Shameless Leadership

Adele inspired me in a million ways at the Grammy’s. But what touched me most deeply were her comments on motherhood.  In today’s episode I’ll share more about what Adele said and why it was so important, as well as go in depth as to why we lose ourselves in motherhood.  I’ll confirm for you that you are KILLING it, even though no one has thanked you in a really long time.  I will touch on how you do all you do - that you don’t even know you are doing – making you a superhero of the most invincible kind.  I’ll discuss your supreme and extreme sense of responsibility that no one else in your household can relate to. I’ll award you with your Masters Degree from Newborn University that you gained overnight, while you were in labor, since everyone else probably forgot to give it to you.  I’ll give you permission to be more shameless and more selfish #everydamnday Links Mentioned:SMA Episode 22: Erin Brown - Letters to Lola  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Colby is an adventure lover who has created businesses around his passions. Although he has spent over a decade in the fitness industry helping people create transformations, it is his love of international travel and thirst for adventure that has led him create his favorite brands - Say It With Gratitude and Unplug and Play Adventures.  I invited Scott to come on the show because I wanted to talk to him about the power of gratitude in his life and how he has used it to fuel his career. Scott recently launched Say It With Gratitude, a movement designed to help people have more gratitude and happiness in their lives. It starts with thank you cards, designed by kids impacted by charity.  Scott’s mission with Say It With Gratitude is powerful. The impact gratitude is having on his life and on those he serves is profound. Scott is also quick to clarify that gratitude, while it should be practiced consistently, can be practiced imperfectly. There are no strict rules or “right” ways to do it. The power is in doing it in a way that you are reflecting positively on your own life and touching others in a positive way. Ways to practice Gratitude: Say Thank You out loud and often Appreciate the little things in your daily life Acknowledge what you DO have in rough times Acknowledge people with your words and actions Notice simple pleasures Notice, take in, and appreciate your surroundings Get out in nature Not comparing yourself to others – embrace your unique path and own it Live your life as if everything is a miracle Smile at others and make eye contact Make small talk with strangers Give compliments freely Volunteer Impact on your community  Listen in to hear Scott share: How gratitude can change your life How to practice gratitude in new, simple, easy ways Why we need to resurrect Thank You cards The power or pivoting The magic of asking for help  Make sure to check out Say It With Gratitude and the charities and people Scott is currently working with. I was particularly touched by Joshua’s story and Be Strong, a charity to fight bullying.   Links Mentioned:Website: SayItWithGratitude.comScott’s fitness website: ScottColby.comScott’s Podcast: The Power to ChangeBook: Evolved Enterprise By Yanik SilverBook: Miracle Morning By Hal ElrodBook: The Gratitude Connection By Amy ColletteBook: Deep work, Rules for Focused Success In A Distracted World By Cal NewportApp: Insight Timer     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last weekend Vinnie had two friends overnight for a sleepover. For 24 hours I played mom to 3 kids. DAMN. That is serious business, friends.  It was a very action packed 24 hours, to say the least. And at the end of it all, I learned something really valuable about myself and my current life. I suddenly felt grateful that our IVF experience over the summer had not resulted in a pregnancy. I saw the simplicity of our current life in a new light. I fell a little more in love with my life than I have in a long time.  Over the last week, I have been thinking about what it takes to Fall In Love With Your Life. It takes a lot, but it also takes very little.  Listen in to this episode to hear my 6 Steps to Fall In Love With Your Life:  Embrace a Growth mindset Quite the comparison trap Practice daily gratitude and wins Take radical responsibility for your joy Find the cracks  Keep your shield up   It is entirely possible to fall a little more in love with your life every single day – if you choose to do so. Let these 6 steps be your guide.  Links Mentioned:Book: Mindset By Carol Dweck  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amy Moses is a physical therapist who works exclusively in women’s health with a specialty in pelvic floor physical therapy. I met Amy a few years ago when she was my pelvic floor PT. I quickly developed a huge girl crush on Amy, as she made me feel so comfortable at such a vulnerable time in my life. She helped me heal my body and become stronger as a women and a mom.  Amy and I dive deep into the world of pelvic floor rehab today – discussing incontinence, pain with sex, and pelvic pain that happens to most women after giving birth (as well as to women who have never given birth!) Amy is on a mission to normalize these kinds of conversations and to bring pelvic floor rehab to all moms.  Perhaps the best part of this conversation and Amy and I disclosing our own personal experiences with pelvic floor dysfunction after having babies. It’s not pretty, friends…. But it’s TOTALLY NORMAL.  I think you’ll get a few good laughs as we share our personal journeys – and perhaps you’ll be able to relate! Listen in to hear Amy share:  The truth about incontinence, pain with sex, and pelvic pain the most of us experience Why understanding this major women’s health issue is critical in the current political landscape How Kegels can make everything worse Why the pad/panty liner industry is making a KILLING off you  What you can expect when you go to pelvic floor physical therapy How to find a pelvic floor PT near you  Links Mentioned:Amy Moses on Facebook Amy Moses at Moye Physical Therapy near Memphis, TNDirectory of Herman Wallace Pelvic Floor PTs Directory of Women’s Health PTs  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I am celebrating our first 100 Shameless Mom Academy episodes with you. I am toasting you and thanking you for everything you have taught me over the last 100 episodes.  Here is want I know:You are stronger than you ever thoughtYou are more powerful now than everYou are a fighterYou are tough, but gentleYou are saying NO more so you can say YES moreYou are telling new storiesYou are standing up and speaking outYou are speaking more and listening moreYou are walking away from shame and owning YOU, all of YOU Listen in to share some special milestones with me.  Also, head over to Instagram for our 100th episode giveaway! Links Mentioned:SMA Episode 79 Start Telling New Stories  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Holly Rigsby is a Lifestyle Design Coach for Moms over at HollyJoiRigsby.com. Over the past 11 years Holly has coached over 29,500 women to become the best version of themselves through her programs and products. Holly also has two sons, Tyler and Alexander, who inspire her to live in joy (JOI) everyday.  In this interview, Holly openly and bravely shares how she has found herself at different times in her life unable to find the joy she knew she wanted. Holly has always worked in service to others – as a teacher, a personal trainer, an online fitness expert to moms, and a mom. Serving others is extremely rewarding, but it can come at the expense of creating joy for one’s self at times.  When Holly looks back at her boldest moves in life – to leave her first husband when her son was still very young, to change careers, to make a dramatic shift in her business, she can identify that she makes a move when she is searching for a new level of joy. This is the inspiration for her most recent professional move, the launching of her Lifestyle Design Coaching programs and creation of her new Everyday Joi community.  Listen in to hear Holly share: How she has become a sought after leader, even though she never identified as one Why leaving her first husband was an imperative step in finding true joy in all areas of her life How she built a powerful online community for women to “walk side-by-side, encouraging each other” to reach their goals How the traumatic loss of her sister inspired her to make a bold professional change Why the pursuit and acknowledgment of Everyday Joi is essential  Links Mentioned:Holly’s Website: http://hollyjoirigsby.com/Holly on Facebook  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is so much to say about my Women’s March on Washington experience. I want to share my story. I want to share the global impact of this movement. I want to tell you what it was like to spend 8 hours with over 1 million marchers. I want to capture it perfectly for you.  But I cannot.  It was so big and so impactful, I can’t find all the words. And you know I’m not one to be at a loss for words… Because I’m still feeling totally overwhelmed by the magnitude of this event a week later, I asked a few of my March friends to help me explain what it was like to March on Washington.  Listen in to hear the most memorable moments of the day from 4 of my friends – and some of the raddest women I know.  Listen in to hear how the logistics of the day played out, from getting off a red eye, to not peeing all day, to marching with Macklemore, to making friends with Trump supporters.  Then keep listening. Hear about the haters I’ve encountered this week – the comments and conversations I saw online, and continue to see: “I don’t really get it. Women already have the same rights as men.” “I don’t see how this movement is helping anything.” “From the news coverage, I just saw a lot of angry women who didn’t have a unifying theme/message. It didn’t even make sense.” “I know a lot of really successful women. No one’s holding women back.” I’ll tell you what I told the haters – and hopefully you’ll find it useful information that you can share with any haters you encounter.  From where I sit, I see the largest movement of global solidarity ever. I see action. I see power. I see hope.  **Special thanks and huge hugs to my friends Dana, Beth, Angela and Christine who shared their March perspectives in this episode. And thanks to Angela for letting me march with your sign.** I will not normalize the behavior of this president.  Links Mentioned:Article: Racial Gender Wage Gap Persists in US Despite Some Progress6 year old Sophie Cruz’s speech on YouTubeMy March pics on The SMA Facebook page        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stacy Tuschl started her first business in her parents’ backyard at the age of 18 and turned that company into a 7 figure business. She is a #1 international bestselling author of, “Is Your Business Worth Saving?”. In her book, Stacy reveals proven strategies for pulling entrepreneurs out of a rut and launching them toward business success. Stacy is also the host of the top-rated podcast She’s Building Her Empire.  Stacy loves her businesses (yes, she has multiple) and is extremely passionate about her work. She is also madly in love with her two daughters, ages 4 and 17 months. You could say she’s a little busy. But, it does not feel like too much. It feels right. Stacy is unapologetic in her approach to business and motherhood and where the two collide – or don’t, because she won’t let them.  Listen in to hear Stacy share: How she built a 7 figure business that started in her parent’s backyard What she did as a 21 year old entrepreneur to connect with other like minded, successful people Why investing in yourself and your business or career, even though risky, is the wisest thing you can do How to make a plan to START if you want to pursue a new goal or dream Why daycare is magic  Links Mentioned:Website: shesbuildingherempire.comFacebook Group: shesbuildingherempire.club Book: The Power of Habit  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I wanted to put out this episode at this exact time because this is about the time that we start to reconsider our New Year Resolutions and/or give them up all together.I would like to offer an alternative. I would like to give you a PLAN. Just because you don’t knock a goal out of the park immediately does not mean you should put that goal on the back burner.In fact, the best way to approach a goal is through small steps over time. So, if you have already given up on a health goal for 2017, I’m hear to give you permission to put that goal back on the table. Your goal wants to be met. It wants to be realized. It wants to improve your life. Your goal needs you. So let’s get started, together, shall we?If you’ve been struggling to make fitness stick in the new year, I year you. While there is a lot of hype about fitness in January, it is usually a very transitional month for people, making it challenging to take on new habits and make them stick. LISTEN IN if you need help getting your rear in gear!4 Tips to making exercise stick Have an accountability planHINT: This can involve any of the following: a calendar, your fridge, your family, your friends, your boss, your co-workers, a sticker chart  Do something you enjoyHINT: You won’t always enjoy it in the moment, but you should enjoy the overall experience and the benefits that begin the moment you are done Tell other peopleHINT: Learn how to brag (yes, there is a “right” way) Be in it for the long haulHINT: you gotta create some hype around your plan and your plan needs to be evolve-able to keep you engaged for the rest of your life  Links Mentioned:SMA Episode 92: Pratima Aravabhoomi - From Arranged Marriage to Independent WomanSMA Episode 69: Nasty Woman Manifesto  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m delighted to have Halley Bock back as a second time guest on The Shameless Mom Academy. She is here today to talk about her new brilliant book, Life, Incorporated.  A couple years ago, Halley was approached to write a book honing her expertise in organizational leadership. But, when her personal life started to implode her book took on a different purpose. She started writing about herself and her story, instead of how she led organizations.  In Life, Incorporated she shares how she put herself back together and how any person or organization can create a better, more powerful and positive existence by learning to live from the “Inside Out”.  Listen in to hear Halley share:  What happened when her mother fired her as CEO of her company What she learned from looking inward instead of outward for validation and growth What baby steps she took that changed the course of her life and her work The importance of letting go of busyness  What practices can heal your soul so you can truly live a life you love  Links Mentioned:Book: Life, Incorporated: A Practical Guide to Whole Hearted LivingResources: Life, Incorporated ResourcesSMA Episode 30 with Halley: Passion vs PurposeLife, Incorporated on Facebook Life, Incorporated on Instagram    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices