Shameless Leadership

I know there is a lot of sadness, anger, pain and fear pulsing through our country right now. I wanted to use this episode to give you some thoughts on how to honor your feelings and your grief, while taking steps to continue showing up in all the areas of your life where you are needed right now.  There is tremendous strength, power, and hope on the other side of grief. But you have to work through the grief to find it.  Right now, any chance you have to prove yourself strong and capable is an opportunity. This might start with a workout, or a letter to a public official, or attending a gathering in support of a cause you wholeheartedly support.  Action is important, no matter how small. It will let you find your legs and your voice.  Action will allow you to heal.  Action will show your kids you are a fighter.  Action will slowly unravel the knot in your belly.  Listen in for some inspiration (and a few laughs) that might help you take a few step forward. Links Mentioned:SMA Episode 68 with Kim Ades – on how to have a family meetingWebsite: Tolerance.orgArticles on how to talk to children about Trump and the election: How Do You Talk To Your Kids About The Election?How A Gay Mom Explained Donald Trump To Her Sons What Do We Tell The Children How You Can Find The Good In A Nasty Election Cycle 4 Key Lessons Your Children Need To Hear The Day After The Election  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This time of year is notorious for overwhelm, yes?!? The demands on your time only get worse and more pressing as we get closer to the holidays. Here are some tools for you to put in place if you’re already feeling the overwhelm of the season.  If you’re not overwhelmed yet, I promise you will be… Take notes!   Get up 15-30 min earlier Make a List, Check it Twice Prioritize Crucial Results and High Anxiety Items Understand Parkinson’s Law  Turn off all notifications, buzzers, dingers, get friendly with Airplane Mode Shut down social media (use a social media timer!) Unschedule low priority commitments Get creative with delegation – it doesn’t have to be expensive Learn and remember…   Links Mentioned:Book: You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we move from Halloween toward Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, I already hear women saying:“I’m going to be good until Thanksgiving.”“I’m going to reign it in for a couple weeks.”“No more sugar until Christmas.” We tend to make a lot of rules for ourselves in relation to food at this time of year. In many cases we feel frustrated and defeated by a holiday, based on what we ate, which is such a bummer. You shouldn’t feel less joy about Halloween because you ate some candy.  In this episode I teach you the philosophies and habits I teach the women at my gym in regards to using food for fuel – rather than punishment. Fueling tour body with food is ridiculously empowering. It helps you move away from a deprivation mindset. It helps STOP using food as punishment.  Listen in to learn about these 12 tips that will help you reframe your relationship with food and how it food can positively impact you as we enter this season of celebration!  Use propro as a cornerstone for every meal Understand and utilize the concept of volume eating Get in 20-30 grams of protein for breakfast Live between 2-4 Stop at 80% Know Your SFs Only eat things you enjoy, but also try new things Be open to quitting sugar. For now. Designate drinking days Crowd out crap carbs Drink the water Plan everything   Links Mentioned:SMA interview with Jill Coleman: How To Eat Every Damn DayWebsite: skinnytaste.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Creating confidence is something that comes with practice, experience, and well, faking it. That whole “fake it till you make it” concept – it’s true. Although, I like to say, “fake it till you become it.”  Sometimes you have to try on a new and improved version of yourself to see how it fits. From there, you can tweak, evolve and grow into the person you want to be. Practicing is critical. Without practicing being the new, confident, self assured you, you will NOT become the new confident, self assured you. So, get out there and try her on for size.  It’s ok to strive to be the person you truly want to be. It might feel a little awkward at first. Others might wonder what’s going on. That’s ok. Just keep being the you YOU truly want to be. You will grow in to the role. Your life and landscape will evolve with you, which is fabulous.  Know there will be uncomfortable moments. Anticipate them, prepare for them, own them.  As you start to behave more confidently, you will actually become more confident.  Then others will see you as more confident, and you will, in turn, continue to carry yourself more confidently. See that beautiful cycle?! Listen in to learn more about: How to be the boss How to stop blending in How to raise your hand  How to take the stage How to get comfortable being uncomfortable  In order to: Take more leaps in life Upgrade your quality of life Get what you actually want Change your reality and perspective for the better, permanently Show your kids how to be brave, bold, courageous    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The end of last week was almost laughable when it came to how many unexpected things were thrown my way – from a sick kid, to a craiglist scam, to a possibly broken foot (damn yoga), my days got thrown upside down over and over.  Historically, I suuuuuck at being spontanteous and managing the unexpected, but when you’re a mom, you’re not left with much choice. You gotta rock the unexpected every damn day.  I love this quote I read Friday morning by Jen Sincero (from her book, You Are A Badass) – I stumbled upon it EXACTLY when I needed to hear it most: ““Life is an illusion created by your perception, and it can be changed the moment you choose to change it.” So, I’m sitting her recording this episode, icing my foot, and texting with my doctor friend – then running (gimping) upstairs to put on my unicorn costume for Vinnie’s school Halloween party. Cause that’s how Shameless Moms roll – even when we’re broken, we’re ON IT.  Listen in to learn how you can rock the unexpected even when you think you cannot manage one more thing flipping your world upside down.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie Page Whitlock is a business and personal finance expert committed to the financial success of start-ups, solopreneurs and small business owners around the world. An internationally recognized and award winning business coach in Seattle, Debbie wants you to create the prosperity and good fortune you deserve.  Debbie has been a mentor to me for a few years now. Her conversation around women and money is something every woman needs to hear. I am elated to have her join me on the show. Debbie’s expertise will support and guide you, no matter what your current relationship with money is. Listen in to learn about MONEY and: The 3 Amigas: Fear/Doubt/Worry How to get out of “the loop” by changing your physical state Why an unhealthy relationship with money is not terminal The power of a quarterly Family Financial Summit  Debbie and I also dive deep into money and marriage. Debbie shares her personal story of how money impacted her marriage and why money was part of the demise of her marriage.  We all have a relationship with money – and it started when we were very young. Your relationship with money impacts your marriage, your family/friend relationships, your children, and your daily decision making. This conversation will help you no matter where you stand with money.  Links Mentioned: Debbie’s WebsiteDebbie on FacebookDebbie’s private Profit Lab Facebook groupArticle: The Biggest Money Differences Between Men and Women     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Know Thy Triggers. I say this to my gym members all the time. You have to know what triggers you, if you want to really own the heck out of your life. Knowing your triggers allows you to say yes to the right things and no to the wrong things. Knowing your triggers helps you identify what you want to fight for and what fights are a waste of your time.  Last week I put up a fight. A couple times.  I defended my child. I defended all women. Then I wrote a manifesto.  At the end of the week, I came to see there are things I will always fight for. There are people I will always defend, even if I take a beating in the process.  I know what’s right for ME.  I hope this episode helps you define what’s right for YOU. Here’s my manifesto: Nasty Woman Manifesto  Stand for women Stand for children  Stand up to bullies Take the high road Where there is not a path, create one When you listen, truly hear Share Fight for the underdog Don’t back down Work for the greater good Connect Do not fear your enemy Challenge the status quo Empower the powerless  Pay your fair share  Will you do yourself a favor and write your manifesto? You can use any of mine you want to get you started!  Send me your manifestos to: sara@shamelessmom.com. I would love to share some other Shameless Moms’ manifestos on an upcoming podcast!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kim Ades is the president and founder of Frame of Mind Coaching and JournalEngineTM Software. Author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, and mother of five, Kim is recognized as one of North America's foremost experts on performance through thought mastery. By using her unique process of integrating online journaling in her coaching, Kim helps her highly-driven clients to examine and shift their thinking in order to yield extraordinary results. I was so fascinated to learn about Kim’s family. She and her husband married 8 years ago and brought together 5 children, ages 9-14, to build a new family. Kim quickly learned a lot about what it took to function and thrive as a blended family. Listen in as she shares: The significance of traveling as one unit The power of new traditions (like hot dog stuffed turkey) The importance of the Family Meeting and the format she recommends (what’s working , what would you do different, what is one request) The difference between parenting and childing The truth about parenthood and self management  Professionally, Kim has taken her work with Frame of Mind Coaching to a different level than many of the coaches I have spoken to. Listen in to hear Kim share: The specific and unique formula she uses to help through major life breakthroughs The significance of journaling in her practice and why it is crucial for growth Why we have to go back and rewrite out own stories if we want to move forward in our current space  Lastly, Kim invites you to assess your own frame of mind with her online assessment. This assessment will give you a sense of what's keeping you stuck, and how our coaching can help get you past it.  Links Mentioned:Kim’s WebsiteFree, no obligation Frame of Mind AssessmentResilience Radio Podcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I first heard of Happiness Boosters from the amazing Gretchen Rubin (author of The Happiness Project). In the last few months I’ve given considerable thought to how we can create joy or boost happiness on a whim.  Sure, I would love to do a weekend of wine tasting in Napa to boost my happiness. But that requires a lot of planning, travel, and money. It’s important to have big Happiness Boosters like this from time to time. But ,it’s also important to consciously create small happiness boosters for yourself, on a moments notice.  There is no end to the quick (and cheap) Happiness Boosters you can create for yourself – TODAY.  Take a few minutes to rearrange a space in your home or office so you really love spending time in it.  Get rid of something that has been annoying you forever and replace it with something that functions the way you want it to. Invest in a little things that make a big difference in your quality of life or at least the quality of your day (like my cordless vacuum.) Do something little to make your home or office more comfortable. Create something that elicits an emotional response (frame those baby pictures you’ve been holding on to forever!) These little things make a big difference in your daily happiness. This, in turn, impacts your overall quality of life. Don’t underestimate the little things. They are BIG.  Listen in – and then go get yourself a new soap pump!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Adams, an extremely successful real estate agent, was living a picture perfect life – until someone called her out, accurately suggesting that Rachel’s picture perfect life was not nearly as perfect as it seemed.…  One conversation changed Rachel’s game forever. That one conversation helped Rachel open up about her quiet (almost secret) divorce, shed 30+ pounds, and create a new life that is not picture perfect, but 100% the life she wants.  In the course of creating a new and much more real life, Rachel learned a lot about herself and realized she had the tools to help other women. So, she partnered with the woman who called her out and wrote a book to guide other women through, Lost to Found in 90 days: Your Journey to Self-Discovery and Ultimate Happiness. transformation. Listen in to learn: Why you need Solution Based Lenses The magic password trick that can the course of your life How to determine if a friendship is for a season, a reason, or a lifetime – and why breaking up with girlfriends is important sometimes How to define your legacy and start living it  Links Mentioned:  Book/Video: First 3 chapters of Rachel’s book and first weekly video  Rachel on Facebook Website: www.lost2found90.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices