The Modern Lady Podcast

When in a state of disarray, it can be easy to lose focus and lose heart.  And so when times such as ours become confused and chaotic, it serves us well to be reminded of what exactly we are supposed to be doing... and why.  This week, Michelle and Lindsay chat about "the mission" - it's unchanging nature, it's simple (albeit difficult) charge and why it is crucially essential we remembe...

After an extended holiday break, The Modern Lady is back!  And we find ourselves now in the thick of mid-winter.  This season can be bleak and a challenge to endure, let alone thrive in, but what if there were little things we could do to shift our perspective? This week, Michelle and Lindsay chat about what to do when winter seems to outpace your hygge efforts... and how a shift in mind...

Surprise!  And Merry Christmas! We are still on a short break here at The Modern Lady, but we thought we'd drop our latest Friday Finishing School episode as a special treat into your "digital stocking" and podcast feed! Renown throughout the world, what is Christmas without Handel's stunning and iconic masterpiece, "Messiah"?  As one of the most played and storied pieces of music in his...

If you thought that after last week's festivities that Christmas was starting to wind down, think again!  Continuing their deep dive into the 12 Days of Christmas, Michelle and Lindsay chat about the history, traditions and symbolism associated with the final days of Christmas to the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th.  From wealthy dairy farmers to the Pied Piper of Hamelin, scandalou...

Merrymaking and Feast Days and... BIRDS!  Oh my. The 12 Days of Christmas are truly the epitome of celebration!  Beginning on December 25th and lasting until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th, each of these twelve days is jam packed with traditions and customs to mark the festive season.  In this first part of two episodes dedicated to the 12 Days, Michelle and Lindsay discus...

The season of Advent, while certainly a time of much tangible, material and culinary preparation, also requires thoughtful intention in preparing our hearts.  This week, we are sharing a short Advent reflection that Lindsay had written five years ago in 2016 entitled, "As Darkness Falls".  We hope this short production inspires and encourages you, as it has us, to grow in our awareness o...

With the holiday season approaching, socials and get togethers are par for the course.  Being able to engage well in conversation is truly an art - and it's one that behooves us to brush up on, no matter the time of year!  This week, Michelle and Lindsay explore the history and technique of great conversation, from those deep tête-à-têtes to light-hearted small talk! 

Two years ago, The Modern Lady deep dived many beloved traditions of the Advent season, both familiar and perhaps, a little bit unfamiliar.  This week, Michelle and Lindsay bring back the Advent Spectacular with a sequel all about "Preparing to Prepare"!  What exactly goes into preparing your home, your hostessing and your pursuit of holiness in these weeks leading up to Christmas? ...

Our culture has many ways of describing detachment: "breaking the chains", "setting yourself free", being a "free spirit".  But this intrinsic desire to be free from attachments is anything but new!  This week, Michelle and Lindsay take a look at how detachment has been sought after throughout the centuries and across disciplines, how to identify the attachments we may be holding onto an...

As we begin to think about the approaching holiday season, the theme of "peace" is often prevalent.  And peace, like so many other things, really does begin it's cultivation at home and at heart!  This week, Michelle and Lindsay discuss the difference between a peaceful home and a peace-filled one, share tips from their own practices and those of their listeners, and try to provide a bit...

It's our first ever "Modern Lady Throwback" episode! "Memento Mori" is a Latin saying which translates to, "Remember Your Death".  To our secular and modern minds, this is a jarring and uncomfortable clarion call to be sure, but it is one that we neglect at our own peril.  This week, Michelle and Lindsay discuss how people have historically practiced "Memento Mori", and why it's necessar...

... That IS the question, isn't it?  When it comes to venting, it can be difficult to determine whether we are simply "getting something off our chest" or if it's subtly devolving into something a little less savoury.  This week, Michelle and Lindsay explore the boundaries of venting, how it can be done with intention and share some great tips from our listeners on how we can vent proper...

That moment when you walk back into your home after a day of errands, work or school - is there anything else like it? We all have the opportunity to craft an experience of home that provides comfort, peace and security all at once to those coming back to it!  This week, Michelle and Lindsay chat about one of their favourite aspects of homemaking: the Homecoming!  They also discuss how t...

The virtue and practice of Hope can sometimes be watered down in our culture to an ambiguous platitude - but in truth, being people of true hope has never been more important!  This week, Michelle and Lindsay chat about what it means to center our lives around hope, why we need to rediscover it's philosophical and theological significance and what kinds of things they see as being hopeful sig...

This week, Michelle and Lindsay return to the Sphere of Influence 360's diagram of leadership and communication styles, to wrap up their deep dive into what goes into being a good leader!  After relationship is established, clear direction is needed in order to finish out a goal or project well.  In this second half of the circle, the ladies focus now on content-based communication and h...

It may be an understatement to say that life can seem a little overwhelming as of late!  When things seem to be spinning out of control, it may be a good time to remind ourselves of our spheres of influence, and where we can still make a difference.  This week, Michelle and Lindsay chat about influence versus control and how to lead worthily in OUR particular circles: whether at work, in...

We all know those days where every task seems monumental and you don't know where to begin.  But sometimes, we can't wait until we "feel" like accomplishing a task or working towards a goal... we just need to "get 'er done"!  Michelle and Lindsay kick off Season 4 with a conversation on those critical first steps - the ones that will build momentum - and how to implement them in our day...

In their last episode of Season 3, the ladies wind down with a note on true rest and why it's important to prioritize it in our lives.  From tell-tale signs of stress we can look out for, to identifying the particular type of rest you're craving, Michelle and Lindsay sign off for the summer with an encouragement to intentionally carve out that time and space for yourself and your family to re...

As we begin to wrap up Season 3 of The Modern Lady Podcast, we wanted to share one more peek at the Friday Finishing School before our final episode airs next week and we break for the summer!  Several weeks ago, we launched this Friday Finishing School episode on the classic painting, "Girl With A Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer and it has easily become one of our favourite features!&nbsp...

Wrapping up this three-part series on the virtue of humility, Michelle and Lindsay stay with St. Bernard of Clairvaux as he outlines the degrees and steps needed to descend from the peak of pride into the restful valley of humility of heart!  It's been an intense journey and as we've seen, not an easy task by any means... but this kind of deep work is truly a life's work, and is absolutely wo...

After defining and comparing both secular and religious perspectives of what true humility is, it's time to study it's vice.  Knowing the enemy is a critical part of any battle plan and so if we are committed to growing humble, a keen understanding of what pride looks like is essential strategy.  Using the 12 Degrees of Pride outlined by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Michelle and Lindsay tak...

The virtue of "humility" is often hugely misunderstood in the today's cultural context. Even Forbes.com has acknowledged that "humility is frequently associated with being too passive, submissive or insecure, but (that) this couldn’t be any further from the truth."  This week, Michelle and Lindsay discuss what that Truth actually is, what practicing humility looks like and why it's so critica...

When we think about "work" today, words like "drudgery", "toil" and "dull" tend to sum up the collective mood.  But believe it or not, as human beings, we were MADE for labour and it is meant to sanctify us and elevate our dignity, whether it's at home or abroad.  This week, Michelle and Lindsay chat about the history of work, how labour was always a part of the "plan" and how to view it...

Languishing: a word currently used to best describe what many are feeling after a year of pandemic and lockdown. But perhaps a helpful tool in our conquering of feelings of languish lies closer than we think: in our own bodies!  Enter: the Happiness Hormones!  This week, Michelle and Lindsay take a closer look at how dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins affect our well-being and...

In their 100th episode, Michelle and Lindsay focus on the idea of creating a legacy and filling our lives with a life's work that can be remembered and transmitted through history, both personal and communal.  From the hard work to the heart work, from changing generational stories to viewing your life as an essential piece of a bigger picture, the ladies dig into the idea of why we desire to...