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

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.

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.  

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

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.

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

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  

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 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.

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.

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.