Mama Bear Dares

On Episode 183 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie discuss rape culture, toxic masculinity, the Brett Kavanaugh appointment to the Supreme Court, and why they, as fierce Mama Bears, MUST act as cultural disruptors in this moment in time. In other words, they discuss why and how the dangerous old adage “boys will be boys” and everything it stands for must be stopped. The women lament the current state of our culture, but ultimately offer tangible tips on how to talk to the kids in your life about sex, consent, and responsibility, and raise up a new generation that honors the humanity of all. For complete Show Notes, please visit the Mama Bear Dares Website.

On Episode 182 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi sit down with Jessica Honegger, a woman who is using her fierce and fiery Mama Bear to bring fair wages and empowerment to women across the globe, and is preaching the gospel of sisterhood in her wake. Jessica stops by to discuss using our voice as women to lift up others, hustling hard for the life we want, and allowing ourselves to be burdened by big questions, like, how do I respond to the suffering in this world?The three women also discuss keeping assumptions generous and gratitude at the forefront both professionally and personally, and why it’s more important than ever to show up for your sisters. It’s a lively conversation that will inspire listeners to live bigger and braver! For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 181 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie remind listeners that they refuse to let kindness die. In fact, they audaciously believe that what America needs is more kindness! The women also recognize the responsibility we have as parents raising children in our current American culture to make sure that the virtue of kindness outlasts the test of time. Because, in some spheres, kindness seems to be on life-support, co-hosts Tesi and Leslie spend Episode 181 discussing what we can do to instill this value in the kids we influence. How do we raise kind kids? It turns out, there's actually a language to kindness and it's discussed in this fun and fascinating episode! For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 180 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi sit down with Zoie Hoffman, a mama bear who is using her talent and passion to help students thrive. The women focus their discussion on the psychology of a "growth" mindset and how we all can benefit from the practice of harnessing a growth vs. fixed view of ourselves and the world. We can also apply this psychology to the children in our lives as we hope to raise a new generation of life-long learners, another topic the women speak passionately about. Also discussed is how to avoid extending our own educational "baggage" to the children we love and how to build resiliency and grit. This the perfect back-to-school episode for anyone who has influence in a child's life or who wants to practice a growth mindset themselves. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares podcast website.

On Episode 179 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie celebrate big birthdays and back to school! This Labor Day Mama Bear Mini is devoted to milestones, lessons learned, and the beauty of taking the time to check in on your own life through a little time and reflection. Tesi and Leslie both share some of the pivotal lessons they've learned over the last decade, enjoy a few laughs, and encourage their listeners to mark moments, check in with friends, and love the life they've been given. Th episode is filled with sisterly advice as the women practice the reflection that they preach. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 178 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi sit down with the dynamic and inspiring Autumn Miles. Autumn is a speaker, radio host, author, advocate, and survivor of marital physical abuse. The women talk about the #MeToo movement, the role of community (and church) in unhealthy relationships and divorce, and how the world can step up in supporting women in the midst of abuse. Autumn courageously shares her personal story and hard-won wisdom, and gives listeners important information on how to spot domestic violence occurring in the lives of loved ones and how to get help if it's happening to you. Furthermore, the conversation covers the broader theme of recognizing your own belovedness ... something that belongs to each of us and is up to us to claim. Visit the Mama Bear Dares website for complete Show Notes.

On Episode 177 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, co-hosts Tesi and Leslie revisit privilege, racism, and 10 ways they believe white moms can use their privilege to fight racism and spread love. They trust that the podcast community is a safe place to express their observations, experiences, and beliefs about this topic and humbly ask readers to consider their perspective, poke holes in their theories, and promise to journey together to make a better tomorrow. Lovers of actionable steps and lists, Leslie and Tesi come up with 10 tangible ways to engage their Mama Bear in this fight. The 10 steps are listed below. For complete details and explanation, listen in! For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 176 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi sit down with the dynamic, wise, and absolutely delightful Dr. Zoe Shaw. Dr. Shaw is a mom to five, a psychotherapist, an author, and a radio host who is full of inspiration, energy, and fantastic advice.The sisters relish in their conversation about defining our unique super power and channeling it for the good of the world, saying 'no' in order to define priorities, setting boundaries, parenting teens intentionally, and living our best lives. The Mama Bear spirit is alive in this episode! Check out complete Show Notes on the Mama Bear website.

On this Mama Bear Mini, Tesi and Leslie talk about parenting teenagers in 2018. In particular, they discuss equipping kids with the language they need to navigate specific pressures of teenager-hood. They dive into ways parents can help prepare kids to say no to the pressures of drugs, alcohol, drunk driving and texting while driving, and discuss the language of kindness and how we might teach our kids to use their words in the face of relationship tension. The sisters also take on societal expectations of raising teenagers and end with an always-fun and long-overdue segment:Things I Should Probably Feel Guilty About, But Don't. Check out complete Show Notes at the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 175, Tesi and Leslie sit down with Rumaisa Rahman Kahwaja and talk about her life's journey of learning and exploration. Rumaisa constant posture is love and compassion and the sisters love and appreciate the stories she shares about her journey to self acceptance and power. Rumaisa shares how she was mothered by a mother with mental illness, but has used that part of her story to become an phenomenal mother to her own daughter. Rumaisa grew up Muslim in Lincoln, Nebraska, and shares how she shared that part of herself while living in New York and working in fashion during 9/11. Rumaisa embodies an incredible spirit and she shares her insight and wisdom on the podcast, inspiring listeners to constant growth, acceptance, and re-invention. Virginia Wolf fans will recognize Ru immediately. She's "a self that goes on changing is a self that goes on living." For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares podcast website.

On Episode 173, Tesi and Leslie discuss the high cost of being poor in America. According to the US Census Bureau, 37 million people are living in poverty in America. Because of this huge number and because of the complexities and myths surrounding America's poor, the two women dig into the research surrounding generational poverty, the small money-saving conveniences that many of us take for granted, energy inequity, the systemic underbelly of economic oppression, and the reasons why we should care. The conversation concludes with action steps and a dare encouraging listeners to pick up a small stone in their local community that will ultimately move mountains in our country and world. View complete Show Notes on the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 172 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi sits down with the thinker, writer, and modern-day prophet Rachel Held Evans to talk about the faith, justice, and a Mama Bear's response to the world we live in. The two dive into Rachel's new book, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, as they wade through a new answer to age-old questions like: How do you love your neighbor when you vehemently disagree with their beliefs? How do you overcome personal insecurities and be an advocate for truth and justice? What can we learn from the bible about satire, resistance, peace, and cultural disruption? Ultimately, the conversation challenges listeners to think about how faith and culture drives their perspective and how their response can bend toward justice, liberation, and love. Find complete Show Notes on the Mama Bear Dares podcast website.

On Episode 171, Leslie and Tesi discuss embracing and embodying JOY as an act of resistance. They discuss the long history of joy in the face of oppression and encourage listeners to take active steps toward eradicating any guilt associated with experiencing joy amid suffering. After discussing a bit of psychology in cultivating joy, they share personal mantras that encourage joy, and lean on the wisdom of those who have come before us, including Audre Lorde who said "caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." The conversation concludes with the sharing of simple joys and a dare to make space for JOY as a profound nod to resistance, justice, and peace. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 170 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi dish with Allison Schaaf, an Austin-based chef who shares wisdom on meal prep and planning, turning a passion into a business, and how to maintain a healthy life balance. Listen in as Leslie reveals her version of a "hot sandwich" and Tesi loses her mind over the mention of a honey mustard glaze. The conversation is light, fun, and full of useful tips and worthwhile wisdom. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 169 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie knash teeth over the horror going on at the southwest border. With facts to back up their rage, the two women talk about the atrocity of migrant mothers and children being ripped apart at the border, about how the current administration has wrongfully used the bible to oppress, and how Mama Bears must refuse to sit back and watch it happen. The women remind listeners that without ethics, laws are just stories to tell to justify horror. They encourage Mama Bears throughout the country to do whatever is in their power to RESIST and offer tangible steps of how to do so. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 168 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie are captivated by Sarah Stevens, a wife, mother, entrepreneur, and founder of The Beautifull Project, a truly extraordinary space where ordinary women are encouraged to tell the truth of their bodies, beauty, and belonging. The conversation ranges from shame to hope, from illness to health, and from obsession to freedom, and works to serve as part of a chorus of courage for women who are tired of shrinking and aim to take up spacein this world. Whether in the boardroom, in relationships, or in their own unique physical being, women listening will be inspired to accept their body, claim their innate worth, and fearlessly bring their whole selves to an often hurting world. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

The topics covered on today's Mama Bear Mini — international travel, international aid, and open international adoption — are nuanced and complex, as were co-host Tesi and Leslie's 15 days together in East Africa. After just having returned from an epic adventure with a group of eleven women, the co-hosts spend Episode 167 sharing the stories they learned from the men and women they met along the way, inviting listeners to consider each experience in order to learn something about the world, about humanity, and about each of us as individuals. This task of listening to learn has the tendency to open eyes and hearts to move the dial toward love and compassion and the mama bears hope to embrace it with this episode, and with every day traveled on this earth. (Special thanks to the Maasai women's choir in the village of Pangaro, Tanzania, for the music!) For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 166 of the Mama Bear Dares podcast, co-hosts Leslie and Tesi sit down with Tatum Drewes to talk about health, healing, and helping. Not only is Tatum an inspiring woman, pioneer, and business owner who believes in helping others live their best, pain-free life, but she's also an expert in CBD oil and the medicinal properties of the hemp plant. Tatum owns Higher Healing and is generous in sharing her passion and knowledge as the hosts learn more about this natural healing phenomenon and how much it can benefit women across a country in the midst of an opioid drug crisis. Find complete Show Notes at the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 165 of the Mama Bear Dares podcast, co-hosts Leslie and Tesi dive into a topic near and dear to their hearts—the war against manufactured magic. It’s a Gladiator’s road to be sure, but today's episode tackles the idea that kids can make their own fun this summer and that women can release the pressure they may feel as moms to create constant joy, whimsy, and fun for them. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 164 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, co-hosts Tesi and Leslie sit down with the delightful Sarah Mackenzie about reading, books, and reading books aloud. Sarah is a literary match-maker, a podcast host, an entrepreneur, and mom of four who advocates for family bonding and growth via reading aloud. The three women enjoy a lively conversations about books and how time centered around books can strengthen relationships, promote kindness, compassion, and empathy, and make important memories. Sarah also gives practical tips on how to put her beliefs into practice and take a moment to defends Captain Underpants. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.