EP30: Choosing Gratitude and Glitter with Nancy Netherland – Revisited

Hello and welcome to this Episode #30 of the Mother's Quest Podcast, a conversation I'm releasing for the second time with healer, artist, healthcare advocate and mom to two incredible girls Nancy Netherland.

Between the hurricanes and the continuing devastation in Puerto Rico, the mass shooting in Vegas, and most recently the wildfires near where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, I know so many people are struggling with how to find gratitude and meaning in the midst of adversity.

I noticed myself coming back to the lessons I learned about finding magic, even in the most challenging circumstances, from Nancy's stories about her and her daughters in this episode, originally #10.

In our conversation, we explored how Nancy's parents instilled a sense that anything is possible, something she has needed to draw on as she faced the loss of her husband and the serious, chronic illnesses of her daughters. And, she shared how she and her girls cultivate generosity and pay that generosity forward through something they created called "gratitools."

I decided to re-release the episode this week with a new dedication and challenge for all of us from my friend and colleague Lizzy Russinko. Lizzy recently moved with her family from Philadelphia to Petaluma in Northern California where they found themselves in the midst of the devastating wildfires. In her dedication, she shares a story of connection amid uncertainty and her commitment to engage her children in sharing some love and healing in her community.

As we listen to this episode with Nancy, I invite us to think about where we can find magic and meaning during these difficult times. And to join Lizzy in her commitment to pay forward love and kindness in some way to those who are suffering right now.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• How Nancy's parents influenced her childhood by teaching her that anything is possible

• Resiliency and mindfulness during traumatic events

• The importance of creating magic in our lives

• "Gratituding" as a verb

• Nancy's favorite book "Man's Search for Meaning"

• Advocating for your children's health

• The importance of community, especially as a caretaker

• Building deep relationships with people of differing viewpoints

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Gratitool

• Choosing Gratitude

• Hepatitis C information

• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

• Commonweal – where Nancy learned her framework for self-care

• Clinical Trials a site that is open to the public to find life saving clinical trials

• UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital

• These Inspirational Notecards that Lizzy and her family will be passing around to her community

This Week's Challenge:

Building on Nancy Netherland's story, this challenge comes from Lizzy Rossinko who dedicated the episode. Over the next month Lizzy's family is going to leave note cards of encouragement and hope around town for her neighbors to find and give, as their community at Sonoma County copes with the wildfires. This will be their little way of injecting magic and meaning into a time of significant adversity and change. Lizzy invites us to do something special to bring comfort and home in our neck of the woods.

Announcements

Mother's Quest Circle Pilot

You're a mindful mother. And being present for your children in these years when you're raising them is your highest priority. You're also committed to making a positive impact in the world, something that feels even more important with all the challenges we currently face.

If the description above sounds like you, the Mother's Quest Circle Pilot, launching this fall may be right for you. This signature offering provides inspiration, coaching and community to spark your E.P.I.C. life with intimate in-person reflective sessions over 3-4 months.

Click www.mothersquest.com/mothers-quest-circle to learn and apply. The group starts in November so don't delay if you're interested. Questions? Email me at julie@mothersquest.com

Visit the Website

If you haven't yet visited the website, head over towww.mothersquest.comto explore some of the ways you can get more connected. At the site, you can sign up for our email list (to get show notes delivered to your inbox and our new "Mothers on a Quest" features), click the link to join the Facebook group and press record to leave a voice message for me. You can also download the FREE Live Your E.P.I.C. Life Planning and Reflection Sheets.

Sign up! – Free 30 minute Discovery Session

I'm rolling out my new coaching offerings and having great conversations with women who are ready to live a more E.P.I.C. life and interested in coaching. If you've had a spark moment setting you on a new path or are at a crossroads but feel unsure, guilty or overwhelmed, I'd love to talk with you about how working with me could help light the way, get you clear about what you want, shift your mindset from fear to faith, and get you moving into action.

I've been there, I'm still on the journey myself, and I'd love to bring all I've learned from a decade of coaching, 13 years of motherhood and all the lessons from my podcast guests to support you. Send me an email at julie@mothersquest.com or sign up for a free discovery call by clicking this link if you're interested in learning more.

Women Podcasters in Solidarity

After the events that took place in Charlottesville, I'm even more committed to a quest I've been on to understand the roots of racism and bigotry, how it still shows up today, and how I can become a better ally and advocate to fight against it.

I'm raising awareness for myself, and inviting you to do the same, through this special podcast episode. I'm also pledging to donate to an organization supporting the Movement for Black Lives and to invite you to donate too leading up to Giving Tuesday in November. More on this to come soon.

If you are a women podcaster yourself, I'd love for you to make a similar pledge to use the power of your platform for this cause. You can learn more and join the initiative by signing up at mothersquest.com/solidarity.

Acknowledgements

A big THANK YOU to our "patrons" for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

• This week's dedication is provided by Lizzy Russinko, a handlettering artist & writer at This (Un)Scripted Life, coach at Retreat Roadmap, and founder of The BraveGatherers, a community for soulful, message-driven business owners who are ready to harness the power of intimate connection and make in-person events an integral part of their work.

• Suzanne Brown, author of Mompowerment

• Mara Berns Langer

• Mallory Schlabach of Marketing Magic for Entrepreneurs

• Katharine Earhart of Alesco Advisors

• Jessica Kupferman of She Podcasts

• Resistance Artist Jen Jenkins Dohner

• Genese Harris

• Tonya Rineer, founder of The Profit Party

• Liane Louie-Badua

• Cristin Downs of the Notable Woman Podcast

• Erin Kendall of Fit Mom Go

• Niko Osoteo of Bear Beat Productions

• Erik Newton of The Together Show

• Claire Fry

• Divya Silbermann

• Rachel Winter

• Caren and Debbie Lieberman

• Cameron Miranda

• Fran and David Lieberman

• Debbie and Alan Goore

• Jenise and Marianne of the Sustainable Living Podcast

—

Support the Podcast

If you'd like to make a contribution to Mother's Quest to support Season Two of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution http://mothersquest.com/be-a-supporter/

If you would like to "dedicate" an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com