186: How to meet your needs with Mara Glatzel

We talk a lot about meeting needs on the show. And mostly we focus on meeting your child's needs, because when those are met then your needs for peace and ease and collaboration with your child get met as well.

But of course those are not your only needs. You also have needs independent of your relationship with your children, and you deserve to have these met. Mara Glatzel's new book focuses squarely on your needs. Why is it so hard to understand what our needs are? How can we figure out what our needs are...before they explode out of us in a meltdown? And how can we get these met on a regular basis?

This episode will show you how to do that.

Jump to highlights:

01:20 Introduction of the guest - Mara Glatzel

02:20 Mara shares the story at the beginning of her book where she tells her personal reflection when she felt learned the importance of asserting one's needs and the impact it has had on her  life and relationship

06:13 Mara differentiates needs from wants

09:47 The societal pressure to maintain a perfect and productive facade may just lead to burnout and a denial of our own humanity

13:31 It is important to recognize and identify  physical sensations, symptoms, and circumstances associated with burnout to prevent and reverse it

20:20 Setting boundaries with children allows parents to prioritize their own needs so they meet their children’s needs as well

24:49 Consistently pushing ourselves beyond our limits and striving for perfection sets us up for burnout

29:31 Prioritizing our own needs and well-being - even if it means doing things differently from others - is essential for sustainable productivity and a fulfilling life

34:37 It can be challenging to find the right balance between meeting our children's needs and taking care of our own, but by modeling self-care, setting boundaries, and teaching them how to communicate their needs effectively, we can find ways to support each other

41:36 Balancing our commitment to creating positive change with prioritizing our own well-being is crucial, as our ability to make an impact is compromised if we neglect self-care

47:34 If we're unable to deal with our own needs, we make our needs other people's problems - and this impacts our relationships

50:55 Mara shares about finding joy in trying new activities and embracing the freedom of being a beginner while following personal interests

54:46 Wrapping up

Mara's book:

Needy: How to advocate for your needs and claim your sovereignty (affiliate link)