5 Questions answered about what is normal about being a mom. At last. We get to discuss what is “normal”. After admitting to something that made me feel like I was a terrible mom, I use to ask myself and my therapist “is this normal?” The answer was always “yes.” But I didn’t believe it. Because no one else was talking about it. In today’s episode I reveal 5 uncomfortable thoughts and feelings I have about motherhood and I assure you they are ALL normal. Well, all...

        What if I told you could make the back talk stop? You can. AND Even better, the back talk from your kids does not mean you have failed as a parent. On the contrary, it actually means you have raised healthy kids. Listen today to learn: * My huge Aha moment that made me actually glad that my kids back talk sometimes * Why kids back talk * How to make the back talk stop without using threats or anger or yelling Mentioned today: * Love and Logic...

        What if you didn’t have to feel burnt-out anymore? What if you could feel: * No more mom guilt. * Less exhaustion. * An easier time juggling all the things. When we tell people we’re stressed out and overwhelmed they tend to recommend self care. But you and I both know it’s not all about downward dogs and bath bombs. You aren’t tired and stuck and wanting to run away because you aren’t getting enough water or exercise. When I was feeling most...

        I remember sitting up in my bed and thinking, something has to change.  I had a baby with reflux and constant ear infections (making it impossible to go anywhere), a business, two older boys that needed attention, a move, lack of a relationship with my husband, no friends, a house to take care of – I knew that this season of life was supposed to be hard but this was ridiculous. I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t have the time or the space to think about it because...

        So many times I have looked at my struggles and thought: I can fix this myself.  And if I can’t fix it, it’s probably because everyone struggles with this and it just is what it is. It can be sooooo hard to invest money to help you solve your problem. Especially if you’re not the primary breadwinner. And it can be soooo hard to invest time and energy to help you solve your problem, especially when you’re already completely spent. Today I’m giving you permission and a...

        You and your husband are in the middle of disagreeing how much screen time is too much screen time. Your partner left the dishes right beside the dishwasher again instead of taking the extra step of loading them. Your kids left their socks and shoes in the middle of the floor. Again. And you’re pissed. You’re exhausted and angry. You don’t want to yell, you don’t want to shut down, but what the hell do you do?Today I am sharing my exact word-for-word formula for how to...

        Do you sometimes feel like the walls are closing in and you might be on the verge of a panic attack?As someone who has had a couple of panic attacks I know how scary and painful they can be.And I know how “exercise, water, talking to a friend” aren’t always the solution.So what can we do to cope with stress before it gets to panic attack stage?I have developed a 3 step process for dealing with stress or anxiety and it’s my current go to. Listen today to learn: * The...

        As a mom, getting any alone time or feeling rested and balanced can be quite difficult. Despite the abundance of self-help books, podcasts, and so-called parenting “experts”, parents still get overwhelmed and exhausted trying to juggle it all. More times than not parental burnout is due to the unrealistic standards and impossibly high expectations we place on ourselves.   Moms that can ask themselves “What do I really need?” and then give themselves permission to do...

  New name, new artwork, new direction, same Sarah. What a shitstorm this last year has been.  Moms everywhere are in crisis.  But is anyone offering to guide us out?  Who’s leading the charge in showing us how to reel ourselves back from our breaking points? Who’s showing us how to recover? To take care of our exhaustion, our grief, our anger, our sadness, our utter confusion.  I’m raising my hand.  Today is the first episode in a new direction I’m calling Unapologetic Motherhood....

    Do you find it impossible to keep the house clean and organized with kids running around it all day causing chaos? It’s like shoveling snow during a snow storm. I want to invite other moms or family over but my dirty house won’t let me. I use to say I’d have people over when my house was totally clean and totally organized. When all the toys were put away. When all the dishes were clean. When there was no danger or someone stepping on a Lego and maybe even the possibility of...

What is the worst thing we could possibly choose to do as quarantine is ending? If you don’t know, you need to listen. Listen today to hear: * the number one thing you should avoid as restrictions lift  * why naps are the new llama * what your body is going to do post-quarantine that you might not be expecting. Right now you have so much pent up stress, and maybe anger, and maybe annoyance, and don’t want to yell  – but what the F?! You need a safe space with...

The truth of what has been going on in our house during quarantine. Spoiler alert: It’s not at-home learning, gardening or really much of anything that you might deem as traditionally healthy. But it’s quarantine. There are no rules. Listen today to hear: * how I’ve attempted (mostly unsuccessfully) to balance the household requirements of yester-year along with the work demands of present-day life. WITH KIDS * what you don’t have to do (cleaning) and don’t have to feel bad...

I saw a photo of one of my friends on the Facebook yesterday. She was happily swimming in the pool with her family on vacation. No one was crying. No one was whining. Everyone had their goggles, and there wasn’t any fighting over who was going to be Marco and who would be Polo.  I immediately wondered what kind of magic sauce she had access to that I had missed the line for. How was she back to pre-pregnancy weight so easily? How was it that all the kids were so well-behaved? How do...

Do you ever feel like you’re going faster than you really want to go?  Maybe you feel like you have to prove how good you are or how generous you are or how capable you are. I have spent a lot of time seeking the approval of others.  I’ve entered the competition of comparing my life with others. I competed, and it felt…awful.  Approval-seeking, trying to keep up, constantly competing – it doesn’t feel good.  But it is tempting.  It’s tempting to try and do what everyone else is doing...

Discover how anger control is achievable no matter how far gone you think you are. Today’s episode will help you stop negative ways of handling anger like stuffing, exploding, yelling or using manipulation. Learn how to change your self-talk, communicate with assertiveness and apply time-out’s to yourself. You can learn to change unhealthy anger into a positive force which accomplishes good for yourself and for others. No more yelling (okay, less yelling) swearing, shutting down and...

I didn’t know until just a few years ago that I am allowed to prioritize my marriage over my kids. Yeah. It’s true.  No one told me that though so I thought it went 1. kids, 2. marriage, 3. me. I knew I needed to make an intentional effort to step away from the steering wheel, the grocery cart, laptop and laundry room to connect with him, but I was always too tired. And honestly, at the end of the day, I didn’t want anyone touching me or wanting anything else from me AT ALL. I just...

I saw a photo of one of my friends on the Facebook yesterday. She was happily swimming in the pool with her family on vacation. No one was crying. No one was whining. Everyone had their goggles, and there wasn’t any fighting over who was going to be Marco and who would be Polo.  I immediately wondered what kind of magic sauce she had access to that I had missed the line for. How was she back to pre-pregnancy weight so easily? How was it that all the kids were so well-behaved? How do...

The other day, instead of driving to work, I started driving to a random nail salon.  I didn’t even feel like it was me driving the car. I have no idea what came over me. I took a gut detour. Instead of working, I ended up spending the entire day on that annoyingly dirty little word – self care. I took a mental health day. For me, mental health days are B.S. Listen today to hear: * where I ended up going instead of work (hint-there are many drinks included) * all the should’s...

It is an established fact that chronic loneliness is actually more dangerous to your health than smoking.  Why aren’t we treating loneliness with the same level of importance and interest as we treat cigarettes? It is entirely possible to be surrounded by people, have loads of friends, but still feel extremely lonely. When I first became a mom I had no idea how heavy the feelings of loneliness could actually be. Why does no one warn us about this? Why is there no pre-natal class to help...

I feel disinterested, unsocial, fatigued, irritated and lonely.  Is this okay, or do I maybe need to try medication? While it is hard to tell you exactly whether you may need to start medication, I can tell you what the experts advise, and what I myself experienced. How did I know it was time to go on medication the first time? And how did I know it was time to go back on it again just over a year ago? What are the signs it might be time for you to try medication as well? Listen today...

I feel sad, overwhelmed, angry, exhausted and sometimes don’t want to do anything at all. Is this okay, or do I maybe need to see a therapist? While it is hard to tell you exactly whether you may need to start therapy, I can tell you what the experts advise, and what I myself experienced. How did I know it was time to reach out for help from a professional counselor? What are the signs it might be time for you to try therapy as well? Also, what is the difference between talking to a...

How do I stop feeling like a failure? How can I stop having such impossibly high standards for myself? I’m tired of comparing myself to other moms and wondering how do they do it all. How do I stop caring how other people judge me? I have such high standards for myself as a mom. Too high. So when things go wrong (and boy do they go wrong) I blame myself and then feel like I’m failing. What do you do when parenthood doesn’t go as planned?   Where and how are we even getting our...

How the heck are you supposed to do self care when you don’t have time? When you don’t have money? When you don’t have a babysitter? When you have no idea where to even start? If I hear one more person tell me that I need to be sure I am taking care of myself, attending to my self care, prioritizing myself, I am going to poke them in the eye with a marshmallow. I’ve been there.  You feel like you’re doing it all, you know you need to take care of yourself, but who the heck is going to...