Smart Living with Grit and Grace

Yes, it’s 2018! You may have ended the year behind us really excited for this fresh start or perhaps you find yourself struggling, feeling stuck in an impossible rut. Every woman’s life is filled with so many transitions and challenges, that oftentimes we believe that rut has no end, there is no hope of getting out any time soon (ice cream in the closet, anyone?). In this episode Darlene and Julie...

As we find ourselves at the close of 2017, we realize that for some this has been a great year, for others, it was filled with challenges. In this heartfelt episode, show hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham reminisce on the highs and lows of their personal lives this year, including the unexpected death of Julie’s husband. As they discuss their favorite content from dozens of The Grit and Grace P...

Are you annoyed by the little things? The irritants we fondly refer to as pet peeves; we all have them. The problem is, we're usually just as guilty of doing the things that make us cringe as the next gal. In this LOL episode, Darlene and Julie are taking a break from the busiest season of the year to encourage us to laugh at ourselves, extend grace to those around us and offer a simple "me too" t...

By the time we hit middle school (and arguably, well before) women tend to have an on-going struggle with their self-worth and often lack confidence. We focus more on our shortcomings than our strengths. We zero in on our flaws forgetting to celebrate what we’re good it! Can you relate? Do you wonder why this is? Even more importantly, how do we stop this crazy struggle and gain the self-confidenc...

Your first case of motherhood insecurity may have started when you decided you wanted to be a mom, or when you found out you were pregnant, or maybe the day you took that baby home for the first time. And it doesn’t stop, right? When you finally master one season in your child’s life, you are thrown into the next. You worry you’re not feeding them, teaching them, disciplining them, encouraging the...

Women are strong, empowered, independent, self-sufficient; at least that’s what we hear from social media to the news media - we are bombarded with these terms. But are we really? If so, what does a strong woman look like, how does she act, how does she live? This Grit and Grace Life Podcast is “redefining a woman’s strength.” In this episode Darlene and Julie talk about what makes us strong, enco...

The holidays are here and often with them comes stress, drama and financial strain. It’s our goal to apply both grit and grace to "the most wonderful time of the year" choosing to slow down, connect with loved ones and enjoy every part. Darlene and Julie admit where they struggle, then share practical ways to put the holly and jolly back into this important season. Taking a just a few minutes to b...

Today’s headlines are filled with stories of sexual misconduct in the workplace. Whether it’s Hollywood, the news industry, politicians, or corporate executives, we are hearing about it from all fronts. What is sexual harassment and what do we do about it? Julie and Darlene take this episode to explore the current workplace climate between sexes and how to handle an unwanted advance. Viewing in an...

Do you find yourself joining the social media trend of creating your own “thankful list” this time of year? It is a wonderful reminder that we should be grateful for the good things in life. Several weeks ago, before Julie had to step out for a bit, Julie and Darlene came up with their own list which turned out to be just plain funny. After their laughter died down they turned the mics on to share...

There are some subjects we just want to avoid, especially the ones we sincerely hope to never face. Yet if that day comes, we may find we weren’t prepared. Since one of our own, Julie Graham, just found herself in this position of having lost her husband of 11 years and steps away this week, we thought it would be a good time to look at how to prepare for an unexpected loss. Darlene is joined by a...

From the workplace, to the home front—the friends in our lives, the men in our lives, the children in our lives, the life in our lives how do we balance them all? Whether we are single, married or single again we all have days it seems impossible to meet all of life's demands. So today, we are exploring that elusive life balance. We are offering a few tips, insights and maybe even a way to carve o...

Women accomplish so much, as we juggle our various roles, place in life and responsibilities. But there are some things we all do that we just need to quit and quit them right now. Join the conversation as Darlene and Julie readily admit to 7 of those pesky fall backs that they can be guilty of and suspect that you may be too. Just another conversation for all women who are embarking on This Grit...

Being a woman is complicated. Our struggles in building healthy relationships, lacking self-worth, holding hurt from our family of origin, and finding our identity are common to most. We find ourselves even more confused because these struggles change as we navigate through our 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond. But here at This Grit and Grace Life we have no problem admitting it! In this week's episode we...

Two words we're pretty sure you can relate to: Mama. Drama. Can we just be honest? (a nod to last week's episode here)...every woman has a little drama with her mama, (or her stepmom or her mother-in-law). Whether you're always on each others nerves, best friends or land somewhere in between, there will be conflict with these special women in our lives! Darlene and Julie get real about how this in...

Do you mindlessly "like" quotes on Facebook or Instagram? We realized that we do. We post them a lot too! What if we actually took a moment to ponder the intention behind the quote? Finding ways could we grow, or shoot, just relax. What if we actually applied them to our lives? In this episode Darlene and Julie talk about several quotes they really love, some are serious, thoughtful, others are ju...

Teens have their own speak, using slang and lingo that can sometimes be difficult for adults to interpret. This week we are going to teach you a little bit about one of those languages, teen texting. Recently, I (Julie here) had my own encounter at a friend's house who has 3 teen daughters. As I was talking with the 17-year-old about her Snapchat communications, she shared that she hates to leave...

How many style trends can you think of that just keep coming back, no matter how much they make us cringe? We've got to be able laugh at ourselves for continuing to buy into the idea that overalls, jellies and the mullet are chic...Darlene and Julie poke fun at some of the fashion faux pas of the last few decades and we hope you'll be laughing along with us. In the app? To see full show notes, cli...

Does seeking counseling indicate weakness? What are the types of issues that warrant taking a seat on the couch of a trusted professional? We are here to discuss the reality that even a strong, independent and self-sufficient woman may face challenges that become so much more manageable when we step out to find that extra help. To find out when that is and what to do about it we brought in our fri...

No man is an island, and no woman is either! Darlene and Julie discuss the importance of healthy relationships with the other women in your life, and more importantly, how to do it! They talk about your best friend (or lack thereof), the friend you need to let go of, your sister(s) and even share why building strong female relationships will actually make you live longer. Give it a listen, girlfri...

We ladies can’t seem to stop the struggle. The one where we compare ourselves to every.other.woman.around us. We've been doing it for a very long time. But, there’s hope! In this episode, Darlene and Julie discuss three ways we compare ourselves, and real ways to stop.

Living a life of grace is very often misinterpreted. Some believe it’s an indicator of weakness. In the eyes of many, extending the truest form of grace, which is forgiveness, means giving up. Others believe grace is automatic and easy to show. Quite the contrary—living a life of grace takes an enormous amount of strength and a boatload of tenacity..

Episode 002: How You Can Stop the Struggle with Comparison - Show Notes We ladies can’t seem to stop the struggle with the need to compare ourselves to every.other.woman.around us. But, there’s hope! In this episode, Darlene and Julie discuss three ways we compare ourselves, and real ways to stop. Research and Studies we Mentioned: The Dove Global Beauty and Confidence Report Anxiety UK study abou...

Episode: 001 What is a Grit and Grace Life? Show Notes Living a life of grace is very often misinterpreted. Some believe it’s an indicator of weakness. In the eyes of many, extending the truest form of grace, which is forgiveness, means giving up.

We are so excited to finally be launching This Grit and Grace Life Podcast! The “000 About Us” episode is a chance for you to meet our hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham and learn a little bit about what you can expect from our weekly show. The full podcast starts Tuesday, August 29 and a new episode will be ready for download each Tuesday. Better yet Subscribe and you'll get them automatically...

  - Are you a strong woman or want to be? This Grit and Grace Life hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham cross generational lines and draw from life experience to discuss all things life—from the boardroom to the bedroom, car-lines to college,