1. Messy, Magical Middle and What Mama Joy Is All About

There’s a topic I find we shy away from that has such a massive influence on how we can show up for ourselves and live a full, joyful and expressive life. It’s something that has the power to trip us up in our relationship and put a tonne of pressure on us as Mamas. And that topic is – money! In this episode I’m sharing more about my personal money story, how our relationship has evolved as a result, and some of the rising pressures I found creeping in during the early transition into motherhood. How money triggers can be clues to something deeper going on The relationship cycles we move through and how our learning speeds up The self-doubts that come up in early motherhood and what money has to do with that Why we should all be talking more about money and how it influences so many areas of our life

If you’ve noticed yourself going into overwhelm and feeling stuck at times, there’s a good chance you’re paying more attention to the ‘noise’ outside of you instead of tuning in to yourself. Particularly in those ‘thick of it’ Mama moments I’ve noticed how much more we can get caught up in comparison mode and feeling like we’re just not getting anywhere or getting anything done. In today’s episode I share some really simple, beautiful and enlightening practices to get you back to those feelings of excitement, confidence and energy quickly. They will help you to focus more on your inner guidance system.  How overwhelm creeps in and what we can do to avoid it Paying attention to your feelings and where they generated, so you can use them to make better decisions Feeling confidence, excited and energised way more often 

I found myself sharing a story with a new mama friend this week about how much I didn’t like my partner in the early days of mamahood. And, how much I loved him too. We were in our little love bubble and we were also snappy and snarly. It was both extremes – and that’s all part of the ride. Something we really don’t talk about enough is how resentment bubbles up, and how we can interpret it. In today’s episode I share some of my own personal examples in my relationship of resentment bubbling, what it was really all about, and how we can flush it out of our systems to return to love. This is all about feeling our feelings in order to get to the message they hold. What not liking your partner could be telling you The truth about resentment and what to do with it Getting your needs met by being honest about your feelings 

I found myself in the bathroom, crying over chickpea salt this week. It completely snuck up on me and I wasn’t even sure how I’d got there. That’s the thing with ‘perfectionism’, no matter how much you tell yourself you’re okay, there are sneaky ways it can arise in our lives. Acknowledging it and allowing the feelings is the best possible way to return to yourself and your inner knowing. In this episode I share more about how perfectionism really surprised me in motherhood, examples of how it could be showing up for you too, and what to do about it (which is surprisingly simple in itself). The overwhelming feelings of perfectionism What correcting your partner can tell you about your own feelings why a good cry in the bathroom is actually the best thing you can do for yourself the need for control in motherhood 

I had a moment this week trying to plan our lives for the year. I was desperate to integrate all the lessons learnt from our year-end review and planning session and found myself creating a roster for our weeks. Yet inside, feelings were bubbling up. I knew I wanted that feeling of calm, clarity, yet all I could feel was anxious and stressed. What happens when we push for organisation and tip into over-organising our lives? And how can we feel held by our plans? How the word ‘roster’ told me I was over-planning our lives What changed for me to feel super present playing with my little person What to pay attention to in your life to bring more clarity and get ‘unstuck’ How being organised can soothe your nervous system 

No matter the time of year, having a structure to take yourself through to review where things are at is one of the most supportive things you could do for yourself. In today’s episode I’m sharing the details of my very own planning process, one that my partner and I do every year and most mid-years to set ourselves up for the new year (or new season). I also share how having a system like this in place can cure your clarity-block, help you release yourself from comparison and allow more joy into your life – no matter what you have going on right now. How me being an Economist makes me an exceptional Joy Coach What strategy and planning really does for your life How to make a unique ‘new year planning’ system that works for you instead of getting swayed by Instagram reels How having this structure creates more ease and joy in motherhood too Links www.mamajoymovement.com/review  

What if you were doing it just right? From the tears and frustrations, to the giggles, laughter and calm moments. Yesterday I was sobbing in the bathroom feeling like I was never going to move on. Today I’m feeling light, clear and calm and can’t wait to continue creating the future together with my partner. What if this paradox was exactly how it was meant to be? I’m sharing from the messy, magical, middle right now – introducing you to my rebirthed podcast, Mama Joy, and all that it is about. For any mother or mothering soul who’s ever felt a yoyo of emotions, and craved a space to feel seen and heard – this is for you. In today’s episode you will hear what led me to the bathroom moment in the last 48hrs, why I started the podcast unprepared today, and how you can create an expansion of joy in your life. The middle can often feel messy, but it’s also magical What the Mama Joy Podcast is all about, and what you can expect to hear more of The paradox of this season of life Feeling all of your feelings and why this matters so much Links For more details head to www.mamajoymovement.com/podcast 

Hi, I’m your host Danielle Brooker. Mama, Joy Activation Coach, Coffee Snob and lifelong learner. IN this introductory episode I give a little behind the scenes update and overview of upcoming topics and conversations we'll be having. Along with heartfelt wisdom from global experts, I’ll be sharing honest accounts from the ‘in the thick of it’ moments of motherhood, as well as simple, practical ways for you to unbusy yourself in this season of life, refuel your soul, find your ground and become unapologetic in your joy. This is Mama Joy.

Given Fab Giovanetti’s enthusiasm for life and her passion for reducing ‘busyness’ you can see why we just had to get chatting! She’s the founder of Creative Impact, a collective of hundreds of creatives making a positive impact on others and the planet. She’s also a keen speaker, writer, and published author, with her latest book ‘Reclaim Your Time’ published in 2021. In this episode you’ll hear more about her journey into business, what some of her biggest lessons from the pandemic have been, and how she continues to cultivate her own joy. We talked about focusing on what you’re good at, how to balance your stress, and why it’s okay to be ambitious along the way.

Today’s guest is someone who I look to for inspiration for self-trust, strong boundaries and a consistent willingness to learn. Lily Potter is a health coach, ‘inner mammal’ trainer, teacher and mama. She’s navigated all sorts of challenges and joys of life from healing infertility and acne, through to divorce and starting her own business and everything in between. Lily’s curiosity for understanding the depth of life has given her this strength and commitment to change that is so unique (and inspiring!). She now teaches her clients how to build in healthy comfort habits and to develop stress mastery (which still includes the reduction of stressors and management techniques) – helping them to feel at ease and have a sense of freedom. We get into all sorts of topics in this conversation, from how to develop ‘stress mastery’, through to self-trust, and overcoming feelings of shyness (particularly when they’re keeping you small) and so much more. She is also training to be a Functional Nutritionist as well and will be able to help her clients solve complex physical and mental issues regarding their digestion, mood, chronic illnesses, autoimmune disorders etc. Going through a health crisis can also lead to stress mastery when faced with a curious and open mind. It takes grit to get through and I will be combining my work around stress to further support people on their healing journeys.