LIKING the people you LOVE

In honor of my 28th anniversary, today I'm sharing ten things I've learned about marriage. I'm also sharing some reasons I love being married to Jeff. My hope is that this episode will invite you to think about all the good things in your own marriage! 

In honor of my 28th anniversary, today I'm sharing ten things I've learned about marriage. I'm also sharing some reasons I love being married to Jeff. My hope is that this episode will invite you to think about all the good things in your own marriage! 

This is unusual for me.  I almost never feel the need to talk publicly about issues that feel political or contentious. But today I feel inspired to share my thoughts about Pride month, and the way we think about LGBTQ issues. I hope this episode will inspire more love and understanding in our family relationships, as well as our church community. Here are the resources I mention in the episode: L...

When I suggest acceptance, sometimes clients think I mean that they should just give up and allow any and all behaviors. That is not at all what I'm suggesting! Listen in today to figure out why learning to accept our present reality is the first step toward creating the result you want. If you want a review of "the Model," you can listen to episode 26 .

Today I have a big announcement, and a sweet reminder for you. The talk I reference was " Jesus Christ is the Strength of Parents " by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Sometimes as parents I think we get it backwards. We focus on changing our kids behaviors without really understanding their hearts. Today's episode is a reminder that behavior is always an outward sign of something going on inside. If we really want to influence our children, we need to get to the heart of the matter. Faith Matters episode " Come as You Are. "

This is a classic question in my house-used heavily when Caleb lived at home. Today we're talking about learning to zoom out and ask ourselves "What is the Point?" It's a way to broaden our perspective and help us stay focused on the things that really matter. The point of life is to gain experience that will help us grow in wisdom and become more like our Heavenly Father. The point of parenting i...

Today's episode is inspired by a talk I heard at BYU Women's Conference this year. I'm talking about the power we have as mothers to speak possibility into the hearts of our children, and all those around us. Quote from C.S. Lewis : "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest, most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a cr...

This is the fourth episode in the series of interviewing my own kids. Josh is 21 years old, and has been through a lot. Heads up: we talk about some heavy things in this episode, including substance use and thoughts of suicide. I'm just so proud of him for how far he's come, and for his courage to tell his story.

Heavenly Father has designed a wonderful plan that includes learning and growing by our own experience. Part of that plan includes the natural process of maturing. Just as we cannot force a plant to grow before it's ready, there are some things we cannot teach our children before they are mature enough to understand. Sometimes we, in our enthusiasm to be good parents, feel the need to teach every...

It's no secret that being a mother is a demanding job. But there is one thing that I've observed will get mothers feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and resentful faster than anything else: trying to control the wrong things. In today's episode we'll identify some of the things that are not your job to control, and we'll talk about the one thing that is always yours to control. That thing is, in fact...

I find myself lately in a bit of a slump. It's not the first, and I know it won't be the last. So today's episode is kinda for you, but kinda for me. I'm sharing some of my tried and true strategies for getting through a slump in as healthy of a way as possible.

Chances are, you're aware of some controversy surrounding the recent general Relief Society broadcast, and some things posted on the church's Instagram page. For me, it has been a good catalyst for personal reflection. How do I feel about these issues? What is my experience as a woman in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How can I use these questions as an opportunity to deepen my f...

This is another one of those super fun (for me) episodes where I interview my kids. Today you'll meet Savannah. She is 24 years old, about to graduate from BYU, and is a single mom to 1 year old Marceline. She is strong and courageous and compassionate. I look up to her so much! I think you'll love this conversation with Savannah.

Did you realize that it's an option to not have an opinion about some things? Not only is it possible, it's a really valuable skill to have! Today we'll talk about when, why, and how to use "no opinion" as a tool to lower stress and improve relationships. 

The scripture I chose for my mission plaque is still a favorite: D&C 58:27-28 "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves." If we want to truly be agents unto ourselves, if we want to really maiximize the gift of agency, then it is i...

I recently went to Hawaii with my family for vacation. And guess what I learned?  Even in paradise, my family isn't perfect. HA! There is no such thing as an ideal family, unless we change our definition of what that means.   

Having my son Caleb on the podcast was so much fun, I have decided to bring on as many of my children as I can. Today's conversation is with my oldest daughter Becca, who is just an incredible person. We're talking about her memories of our home as she was growing up; about what worked and what didn't. She has some pretty great insights.

Sometimes when life feels heavy, we WANT to turn our burdens over to the Lord, but we just don't know how. I created this guided meditation as a tool to help you release some of the negative emotions that you may be carrying around. If you hate meditating, you can just skip this one ;) But for me, practicing meditation has been a game changer in learning to still my heart and my mind and connect w...

Being a human has never been easy. And with the world as chaotic and noisy as it is these days, it makes sense that sometimes life can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, God has not left us alone. Through His spirit and the words of His prophets, He has given us tools for thriving in these "latter days." We know what to do when life feels heavy. Here are the talks I reference in the episode: "Joy and...

Today we're talking about the gift of "interpretation of tongues," but not in the way you're probably thinking. All of us hear peoples' words or observe their actions, and we make it mean something. If we leave our brains unsupervised, our interpretations can often be unhelpful. Being intentional in how we interpret the words of others is a gift we can cultivate.  It's a skill that helps us develo...

Maybe it's my age, but I find it hard to remember things sometimes. Even really important things. Apparently, Laman and Lemuel had the same problem. We have been counseled many times in the scriptures to remember.  In today's episode, we're talking about why that is really important counsel for faithful parents. Henry B. Eyring's talk here . Sign up for a free ministering session here.

"Blessed are the flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape."       -Anonymous Today we're talking about the valuable skill of flexibility in parenting. Why is it so important, and why is it so hard?? Also... go check out my new website HERE

I don't know if your kids are like mine, but when they become teenagers they hate all of my ideas.  If they know I want them to do something, they will often choose the exact opposite. How, then, are we supposed to encourage them to set goals?  How do we help them progress if they tune out every suggestion? I have 3 tips for you today that I think will help.

Sometimes the Christmas season gets to be so busy and so stressful that we forget to be still and spend time with the Savior. This is a guided meditation I've posted here before. It's one that I love to use every year at this time. Think of it as my personal Christmas gift to you!