The Simplified Podcast with Emily Ley

It feels like we're ramping up for the busy season again, doesn't it? When life doesn't leave a lot of margin, do you ever feel like your friendships move to the back burner? We get it. We bet you do, too. Cultivating rich friendships has been one of Emily's priorities this year—even when life gets crazy, as it always does.  And today, she's talking with one of the most wise and practical people s...

Welcome to August—or, as we call it at Simplified, Fresh Start 2.0! So much of our community is in the throes of Back-to-School prep, whether you're getting littles ready for a new school year or or just getting yourself ready to get back to a routine that doesn't include ice cream for dinner three nights of the week. It takes a bit of a brain shift to get back into the swing of things, so Emily's...

There's no other way to say it: teachers are heroes. They're courageous and kind, selfless and brave and wise. Can you think of a teacher who spent time with you after school so you could understand how to multiply fractions? Or listened when you had a problem with a friend and didn't know how to respond to it? Or wrote letters of recommendation when you applied for colleges? It seems like teacher...

Is there anything better than a good book? Nope! How about one you can pop into your ears while you drive, or go for a walk, or get stuff done around the house? Hmm, that's pretty good too! Emily's our resident Audiobook Queen, and today she's got five recommendations you've *got* to check out this summer. From royal rom-coms to killer fiction (literally!), to some instructive and poignant nonfict...

Do you remember when your parents talked to you about your changing body? What did that feel like for you? Was a big conversation where it happened all at once, or did it happen in small pieces scattered over your childhood? Did you feel scared and overwhelmed, or did you feel curious and . . . okay? It's a big topic to tackle, both for parents *and* kids. That's exactly why Emily invited two of o...

When it's the hottest day of the summer and you have to feed your family, do you *really* want to stand in front of a hot stove? Um, hard pass. Time to pull some easy, no-cook recipes out of your back pocket! Emily's sharing a few dinner ideas that are super fresh and quick to assemble. From watermelon feta salad to a perfectly constructed sandwich, these no-cook recipes will help you get food on...

In ten years, what do you want your life to look like? From jobs to family, to community and hobbies and so much more, we all have different dreams we're nurturing in our hearts. Sometimes it's hard to know how to start reaching for them, especially when our lives are so full already. But taking the first step toward turning your dreams into reality is something that's changed Emily's life—and als...

It doesn't matter how old we are: we each want to be "enough." We want to be enough for our parents, our friends and team members, our partners and kids. Whether you're age 4 or 104, Emily has a message for you: you'll always be enough, because God made you. And when you recognize the gifts God's placed inside you, then you can turn around and recognize those gifts in other people, and celebrate t...

On June 19, 1865, US soldiers walked the streets of Galveston, Texas, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people living in the state. Our country now recognizes this important day as our newest federal holiday, Juneteenth. And this week, we are honored to learn more about Juneteenth from author and librarian Alice Faye Duncan! Alice Faye shares about her brand-new children's book, "Opal Lee and What...

Summer's magic, isn't it? The long, sunshiny days, the last-minute trips to the ice cream shop, the trips to faraway places, sharing laughs and deep conversations under the stars. Summer brings experiences like nothing else, and it's fun to hear how our friends are planning to spend them too, right?! Emily's BFF Jane is joining the show this week for a chat on all things summer: where they're goin...

It's the night before your vacation, and you are *pumped.* You're stuffing your suitcases with everything you need—maybe a little more than what you need, because how are you going to know what you'll want to wear to dinner on Tuesday? Then, twenty minutes after you lock the front door, you feel a familiar trickle of doubt. "Oh my gosh—did I forget charger again?!" It feels inevitable, right? But...

It's (basically) summertime, and the living is . . . well, it's a bit easier! Summer's one of the most magical times of year, isn't it? Because summer invites us to slow down and take in the good stuff. This week, Emily's sharing how to shift gears and get yourself into summer mode at work and home. Are you trying to find margin in your schedule to check off your summer bucket list? Are you a lead...

May is the Christmas of spring: it's a beautiful time of year, filled with flowers and fun and new life, but if you're a parent, you also know May is . . . *a lot.* All the recitals. All the field days. All the ball games and practices, all the projects before  school's out. And while you try to navigate all the end-of-school-year fun/chaos, let Emily and her guest, author and podcaster Sally Clar...

A lot of things go into caring for yourself well: the mental, the emotional, the spiritual. And so much of our health stems from how we're caring for our bodies. What are we using to fuel our energy? How much are we moving? It's something Emily's been thinking about a lot over the past few months. Emily shares the catalyst that caused her to dive deep into her health and wellness (spoiler alert: i...

Infertility is something so many families struggle with. It's a journey filled with physical and emotional exertion on a daily basis, of doctors and medications and countless whispered prayers and tears. Some journeys end the way you wished for. Many of them don't. No two journeys are the same, and that holds true for Emily and her BFF Kristin Winchester. Emily and Kristin share the long, winding...

Spring has officially sprung!  It's hard not to throw yourself into your local plant nursery and empty your wallet to create the garden of your Instagram dreams. But how do you get the best bang for your gardening buck? And what are the easiest plants to care for without, you know, sending them to the compost pile? Lucky for us, Simplified's creative director Whitney Hawkins happens to create beau...

We love our people, but here's the thing: conflict is inevitable. That's because people see and experience the world differently. And that's okay! In fact, it's normal! But have you ever noticed the hard conversations you have with your partner can go from 0 to 60 on the emotional rollercoaster, more than any other relationship can? Why is that? And how can we navigate those conversations while re...

What do you do when the story you're living suddenly doesn't fit anymore? What happens when your story gets rewritten in real time—and you have no backspace button you can push? We've all been there in one way or another. So has author Shauna Niequist. Like many of us, Shauna has been in a season of unraveling and reweaving. A few years ago she, her husband Aaron, and their two boys left their hom...

Do you start your day with a plan, or just kind of wing it? If you're looking to give your schedule a tactical makeover, may we introduce . . . time blocking! This week, Emily's telling you all about this productivity secret weapon and how it can give a little structure to even the craziest days. Sometimes getting more done (and a little peace of mind along the way!) is as simple as looking at you...

With everything going on in our homes and our world, peace can seem out of grasp even on the best days. But as artist and poet Morgan Harper Nichols says, "You don't have to arrive at your picture-perfect life before you can know peace." Whenever Morgan speaks, we listen—you can see why, right? This week, Emily and Morgan talk about how to quiet your heart and find contentment, no matter where you...

Is it mean to live with boundaries? Do they keep you walled off from other people? Nope! Our guest today Nedra Tawwab says, "Boundaries are expectations and needs that help you feel safe and comfortable in your relationships." Sounds like they're pretty essential, huh? Nedra's a therapist who shares (with her 1.4 million Instagram followers @nedratawwab) how to clearly communicate your needs and e...

Sometimes the person who's hardest to treat with compassion is . . . you. When you've done something you wish you could take back, or didn't intervene when you should've, carrying guilt can feel like a punishment you're supposed to shoulder. But Emily reminds us if we want to show compassion to others, we *have* to show it to ourselves first. This week, Emily's sharing a few ways you can start to...

What kind of story are you telling yourself *about* yourself?  Does it fit who you are right now, or do you think it's time to find a new one? We're asking ourselves some big questions on the podcast today, and Enneagram coach and podcaster Ian Morgan Cron is here to guide us! Ian is an expert in the Enneagram personality assessment (he's a 4, by the way), and today he and Emily (a Type 2!) share...

Is it a coincidence that our first podcast birthday (!) falls super close to another favorite day of ours, International Women's Day? We don't think so! And we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate both than inviting two of Team Simplified's leaders on the show: our COO Brittany Werth and Creative Director Whitney Hawkins! Emily, Brittany, and Whit share about the women who inspired them and...

When you're about to hit a big milestone, do you ever get reflective? It's hard not to, right? Emily's turning 39 this week, and she's recapping eight lessons she learned in her 38th year. From discovering she might be a cat lady after all (!) to helping her kids spread their wings in new ways, Emily's showing us that every year has lessons big and small in store for us, if we take the time to loo...