Mint Arrow Messages

Almost 10 years ago, Katie Parker founded Singers Company, a place where little girls can sing, dance, and act in a wholesome environment while building confidence and performance skills. Katie recognized the staggering statistics of declining teen confidence and self-worth that were plaguing our nation, so she decided to start the I Believe in Me project, an online-based program for girls 11 years of age and older. The program offers weekly short videos that provide guidance and encouragement in many areas including friendship, school, goals/dreams, social media, beauty, hair, discovering/pursuing talents, creating healthy habits, fashion and so much more! The adventures in I Believe In Me help each girl create and establish her own "garden" of life experiences and accomplishments – what "flowers" does she want to plant? – and what "weeds" does she need to keep out?This week, I sit down with the 3 amazing women who host I Believe in Me – Katie Parker, Allie Callister and Becky Fife, to talk about some of the most important issues 11-year-old girls face through their teenage years, what their advice is in many different scenarios, and how to tackle some of the trickiest things about being a teen or tween with grace and confidence.Especially if you have an 11-year-old girl, just remember that every single flower is beautiful in its own unique and special way. And if they can hold on to that and know that they don't need to change who they are for someone else, or to fit into a different group or to be accepted by somebody else – they are perfect just the way they are. In this episode, you will hear: Allie’s biggest strength in life is I can laugh my way through most situations, and just be light and carefree.  I Believe In Me is a positive happy girls club. So each week, she'll log into her private site. Their platform is private and each week, there's a new "planting the seeds" episode. Their whole program has a garden theme because they believe every girl is a unique individual with gifts to share in this world.  One of their mantras is: you are a girl with gifts to grow and share. And in your garden of life and in the garden of the world, we need all different types of flowers, not just all the same.  Planting the seeds: We need different sizes and shapes and different strengths and weaknesses in this garden of the world. That's the beauty of the world. There's a new episode each week. Once they've completed that entire episode, a couple of other sections will open up. I Believe In Me has three different levels of membership: Root, Grow, and Bloom. The 11 to 12-year-old group of girls and middle school are so hard because there are a lot of things going on. Your body is changing, your friends are starting to change, and sometimes it surprises you. And so you start to question “Who am I?” Sometimes friends need boundaries, and you need to set your boundaries so that you can also protect your heart if things are said. In middle school, these girls are learning who they are and how to navigate among each other. They have a lot of insecurities which can end up hurting other people if you don't know how to handle them.  Middle school doesn’t have to be scary. That’s why this program is giving these girls the tools they need so their experience can be fun! One of their tools is to turn worry into work. Instead of worrying about something that you don't have control over, look at what you can do. You're not improving your social skills by talking to a screen. You will only improve those skills by talking face to face with someone. It's okay to be hurt. But know that you have the power to decide how you feel and how it's going to affect you. . Supporting Resources:Instagram @sc.ibelieveinme https://www.instagram.com/scibelieveinme/Links to additional info and to sign up for I believe in me courses https://linktr.ee/SCIBelieveinMeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you have any regrets in life? Have you ever asked yourself this, or the people you love? This is a great topic that a lot of people may or may not have even thought about. But it's something that probably most people will have to deal with at some point in their life. Today, Neil and I share candidly our regrets in life, and what we’ve learned from them. Nonetheless, God has just poured out all these blessings on us because we've been willing to just let him take over. He has given us this life that’s a million times more beautiful than what we could have ever planned or hoped for.We also share the top 3 most common things people regret before they die as well as 3 resolutions you can make today that will help you avoid some of the deepest regrets in life. We challenge you to make those three resolutions, and if we can just make that conscious choice to live life the way God exactly wants us to live, then we will be able to find more joy in life.In this episode, you will hear: Neil’s regret is missing out on the opportunities that he could have had and mine was wasting Miss Utah and not serving a mission because I didn’t live up to my potential. When my ex-husband and I were dating and getting close to marriage, I felt a strong prompting not to marry him.  Opposite of that voice of warning, I've also had so many times where the Spirit has told me exactly how God wants me to live my life. We don’t get to redo childhood. I regretted not connecting well with my sister as we were growing up. I thought I wasted years of what could have been great childhood memories. (Although I have a super great relationship with her now!) Neil's two full brothers, Steve and Dave, have passed away. Neil talks about the conversation he had with his brother Steve, six months before he died when he asked Neil to never do drugs, alcohol, and smoke. The 3 most common things people regret before they die: not spending time with people they love (or maybe they could have spent it differently), not living up to their potential, and spending so much of their life being miserable. "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives." - Russell M. Nelson  God put us on this earth to have joy and to be happy. And we all have our peaks and valleys, but when we put our focus on the right things, those bring joy in our lives. The 3 resolutions to help avoid some of the deepest regrets of life: resolve to spend more time with those you love, strive more earnestly to become the person God wants you to be, and resolve to find happiness regardless of your circumstances. Supporting Resources:“Of Regrets and Resolutions” Talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng“Joy and Spiritual Survival” Talk by Russell M. Nelson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/10/joy-and-spiritual-survival?lang=engSubscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scott O'Neil is the CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, a global sports, and entertainment company that includes some of the most iconic teams and brands in the world, including the NBA Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL New Jersey Devils. He’s also the former President of Madison Square Garden Sports. Scott is known for his leadership and ability to establish culture that changes lives. He wrote a book that releases this week called Be Where Your Feet Are – a mantra he lives by and teaches everywhere he goes. In today’s interview, Scott shares with me his theories on balance, being present, priorities, and making the most important connections in life. I could not put Scott’s book down as soon as I started reading it, and this interview was way too short to cover everything I was dying to ask him, so I hope you’ll not only enjoy this incredibly inspiring chat but also buy his book that releases on June 1: Be Where Your Feet Are.  In this episode, you will hear: The definition of success is different for everyone and you have to figure out what it means to you. Life is not about balance but trade-offs. You can accomplish anything you want as long as you're willing to understand what the trade offs are because we have a limited amount of time. You need to be where your feet are and be present where you are. The phone out of reach rule is something you can do at home or at work where everyone can't have it within arm's reach so you can focus more on human connection. Scott’s five-point plan for health and wellness that you need to do every day: Do something for your mind, something for your body, something for your soul, sleep, and gratitude. Take care of the person in the mirror first then you have an opportunity to care for your family. And if you take care of your family, you have an opportunity to be extraordinary at whatever your success goals are. The power of mantra: You can manipulate your conscious and subconscious by speaking. Speak it into existence. You can train yourself to do good things and be better and be good and set some aspirational levels for yourself. The Leadership Constitution forces you to answer two questions – “I declare that I am…” and “You can count on me to be…” – These are great guideposts to keep you centered. Scott shares his beautiful experience of conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Always assume positive intent (API) and your life will be better. Go through your life giving people the benefit of the doubt and clean the slate. Supporting Resources:Scott’s O’neil’s new book “Be Where Your Feet Are: Seven Principles to Keep You Present, Grounded, and Thriving” https://amzn.to/3wgk0SAFollow along with Scott:Twitter @scottoneilLinkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-o-neilBook Mentions:The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Lifetime-Lessons-Learned-Company/dp/0399592091 The Power of Everyday Missionaries by Clayton Christensen https://www.amazon.com/Power-Everyday-Missionaries-Sharing-Gospel/dp/1609073150Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, Neil and I are sharing some thoughts and ideas on how to make your home a safe haven from the craziness of the world. We talk about this concept of our homes being a holy place as well as our responsibility to make our home special. We’re sharing some of the things we loved from the homes we grew up in, and some of the traditions we’ve started in our own little family. It’s never too late to start incorporating these family traditions into your home as well – creating lasting memories, providing grounding experience, and bringing a good, happy spirit into your home. We also reflect back on some of the things we learned through COVID and what we’re continually trying to do to make our home a safe and peaceful place. And when we strive to do that in our house amid the craziness and imperfection of it, God does something miraculous.In this episode, you will hear: When the Lord warns us about the perils of the last days, he counsels us. As our ability to gather in churches has been restricted to varying degrees, one of the holiest places on earth is the home. Part of making our home as a holy place is by using our living room as our home church. Being able to have the Sacrament(of bread and water) in your home is specifically tied to Jesus Christ and it makes it more powerful and special. The present restrictions on gathering will eventually end. However, your commitment to make your home your primary sanctuary of faith should never end. Decorate your home in a way that feels peaceful, you’re drawing the Spirit in, and it really feels like home.  Pictures also help make kids feel secure, solidifies memories for them, and makes them feel like they belong, and they are part of something.  Having a picture of Christ in your home has a grounding effect, you're more spiritually connected, and it changes the feel in your house. Food such as Sunday dinners and other family traditions make lasting memories. They make people feel secure and like they're part of something.  Praying as a family solidifies the unity, spiritually speaking, as well as family scripture study. Another way to turn your home into a safe sanctuary is by working on your personal growth and overcoming character weaknesses. Make people in your home feel loved. Supporting Resources:“What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget” Talk by Russell M. Nelson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/36nelson?lang=eng“The Finest Homes” Talk By L. Whitney Clayton https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/55clayton?lang=engEpisode 120: Mark Mabry: Being Led to Reflections of Christ https://www.mintarrow.com/podcast/episode-120-mark-mabry-being-led-to-reflections-of-christ/  Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Mabry is the photographer and creator behind the beautiful photos portraying Jesus Christ in the art collection called Reflections of Christ, which has been so transformative and a huge piece of not just art in our home, but a piece of my testimony that’s so powerful to me and my family. Mark also has an Instagram account, @reflectionsofchrist, where he shares thoughts about the Savior, insights, and inspiration behind the shots he created. I was so curious to know more of the back-story behind what made him want to pursue this work. Today, Mark shares with me some incredibly inspiring stories about change, being willing to listen to God's direction, and little miracles that have happened as he's created Reflections of Christ.Mark wants to leave everyone today with this inspiring message that all of us have this glimmer of hope because hope is what keeps us alive. There's this little tiny light inside of us. Sometimes, it may feel like it's not even there. But when you dig down deeper, you can find hope that’s planted in us by God's loving son. Through the power of Christ, everything can be just, and bad things can turn good really fast once we acknowledge that the source of our hope is in Jesus.In this episode, you will hear: Mark originally created the Reflections of Christ exhibit as a part of an Easter pageant in their town. It sort of opened the floodgates for him because it became a massive hit. But shortly after, his past popped up – a sexy ad with him as the photographer got released. A lot of times, we feel like everyone's eyes are on our mistakes or character defects when they're really not paying attention because they’re also worried about their own character defects and whatever's going on in their life. There are so many great resources out there for people who struggle with addiction, but if we didn't need a Savior, then we could just go pay for some other resource to fix our problems.  Jesus is the only one who can wholly, perfectly, and completely heal people. He finds broken people who weren't even looking for him. He saves us, loves us, and makes us whole. Self-forgiveness is so hard. We think we can never rise above it. But you can rise above it, and you can be stronger than you were before you had the addiction.  Mark gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the Reflections of Christ. He wasn't worried about the technical aspect of it, but focused on the actor portraying Jesus Christ. He was intentional about having the presence of the Holy Spirit there.  When he called the actor to ask him to do the part of the new Jesus, he listed all the stuff he had done in his life that would not qualify him to play Jesus. It was the same man who was moved by Mark’s exhibit 18 years ago and decided to change his life. Mark realized that everybody showed this other element of Jesus, not just the actors who portrayed Jesus. Mark did depictions of Christ that are black. But he chose the actor not because he's a person of color, but because he was the right person to tell the story of Jesus getting up out of the grave.    Supporting Resources:Marks Website and art can be found at https://reflectionsofchrist.org/ Instagram: @reflectionsofchristhttps://www.instagram.com/reflectionsofchrist/?hl=en Mark’s personal Instagram: @itsmabryhttps://www.instagram.com/itsmabry/?hl=en Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May is mental health awareness month and it’s also been exactly a year since we had our fourth baby, Harry. And we felt like this would be the perfect time to finally openly talk about everything I experienced last year during a very intense period of postpartum depression.Having experienced postpartum depression with my first child and with Harry, I was able to compare both experiences – and this latest one being a lot more different. I had intense feelings of fear and anxiety. I had extremely low energy and I was feeling super sad and depressed for no reason.One of the lessons that I learned from my therapist is that your mental health has to come first, and the baby second. Then everything else comes after that. Through this experience, I have learned things about myself and about others that I would never unlearn. Any time we go through major life challenges, we learn about judgment versus acceptance, understanding, and compassion, especially to oneself. I hope that by sharing these experiences, another mom will not feel so alone, that she’ll know what some of the signs might be and how things can and will get better. We also talk about having the courage to reach out for help and the things that were helpful to me. If you’re a friend or loved one of someone struggling with postpartum depression, find out what you can do to help too.In this episode, you will hear: I experienced my first postpartum depression with our first child. I really didn’t understand it at that time and I was just crying every day. I took one of the most commonly prescribed medications for postpartum depression with my first child. My crying stopped, but I didn’t feel anything as well. Harry was born on May 8, in the middle of a pandemic. It wasn’t too long when I felt mentally healthy because I had extreme feelings and emotions of hopelessness and overwhelm. Part of my depression would be having these extreme fears – that feeling like your heart drops into your stomach the way a roller coaster would make you feel.  I didn’t want to turn into medication with Harry so I started doing physical activities. But I still had zero energy. It was like an out-of-body experience watching myself laying in bed every day. When it got worse, I started feeling shameful about it. The longer it went, the more I was asking what's wrong with me. I felt like I was robbed of my experience to really enjoy Harry. Neil gave me a blessing to get help and have the courage to ask for help. And so I did. My doctor gave me medication and asked me to attend talk therapy. The therapist taught me that I have a very small gas tank. And if I use that up, doing things that other people could help me out doing, I will not have enough room to take care of myself. It was comforting to know that this doesn’t go on forever, it will end and I will be back to myself. "Faith means trusting in God in good times and bad even if that includes some suffering until we see His arm revealed in our behalf." Supporting Resources:“Like a Broken Vessel” Talk by Jeffrey R. Holland https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/10/like-a-broken-vessel?lang=eng “Lessons from Liberty Jail” Talk by Jeffrey R. Holland https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/jeffrey-r-holland/lessons-liberty-jail/ “Waiting on the Lord” Talk by Jeffrey R. Holland  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/57holland?lang=eng Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’ve ever wished you could sit down and have a quick chat with the genius man who wrote the New York Times best-selling book Essentialism and now Effortless too, then you’re in for a real treat. Today Greg McKeown humors me with a few extra minutes of his time to share answers to YOUR questions submitted on Instagram, and a few random questions of mine too.If you’ve read the book Essentialism, there’s a good chance it changed your life as it did mine. You probably went through your life and started eliminating everything that was not essential, and found freedom and joy in living your new life as an essentialist! But what happens when everything left is actually still really important? What now? This is the question Greg McKeown asked himself after writing, speaking on, and teaching Essentialism for several years which led him to write his newest book, Effortless. If you’re wondering how to get yourself out of a rut, how to move onto the next most important thing when it feels like everything is the most important thing, or how to not drown in all of the responsibilities life demands of you, Effortless is going to provide breakthrough clarity for you. I’ve read this book and devoured its contents, and I am so very excited to share with you today my interview with my friend and mentor Greg McKeown on Effortless, a new way to live once you start asking yourself, “what if this could be easy?”In this episode, you will hear: Essentialism is related to the big rocks theory where you put in the big rocks in a container first before putting in the small rocks and the sand so that they would all fit. But if you put in the sand and the small rocks first, before the big rocks, then nothing fits.  The big rocks theory is a metaphor of putting your most important relationships first and the projects you feel most pulled towards doing.  But what if you have too many big rocks in your life? You can either give up on something essential, or look for an alternative, easier path. Not because you're lazy, but it's a matter of necessity to find a different way to do things.  The book, Effortless, is for high performers who feel on the edge of exhaustion. The 3 principles in living an effortless life: being in effortless state, creating effortless action, and effortless results One way of being effortless is by taking something you already enjoy doing, and linking it with something essential to you (ex. dinner with family). Make things easier so you have much more energy to just be together and not have that extra exhaustion on you.  We often have a grudge to fulfill an emotional need that is not currently being met. But grudges don't deliver a satisfying return on our investment.  What percentage of your emotional energy and mental energy do you feel has been absorbed by your grudges and your anger? Think of the productivity loss and the opportunity cost.  Forgiveness is the ultimate productivity hack. Removing grudges will have a tremendous rebate.  Keeping the commandments is a shortcut to happiness and so many things – results and fulfilling your mission in life. Life is full of struggles. But primary among the tests of life is whether we will trust Him.  We need to unlearn all the ways we overthink, over exert, over complicate, overburden, over judge, over criticize – all of that too much.  Supporting Resources:“Effortless: Make it Easier to Do What Matters Most” by Greg McKeown https://amzn.to/32ILx2oGreg McKeown’s website https://gregmckeown.com/Greg McKeown’s Podcast “What’s Essential” https://gregmckeown.com/podcast/“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown https://amzn.to/2QQMwL8See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’ve read the book Essentialism, there’s a good chance it changed your life as it did mine. You probably went through your life and started eliminating everything that was not essential, and found freedom and joy in living your new life as an essentialist! But what happens when everything left is actually still really important? What now? This is the question Greg McKeown asked himself after writing, speaking on, and teaching Essentialism for several years which led him to write his newest book, Effortless. If you’re wondering how to get yourself out of a rut, how to move onto the next most important thing when it feels like everything is the most important thing, or how to not drown in all of the responsibilities life demands of you, Effortless is going to provide breakthrough clarity for you. I’ve read this book and devoured its contents, and I am so very excited to share with you today my interview with my friend and mentor Greg McKeown on Effortless, a new way to live once you start asking yourself, “what if this could be easy?”In this episode, you will hear: Essentialism is related to the big rocks theory where you put in the big rocks in a container first before putting in the small rocks and the sand so that they would all fit. But if you put in the sand and the small rocks first, before the big rocks, then nothing fits.  The big rocks theory is a metaphor of putting your most important relationships first and the projects you feel most pulled towards doing.  But what if you have too many big rocks in your life? You can either give up on something essential, or look for an alternative, easier path. Not because you're lazy, but it's a matter of necessity to find a different way to do things.  The book, Effortless, is for high performers who feel on the edge of exhaustion. The 3 principles in living an effortless life: being in effortless state, creating effortless action, and effortless results One way of being effortless is by taking something you already enjoy doing, and linking it with something essential to you (ex. dinner with family). Make things easier so you have much more energy to just be together and not have that extra exhaustion on you.  When you deal with something important, the challenge is simply asking – what's the effortless way to do this?  Everybody is suffering in some way almost all the time. That's why the principles, questions, and practices in Effortless are so essential. There's no situation so hard that a certain way of thinking and operating won't make them harder. Reading the book Effortless allows for emotional unlocking, mental unlocking, and mental paradigm shifts. It doesn’t mean you're not going to put in any effort anymore, but you're doing a whole different way of utilizing that precious effort. We often have a grudge to fulfill an emotional need that is not currently being met. But grudges don't deliver a satisfying return on our investment.  What percentage of your emotional energy and mental energy do you feel has been absorbed by your grudges and your anger? Think of the productivity loss and the opportunity cost.  Forgiveness is the ultimate productivity hack. Removing grudges will have a tremendous rebate.  Keeping the commandments is a shortcut to happiness and so many things – results and fulfilling your mission in life. Life is full of struggles. But primary among the tests of life is whether we will trust Him.  We need to unlearn all the ways we overthink, over exert, over complicate, overburden, over judge, over criticize – all of that too much.  Supporting Resources:“Effortless: Make it Easier to Do What Matters Most” by Greg McKeown https://amzn.to/32ILx2oGreg McKeown’s website https://gregmckeown.com/Greg McKeown’s Podcast “What’s Essential” https://gregmckeown.com/podcast/“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown https://amzn.to/2QQMwL8See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kimberly Lapides of Eat Sleep Wear is a fashion blogger, graphic designer, wife, and mother who has bravely shared her journey with infertility and IVF on her blog and social platforms for the past several years. A mother of one darling little boy, Otis, who was born in 2018, Kimberly is expecting a second baby boy this summer. But these pregnancies didn't come easily. In fact, she and her husband endured multiple failed rounds of IVF before both babies were conceived successfully. Today, Kimberly shares with me some of her most raw and tender moments, the heartache and joy that have come from bringing rainbow babies into this world, and her passion for bringing awareness and hope to other parents going through infertility. It's hard to keep your heart hopeful when you keep getting knocked down. And listening to Kimberly’s story gives us that glimmer of inspiration. Towards the end of our conversation, Kimberly also gives her heartwarming piece of advice to other women dealing with infertility to just hold on, never give up, know that you're not alone – and always choose love.Also, learn how you can show compassion for people going through this very challenging process and how you can be there for them and acknowledge them without having to say a word.In this episode, you will hear: Kimberly and her husband Blake decided to do insemination after a year of trying to get pregnant. It was an experience she described as a nightmare. They tried other less invasive ways to get pregnant but they still found themselves at square one. Kimberly describes exploring fertility as being hit by a bus, with so much uncertainty that it can be very overwhelming and scary.  Everyone's fertility experience is different so it's not to be belittled, even if you just had to do one of the hormone pills or you just had to do an IUD. It's all a very big experience on each of its own. Kimberly gives us a picture of how it felt like going through the IVF process. The IVF process doesn’t always work. They only got one healthy embryo from their first egg retrieval. It was much better than none, but they were still devastated.  Having support from your family, friends, and the community, no matter how small the gesture, is truly encouraging as you're going through this process.  Getting the worst news that the one chance they had to get pregnant failed, she realized that you could do everything possible, but the outcome you want still could not happen. On their second attempt, they got one embryo and on their third attempt, they got three, which doubled their odds. So after the third retrieval, they had four healthy embryos. And they were ready. After the second embryo transfer, they got Otis. They did another embryo transfer to get pregnant again, using the same protocol of medications and medical strategy they used that worked with Otis. Then the pandemic happened, and everything she had prepared for got canceled. The process for the next transfer pushed through but it failed again. Now, all they have left is one last embryo. Don't push people out just because you don't know how to talk to them about it.  Having her blog platform, she's able to share her story to also inspire other people going through infertility issues. Supporting Resources:Eat Sleep Wear Blog https://www.eatsleepwear.com/ Kimberly’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eatsleepwear/ Eat Sleep Wear Facebook https://www.facebook.com/eatsleepwear Eat Sleep Wear Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/eatsleepwear/ Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re sharing our #1 tip for getting your kids to behave perfectly (just kidding - but seriously, to get them to be pretty darn good) on your next family trip, and it’s had an extremely high success rate for us. We’re also talking about something way more important – crucial conversations. It was the topic of one of my favorite speeches from a recent self-development conference our church held worldwide – the importance of having essential conversations with your kids to prepare them for real-life scenarios BEFORE they happen. We’re sharing some of the topics we’ve talked about with our kids, and how we’ve already seen the blessings of some of those conversations.In this episode, you will hear: The point system works great when you're traveling with your kids. They could only earn toward positive behavior – one point for each good thing they do. Then they could use up all their points at the end to purchase something they really wanted.  The point system is positively motivating to your kids, rather than giving them consequences for bad behavior. Having crucial conversations with your kids before they have certain life challenges hit them is so important.  The best time to teach is early – when children are still immune to the temptations of the mortal enemy and long before the words of truth may be harder for them to hear in the noise of their personal struggles.  Once kids start to struggle internally, they might question truth, or what to do or how to face things. Having had those crucial conversations, they’re then able to remember and draw strength from them, allowing them to make better choices. Have intentional conversations rather than accidental conversations. Being intentional in teaching and testifying can help children, at a young age, begin to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost – essential to our children's testimony and conversion to Jesus Christ.  You won't teach your kids when you think you're teaching them. It’s usually those things in between the lines and in random conversations where they will learn from you and that will stick with them their whole lives. Some topic ideas for those intentional conversations with your kids Have an open channel of communication where your kids feel they’re in a safe place, especially when it comes to vulnerable or sensitive situations. What truth do you want your kids to know eternally? Supporting Resources:“Essential Conversations” Talk by Joy D. Jones https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/13jones?lang=eng “Good Pictures Bad Pictures with Kristen Jenson: How to Protect Kids from Pornography” Mint Arrow Messages Podcast Episode https://www.mintarrow.com/podcast/good-pictures-bad-pictures-with-kristen-jenson-how-to-protect-your-kids-from-pornography/ Gospel Library App https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/pages/mobileapps/gospellibrary?lang=eng Subscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Episode CreditsProduced by Emerald City ProductionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.