Thriving In Motherhood Podcast | Productivity, Planning, Family Systems, Time Management, Survival Mode, Mental Health, Vision

399 Episodes

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Discouraged or too overwhelmed to set goals? Try this. [Episode 398]

2026-01-2131:29

A few weeks into the new year, it's easy to feel discouraged, especially if the goals you set already feel heavy or out of reach. In this episode, I talk about why that happens and what I do instead. I share why traditional goal-setting can feel like using the wrong map in motherhood, how shifting to a vision changes the entire experience, and why the real work isn't about doing more, it's about who you're becoming along the way. I'll share: Why time-based goals often create pressure and self-doubt in full seasons of life How a vision gives direction without demanding speed or perfection Why regular reflection helps you make progress without carrying shame or discouragement

The Mindset Shift You Need to Homeschool For the Long Haul [Episode 397]

2026-01-1439:33

If you want to homeschool long term, you have to stop letting one hard day convince you you're doing it wrong. In this episode, I share the mindset shifts (and practical systems) that have helped me homeschool consistently for 10+ years—through changing seasons, growing kids, and all the problems that inevitably come up. We'll talk about how to solve the right problem, how to build systems that work when life isn't ideal, and why your role isn't to panic—it's to become the person who can do this. Resources: Masterclass: How to Create a Home Where Everyone Can Thrive (Even You) ➡️ https://thrivinginmotherhood.myflodesk.com/thrive

Our Favorite Homeschooling Curriculum for 2026: 6th, 4th, 2nd, Kindergarten and Baby [Episode 396]

2026-01-0728:57

I'm homeschooling five kids (grades 6, 4, 2, kindergarten… plus a five-month-old baby), and I'm sharing what's actually working now that real life is in full swing. I'll walk through the "filter" I'm using for curriculum decisions, what changed between my plan from seven months ago and what we're doing now, and the biggest fixes we made (especially in math and writing). I also share what our days look like right now — the flow, the routines, and the small setup decisions that make consistency possible. Resources: Other Homeschooling Videos: Favorite for 2023: PreK, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oV70d1kr9A Favorite Curriculum for Fall 2023: Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm3hJAlVTdI Homeschooling in Hard Seasons | Library System for the Best Books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9wgIgGxQgk How I Decided Our Learning Priorities For the Summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQkuSufQnJs Our Homeschooling Curriculum for 2024-2025 Pre-K, 1st, 3rd, 5th Grade: Alveary Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5MvRMKNY1E Planning A Full Year of Homeschool With A Baby On The Way | 6th, 4th, 2nd, Pre-K: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNKz4gz3MzI Curriculum: Growing Brave Writers https://bravewriter.com/products/growing-brave-writers (use this link to get $10 off: https://go.referralcandy.com/share/SVPT9W8?s=sp&t=cp) Math With Confidence: https://amzn.to/3Nezl3K Fix It Grammar: https://amzn.to/3N7CJxy Alveary: https://lddy.no/1jdpq (use code JJACKSON for $25 off) All About Spelling: https://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/all-about-spelling/?srsltid=AfmBOoq7t0vyOYoJiNU10_kw_RBcPQ6p8CuxneTYVBcK_bCtrgF3TJXb (I actually just buy the teachers manual used for a fraction of the price)

If You Feel Behind or Discouraged In Life…Watch This [Episode 395]

2025-12-3120:20

As the year comes to a close, I'm talking about what it feels like to reflect when you're discouraged, uncertain, or just tired. When progress feels slow. When goals didn't turn out the way you hoped. When the future feels unclear. In this episode, I share the thoughts, stories, and spiritual insights that helped me reframe what it means to be "behind," why nothing you've given is wasted, and how to approach vision-setting when dreaming feels hard. I'll talk about seasons of becoming, surrender, and letting God lead when you don't have clarity yet.

I read 60 books in 2025. These 4 will make you rethink weight loss goals. [Episode 394]

2025-12-2421:09

Looking for books that will completely change the way you think about weight, health, and body image? From surprising medical history to cultural myths we've quietly absorbed, these reads helped me question where our ideals about "healthy," "thin," and "ideal" actually come from. Resources: Happiest Man on Earth: https://amzn.to/49lK5G6 The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle: https://amzn.to/4aul90b Everything is Tuberculosis: https://amzn.to/3MMAY8F Semi-Well Adjusted Despite Literally Everything: https://amzn.to/3NbdGt8

My Top 12 Books of 2025 (Fiction, Memoirs, Self-Help & Non-Fiction) [Episode 393]

2025-12-1721:22

As the year winds down, I love slowing things down a bit, opening my 2026 Thriving in Motherhood Planner, working through the vision section, and taking time to reflect on what actually stayed with me this year. One of my favorite parts of that process is reviewing the books I read. This year, I read over 60 books. When I sat down to reflect, I narrowed that list first to the ones that truly stood out, and then distilled it even further to my top favorites across fiction, memoir, nonfiction, and a small handful of self-help books that genuinely impacted how I live day to day. In this episode, I'm sharing: The fiction series that gave me deep, genuine belly laughs at the end of long days The nonfiction and memoirs that expanded how I think about resilience, perspective, history, and human experience The self-help books that actually changed my habits, not just my ideas How I choose what to read in different seasons of life (especially as a homeschooling mom of five) These are the books that shaped how I think, how I rest, how I parent, and how I move into a new year with intention, without pressure to read more, faster, or "better." Resources: Previous Book Lists Top Books of 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLMNVWoyWxQ Top Books of 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDU1QwZm0rM Books I Read During My Tech Fast 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI7v_2DmlP8 Designing Your Personal Curriculum For 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyc-YCDjtfQ Deep Dive Book Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK0Nd4dbVRA Non-Fiction Books An Immense World: https://amzn.to/3Mwtman American Nations: https://amzn.to/4pFAUpR Brave the Wild River: https://amzn.to/48TWI9Z Empire of Pain: https://amzn.to/4s0S6aG Memoir Solito: https://amzn.to/4rWGJ3A The House of My Mother: https://amzn.to/4s0RYIe The Happiest Man On Earth: https://amzn.to/4oZxNrM Semi Well Adjusted Despite Absolutely Everything: https://amzn.to/3XZrUzH Self-Help Books The Glucose Revolution: https://amzn.to/4j04dkf The Power of Now: https://amzn.to/3YB8Ckd Thrivers: https://amzn.to/4oQnmGF Fiction Books The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lions: https://amzn.to/3L21cn6

Feeling Lost About Where to Focus? Do These 2 Things Before January 1st [Episode 392]

2025-12-1028:55

Before you jump into holiday plans or new-year goals, there are two things I want you to do, because they will completely change how you feel heading into next year. In this episode, I walk you through the exact reflection and clarity-building process I'm using right now to close out 2025 and prepare for 2026. It's a simple reset that helps you see what really happened this year, understand where you grew, and get clear about what matters most going forward.

3 principles every mom needs to hear before 2026 [Episode 391]

2025-12-0316:24

In this episode, I'm sharing three things I want you to start thinking about as we get close to the end of the yar. These things will set you up really well when you sit down to create your vision for the new year. They come from two books I read in November, and it was really encouraging to see how much of the research lined up with what we've been doing in the Thriving in Motherhood Planner and Journal since 2015. But these books also highlighted a few angles that I think can help us look at things a little differently. In this episode, I walk you through: Why moms burn out Three ways to actually complete the stress cycle How to use your part as a tool instead of something that weighs you down What makes a future vision powerful enough to influence your present Why pausing every 90 days changes everything These ideas aren't about rushing into goals or "fixing" anything. They're just little shifts that help you understand what's going on inside your days so you can move into the new year with clairty and purpose.

Why Your Decluttering Plan Never Happens (And The Simple Priority Shift That Actually Works) [Episode 390]

2025-11-2610:50

Some decluttering advice sounds great, until you try it with a real house with real kids and real life happening all day long. In this episode, we're talking about the gap between having a decluttering plan and following through, especially when you're a busy mom. After years of trying a lot of different methods, I've learned what actually makes progress possible when you don't have long stretches of quiet time. If you're ready to make steady, realistic progress in your home (even with kids underfoot), I hope you'll listen in.

5 things I would tell myself mom as a first time mom after 12 years of motherhood [Episode 389]

2025-11-1915:23

If I could sit my younger self down - the brand-new mom who was sleep deprived, overwhelmed, and convinced she was doing everything wrong - there are five things I would tell her. They're simple, but they have changed everything. In this episode, I'm sharing the real-life lessons that came from a decade of raising kids, navigating sleep deprivation, stumbling through routines, shifting old patterns, and learning what actually makes motherhood feel lighter. I'm sharing: What helped me manage those long nights so I didn't spiral with anxiety Why going outside changed everything when the days felt suffocating How I stopped letting one hard hour turn into a "bad day" The realization that I was making everything harder than it needed to be (and the small mindset shift that make everything easier) The truth about deculttering that I wish someone had told me years ago I don't have motherhood all figured out, but these five things genuinely made my days lighter. Hopefully one of them does the same for you.

How To Stop Being Hijacked By Everyone Else's Priorities [Episode 388]

2025-11-1213:20

There's a kind of energy that looks productive on the outside but feels frantic on the inside. You're moving all day, checking things off, staying "on top of it," but when the house finally goes quiet, you don't feel satisfied—just tired. It's easy to assume the problem is time management, but often what we need most is clarity. Clarity about what matters most. Clarity about what season we're in. Clarity about where our energy is truly needed. When we lose that clarity, it's easy to get swept up in ideas, goals, and endless to-dos that don't actually align with our values. We end up busy, but not purposeful. Productive, but not peaceful. In this episode, I talk about what causes that frantic energy (especially in reentry seasons) and how to slow down enough to find your footing again. You'll hear tools for: Recognizing the difference between meaningful progress and distraction. Learning how to quiet mental clutter and renew your mind. Reconnecting with your vision, so you know what to say yes and no to. Turning that clarity into small, steady action each week. When you know what matters, the noise quiets. You can show up with intention (not perfection) and begin to build a life that you love to wake up to. ✨ Next Steps to Start Thriving Step 1: Create your vision with the Thriving in Motherhood Planner or the Create Your Vision Workbook if you already have a planning system you love. Step 2: Watch the Plan a Week You Can Win Masterclass to learn how to make that vision a reality — one week at a time. Create Your Vision Workbook ➡️ thrivinginmotherhoodpodcast.com/vision Thriving in Motherhood Planner ➡️ thrivinginmotherhoodpodcast.com/planner Plan A Week You Can Win Masterclass ➡️ thrivinginmotherhood.myflodesk.com/winyourweek

How to Pivot And Embrace A New Vision For Your Life with Carly Thornock [Episode 387]

2025-11-0552:17

This week, I'm joined by Carly Thornock, who's joining us from a 400-year-old farmhouse in Portugal. Carly and her husband went from running a business and owning their dream home to traveling the world with their three boys—and finding more peace, health, and joy along the way. In this conversation, she shares the Shift 5, the process that helps them make decisions, pivot with purpose, and live a life that truly aligns with their values. We talk about: Creating a vision that keeps evolving Learning to trust God with the "how" Living intentionally through change and uncertainty Listen in for real stories, practical wisdom, and a reminder that it's never too late to rewrite your vision for a meaningful life.

I Tested the Top Microfiber Cloth Brands on Amazon — Here's What Actually Works [Episode 386]

2025-10-2912:55

If you've ever wondered which microfiber cloths actually work, not just on paper, but in real life, this episode is for you. I tested the top-rated brands on Amazon and put them through the ultimate mom test: Kitchen cleanup Dry dusting Scrubbing walls and doors After weeks of spills, crumbs, and fingerprints, I've got some surprising results. Tune in to find out which ones are worth keeping in your cleaning stash, and grab the free comparison spreadsheet to see how they stack up side by side. ✨ Get the Free Comparison Spreadsheet: thrivinginmotherhood.myflodesk.com/microfiber

How To Use The Thriving In Motherhood Planner In Every Season [Episode 385]

2025-10-2214:19

When I first created the Thriving in Motherhood Planner, I was deep in survival mode, barely keeping up and looking for something that made life feel more doable. Over the years, it's become so much more than a planner. It's a tool that grows with me. The fact is, no one stays in one place for long. We all move through seasons, sometimes thriving, sometimes surviving, and our planning needs change with them. In this week's episode, I'm walking through what it looks like to use your planner along the five-step path from surviving to thriving and how it adapts to whatever season you're in. Here's a peak inside: Surviving: When life feels heavy and unpredictable, the planner helps you focus on what's actually true, not just what your brain is telling you. Reentry: As you start to get back on your feet, I'll show you how to brain dump, sort through the chaos, and gently find your footing again. Normalizing: This is where you rebuild your rhythms. Learn how to use your weekly pages and routines to create structure that supports you, not stresses you. Exploring: When you finally have a little breathing room, it's time to experiment. Test ideas, track habits, and see what works (and what doesn't). Thriving: Here's where the magic happens. You'll see how the planner helps you build systems that bring joy, peace, and momentum (without perfection). The Thriving in Motherhood Planner was never about doing more. It's about building a life that fits who you are and what matters most, one small, intentional step at a time. ✨ Get the 2026 Planner: thrivinginmotherhoodpodcast.com/planner

Updates to the 2026 Thriving in Motherhood Planner [Episode 384]

2025-10-1509:03

When I first created the Thriving in Motherhood Planner back in 2015, it was just for me. A way to make sense of life as a busy mom. By 2018, I started sharing it with you, and every year since, it's gotten a little better. Now, the 2026 planner is almost here, and I can't wait to show you what's new! These updates came straight from real life and from the feedback of current planner users who shared what's helping them and what could make it even better. In this episode, I'm sharing: The new vision page for your kids that helps you track their growth, right alongside your own goals. A simple, quarterly check-in to help you pause, reflect, and pray over how your kids are doing. The most requested unfinished task flowchart, is now built right into the planner. How to use the planner in every phase, from surviving to thriving. And the cover color you voted for in 2026 (it's a beautiful one!). Every update this year was made to help you plan with purpose, not pressure, and build a life that feels peaceful, doable, and full of meaning. ✨ Join the waitlist for the 2026 Thriving in Motherhood Planner ➡️ thrivinginmotherhoodpodcast.com/planner You'll be the first to know when it's available and get early access to the limited U.S. coil-bound edition.

I didn't want to get out of bed this week. Here's what happened. [Episode 383]

2025-10-0811:24

I don't know if you've ever had a week like this, but I really didn't want to get out of bed this week. Between waking up multiple times a night with a two-month-old, homeschooling five kids, and doing most bedtimes solo, I'm just tired. My husband works long days and is gone many evenings, and right now, this season is stretching me more than ever before. My capacity is growing, but so is the fatigue. And honestly? This week, I didn't want to do it. But even in those hard weeks, I've learned there is a deeper reason I keep showing up. It comes back to the vision I've created for my life. The one that reminds me who I want to be and what really matters, even when I don't feel like it. In this episode, I'll share: What to do when motivation runs out How to keep showing up when life feels heavy The surprising shift that helped me find peace in our home What God taught me about strength in stretching seasons It's not about pushing harder or pretending everything's fine. It's about learning to walk with God through the weight of it — to see how even in the exhaustion, He's helping us grow stronger, steadier, and more grounded in what truly matters.

Quarterly Review [Episode 382]

2025-10-0114:06

Every 90 days I like to do a Quarterly Review. With five kids, homeschooling, and running a business, I don't have time or energy to chase the latest productivity hacks or add one more thing just because. If I'm going to make space for something, it has to be intentional. It has to serve a purpose. And it has to fit into the limited time I actually have. That's why quarterly reviews matter so much to me. They aren't about doing more, they're about creating clarity. A way to step back, look at the last season, and decide what really matters in the next. In this episode, I'll share: The reason I do a quarterly review How I know it's time to rest and refocus What makes quarterly reviews work for busy moms Why 90 days is the sweet spot for clarity and momentum This practice has helped me become the anchor that helps me make decisions with confidence and keep moving forward, without trying to do it all.

How To Increase Expectations With Your Kids [Episode 381]

2025-09-2411:28

One of the things I wrote in my 2025 vision was to raise the standards in our home - for homeschooling, for housework, and for our daily routines. But I didn't want to just be about me pushing harder. I wanted the kids to come with me. This past week we had a breakthrough, and it actually worked without all the meltdowns and fights that usually come when we raise the expectations. Here are a few things that stood out: Vision matters. Creating it prayerfully with God changes everything. Resistance is real. It's not just the kids. I feel it too. Stories help. A family movie gave us a picture of what raising the bar could look like. We problem-solved. When things didn't go well, we found a better way together. Now, when I ask them to do something hard - like extra math or a new chore - we talk about it like high jumping. Nervous at first, but exciting. Sometimes you knock the bar over, but then you try again. And it feels so good when you finally clear it. So whether it's raising the bar in your own home, finding a metaphor that clicks with your kids, or just creating your vision for the year ahead, I hope this story gives you encouragement for your own journey.

This is What Grace Looks Like [Episode 380]

2025-09-1712:14

If you're in a season where you feel exhausted, stretched too thin, and unsure how you'll make it through another day, this episode is for you! Postpartum, homeschooling, and caring for five kids has reminded me again just how heavy life can feel. But, in the middle of one of my hardest days, I had an experience that completely reframed how I see God's grace in survival seasons. It was simple, unexpected, and exactly what I needed. In this week's Thriving in Motherhood Podcast, I'm sharing that story and how it shifted my perspective on hope, resilience, and the small ways we can notice grace every single day. I'll share: The breaking point - what it feels like to have nothing left to give and still need to show up for your family. A surprising moment of grace - how God reminded me I wasn't carrying everything alone. Shifting my focus - the practice that helps me notice God's hand in the middle of ordinary, messy days. A question worth asking - one simple way to reframe your perspective when everything feels heavy. When motherhood feels hard sometimes the greatest gift is remembering we're not walking it alone. My invitation for you is to slow down today and notice where grace is meeting you.

4 Mantras To Help You Navigate Survival Mode [Episode 379]

2025-09-0911:25

When you're in a survival season, it can feel difficult to hold onto hope. Between the exhaustion, constant needs, and lack of margin, even the smallest things can feel overwhelming. In this post, I'm sharing four mantras that I've been leaning on during these postpartum weeks. These simple phrases have helped me steady myself when the days feel long, reminded me to focus on what matters most, and given me a way to keep showing up with more grace and confidence - even when I don't have all the answers. I'll share: A simple mindset shift that makes it easier to take the next step when you don't know what's ahead How to recognize when your expectations are pushing you toward burnout (and what to do instead) Why even the hardest breakdowns can hold the seeds of growth and connection A powerful practice that stops resentment from building and helps you get the support you need Each mantra has a story behind it, and together they've made survival mode feel just a little lighter. My hope is that as you listen, you'll find one that speaks to you and gives you strength in your own season.

#box-pro-ellipsis-176937782722076{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}Thriving In Motherhood Podcast | Productivity, Planning, Family Systems, Time Management, Survival Mode, Mental Health, Vision

Thriving In Motherhood Podcast | Productivity, Planning, Family Systems, Time Management, Survival Mode, Mental Health, Vision