to make choices. I like to think of boundaries as something completely different than rules. Rules are rigid and are usually sourced from a place of anger or fear. Boundaries are limits that are proactively established with intention in order to guide & teach values but also to honor our own, unique limits. Boundaries support cooperation. Rules create resistance. Cooperation at the expense of connection isn't really cooperation. It's compliance. Compliance only lasts so long. And is that really what we want? I think we really want a deep connection with our kiddos while also having an easier go of daily life. Well then, connection comes first. It must. When our children feel connected, they want to cooperate. They want to be helpful. But when we're angry, yelling & dysregulated, we are seeking to control through punishments & reprimands. It is human nature to resist force. So it simply does not work to force compliance. The absolute best way to influence your child's future choices is through connection. Plus, it feels better. It feels good to be working together, loving & respecting each other. The way we do this is through holding personal boundaries for ourselves & holding limits for our children. This is highly unique to each person and family. Boundaries place limits on the behavior while acknowledging & seeking to understand the need or feeling driving the behavior. They’re not punishments. Punishments are behavior focused. They’re the attempt to gain short term control at the expense of long term connection.Children are always trying to establish a sense of self. The more we exert control the more they will fight for their autonomy. We have to stop creating the fight. Stop holding their resistance against them. Expect it. Welcome it. Support them through it. Work to connect. To collaborate. It will require you to respect yourself through holding personal boundaries that your child won't like. It’ll require you to hold space for some BIG feelings. It IS possible to be firm AND kind. To be respectful. To hold the limit while preserving the relationship.Listen to part 1 & 2 of the Boundaries mini-series below:Episode 8: Boundaries Part 1: Why They feel SO Freaking HardEpisode 9: Boundaries Part 2: Navigating RelationshipsIf you’re loving what you’re hearing and you desire support between episodes, join me in the Thrive in Motherhood community.

Episode 9: Ah, boundaries. They can be tricky, can't they? Especially when setting them within our relationships. It can feel SO much easier to just not even deal with them. But, they are necessary for healthy relationships. And when we can shift our perspective to seeing them for what they really are: doorways to what we’re available for that support and fortify our relationships, they get a little easier to navigate. Healing work is vital in helping us set boundaries. Healthy mental & emotional boundaries release us from the responsibility of other's emotional states. This isn't to say we are unkind to others or don't care about how they feel. We do. It's simply understanding that:a) it's up to us to take care of ourselves, to meet our own needs andb) we actually don't have control over how they feel. All of this comes with awareness as we do the healing work. It is possible to be kind and firm. It's letting other's know what we are available for, meaning, what type of behavior we will engage with.As you consistently set & hold boundaries it frees up your energy to support the relationship.So often we let go of our boundaries to avoid starting a fight or a tantrum. Look, I get it. I don't want to experience the uncomfortable feelings that often arise as boundaries are set & held. But as you ignore a boundary, you are suppressing your needs. And I promise the anxiety & guilt lessens as you hone this skill. And again, as you do the healing work, you get better at regulating your own emotional state, making this process less triggering for you. You'll know if boundaries are needed in your relationship if you're feeling anger, frustration, and especially resentment. Resentment is always a sign that you have given your power away & not held a boundary. The key is to set a boundary for yourself, not as a punishment for the other person. They are what YOU will or won't do given the circumstances. They don't require someone else to do something so that you get what you want. They are all about personal responsibility. Setting empowered boundaries is giving a clear path to others of what we are available for. We get to choose to not engage when others aren't treating us how we'd like. And we will choose to honor those boundaries as we value ourselves. When we can set them firmly yet with kindness & with a focus on connection they are SO much more effective.Others will likely resist your new boundaries. They might believe THEIR emotions are because of YOUR choices and they will try to put that on you. But with self-awareness, we can regulate our own emotional state & not take responsibility for others. We grow in our self-confidence, trust & compassion for ourselves every time we hold a boundary. Boundaries build our self-esteem because it takes courage to make yourself a priority.Bottom line: Boundaries are a way to take care of ourselves. When we set boundaries, we’re less angry and resentful because our needs are getting met. Boundaries make our expectations clear, so others know what to expect from us and how we want to be treated. Boundaries are the foundation for happy, healthy relationships.If you missed Episode 8: Boundaries Part 1: Why They feel SO Freaking Hard, check it out here.If you’re loving what you’re hearing and you desire support between episodes and you’re not a member of the Thrive in Motherhood community, consider this your invitation to join.

Episode 8: Buckle up, Moms. Today I'm talking boundaries. Actually, I'll be talking boundaries for the next 3 weeks. That's how important they are. In fact, vital to healthy relationships. And, we’re starting off with why they feel SO hard. Which is one of the reasons why so many of us don't hold them. Or at least don't hold them well. Let's dig into why this is and why boundaries are SO important. My intention is for you to be inspired to begin some boundary work of your own. Why we don't know what our boundaries are or how to hold them...We all have needs. Period. And they matter. But we learn at a young age to deny ourselves these needs in order to please others, get more love & affection, and feel safe in our family. We decided there was a risk in having our own desires, wants, or needs. Expressing them could mean a withdrawal of love, even if unintentional. (To learn more about why this happens, listen to episode# 3). So we sacrifice our needs for others. In the process, we let go of so much of ourselves that we don’t learn who we really are. We learn to live from a false sense of self. The result? We don't know where our limits are & we never learned that it was safe to have boundaries. Instead, we learn to be responsible for other's emotional states. When children see that mom is happy & loving when they "behave" but mom is angry, yelling & scary when they "misbehave" they see how they are affecting her emotions especially when they’re told “you’re making me so mad”. It's important to understand this because when we believe that we can control others’ emotions, we allow them to control ours. We are giving our power away. Our emotional state is at the effect of other’s behaviors. Bluntly put, we are victims of other's actions & our circumstances.The way to restore our power, to restore our control, is through boundaries. I'm not talking about exerting power over others, but rather claiming your power, claiming control, over yourself. Because that is what boundaries are: empowered choices about what you will or won't do given a certain set of circumstances. They are not about getting the other person to do/not do anything. A boundary is how WE will respond.Personal boundaries are basic guidelines of how you want to be treated AND how you treat yourself. They can be defined by the limits we set with other people which indicate what we find acceptable and unacceptable in their behavior towards us. We get to decide what we are available for with others when it comes to their emotional state, their demands, their behavior. We can hold ourselves responsible for our own choices.The ability to know & hold healthy boundaries comes from a healthy sense of self-worth. Self-worth is finding intrinsic value (not contingent on what other's think) in who you are.From this place of valuing ourselves, we are able to honor our needs through boundaries. Otherwise, we will continue to sacrifice ourselves and be resentful towards others about it. Boundaries are the ultimate self-care. We all have limits. Boundaries communicate that line. They give us a sense of agency over our physical space, body & feelings. Having boundaries allows you to make yourself a priority.

Episode 7: Hello and welcome back! I’m so jazzed to dive into today's topic. It's all about connected empowered communication. Do you ever feel at a complete loss on how to get through to your partner? Your child? You talk and talk and yet it seems to go nowhere. Well, my friend, this episode is for you. We’re going to talk about how you’re sabotaging your relationships through communication, what to look out for, and how to cultivate connected communication. I can't emphasize this enough: This is a relationship game-changer. How does empowered communication differ from victim mentality communication? Victim mentality communication is reacting to other's emotions. It's needing others to do/say/act in a certain way so we can feel calm. Most of us live here most of the time.Connected, empowered communication is being responsible for your feelings. It’s honoring your boundaries. It’s extending compassion & empathy towards others while holding them as capable of being responsible for their feelings. It’s an awareness that we’re having our own, unique experience & so is everyone else.Awareness that our experience is the only thing we really have control over. This is how we stay calm amidst other’s big emotions."Connected/empowered communication is the ability to state your needs. To maintain compassion and empathy along with an awareness that everyone has their own reality. It's stepping out of having to defend your position.""It is seeking to understand vs. be understood or be right""It is letting go of the responsibility of anyone else's emotional state"Ah, yes. Freedom. This allows us to find calm. Not only does this feel better for us, but in doing so, we are inviting others to do the same. Because here is the thing...we lead with our energy. "Your ability to return to your inner calm is where your influence in your communication lies." So often when we feel overwhelmed & out of control we react with rigidity & inflexibility, creating the power struggle. But in calm, we can communicate what we need and not take other’s reactions personally, diffusing the battle for control.Instead, creating connection. This connection brings more cooperation & a greater willingness to see the other side.Continue reading at irenemckennacoaching.com/podcast/007Join the community at thriveinmotherhoodcommunity.com

Episode 6: I’m SO excited to share today’s episode with the amazing Alison Jamison. She’s a life & confidence coach who helps us understand the importance of cultivating our inner confidence. She helps misfits slay their inner critics, create kick-ass confidence, and take action to be the heroes of their own stories. She helps her clients let go of their baggage, claim confidence, and complete the quest of making their dreams come true. We talk all about self-doubt...where it comes from, the inevitability of it & how what we do with it is what really matters. Alison is a firm believer that teaching & modeling self-confidence is one of the best gifts we can give to our children. For her whole life, Alison never felt like she fit in anywhere. There were all these parts of her which only seemed to fit in a little here, a little there. She felt unaccepted. Like she didn’t belong anywhere. She was always uncomfortable and never at ease anywhere. But having her son changed all that. “I wanted to demonstrate for him how I want him to feel about himself.”As she saw her son as pure perfection, she began to wonder why she didn’t think about herself that same way. She realized she was seriously lacking confidence and decided to do something about it. “I wanted to know who I was without reference to someone else." She so wisely explains that we have this drive to belong (so we conform ourselves to fit in), yet we also have that inner voice saying, “this is not who you are”. So we get confused. Confused about who we really are. I love this insight so much because it brilliantly explains why so many of us feel insecure. We don’t even know who we are. So, as always, the work starts with us. She says the path to self-confidence is shifting how you think about yourself, being willing to feel all the feels, and trusting yourself that you do know what’s best for you. Trusting you do know how to show up for yourself, to have your own back. Want to read on and get the link to Alison's amazing free gift? Head over to irenemckennacoaching.com/podcast/006Join the community at thriveinmotherhoodcommunity.com

Episode 5: I'm so glad you're joining me today because I had the opportunity to chat with my friend Kelly Haugh. Kelly is a Certified Holistic Health and Wellness Coach, Stress Resilience and Mental Wellness Trainer, Nutritional Psychology Practitioner, Certified Life Coach, Speaker, Author, and Mental Health Advocate. In other words, she knows her stuff. Kelly shared with me her story of radically transforming her life when she made changing how she interacted with her stress a priority. She had been living with severe physical manifestations of her chronic stress. Her stress had been compounding and accumulating in her body for years as she was trying desperately to juggle all the balls. It began to come out in physical symptoms. She knew she needed to take charge & figure out how to manage her stress without it wreaking havoc on her body. She began slowly with mediation & vagus nerve exercises and she started noticing improvements. She continued, adding new practices along the way to support the stress reduction & her overall wellness. She began to think that just maybe she could turn this around and her biggest desire today is to leave listeners with a sense of hope. Kelly says it becomes imperative to pay attention to the small steps we can take, the small changes on our path to wellness so that we stay the course. Because doing the work to get to wellness can feel really hard to do. Instead of getting caught up in needing to do self-care perfectly or all at once, start where you can. "Let what you CAN do be enough." Allow this to build momentum to create the space & energy to do more. A little, plus a little, plus a little, create a lot. Read the rest of the show notes plus grab access to Kelly's amazing free download "3 Easy Ways to Get Out of Fight or Flight" here!

Episode 4: Hi friends! Thriving in motherhood means thriving in all your relationships. When you have a partner, that relationship is vital to your well-being. In this episode, I'm applying a lot of the same perspectives & ideas that I've shared to the partner relationship. If you're not currently involved in a romantic partnership, I invite you to consider any close relationship in your life. What I share with you has been a game-changer for my marriage. With an open mind, I trust that you will see your partner & yourself a bit differently after listening to this one. It might just be what you need to hear.In my journey, I dove into motherhood first. It felt more pressing. My children were relying on me to regulate myself. It felt really hard. A big part of that "hard" was that I had a partner who wasn't on board with how I wanted to parent. I mean, he agreed with the concepts but he found it difficult to remain calm & find ways to parent that fostered connection. His dis-regulation made my job as a mom harder. He made it harder for me to stay calm. I blamed him. I was resentful. But here's the thing...it was easier to project onto him all the ways he was getting it wrong and blame him for it being so hard rather than to admit I was having the same struggles."I held him to a standard of parenting I hadn't yet mastered myself." The perspective shift that changed my relationship with my husband AND also the relationship between my husband and our boys was this...A woman's driving need is to feel loved & a man's driving need is to feel respected. When these needs aren't met, a cycle of disconnection is created. This comes up in parenting as you correct, direct, tell them how it needs to be done. This is done out of concern. You just know better. He only needs to realize that we'd be happier & things would be easier if we just did it my way. (Realizing I was doing this was a rude awakening for me.)Our approach is perceived by our partner as disrespectful. This corrodes connection & pokes holes in their confidence. Making it hard to want to express love from this place. So you aren't getting what you need to feel connected. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. We end up waiting on them, needing them to give us what we're needing to give ourselves. In this waiting the resentment builds and we become more and more unwilling to give them what they need. We don't feel like it. Neither do they. Who knows where this cycle started? Who cares? You're both in it. Someone has to break it. If you want things to change, you go first. Welcome to the conversation!

Episode 3: Welcome back! Today I talk about failure and why I KNOW you’re not failing…yes, even though I don’t know you. Let's chat about how your internal programming is created early in childhood and creates the very path to the guilt that paralyzes us as moms. This programming then gets carried into adulthood and becomes how we view ourselves as mothers intertwined with our children’s behavior. We're going to untangle the mom guilt (this can be tough, I’m not going to lie), to open a door that wasn’t visible before. The door that is our access to calm & expressing the love (that I KNOW you have for your children) in a bigger way because we are no longer living in the “shoulds” of motherhood. I'm going to flip the script on what it means to be a good mom and invite you to a new way of seeing yourself.Humans have a primal need to maintain love, safety & belonging. It's absolutely fascinating to me the way in which children will develop strategies to keep these intact. And the thing is, we all start life the same...with the primitive, survival part of our brain fully developed & the higher functioning, critical thinking part of our brain completely undeveloped.The thing is that the survival part of the brain has no filter of what is truth and what isn't and as children we make generalizations and interpretations of our experiences that lead to over 70% of our beliefs being limiting, disempowering, and self-sabotaging.This is part of our human journey. And this is why so many of us feel like we are failing. All.The.Time. And why we're left desperately searching outside of ourselves to validate our worth.

Episode 2: I'm super excited about today's episode because I get to talk about my favorite topic. Reactivity. I can talk about this topic all day long. About how our brains work and triggers the stress response that drives our reactivity.Moms want so much to be more patient, yet, what if having enough patience wasn't the goal? I'm going to introduce you to what I call patience fatigue and empowered parenting. We're going to dive deep into the inner work we must do to create the change we desire. For ourselves & for our families. Reactivity simply stated is the activation of our stress response. We're then trained to look outward to explain our reaction. We see life happening & we react to it.What I truly want you to know is this... reactivity's never about the outside world, but about what’s going on within you. Reactivity is demanding the world shape up so we get what we want. We're stuck waiting for everything and everybody else to change so that we get what we want. We focus on what our children or our partners are doing/not doing. We're giving our power away. “Reacting is human. It's a biological process. It's part of who we are as humans.”The stress response is a primal one. It isn't going away. Yet, when the goal's to simply try and have more patience when faced with a triggering situation, we will at some point always fall short. This is patience fatigue. Patience fatigue comes because we're using up our reserves all day. Our trigger for reactivity gets shorter and shorter as the day goes on. No wonder bedtime sucks. There will never be enough patience. This is why it's time to change the approach.

Episode 1: Let's get this party started! I am so completely jazzed to jump into this inaugural episode of The Thrive in Motherhood Podcast!I believe I get to thrive and I want my children to thrive. These don't have to be mutually exclusive. Yet, how many of us are giving to depletion? Taking care of everyone while losing ourselves. You want to be in the "Good Moms Club" and you're stuck trying to figure out what that actually means all the while losing pieces of yourself.How do we possibly do life as a mom and survive, let alone thrive?! Is it even possible? I'm not an expert (and certainly not of your unique family) but I do know that if we want our experience to change, the work is always on us…not our children, not our partner, not the world. This isn't one more thing to do. This is being empowered to create the change we desire.I want to blow the mystique off of personal development and get into the nitty-gritty of personal growth work. All the while keeping it real and allowing it to be messy. Because that’s the truth of it. IT.IS.MESSY. and hard. It takes commitment and I'm here to walk alongside you. This is not a “how-to-personal-growth” podcast. This is a “let’s-have-a-conversation” podcast. I'm bringing my insights and perspective from my experience as a mom, as a parenting coach, and reading all the personal growth books I can get my hands on. I’ll be chatting with experts (and moms) about the game-changing insights that help them to thrive (and can help you too!). I’m even doing live coaching sessions episodes (maybe it’ll be you!)This is not about your children. This is about you. The work you do will impact your children in a BIG way. In the best possible way.I'm obsessed with creating my best life. I'm obsessed with doing the work to create an experience of motherhood that is fulfilling all while being a badass mom. I'm obsessed with sharing what I learn with as many moms as I can because we ALL get to thrive.What if motherhood was really all about how to SHOW your children what it looks like to live FULLY? What would happen if you brought THAT to the job of raising your children? What an amazing world that would be.Welcome to the conversation. I'm so happy you're here.Join the community: Thrive in Motherhood