Simple Saturdays

Today I a sharing a shift I have made in my parenting that has made such a big difference - when I teach it to my coaching clients they have an 'aha moment' too - because we might not see that we are often parenting the wrong issue.    (Books or products recommended here may include referral links to Amazon. If you click through and take action I will be compensated at no additional cost to you.) This is especially evident when we find ourselves in power struggles. We are taken out of the original problem and into all of the mental chatter and drama around the power struggle.  The power struggle of getting kids to sit down for the meal  In this episode, I'm explaining how I apply this to a real-life example that moms experience: wanting the kids to sit down at the table for dinner.  Focussing on just wanting our kids to LISTEN. We just want compliance - and we spend a lot of effort trying to just get them to listen to us - and now we have a power struggle This is turning the simple issues of parenting i

Making decisions on what to declutter can be exhausting and often bring up emotions like guilt. I am offering my life coaching and decluttering advice on these topics as well as organizing and cleaning kid's toys.    Listen to the previous Q+A here Questions I am answering on decluttering: How to know what to get rid of? With each thing I'm asking why I am I keeping this? what should I consider getting rid of and will I regret getting rid of it (mementoes from kids school days, some of their special clothing items, my dressy clothes from over the years, kids trophies, certificates, extra furniture in the basement ...) Recognizing decision fatigue How to create a decluttering decision framework How to handle the potential of regretting what you get rid of Listen to Episode 90 on 'What If I Need it One Day?'  What are good ways to handle kid stuff so that it's easy to get into when we need it but keeps things neat when we don't? Organization is the second part of decluttering  Episode 36

A popular topic I life coach moms on is their relationship to their stuff and decluttering their home.  I wanted to share a Q+A time for more questions about decluttering.  I asked for your decluttering questions in the Simple on Purpose FB group and on Instagram. Here is my life coaching advice on these topics.   Here are the decluttering questions I am answering today: How do we begin when it all just feels so overwhelming? For instance: if I start decluttering A, I first have to do B, but to do B and I have to do C, but to do C...and the spiral continues until I give up and sit on the couch. Related: Episode 105 Do you trust yourself I like things. But I love how I feel in more empty spaces. However, my stuff also brings me joy and represents me. How do I keep myself in my space but not the clutter? Exploring your relationship with stuff Related: Read the post on Identity Clutter What do I do about the little spaces of clutter - like drawers small countertops and anywhere I can cram cr

Elyse is a mom of three in Australia and she has a heart for helping moms make things simpler in their lives.  I asked her to come and share with us what her decluttering experience was like.  In this conversation, you will hear Elyse unpack what prompted her to declutter her home, what she has learned from it and the encouragement and practical tips she has for you to get started.        Finding peace in motherhood Myth: If you were struggling then you are doing motherhood well On a journey to find peace and purpose away from this mindset   Getting started with decluttering  Decided to declutter her home at a time when she felt really unhappy in her space. “I didn’t like my home, I didn’t like being home”    Staying motivated with decluttering  Paying attention to how it feels to have less stuff to take care of and manage and clean Asking, is this really adding value to my life Appreciating how good it feels to have the space feel clear and more manageable    The impact of decluttering on motherhoo

This is the final part of the coaching session with Laura, the mom of a 4-year-old and 1.5 year old . In this part of the coaching call, we wrap up with how to take ACTION that moves her in the direction she wants to go as a mom. She is getting anchored in what she wants out of motherhood (joy), and making a plan on how she wants to get it.      If you haven't yet, make sure you listen to part 1 here, and part 2 here    Enjoying the early days of motherhood When you are at home with small kids it can feel monotonous and boring. There is a lot of pressure to 'enjoy these days'.  A crucial part here is not aiming for 100% enjoyment - but rather allowing for the full range of experience that comes with motherhood.    Loneliness in motherhood When we start to think about how lonely we are, we can snowball into all the ways we feel it and keep our mind spinning about how it might always be this way and wonder what is wrong with our friendships, etc.  Part of stopping this cycle is to take an ACTION that p

This is part 2 of my life coaching call with Laura. We are continuing the conversation with an exploration of what values she wants to bring into her parenting.  This portion of the coaching session was getting clarity on WHERE Laura wants to go as a mom, what it looks like for her to be a mom on purpose.    Head on over and catch part 1 right here.    Values-based parenting  When we are living in line with our values we feel more fulfilled, purposeful and at peace with how we are acting and behaving.  This is why it is so important to know your values - they inform you of what is important to you and where you want to direct your energies.   What you are in control of as a mom  So many of us moms want to control the outcome of our children. We want to control how they feel about things, what they do/don't do, how they think about us or others. But all of this is NOT in our control.  What is in our control is how we decide to show up (think, feel, act) - and our values are our compass on that.    Lov

This is a Coaching Session I had with Laura, who is looking for coaching support on dealing with jealousy of when her kids prefer her husband to her - and with setting up a motherhood mantra for herself to anchor herself in motherhood.    I have divided this coaching session into three episodes.  In this first one, we cover awareness. We work on identifying the problem, seeing how it impacts her life and how we can shift away from judgement and fear of it.  In part two we will talk about being a Mom on Purpose and in part three we will talk about ways to bring joy into motherhood.    Life coaching session on intentional parenting and uncomfortable emotions: Starting with awareness. Paying attention to how you are feeling, what you are thinking and how you are showing up.  Laura mentions she is a Type 4 on the Enneagram to learn more about that check out this episode on the Type 4 Mom  Understanding how we are perpetuating negative experiences in our life Self-judgement layers on the problem  D

There have been a lot of changes I wanted to make in my life, but I didn't trust myself to follow through and do them. So I stopped setting goals and making promises to myself.  This is something I have bee through and coach many women on - the issue of not trusting yourself creates a situation where you don't believe you CAN do it, you stop looking for ways to learn, you look to others for the solution and validation and you spin where you are - in indecisiveness, anxiety and maybe apathy.      Showing up for others but not ourselves Often this situation shows up in women who still 'get things done' - but they are doing things FOR other people, whether held by accountability or expectation or role. But they don't 'get things done' for THEMSELVES, they don't show up for themselves and do what they said they would do.  Can you relate to the situation of not trusting yourself? We might have an idea of what we want, but we waver on it, we doubt it.  We might try something new,  but we are insecure about

How should a 30 something-year-old dress? I have asked this question for some years as I decluttered my closet and focussed on creating a closet of clothes I love to wear. I don’t want it to be the latest trends, but the clothes I enjoy and feel like ‘me’. I’m not a fashion blogger but when the memes went around this month making fun of millennial moms who wear skinny jeans and side parts I felt like I wanted to encourage other millennial moms to focus on building up a closet of clothes they LOVE to wear and not what Gen Z tells us is ‘in’ right now.    Millennial Mom vs Trendy Youth What being a ‘trendy’ youth is all about.  Playing with clothes to see what you like and learn more about yourself What being a millennial mom is all about. Knowing more of who you are and making choices in line with that   How to declutter and create a closet of clothes you love Declutter the items you don’t love to wear, torn, unused, etc.  Then start a pinboard of looks you love Look for a theme in what you are

We all can think of some financial goals we want to meet (debt-repayment, emergency savings) and maybe we know what habits could get us there - but DOING it is the hard work. And I find it so helpful to hear what other people are doing and what it looks like in action in real life.  Today I'm sharing the rest of my conversation with Bethany and Corey from the Millenial Mission Podcast about what their debt-free journey has been and in this part, they are sharing a lot about the habits they have formed and mindsets that have supported them in persisting and making an impact.  Developing habits to pay off debt as a family Three changes that have made a big impact on lowering the debt Knowing what money is coming in and what is going out The debt snowball (coined by Dave Ramsey) The financial freedom a budget can bring you Weekly budget check-ins and monthly budget reviews Addressing the problem before it becomes a problem Spouses supporting one another in budget accountability What to do whe

Wonder what it would be like to make a BIG CHANGE that starts your debt-free journey?  Today we are hearing from Bethany and Corey on their story of what that looked like in their life. When they decide to give up the 'good life' for the 'better life' and by better I mean hard and uncomfortable but moving towards financial freedom.    I love hearing real-life stories from real people who are making the hard decisions that allow them to TAKE CONTROL and start steering their life in a new direction - one that is in line with their values and the call they feel on their life.  Bethany and Corey share a lot about what it looked like to bring God into the decision to make a move and get serious about changing their lifestyle. This episode is part one of two.  Bethany and Corey's story about staring their debt-free journey How they were raised to view finances and debt “Even though you know all the right things you can be very easily deceived” “It was little things that added up” How they handled the

Today I'm sharing some of a LIVE Q+A I did in FB community last month A few times each month I ask for questions and sometimes on a certain topic, then I come on and answer them live In this Q+A I am answering questions about putting your head in the sand, planning your day, finding the time when you feel like it is hard to find the time, and how much work it is to change your thoughts and behaviours.  I also mention the Life on Purpose Roadmap - which is the condensed and simple course that takes you from reactive and feeling stressed about your life, to setting a direction for the nine areas of your life and taking control of your time, energy and space.  Topics covered in this Q+A episode: Putting your head in the sand Knowing your stress responses What are you doing when you fight, flight or freeze Recognizing when you are in a stress response Planning your day, finding freedom in a plan Things that have helped me to plan over the years Setting plans with your spouse through a calenda

 We did it friends! I am proud of us! We finished the Enneagram and Motherhood series featuring moms from all over the continent sharing what it is like to parent through the lens of their Enneagram type.  Today we wrap up with the Type 9, which we all know they don't mind being left to the last ("it's fine, whatever works for you!") I say that because I am a Type 9 too.  But this is also my 100th podcast episode so it feels like a nice way to wrap up this endeavour I have been on to grow this podcast into a place that serves and empowers women to strip away the distractions and show up well for their lives.   And I think the Enneagram gives us tools to do this because it gives us awareness and language around how we show up in stress and growth - this is great information to help us redirect ourselves in times of stress - and to really pour into our strengths with mindfulness, truth and love.   In this episode, we hear from two moms sharing their Type 9 Mom experience. Thank you to Lindsey and Angelic

The Type 8 is also known as the Maverick - they are confident, assertive and make natural leaders.  Today I have three Type 8 moms sharing how their Enneagram type empowers them in their motherhood and how it shows up in stress.   To open up I share some details on the Type 8: What motivates them How they move towards The Helper in times of growth How they move towards The Observer in times of stress The two other sides to the type 8 (the wings) What the Gut Triad is, how the Type 8 shows up in line with their intuition/gut Thank you to the moms who shared what their experience is as Type 8 moms - Stacie, Ellen and Melissa.  You can find Melissa at Live with Audacity Join the Simple on Purpose Community to ask your questions around the enneagram and livng simple, on purpose.  If you can't click links in these show notes then head to www.simpleonpurpose.ca and click LISTEN, you can find all the show notes and episode transcripts there.  FULL TRANSCRIPT For those who are new welcome, I am S

The Type 7 on the Enneagram is also called the Enthusiast, or Fun Ninjas (as my friend Julia coined them) They are spontaneous and open to new experiences. In this episode, two Type 7 moms share how their Enneagram type empowers them in motherhood and how it shows up in times of stress.  I also discuss: What motivates the Type 7 What growth looks like as the move towards Type 5 What stress looks like as the move towards Type 1 How they handle it when things don't go their way through a positive reframing How noticing other Enneagram Types and learning about them helps us have more appreciation for the inner experience of other moms in our lives   Ask Shawna questions about living simple, on purpose in the Simple on Purpose Facebook community  Find Shawna on Instagram   FULL TRANSCRIPT Hey friends, it's Shawna, your nerdy girlfriend.ca. Welcome to simplify this podcast. This is a place for you to come if you want to simplify your home, your heart, your life, slow down, pay attention to

Welcome to the Simple on Purpose Podcast! For moms on the go who want nuggets of information and encouragement that helps them live with more peace, purpose and presence in their daily lives.  We are continuing with our series on the Enneagram and Motherhood where we hear from moms on what their motherhood experience is like through the lens of the Enneagram This episode is about the Type 6 Mom, also called the Loyalist or the Skeptic.    In this episode, I explain: The common traits of the Type 6 Their need for support and guidance Their need for independence  Being a skeptic and slow to trust Being a loyalist and putting your faith in the others who have the answers Type 6 living in their own head, with the worst-case scenario and projected fears How the Type 6 reacts when things don't go their way Their stress response (fight, flight and freeze) when faced with FEAR Growth for the Type 6, and stress for the Type 6 We hear from two wonderful moms sharing their experience, thank you t

The Type 5 on the Enneagram is also called the Investigator. They are someone who is watching and observing and analyzing how everything works.  They gather knowledge on how things work and how to navigate the world with their competence.  They do have a focus on managing their own needs well so that they aren't reliant on others. Let's hear from Liz and Melissa on how being an Enneagram Type 5 empowers their motherhood and how it shows up in stress.      When the Type 5 is in stress they move towards the Type 7 (adventurer) and become more restless and agitated. When they are in a place of growth they move towards the full body empowerment of a Type 8 (maverick). I also discuss the Harmonic Groups, this is how the Enneagram Types handle problems.  The Type 5 belongs to the Competency Group, meaning they rely on logic (rather than emotion) to handle their problems.    In this episode we will hear from Liz Squires, you can find her here at Fearless Birth Project And Melissa, from Enneagram Paths.  T

The Type 4 on the Enneagram is also called the Individualist, or the Romantic. They have a reputation of being artistic, expressive and willing to feel a range of emotions.  Which I think makes them very brave and they hold a lot of space for those in suffering and those who long to express themselves.      The Type 4 is part of the reactive group when it comes to dealing with problems. This means they respond/express themselves and look for an emotional response from those around them. A Type 4 craves been seen and supported in these times.  Which makes them so adept at expression and emotional attunement.    When in a place of growth the Type 4 will move towards the Type 1 and become more objective and practical. When in stress they will move towards the Type 2 and become clingy and look for reassurance from others.    Thank you to the two moms sharing their experience with us today.  Thank you Shawna and Laura. You can find Laura at Fjord Creative.    In the Simple on Purpose Community group, I

The Type 3 on the Enneagram is also known as the Achiever or the Performer.  They are motivated by a need to be successful and they are natural checklist-makers and goal getters.  What is it like to be a Type 3 Mom?   I have three Type 3 moms sharing their experience on how their type empowers them and how it shows up in times of stress.  When a Type 3 is in stress they take on the qualities of the Type 9 and become more detached and apathetic and stubborn.  When they are in a place of growth they move towards the qualities of the Type 6 and become more cooperative and a team player focussed on the greater good rather than the personal goal.    When a Type three faces a challenge they apply logic to solve the problem. They are part of the Competency Group. They detach from their feelings by staying in an active role to work on the goal and "figure it out".    I think the Type 3s offer us a lot of encouragement to 'raise the bar' and I know that myself, as a Type 9, looks to the energy and drive of t

The Type 2 on the Enneagram is also known as The Helper. For this reason, a lot of us can identify as a possible Type 2 - especially in North America where this is a cultural expectation that women are 'helpers'.  This can lead to people-pleasing, but not all people-pleasers are Type 2s.  Some things that set the Enneagram Type 2 apart: They cope with problems by focussing on the needs of others rather than themselves Their relationships are built with a culture of 'helping' They find their value in helping others I explain what the Type 2 can look like in times of growth and in times of stress.  I also outline how to differentiate a common mistype with Type 9s.  Three moms are sharing their experience of being a Type 2 mom and outlining what feels like a struggle and what feels like a strength for them when it comes to motherhood.  Thank you to Louise, Aimee and Jessica for sharing with us! You can find Louise here.  You can find Jessica right here.  Books recommended here may include referr