Mindful Manifestations

23/03/2025

Are You a Luisa? 🤔💪

If your home is anything like mine, you’ve watched Encanto about 216 times. And honestly? I’m not even mad about it—I love that movie!

But after watching it so many times, I started to see a deeper connection—especially with Luisa. Even though she’s not a mom, she represents so many of us moms out there.

She’s the strong one. The one who carries the burdens. The one who feels like if she doesn’t hold everything together, it’ll all come crashing down. And let’s be real—how many of us feel exactly like that?

Between work, housework, cooking, shopping, paying bills, chauffeuring kids, keeping everyone entertained, and just trying to be the best mom possible… it’s easy to feel like we’re going to crack under the pressure.

But here’s the thing—just like Luisa, we don’t have to carry it all alone.

👉 DELEGATE, DELEGATE, DELEGATE!

Your home isn’t just your responsibility. If you have kids, give them age-appropriate chores. If you have a partner, they need to carry their fair share too. You’re not a servant—you’re a human being who deserves balance and support.

So, are you a Luisa? If so, what can you start doing to shift from the overwhelmed Luisa at the beginning of the movie to the more balanced Luisa at the end?

Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts! ❤️

10/02/2025

I had a “duh” moment the other day and I couldn’t wait to share it.

In my day job I work with elderly people and their families, connecting them with services so that they can age in place at home and stay out of nursing homes.

In my coaching practice, as I’m sure you know, I work with moms who are trying to find that elusive feeling of balance and calm in motherhood.

The two don’t really intersect, but they’re both populations I’m passionate about serving.

When I’m talking with families who are caring for their aging parents or other family members I often talk about caregiver stress and burnout. We talk about how real it is and how detrimental it can be for all involved if left unchecked or ignored.

Whelp, a couple days ago I was thinking about the reality of the obvious parallel smacked me right in the face like a walking through one of my kids’ sneaky fart clouds.

I often talk about burnout and overwhelm in motherhood and about how important self care is. But, for some unknown reason, I never really thought about it from a caregiver burnout perspective. But that’s EXACTLY what it is!

Some common signs of caregiver burnout are:

✔️Emotional and physical exhaustion
✔️Unable to concentrate
✔️Irritability, frustration, anger toward others
✔️Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
✔️Changes in appetite and sleep
✔️Getting sick more often

The symptoms are both mental, physical, and emotional. And they can take a serious toll on your own health and wellbeing. When we get so wrapped up in our role as caregiver that we ignore what our body is telling us, we deteriorate. And that doesn’t just affect our own health, it affects our ability to be that caregiver.

I have no doubt in my mind that you want to be the best mom that you can possibly be. We probably wouldn’t have crossed paths if that wasn’t true 😉.

So, I wanted to share my “duh” moment in the hopes that you will listen to your body and mind to keep caregiver stress from turning into full blown caregiver burnout. It can be really easy to ignore these signs when we’re on autopilot caregiver mode. But with a little mindfulness and self-awareness you can prevent the burnout.

I’m including a link to a really good article about caregiver burnout if you’d like to read more about it. Here ya go…
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9225-caregiver-burnout

If this seems like a Herculean task that you can’t navigate on your own click the link below to book a free call with me. We can chat about where you are and where you’d like to be and see if working together is a good fit 😊.

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=25590724&appointmentType=33923501

Schedule your appointment online The Mind Over Mom Guilt Method

20/11/2024

How do we cultivate emotional intelligence in our kids?

Let’s be honest—it starts with us. Emotional intelligence is something we need to model if we want our kids to develop it. But wow, sometimes that feels nearly impossible, right?

Have you ever lost your temper or unraveled under stress, exhaustion, or overwhelm, then questioned your own emotional intelligence? Same here. I’ve often thought, "How can I teach my kids to regulate their emotions when I can’t even do it myself?"

But here’s the thing: getting overrun by emotions is normal. It’s human. And teaching emotional intelligence isn’t about suppressing feelings—it’s about recognizing, understanding, and navigating them.

Yes, there are times we need to keep it together, but emotional intelligence also means knowing when it’s okay to let go and how to process those emotions after the fact.

For me, the most important part is what happens after. Taking the time to reflect, apologize, and talk through those moments helps everyone process and grow. If we don’t have these conversations, kids (and adults!) may internalize the hurt, leading to self-doubt and low self-esteem.

But when we talk about it—acknowledge our mistakes, explain why it happened, and brainstorm ways to do better—we show them that emotions aren’t something to fear or bury. They’re something to understand and grow from.

So here’s my takeaway: don’t beat yourself up for losing it sometimes. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being real and modeling how to move forward. And chances are, you’re doing so much better than you give yourself credit for.

What about you? How do you help your kids cultivate emotional intelligence? Let’s share and learn together! 💬

Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇

10/11/2024

Self-Care Sunday...

It's that special time of the week again when I send out a gentle reminder to take time for taking care of yourself.

In the whirlwind of daily life our stress levels can creep up without us even realizing it, until one day we crash. That can show up in a variety of ways...

🌟getting sick
🌟feeling like you're losing control
🌟yelling/emotional outbursts
🌟fatigue
🌟sleep disruptions

Taking time to regularly and intentionally incorporate self care practices, no matter how small or grand, is so important to keeping those stress levels in check and maintaining overall health and well-being.

What will you do to nourish yourself today?

03/11/2024

Self Care Sunday ❤️

It's that magical time of the week when we're reminded to slow down and take even just a few minutes to do what feeds your soul.

Showers are NOT self care, they're hygiene. Getting to take a shower alone might be self care though. Or even just taking a few extra minutes to enjoy the hot water and relaxation that showers can create.

I chose to start my day with some morning yoga to feel energized and it was fantastic! When my daughter came in with her punching balloon I calmly and gently asked her to go to another room to play with it (since it was crazy distracting) and she quickly obliged without any fuss or hurt feelings.

When the kids get to a place of understanding that we deserve to have some time to do for us it's a magical thing. We can ask for that time and space without feeling guilty and they learn that self care is important for all of us.

Once this practice becomes the norm rather than the then exception the guilt we feel for taking this time melts away and we can really tune into what we need.

I encourage you to find even a little pocket of time today to nurture yourself. And let the group know...what's your self care practice for today?

30/10/2024

It's amazing how much one person can just suck the energy right out of you.

Being able to notice these energy shifts and create healthy boundaries is essential to overall well being.

Be in tune with yourselves, friends, and create those healthy boundaries ❤️

08/07/2024

Monday Affirmation...

I'm speaking from an aura and energy perspective when I say this 👇

I consider myself to be a pretty optimistic person. But, truth be told, it wasn't always that way.

I used to live in a much more negative headspace. I lacked confidence and self-worth. I didn't see my strengths or value.

And that was reflected in the choices that I made and the way that I lived my life. With the people (though not ALL of them) that I allowed into my sacred space.

I can't pinpoint the exact moment that things started to shift, but I can pinpoint the period in my life when it began.

Once I started to actually see and BELIEVE in the good qualities that I have and I started to value me for me, not for what I could do to please other people everything changed!

I cut out the toxic people in my life. I started to move in a more positive and fulfilling direction. And I began to have confidence and self-worth that I had never really experienced before.

Now I live in a brighter, more positive place and it's natural. That's not to say that I don't put in conscious effort though. I want to be a positive model for my kids. I don't want my girls to fall into that same trap of negativity and self doubt that I did.

So I do my best to show them their value, how to live with gratitude and love, and express themselves. And I try to be very conscious of not letting any negative self-talk slip out.

Today I remind myself that...

02/07/2024

I'm feeling a little firey today! Ok, still tired and stuffy from this damn Covid, but generally much better.

So my affirmation from both yesterday and today is I AM STRONG IN BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT.

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of how strong we are and in so many different ways.

Even though my body has taken a hit these last several days, I'm still feeling pretty strong and capable. I got my ass up and stretching and walking instead of lying in bed b/c I knew it would help me feel better and help me heal. I'm just not quite ready for strength training again yet 🫤.

I've gotten more focused on preparing for a virtual workshop that I'll be hosting later this month (5 Keys To Prioritizing Self Care for Busy Moms). Feel free to reach out if you or someone you know is interested in more info 😉.

And I'm just feeling clear in my mind and spirit, like I'm on the right path...still. Accepting all the bumps and twists and delays. But even slow progress is still progress.

So, today and for as long as it resonates...

29/06/2024

I have a question…

…has anyone ever said something to you that invalidated your feelings when you tried to express your feelings of stress and overwhelm with respect to parenting?

Something like “well, you chose to have children” or “it can’t really be that hard”, or perhaps “it’s not that hard for (insert name here), you must be blowing things out of proportion”?

I hope your answer is no, I REALLY do!

But I was thinking recently about something my mom said a few years ago when trying to make plans for Mother’s Day. She said that she didn’t want to be celebrated because having my sisters and I was a choice that she made and that she didn’t deserve being celebrated because of it.

Which got me thinking. Did she suffer the struggles of motherhood silently because she felt like it was a choice that she made and she just had to “deal with it”?

I’m sure she talked to my grandmother about things, but knowing my mom, she didn’t talk about everything.

I know for a fact that my grandmother NEVER would have made my mom feel that her feelings were invalid. She just wasn’t that kind of woman. But my mom probably did it to herself, and that breaks my heart.

So what do you do when someone makes you feel that your struggle is not real or minimizes your reality?

That kind of response can cause a woman to retreat into herself and become isolated. It can compound mom guilt and make her feel like she isn’t good enough.

I want you to know, if you’ve ever experienced this kind of invalidation, that it’s bulls*&$t!

We all have our own journey and the truth is that no one can really understand the stress and overwhelm that we experience from the lens that we experience it through.

So, then, how can anyone judge that stress?

I sincerely hope that you do not experience this negativity from anyone you love or yourself (whom I hope you love too ❤️). But if you do, just know that your feelings are real. They are valid. And motherhood is, without a doubt, overwhelming and stressful at times!

Feel your feelings. Know that you are not alone. And my group, Mindful Moms: Finding Presence and Balance in Motherhood, is a safe space to get validation or just vent without worry of judgment.

If you're not yet a member and would like to join see the link in the comments below 😊

18/06/2024

Let go of guilt and shame, and give yourself some grace. You're human and flawed. And that's ok, we all are.

Holding onto feelings of shame or guilt don't serve you or those you love.

Embrace your flaws and learn from mistakes rather than dwelling in shame and guilt.

What will you let go of today?

03/06/2024

Monday Affirmation...

Today I'm reminding myself that there is no such thing as perfect.

Trying to be "perfect" leads to so much unnecessary stress and can keep you stuck.

There is so much beauty in the imperfection that we, as humans, all are. All that weird gray area where things are unclear is where there is so much room for reflection, growth, and learning.

And, in time, letting go.

I embrace the imperfection and let go of trying to be "perfect" in any particular area of my life so I can be more present for all the ups,downs, twist, and turns, and really experience life as messy and imperfect as it is.

29/04/2024

Monday Affirmation!

Today I'm recycling an affirmation that I tend to use a lot. Apparently, I need to remind myself of this one kind of often 😄.

I am reminding myself, after some reflection on a super hectic week and weekend last week, that I AM flexible.

Not in the physical sense. But in how I manage to get through my day. I am able to pivot and prioritize when things get overwhelming and hectic.

But, of course, this usually comes AFTER the initial panic of "how the hell am I going to get all of this done when everything overlaps in timing?!?!?"

I take a step back, work it out in my head, then make sure I can get it to work in reality. Last week needed a lot of coordination to get my kids on and off the bus, to get one daughter to dance pictures, and the other to an award ceremony, and then both to the sweetheart dance.

Each of those things were overlapping in end and start times and to think about it made me feel like my head was going to explode!

Then there's the 4 soccer games and dance class coordination of the weekend. But that's more normal and no nearly as overwhelming!

Let me know what you do when there's so many things to do at the same time that it makes anxiety and overwhelm go through the roof for you?

Remind yourself that you're flexible too and just breathe...