Mom Maintenance

Circumstances are neutral. That email from your kid’s teacher. The messy house. The never-ending to-do list. None of those things are what create your overwhelm. It’s the story your brain tells about them. I’ll walk you through a real moment I had as a mom—how one simple email spiraled into panic, guilt, and “I’m failing her”… and what changed when I realized that wasn’t the truth, just a thought....

Why do we reach for our phones when we’re overwhelmed? In this episode, I explain how your brain’s motivational triad: conserve energy, avoid pain, and seek pleasure , can lead straight to the scroll trap when your to-do list feels too big. You’ll learn a simple way to interrupt the overwhelm cycle and refocus on what matters most. Download the Overwhelmed Mom Reset here https://anna-stice-coachin...

If it feels like you have a little shoulder devil following you around all day — criticizing everything you say, eat, forget, or feel — this episode is for you. So many moms believe being hard on themselves is the key to doing better. But shame doesn’t create change. It creates exhaustion… and usually more of the behavior you’re trying to stop. In this episode, we talk about how to quiet your inne...

If you’ve been stuck swinging between being hard on yourself and giving up on yourself… this episode is for you. In this episode of Mom Maintenance, we’re talking about how to stop fighting your brain — and stop accidentally obeying it — and start leading it with compassion and intention. You’ll learn how the motivational triad shows up in everyday mom life, why your brain defaults to comfort, and...

If you’ve ever backed out of a boundary, a goal, or a decision because it felt uncomfortable… this episode is for you. In this episode of Mom Maintenance, we’re unpacking why discomfort feels so intense — and why your brain mistakes it for danger. You’ll learn how your survival brain reacts to uncertainty, why growth always feels awkward at first, and how most moms unintentionally let discomfort m...

Most moms think they’re failing because they lack motivation or self-discipline. They assume it’s a character flaw — something wrong with them. But it’s not. In this episode, I break down the Motivational Triad and explain why your brain is wired for survival — not growth. When you understand why you seek pleasure, avoid pain, and conserve energy, you stop making your struggles mean something abou...

Sometimes when you are overwhelmed by emotions, you don't realize the mental chaos is a result of your thoughts. Simply being aware of your thoughts can help quiet the mental storm.