Simple Saturdays

Today's episode is part one of four about what simple living comes down to. It's a series about why we don’t have a simple life, how to determine what simple looks like to you and how to get started. By the way, I'm summarizing my post What Simple Living Really Comes Down To so if you want to dig into the details make sure to head over there once you're finished listening. Do you want to join in a #moms30for30? Read more about them here, see the Instagram hashtag, and message me on Instagram if you want to join in!   What Simple Living Comes Down To When you hear the term "a simple life," what springs to mind? I want to dig into WHAT IS simple living and how to know where your life is simple and where it isn’t. And, by the way, this isn’t all about moving the country, homeschooling and raising chickens. When you hear the term "a simple life" do you imagine a mom hanging laundry on the line and making homemade dinners foraged from her garden while her children read to each other in their screen-free home?

Thanks for joining me for another Simple Saturday. In this episode, I'm talking about how we approach birthdays on purpose, the time my husband and I forgot our anniversary (we were camping), how to be mindful about what's happening in your heart and mind and strategies to implement when you want to go buy all new clothes.   Simple Family | How we approach birthdays on purpose This past week was my daughter, Lenayah’s 7th birthday. I admire a mom who embraces the birthday theme, rents a space, and invites the whole class to come. I also have to respect the mom I am and know that this will turn me into a stress ball. But that is okay, we don't all have to do the same thing and I KNOW there are many ways I can make my kids feel celebrated and have a memorable birthday. We aim to give our kids gifts that are experiences, something homemade or something simple and exactly what they are interested in. For my daughter this year, we are sending her to horse camp. And since we KNOW that gifts and crafts are her

Part of the reason I'm planning my summer on purpose is I'm working on my efforts to ENJOY MY KIDS. And when there is a season change I know I need to take a hot minute and plan out a structure that makes sure fun is happening without me feeling overwhelmed or behind the ball. Ready to plan your summer on purpose? In this episode I'm sharing about the family rhythms we have in our house on a daily and weekly basis. I also have a worksheet for you! It will help you set rhythms for your family that are effective, fun and working towards the values and vision you have for your family. Simple Life | How to Plan Your Summer on Purpose My summer master plan is titled: “How To Summer With Kids and Enjoy This Time So You Aren’t Googling ‘How to petition for year-round school‘ After Two Weeks of Picking Up Popsicle Wrappers and Refereeing Sprinkler Fights.” Here's how I will put it into action without feeling like an understaffed kid’s camp director. Get my kids' input.If it was up to me we would sit on the deck

Have you spent time decluttering your home? Decluttering WILL be an emotional process because it means separating the life you want from the life you are building by default. Moreover, decluttering is emotional because your eyes are opened to where you have been living on default and also what it has cost you or cost the world around you. In this episode of Simple Saturdays I share how I reframed my view on decluttering's role as well as some great freebies from the Life on Purpose workbook. Simple Home | Decluttering Here are 8 things I realized/learned/relearned from spending the year decluttering my family home: The line between ‘enough’ and ‘excess’ is easily crossed I’ve wasted so much money I’m filling space for the sake of filling space I’ve made so much waste This is all just a distraction Life is still messy It is a mindset, not an end goal It leads to more Simple Life | Life on Purpose Workbook I have some really great freebies I’m excited to share with you. To help you get star

In the last episode, I answered a reader question on feeling unhappiness in motherhood and gave life coaching advice on working through a bad day. (Find that here) In this episode, I will answer this great question: Right now I am struggling with motivation - for bigger goals for myself (and motivation in general). After I became a mom I had to shut down the BIG dreamer in me because it was taking away from me being able to be present and content with where I am now. So...it’s this conundrum...don’t want more than you can accomplish but want just enough that challenges you to stay motivated to grow and move towards those goals. If you had any input on this balancing act, I would sure appreciate it.   Links mentioned: Push and Pull of Motherhood (featured in Huffington Post) Swinging too far away from motherhood when you are trying to reclaim yourself 33 and Restless in Motherhood The first time we ever sat down and set out some vision for our life and family That time I decided to bring out the sewing

  Answering a reader question: What you do when you feel like you want to cry, feel you're not doing what you plan to do? All your plans are a disaster? Your children are not listening or following the rules? In this episode I will answer this question and discuss the following points: How our judgements on feeling 'unhappiness' makes moving through it difficult Doubling down on the stress How we handle our 'negative emotions' Managing stress in motherhood Assessing your day to see what needs to shift Resetting with our kids while taking our own emotional responsibility Keeping a bad day bad or letting everyone move on Center in on the mom you want to be.  Links mentioned: Mom Martyr Life Coaching with Shawna In the next episode, I will answer Question 2 all about shutting down that big dreamer in your when you become a mom.   

WHY does everyone say that minimalism changed their lives? A reader's story with decluttering and making space for the life that matters Eyebrows matter and simple makeup tips to help you Life coaching advice on uncomfortable change in our lives (health, decluttering, marriage, etc).    MENTIONED My pep talk on Instagram Stories “HAPPINESS IS AVAILABLE TO ME TODAY”-- look under the Mom on Purpose Highlights Catch up with the May On Purpose posts (even if you don’t participate, they are interesting to read through)   SIMPLE LIFE Why minimalism works at changing your life For all the talk we give to minimalism, it must make you wonder what the big deal is. Why do people rave about it and want to start blogs and podcasts all about? The reason you will often hear that it has changed their lives. I couldn’t agree more. But (in true over-thinker fashion) I started to ask WHY. Why does minimalism change our lives? LINKS MENTIONED: Six Types of Minimalists Read the blog post for WHY minimalism works a

When we have so much stuff we lose track of ourselves. We have built up a false identity in THINGS.      SIMPLE HOME IDENTITY CLUTTER These things take up our space and cause us a lot of emotional, mental and physical burden.  We need to shift our mindsets from SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE (there will always be enough for you) READ MORE HERE Also mentioned: the workbook on tolerations and the blog post about decision fatigue and choices   SIMPLE TIP We can't always spend a weekend decluttering. But we can declutter on the go. Keep a bag or box in your home to collect things you are ready to let go to the thrift.    SIMPLE WELLNESS OIL CLEANSING For almost 7 years I have not used face wash. Instead, I do the oil cleansing method. My sis in law told me about when I told her my skin was oily. The oil ABSORBS the oil without stripping moisture off your skin! READ MORE HERE  

How I handled the lack of sleep with three kids under 4, a quick way to simplify your life, and a fun list of current things I'm loving and trying.    ++ simple family ++ When I was two babies in, sleep became such a focus for me. Of course, we were dealing with marriage issues and I was struggling to find value in my motherhood - so sleep seemed like the most appropriate thing to fixate on. I was tired all the time, I felt like I was failing at parenting, and I didn’t know how to solve these negative feelings There was something I learned by the time Dawson came along, three babies in, that I want to share to any mom in this stage. links mentioned: Mom Martyr The Sweet Sleep Facebook Live Mindsets for Tired Moms (and if you are very tired, seriously check out the Sweet Sleep Parenting Facebook group by my Sierra of Sweet Sleep Consulting).   ++ simple life ++ One of the quickest ways you can simplify ANY AREA of your life is to give yourself fewer choices. Related book: The Paradox of Choice So ta

Three parenting books and why I loved them, how to support your "future self" (a lesson from your nerdy life coach (me!)), connect with me on Instagram in the Photo a Day challenge   ++ simple family ++ My parenting has been all over the map in my humble 8 years of doing it. I have failed and learned and when I got the hang of something, things would change. I am far from a parenting expert, but as I have relied on other moms to do with me, I will take the opportunity to share what has worked for me in my mothering journey. I'm sharing THREE BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY MOTHERING right here.  My highlights: NEVER SAY NO Raising Big-Picture Kids (see it here) This book helps me say yes to the opportunities my kids have to practice who they are and how they show up in the world.  We all have that little creative and curious voice inside - we all have probably shut it down over time. I know I shut it down in childhood and then in high school looked to others to be that voice. Then I became and adult and worked h

How to 'create space' when you are a mom with side hustle, decluttering kids' stuff, how to start family meetings, how to be more creative without it feeling like a chore.  Welcome to a bonus Q+A episode of Simple Saturdays . I am sharing the As to some of your Qs.     LIFE ON PURPOSE: My current dilemma is how do I fit it all in? I work 40+ hours a week, love on my three boys, try to get to the gym three times a week. I am up at 4:30 every morning to work on my side hustle and fall into bed every night. Where/how do I "create space"? Yes, I would be asking you the same question, where do you fit it all in? One thing that I am seeing is that you have a side hustle going. Which many people start as a way to eventually become a full-time job. If this is the case for you then it seems like this is a very intense season for you where you are trying to build up a business as well as still doing your day job. Side hustles actually suck when you have kids and a day job. It takes a lot of boundaries to

Productivity and practical tips for moms, decluttering with kids, when goals and habits don't work     ++ what do you think? ++ Before we jump in, I want to remind you guys about the Reader Feedback Survey. I want to thank the handful of you that have already done this - and remind the other (thousands) of you that I would relish in your feedback! (See what I did there, that is a mama-jedi-mind trick - but I know you guys are out there and I really value your input!) Your feedback helps me know how best to plan out my year ahead and show up with the content you need! Plus, it is always nice to hear some feedback.   ++ recently decluttered ++ Continual decluttering is part of our life around here.  We may not always purge a lot, but we do get rid of what isn’t needed, take an inventory of what is there and organize things (which means we put them back in their proper homes.) These past couple weeks I decluttered . . . My daughter’s room. Usually the kids clean their rooms on Saturdays. But her room

Routine decluttering, get started with your life on purpose, styling an outfit, the enneagram workbook bonuses ++ recently decluttered ++ The initial decluttering of our house five years ago was sure dramatic. Now we are in the routine cleaning of places (decluttering, putting things back to their proper homes, recycling broken and useless stuff) It is important because it helps us maintain the hard work we put in. It also helps reacquaint ourselves with our things and take an inventory of what we do have.  PHOTOS INCLUDED IN THE SIMPLE SATURDAYS EMAIL - to join in the email, subscribe at the bottom of this page.  My medicine cabinet. There were expired ones and ones I didn’t really use that I am returning to the pharmacist for disposal. There were also things that didn’t belong in the cupboard (spices, candy stashes, etc.)  My closet. I’m obviously not here to impress you with the most Pinterest-worthy closet. I store clothes to let go of in the closet (purging as I get dressed in the mornings), as well

Over the years I have talked (and talked and talked) about the Enneagram. It has been a personal growth tool that has helped me make such positive changes in my own life! I love it so much that I also use it with my life coaching clients.   I've been asked by different people to share some info on the basics to help people get started with learning their own Enneagram type.   So I shared this video on Facebook and wanted to give it a place on my site where you could listen to it in podcast form, watch the video, or read through it. Whatever you prefer, it is a content smorgasbord!  LISTEN TO THE PODCAST WATCH THE VIDEO   READ THE POST Type 1 - The Reformer/Perfectionist Concerned with good wholesome, right and wrong. Motivated by the desire to ‘be good’, the need to live life ‘the right way’ At their best: Ethical, reliable, standards, self-controlled At their worst: Judgmental, dogmatic, critical They may not be a perfectionist in the traditional sense of lining up their environment,  but strugg

To get the bonus Simple Saturdays content, sign up for the email list below: Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. Email Address I'd like to receive the free email course. SUBSCRIBE to SIMPLE SATURDAYS /* Layout */ .ck_form.ck_naked { /* divider image */ background: transparent; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #665366; font-size: 16px; border: none; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 20px 0px; text-align: center; } .ck_form.ck_naked p { padding: 0px; } .ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; } .ck_form.ck_naked .ck_form_fields { width:

What I have learned about intentional living, why moms need office hours and how a mom's retreat can help, eating the same food every day - the Food Uniform - and a great dinner idea.       ++ simple heart ++ What is intentional living? Simply put, it is living your life ON PURPOSE.  I break it down like this: Knowing what is important to you (your values, your vision, your priorities) Making choices inline with what is important to you (how you spend your money, your time, your resources, how you use your space) And beyond knowing what you want and making choices in how you live, it also means making choices in how you show up.  (the hard work) We started out with Intentional Parenting (it was hard) and it grew into Intentional Living (LIFE ON PURPOSE).  I am sharing FIVE THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT INTENTIONAL LIVING I am not a victim of my life It doesn't come naturally It changes and grows It is a daily practice It is empowering Read the full blog post here   ++ simple life ++ I p

Spaces I decluttered this week, tips to plan your day, plan a friend date, decluttering our bedroom to work towards our home vision DECLUTTERING In the email newsletter, I shared some pics of my decluttered sweater collection. Anytime you think you don't have enough of something - take an inventory (says the woman who thought she didn't have 'enough' sweaters).   SIMPLE LIFE If you are an Enneagram Type 9, like me, you probably just planned along with whatever everyone else had planned.  Then I had two small kids at home and found if I could plan my day it would make my life easier. Planning your day can help you feel more proactive and relaxed. Plan your day, change your life.  And this is how we plan together when Conor has the week off work. A list of fun things to do with your kiddos. Enjoying your downtime without feeling like you are a lazy mom  Tips to plan your day: Brain dump Putting goals into action (setting a weekly focus) Have running lists (meal planning book)   SIMPLE HEART I feel tha

    ++simple family++ It started with a pivotal NEW YEAR's Eve vision setting session. We started by asking ourselves what we want our kids to grow up to be, and what we wanted to do with our kids. Since then, we have been working on 'intentional parenting' or as I call it 'mom on purpose'. The day to day living out of your vision for your family will show itself in your Family Culture. That unique way you do life as a family. I've written about it here Build Up Your Family Culture and loved this article by Kindred Grace on Building a Home Your Kids Want to Come Home To   ++ simple home ++ My thoughts on Tidying Up on Netflix, the reverence we have for our stuff, and how we approach decluttering. Marie Kondo's Book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (I'm sure I botched this title in the episode) Decluttering in waves Reasons why we can't let go of stuff   ++ the currently list++ READING: North of Normal. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I am reading it as part of a Book Club with A Litt

Are you feeling MEH about the New Year? The top strategy we found to help us prevent overspending. The top ten posts of 2018. An update on the Life on Purpose Workbook     ++ simple life ++ Are you starting the New Year feeling totally MEH? There can be a lot of pressure to have your resolutions and goals all sorted before Jan 1st is over, but I want to remind you that you can start slow! If you are like me, and starting your New Year with a fizzle, I encourage you to take it slow, and I have a tip for you to prepare for when you are ready to put a plan into place for living your LIFE ON PURPOSE   ++ simple finances ++ We have tried apps, mottos, strategies to be better at managing our money. Not that we are frivolous or reckless with our money, but the little things add up and we find ourselves regularly overspending. Two things that have helped us the most: 1. Tracking our spending, and 2. This approach from Fun Cheap or Free  (her video is below). In the podcast, I tell you exactly why it works

Did you know you can DIY microwave popcorn? The Finnish art of Sisu. My Pantry epiphany.     ++ simple food ++ Did you know you can DIY microwave popcorn!? I saw it on Instagram stories and started searching Pinterest. Here is a pin to get you started.  Also, check out my Easy Entertaining Pinterest Board   ++ simple home ++ I shared photos in the email newsletter of the pantries we moved from the kitchen to the basement. What have I learned by reducing my kitchen pantry storage in half? (Subscribe to the newsletter below so you don't miss the special email content)   ++ simple life ++ The Finnish Way by Katja Pantzar is about the people of Finland and the quality of sisu, a certain inner resilience and grit, that they have. This book has made me think about my daily life and inspired me to make some changes.    ++ the life on purpose workbook ++ This planner will guide you through setting a life vision and putting it into action. It is a compilation of my own experience, my life coaching lessons, the Year