As we continue to see white supremacy reign here in the US, it’s critically important to pause and reflect on where we have come from, how we can do better, and how we can talk to our kids about it all.
I am not a race educator, but I will point you to some excellent people and resources in this episode from whom you can learn on an ongoing basis.
I am showing up for this conversation because, while I want you to be learning about race from people other than middle class white ladies (me!), I want to share some things that we have been doing in our family to educate our 8-year-old while also taking big responsibility for our commitment to our own anti racism journeys.
My intentions in this episode are 3 pronged:
Please note all the resources below as you continue to listen and learn and take action.
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Mirna Valerio is a native of Brooklyn, NY, a former educator, cross-country coach, ultramarathoner, and author of the bestselling memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress. Although she began running in high school, she recommitted to the sport after a health scare in 2008 and started her blog Fatgirlrunning—about her experiences as a larger woman in a world of thinner endurance athletes— while training for her first marathon. Mirna's athletic story has been featured in the WSJ, Runner’s World, on NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in the viral REI-produced documentary short, The Mirnavator. Her writing has been featured in Women’s Running Magazine, Self Magazine Online, Outside Online, and Runner's World Magazine. In 2018 she was chosen as one of the National Geographic Adventurers of the Year, and most recently appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show, Access Hollywood, and the short Running Through Barriers, produced by LLBean.
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As you are thinking about what you want out of 2021, I'm inviting you to keep things super simple. We tend to make things too hard and way overcomplicated as we enter a new year. I think this is only because we want to make things super FAB, but still - no need to make things tricky, as this minimizes your chances of actually building any momentum and getting things done.
So, how can you build momentum in order to have a few quick wins and feel like you are off to the races in 2021? Here are 4 tips:
In today’s episode, I’m going to help you dig into each one of these tips so you can feel lighter and more inspired to GET STARTED in a year that has already proven to be cumbersome and tumultuous in so many ways.
You absolutely have what it takes to make great things happen in 2021. Let’s get to work.
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Jennifer Litner has over a decade of experience working, studying and teaching in the field of sexual health, with a specialization in sex therapy, sexuality education, and helping people thrive in their intimate relationships.
Ms. Litner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and sexuality educator whose passion is helping couples, individuals and families navigate sexual concerns. Ms. Litner is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), a Certified Member of the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), and a member of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR).
In addition to her clinical practice, Ms. Litner earned a Master’s of education and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in human sexuality studies at Widener University with emphasis in human sexuality education. Ms. Litner is also an adjunct professor at Adler University in the Departments of Counseling and Couple and Family Therapy where she teaches masters and doctoral students. Ms. Litner empowers individuals to make healthy choices about sexuality by providing them with accurate sexual health information.
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You get to start fresh. It’s true.
While we are kicking off a new year in the middle of a continuous shitstorm, you still get to choose how you will begin.
Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, says, “Uncertainty is chronic. Instability is permanent. Disruption is common. We can neither predict or govern events. There will be no new normal. There will only be a continuous series of not normal episodes defying predictions and unforeseen by most of us until they happen.”
How’s that for affirming that change and evolution will continue to be constant disruptors?? Happy 2021, lol!
In spite of all this, there is still plenty you can do to step into 2021 on your terms. You still get to dream. You still get to take charge. You still get to make great things happen.
I’m waking up #everydamnday ready to own the day and make progress in the face of uncertainty. I want this for you too.
Listen in to hear 4 simple steps to start fresh this year - in order take charge and disrupt the doubt and worry that has been so permanent over the last 10 months.
You got this. 2021 is yours to own and nurture.
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Catherine Gray is a Producer, Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host. Catherine is also the Co-Founder of the SHE ANGELS FOUNDATION and 360Karma Productions. Catherine is producing a new original series for television called She Angels. It covers the exciting journeys of female founders and funders. The series, together with her SHE ANGELS FOUNDATION, has a vision to create a global initiative that will accelerate the funding of women, since currently they get less than 15% of the funding dollars. Catherine founded 360Karma Productions, which is a multimedia platform that creates everything from films and shows, to game changing events to empower women. These include past events such as the Live Love Thrive Conferences, workshops, and podcasts to the SHE ANGELS PITCHFEST, with the City of West Hollywood, CA. She will soon launch the SHE ANGELS TV series and the INVEST IN HER Podcast. The show and podcast series showcases ways to accelerate the funding of women, and provide resources and inspiration to the entrepreneur listeners.
Gray says, “I am so proud to have produced several award-winning films including the very first documentary film about gay marriage entitled ‘I Can’t Marry You,’ narrated by Ellen DeGeneres’s mom Betty, which aired on PBS in more than 60 cities nationwide. I believe filmmaking is a powerful catalyst to change on every front. My focus now is on empowering female entrepreneurs. I enjoy working on socially conscious projects that are impacting the world in a positive and powerful way.”
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What if 2020 wasn’t just a dumpster fire?
What if, instead, 2020 was the year you:
Built better boundaries
Got clear on what really matters
Learned to sit in hard feelings
Worked on your most intimate relationships
Got to know your kids better
Pushed yourself to stretch in new uncomfortable ways
Became a million times more adaptable
Decided your voice had value
Said good bye to relationships and circumstances that were no longer serving you
Found joy in ridiculously small things
Learned to laugh at yourself
Tried scary new things and didn’t die
Stood up for your core values - even around those who disagreed
Gained clarity on who you are becoming and who you want in your corner
What if 2020, in spite of it’s pain and grief, was a year of massive growth and life changing accomplishments?
As you prepare to close the door on 2020 and open the door to 2021, I invite you to think about what you are taking with you and what you are leaving behind.
What if you left behind self doubt, over doing, over consuming, allll the noise, and ignorance & idleness?
What if you took with you hope, power, patience, ease, adaptability, self trust, boundaries, empathy, and your voice?
While we cannot flip a switch and heal the messes of 2020, we can step into 2021 realizing the potential that lies ahead - and the responsibility we have to meet that potential. Listen in to squash your dumpster fire and find some beautiful remains.
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Kelly Altman is a certified health coach, a fitness business owner and a Shameless Mom to 4 kids, ages 2-14. Growing up overweight and lacking energy she fell in love with exercise and the way it made her feel in her 20's and became an entrepreneur by "accident" when she and her husband, Jay, started a fitness business in 2010.
After taking a back seat to the business when her 3rd child was born it was only then that she started to realize how much of her own thoughts, feelings, and desires were taking a back seat in so many aspects of her life. She knew something had to change when her physical and mental health were suffering and she was ready to play by her own 'rules' - including stopping the endless cycle of 'on and off' again dieting that had manifested when she became the face of a fitness business.
She became a health coach to help busy women see that in their life there is nothing more important than their physical and mental health and that they can put themselves first even when they need and want to show up for everyone else.
Through her one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and her new on-line course she helps women upgrade their lifestyle by forming their own rules around eating, exercise, and their daily habits so they can gain the energy and confidence they desire.
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As a Health and Success Coach, Kelly Travis helps ambitious, high achieving women realize they don’t have to “should” their way to success in life or business. Through her programs and speaking, Kelly helps women realize what they actually want for themselves, ditch limiting beliefs and excuses, and create a sustainable action plan to achieve their big scary goals. Kelly models the ideal mix of professionalism, compassion, and discipline to help women get to where they want to go - not to where she thinks they should go (her methods are not prescriptive) but where they truly want to go in their career and life.
Her brave, sassy, and always approachable coaching style encourages women to take a cold hard look at their habits, mindset, boundaries, and everything that goes into creating a life on their terms.
Officially, Kelly earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health with an emphasis on mental health from Central Michigan University. She is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she earned her certification as a Holistic Health Coach. Her passion for wellness and her ability to create successful strategies to reach goals started in college, where she was a collegiate All-American runner at UNC-Charlotte.
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Leslie Tagorda is a multiracial, brand astrologer, designer, podcast host, and author. An Aquarius boss woman and Human Design Projector, she calls herself a Brand Navigator as she guides spiritual entrepreneurs, social impact makers, and visionaries to become the luminary leaders they are born to be using an innovative system of empowered brand and biz astrology called The AstroBrand™ Framework.
Since 2004 Leslie has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and social impact organizations clarify their brand so they can stop hiding and contribute their expertise in the world through their websites, social media, and brands.
Leslie hosts a podcast and Facebook community The Savvy Luminary – Astrology for Entrepreneurs. And while you might think this sounds too woo woo for you, I invite you to listen in to all the really practical ways you can use astrology to greatly amplify your voice and your gifts in the world.
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What do you need out of these holidays to consider them a success?
This is an important question if you want to make this time count. In a year of heartbreak and loss, we still have the power to create joy and magical memories in alignment with our values.
When I sat down to think about what I want out of this season, I came up with this:
Health
Safety
Good Citizenship
Joy
Connection
Rest
Having identified this list, it was so much easier to make decisions around what is right and what is best for our family as we celebrate the holidays this year.
In this episode I help you decide what it is that you truly want out of this holiday season and then I give you 4 simple strategies to actually getting what you want.
While this year is anything but normal, there are still plenty of opportunities to connect and find joy & magic this holiday season. We are in this together. I got you.
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Mia Hemstad is a wife and mom of two kids (ages 2 and 4). She works full time as a social justice activist, and runs her personal company online where she talks about her daily life with PTSD and depression and the importance of doing the hard, inner work of overcoming trauma and taking care of yourself. A recovering perfectionist and people pleaser, Mia wants women to learn to take their power back by making themselves a priority. Mia’s raw and honest content about mental health and stepping into her power has earned her features in media outlets such as Romper, Parents.com, Cafe Mom, and several others. Some of Mia’s favorite pastimes include trying out new coffee shops, taking naps, watching anything about food, and buying yet another journal from the planner section at Target.
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Book: Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
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Holy cow. 500 episodes. 500!!!
Part of me wants to be all exasperated, “How did that even happen? How did we get here???”
But that would diminish what I know to be true.
500 episodes of The Shameless Mom Academy happened because I chose to show up - ALL THE WAY UP - 500 times.
I have shown up full of joy and hope.
I have shown up with a broken heart, in a puddle of tears.
I have shown up to teach and coach and listen and learn and share and apologize and cry and push myself and push you and model leadership and celebrate.
I have shown up on some of the best days of my life and some of the worst days of my life.
I didn’t get to 500 episodes on accident. I got here on purpose.
I worked hard to get here.
Just like I encourage all of you to do, I’m going to own the heck out of this accomplishment.
Most podcasts don’t make it past 14 episodes.
And here we are.
500 episodes.
Your legacy is built on how you choose to show up over time.
These 500 episodes are a massive part of my legacy.
I have learned so much about the power of showing up over the last 500 episodes. I have learned exactly why it matters, exactly how it can change your life, and exactly how it can open big huge doors to your future.
Listen in to get really inspired and totally FIRED UP to keep showing up for your life and your dreams.
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Meredith Atwood is a former attorney, podcaster and motivational speaker, and 4x IRONMAN triathlete. She is the author of the best-selling triathlon book, Triathlon for the Every Woman, and the new book, The Year of No Nonsense. She’s the host of the iTunes Top 50 fitness podcast, “The Same 24 Hours.” She has been featured in The Boston Globe, The New York Post, the Seattle Times, and dozens of online publications. Meredith is a contributing writer to Psychology Today online, Triathlete Magazine, and Women’s Running. She is a sobriety advocate, and the founder of Grateful Sobriety. She is a USA Weightlifting Level II, USA Triathlon Level I, and Precision Nutrition Level I Coach. She is originally from Georgia and lives in the burbs of Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and two tweens.
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There are all sorts of stories that people will tell you about procrastinators. They are lazy and lack motivation. They are ill prepared and unqualified. They just don’t have what it takes. They don’t have their shit together.
If you’re someone who struggles with procrastination, perhaps these are the things you say about yourself? You wouldn’t be alone…
The truth is that procrastination is commonly a form of perfectionism.
Many people procrastinate because they are paralyzed by the fear of doing something wrong, making a mistake, looking foolish, not being good enough, and being stuck in analysis paralysis. This makes them feel guilty and weak and like they are not enough. This creates feelings of dread and worry and massive self doubt.
Relatable much???
Many (most?) women struggle with perfectionism because we have been conditioned to believe we must show up a certain way, on certain terms, within certain parameters. The specificity around what is acceptable and what is not is a fine line drawn with a Sharpie.
Listen in to learn more about why procrastination is not a bad thing, how to use it to your advantage, and how to release yourself from the perfectionism that comes from procrastination.
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Kristen Westcott is a Shameless Mom to two little girls, as well as a business growth strategist and founder of Kristen Westcott Media who has spent the last decade in the legal and education fields supporting leaders and students in the areas of goal setting, productivity, and project management. After recognizing her true passion lies in serving entrepreneurs, Kristen honed her skills as a Director of Operations. She quickly noticed that what was holding many business owners back wasn’t a lack of drive or ability, but a lack of foundational systems that could support the day-to-day operations of a scaling business. These days, she spends her time helping online coaches, copywriters, and course creators scale without the frustration that massive growth often brings.
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Take2Minutes
2020 would like you to think you can’t do it, you’re not enough, you just don’t have it in you.
I would like to suggest otherwise.
You CAN do it.
You ARE enough.
You DO have it in you.
On any given day, at any given moment, your life is full. Full of gifts and magic. Full of hope and power. Full of everything you need to keep going and to keep growing.
Last week we did a 5 day Abundance & Gratitude Challenge with 250 Shameless Moms. Maybe you were one of them. Every day of the challenge I was blown away by all the abundance we have in our collective lives. HOT DAMN. So much goodness.
In this episode, I walk you through 4 areas of your life that are already abundant - as long as you choose to see them that way. By the end of the episode, you’re gonna be all kinds of fired up about the gifts in your life that you perhaps have struggled to see in 2020.
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Book: Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
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Gail Keyes Allen is an Accountant, a Life & Money Mindset Coach, and Serial Entrepreneur. She is the host of the Midlife Moneymaker Podcast, a podcast for multi-passionate women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond who want to transform their relationship with their money and their life. Her coaching is centered around helping women discover their limiting beliefs and take them on a journey to transform their money mindset from scarcity to abundance.
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At least once a week, I sit down to write a social media post and I want to start it with, “YOU GET TO CHOOSE.”
Every day, no matter where things stand with the world, we get to choose - so many things.
We get to choose how we show up.
We get to choose who we share our energy with.
We get to choose who gets the best pieces of us.
We get to choose how to honor ourselves.
We get to choose how to live out our core values.
We get to choose it all.
This year, more than ever, we have had the responsibility of big choices. In this episode, I share three really powerful examples of what you get to choose right now, as these seem to be popping up over and over in my life and in the lives of others in our community:
Listen in to get inspired and fired up about the choices you get to make today and #everydamnday.
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Sophia Yen, MD, MPH is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pandia Health, birth control delivery. She has a passion for making women’s lives easier, preventing unplanned pregnancies, and educating women about #PeriodsOptional.
With more than 20 years of experience in medicine, she is board-certified in Adolescent Medicine. She graduated with a B.S. from MIT, M.D. from UCSF Medical School, and M.P.H. from UC Berkeley in Maternal Child Health. She serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford Medical School.
Dr. Yen's company, Pandia Health, is the first-ever female doctor founded birth control company. Men have been leading an industry they know little about, which is crazy to think about. But now, women across the country are turning to Dr. Yen and Pandia Health for birth control (pill, patch or ring) and telemedicine needs. Plus, the science and safety behind skipping your period is a topic often not talked about. In fact, 66% of women have never been informed by their doctor that they can safely stop their period. Dr. Sophia Yen is on a mission to help educate women about this crucial health topic.
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Amy Fish is the author of I WANTED FRIES WITH THAT: How to Ask for What You Want and Get What You Need. She is also the “Chief Complaints Officer” (also known as the Ombudsperson) for Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, which has more than 50,000 students, and where she spends her days investigating, analyzing (and mostly resolving) complaints for a whole variety of people. Amy's insights and wisdom have been featured in and on Reader's Digest, CBC-TV Canada, CBC Radio Canada, Global TV Canada, The Huffington Post, and many other publications. She lives in Montreal with her family and believes we all can make the world a better place by standing up for ourselves — even about the small things.
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Lora Cheadle is a transformational thought leader and media personality who empowers women to let go of judgment, overcome the need to please, express themselves fully, and find uninhibited success and joy every day. Using the five steps of FLAUNT! , she encourages others to take the lead in the dance of life despite any external circumstances. She is the author of the bestselling book FLAUNT! Drop Your Cover and Reveal Your Smart, Sexy, & Spiritual Self.
Lora came on the show to share an extremely vulnerable and powerful story around self trust and self worth. I know you’ll learn some really valuable lessons from her.
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Soooo… I’m taking a memoir writing class. I do not know the first thing about writing a memoir. I don’t know if I even want to write a memoir. But I do know that I want to be a better writer.
At the end of my first writing class, our teacher gave us an assignment, “Write 700 words about your topic. And don’t try to make it the best piece of writing you’ve ever done. Make it mediocre.”
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to be mediocre? When did you decide to try something just for the sake of trying it and letting yourself practice?
Most of us are constantly tied up in measuring progress and growth. We are aiming to get closer to perfect with every step.
It’s ok to stop measuring progress sometimes. It’s ok to not track metrics. It’s ok to be totally imperfect and messy and just play around in order to learn and grow and have fun.
It’s ok to simply practice.
In giving yourself permission to practice, you get to show up without judgement. You get to step outside of your head and ignore metrics that you might otherwise mistakenly attach to your self worth. You get to be creative and just have fun. Remember fun? Yeah, me neither…
Listen in to hear all about how you can give yourself permission to practice and step away from a constant push for progress and perfection. This might just be the breath of fresh air you need!
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Leslie Lyons is the Founder of Bombshell Movement Studio in Chicago, host of the Beyond the Pole: Tales from the CEO podcast, and a sales and leadership coach for female entrepreneurs. With a background in corporate sales, youth ministry (yes-she’s a Christian and the owner of a pole studio!), and as a leader for studio owners throughout the US, Leslie has spent her life pouring into women emotionally and spiritually. Now, more than ever, her dedication to helping entrepreneurial women lead with their heart and head is the exact type of leadership we need.
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It’s ok if you’re tired.
Over the last I have had many conversations with clients and colleagues and loved ones who are just tired.
We are tired of being home with everyone everyday. We are tired of shifts and changes to job status. We are tired of constantly worrying about health and safety around COVID. We are tired of adapting to uncertainty and unpredictability. We are tired of distance learning (bless our teachers!). We are tired of having no personal time or personal space. We are tired of politics. We are tired of social media. We are tired of feeling disillusioned. We are tired of trying to just get through it.
The just get throughedness of 2020 is wiping us out, if we’re being honest.
I’m giving you permission to OWN & HONOR your fatigue.
You should feel tired. Bone tired.
But, in spite of your fatigue, you do have to keep going.
Listen in to hear 8 ways you can own, honor, and even recover a little from your fatigue.
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