Episode 296: Motherhood Challenges with Solutions

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Whiny Palooza!

Have some wine and join us on the Whiny Palooza Podcast with Rebecca Greene. Welcome to the Whiny Palooza Podcast. I'm your host, Rebecca Greene. I'm a wife, mother of 3, and licensed clinical social worker. I also have 3 fur babies at home too. My passion has always been to help children and their families. I always dreamed of being a wife and a mother. Parents are always learning through their struggles, failures, and successes and joys. I am no stranger to this wild ride of parenting, and I know behind every great parent lies a team of supportive friends and family. I want to be part of your support system. I want you to know that you are not alone. We are in this parenting world together. Join me every week for insightful discussions with experts on parenting and marriage, as well as other parents who have found the secret to successes in parenthood. You'll learn tips and tricks to make life with your family better than ever. I hope you will follow along with me while we dive into what it takes to achieve a happy family. This is Rebecca Greene for the Whiny Palooza podcast, and I am so excited today because I get to talk to Jessica Swanson. Jessica, thank you so much for being with— here with me today.

I'm so glad to be here.

I'm going to tell you a little bit about this wonderful lady. She is a life coach for mamas She helps overwhelmed, overwhelmed, and unfulfilled moms transform their mindset, overcome their limiting beliefs, and find joy in motherhood by creating empowered thought pathways, incorporating simple positive habits in their days, and prioritizing their well-being so they can be the mama they dream of being. And that sounds so wonderful to me. I think you're gonna help me too. So I have So many questions for you, and I want to start with what inspired you to become a life coach for moms.

So when I first became a mom, everything was good for about a month and then everything kind of started to go downhill. I was, you know, just like sad for no reason and got diagnosed with postpartum depression. And, you know, I did the medication route for a little bit, but then I just realized that it's kind of just making me numb to everything and I wasn't fully processing everything that I was going through. So I was like, at some point I got to change in order to fully be who I want to be as a mom and as a woman and be the person that my child deserves. So I started to do the personal development work and really try to better myself and figure out who I was as a person and, you know, what I wanted to be. And as I was going through that journey, I realized that there's not as much resources and support out there for moms. As you know, you may think. And, you know, motherhood is lonely and kind of isolating, especially in those first few months when you're still trying to figure out how to keep a little human alive. So I wanted to, you know, inspire and be that person for other moms that may be going through similar things as I am and to kind of just be someone that they can count on and, you know, use what I've learned and be able to not struggle for as long as I did and just be there to support them and be a resource for them.

Well, that's wonderful because you know as well as I do how needed that is.

Yeah.

And I'm just curious, how long do you feel like you suffered from it and how did you get yourself out of it?

So I suffered for about 6 or 7 months and, you know, I just got to a point that I was like, you know, my marriage was starting to suffer. I didn't reach out or, you know, take care of the friend friendships that I had, and I just kind of lost myself. And the only thing that I was doing was, you know, focusing on my child and kind of clung to him as a life support. And eventually it's like, I can't keep going like this because if I do, you know, I'm gonna lose my marriage, I'm gonna lose all my friends, and, you know, my health was declining. And so slowly but surely, I just started to kind of do the things that I used to do before motherhood that would fill me up and make me feel good. And it was just little by little. So, you know, I'd start to work out and get that, you know, eat better and then listen to uplifting podcasts and read books and kind of monitor what I was doing on like social media and like what I was taking in that way. Because I feel like so much of what society portrays, you know, is not how motherhood really is. And I feel like that is what also makes you, you know, suffer from like the mom guilt and feeling insecure about, you know, what you're doing as a mom and So I kind of just, you know, monitored my intake of what I was, you know, consuming because I think that's a great thing that, you know, kind of keeps people or keeps moms suffering.

Well, and this is going to blow your mind at how very old I am. But when I had my son in 2007, there was no— like, I wasn't on any social media. So that was a whole different world. I actually wish I had it to keep me company at 3 a.m. in the morning.

Right.

But you mentioned mom guilt, and I really want to talk about mom guilt because you know as well as I do that we all get sucked into so much mom guilt. So can we help moms have less guilt? How can, how can they take those steps?

Yeah. One thing that I have learned is that you experience mom guilt because you're a good mom. So if you weren't worried about your kids and how good you were doing and, you know, when you're responsible for their well-being and everything, it's going to be natural to feel guilty when things don't go as perfect as you expected and all that. So I think that's like the first step is just acknowledging that you— it's okay to feel it and that you're going to feel it. And it's not something that you like overcome once and you're done. Like it's going to come up, you know, forever because, you know, you're always going to be a mom now. So I think that's the first thing is just acknowledging that it's, you know, it's a sign that you're a good mom. But also, you know, realizing that you also deserve to take care of yourself and prioritize yourself. And when you do that, you actually show up as a better mom. So, you know, just making sure that you're still taking care of yourself and that you deserve it and to just count on the people that you have around you and ask for help when you need it is also a big thing because, you know, you can't do it alone.

Well, and I think that we all fall into the trap of thinking that we can do it alone. And I know when I had babies, I was not taking care of myself. So, so can you give a little picture of stuff that we can do in our days, like to fill in, in our busy days here and there to take care of ourselves?

Yes. That's another thing that I feel like society makes it seem like self-care and taking care of yourself is something that has to be luxurious and big and expensive, but really it's so simple to incorporate little things in your day that can fill your cup up. Like you don't have to go get your hair done or go get your nails done and do all this stuff. That's not the only way to fill your cup up and take care of yourself. So what I started to do is, like I said, take 15 minutes and just go for a walk. Even if you put the baby in the stroller, take your kids with you, like just getting outside and, you know, moving your body. Will clear your mind and make you feel so much better. Or simply like when the children are napping, read a book or, you know, do the little things that make you feel good. Spend the extra 5 minutes in the morning to put on a little makeup or, you know, do your skincare routine. And, you know, and yes, it is great to get out of the house sometimes and, you know, not have your kids, but you can also take care of yourself in the presence of your kids. And I think it's important that your kids do see you prioritizing yourself and taking care of yourself. So that way they know that that is normal to, you know, take care of yourself and prioritize your well-being too. And, you know, you're setting a good example for your kids too.

100%. I want my kids to learn to take care of themselves, and they're not going to learn if I don't show them. But I do think I did— I was one of those mothers who thought it was selfish. Like, I would see my friend working out all the time, and I would literally think, she's so selfish. I'm very, I feel bad saying that, but that's where I was, you know, 16 years ago. Yeah. I thought she was selfish, but now I see how much better I am for them when I'm not exhausted, frazzled, tired. Like I see that self-care is actually giving to them. So yeah, I have changed my mindset, but it took me so long to do it.

Mm-hmm. And I think the, like the first, part of it is just getting started. Like, you don't realize— like, that's— I was the same way for like the first 6 months. I didn't take care of myself at all. But then once I slowly started to, you know, just do little things here and there, I saw such a huge difference in the way that I felt, the way that, you know, my son was feeding off of the energy that I had and the way that, you know, our relationship was so much better when, you know, I wasn't, you know, short-tempered or getting frustrated with him over the little things. I was so much more calm and able to handle the unexpected things that motherhood brings up. So, and it does, it is a process too. It's, I mean, some days I'm doing fantastic and then other days it's like, oh, I need to do something for myself because I'm not showing up the way that I want to. So it's like just being, you know, giving yourself grace and, you know, knowing that it's a work in progress and you're never going to, you know, be perfect all the time.

No, and I love everything you just said because I think I still can fall into the trap, and then I'll start to see that I'm more tired than normal, I'm more cranky than normal, and I'm like, well, when's the last time you've done something for yourself?

Mm-hmm.

So I think you're right. We just have to keep working on it.

Yeah. And I think it's important when you get to the moments where you're feeling stressed out and overwhelmed and stuff that you do take the moment to pause and be like, okay, what do I need right now? What do I need? To feel supported and to be able to show up as a mom that I wanted to be.

Yeah, I love that. And I love what you said about makeup because I want to tell you that I don't wear makeup every day, but when I do take even 5 minutes to do my makeup, I feel so much better.

I know. Me too. And then I'm like, why don't I just do this all the time? I know.

I, you know, throw it on the sweats and running out the house.

I'm like, you know, if you took a little bit more time, you'd feel Yeah, it's amazing how just the smallest little things change your, your mood and your mindset for the day. Yeah.

And people tell me all the time they don't have time and I'm like, we're not talking about going to get your nails done. We're talking about taking 5 minutes to put on makeup.

Yeah, that's actually one of my big pet peeves is when people say I don't have the time, it's like everyone has the same 24 hours in the day. The real question is, is what are you prioritizing? What are you making time for?

I love that. It is so true. If we think it's important, we'll make time for it.

Exactly.

Yes. And you talk about connection parenting. Is that what it's called? Did I use the right term?

Yeah.

Can you tell us what that is? I'm so intrigued.

Um, so that's just, uh, really focusing on, um, being connected with your child. And instead of trying to use like fear and coercion to get them to do what you want or to behave in a way that you think they should behave. You just focus on, you know, loving and being gentle and just making sure that you're connected to them. Because when they feel that connection and stuff, they are way more willing to, you know, do what you want and, you know, be able to, um, behave and not feel, you know, stressed out and, you know, anxious and all those things. They're, you know, more cooperative with, you know, what you are trying to do.

Well, and it's interesting because I find that when I threaten consequences and use consequences, it doesn't necessarily change their behavior for my own kids. And you're just— you're describing like me using my bond with them, and I feel like I get such better results in our daily lives when I'm not running around yelling things like, I'm gonna take your phone away.

Yeah, those things, they— I mean, and that's what I think most people think, that those are working, but really they're working short-term and not in the long run. Where when you just like take the time to slow down and acknowledge what your child's feeling, acknowledge what you're feeling, and kind of come to a middle ground where, you know, you both can be happy, you know, your mindset stays positive, the child is more cooperative, and you're able to just feel good the whole time and not you know, end up regretting, you know, later. Because I feel like, you know, obviously I'm not perfect all the time. And when I do snap at my child, then it's like, uh, afterwards when he's sleeping, it's like, oh man, I wish I wouldn't have said that. Or I wish I wouldn't have, you know, snapped like I did.

Yeah.

And it's just, you know, I got to give myself grace. And, you know, that's where apologies and, you know, rekindling that connection and the bond that you have is so important.

I think grace is one of the most important words we learn as mothers, right? For us and for our kids and our husbands too.

Yeah.

Yeah. I gotta work on that part. But, um, so you're so good at balancing your own goals with raising your child. Can you talk about balance, like us going after our own goals and focusing on our kids? How do we do that?

Yeah. And I think it's important to realize that it's all about finding harmony. Like some days I'm full mom mode and then, you know, only a little bit into goals. And then other times I'm able to really work at my, you know, business and my goals and not so much at the motherhood part. And I just feel like it's also going to be different for everyone. So just, you know, not looking at like, well, she's doing this, this and this. That's what I— that's how it's supposed to look for me. It's like it's going to look different for everyone. So I try to work on my business or my goals when, you know, my son is sleeping or with a babysitter or playing and stuff. So that way when I'm with my son, I'm 100% present and, you know, really make sure I have quality time with him versus quantity time. And that has just helped my mindset as a mom so much that it's like I don't need to be with my son 24/7 in order to be considered a good mom. It's all about how I am when I am with him, you know, am I playing and being present with him or am I sitting there on my phone trying to work on my business, you know, and not giving him the attention that he deserves? So I think that's just like the important is like separating the two and not trying to do both all the time because that's when you're going to, you know, feel like you're not being fulfilled in either area and you're just going to, you know, feel like you're kind of failing at both all the time where like when you're in mom mode, you're in mom mode and you're killing it. And when you're in your work mode shooting towards your goals, you're killing it. And then you can feel good at the end of the night.

That is such good advice. And I am so impressed with you how quickly you figured that out in life, because it did not come that easy for me. That is impressive. Well, one of the things that we hear from moms the most is, I'm too busy, I'm too overwhelmed. I hear it all the time. And you talk about mindset shifts. So how can they shift their mindset during their day to feel less overwhelmed? Because I think that's the key word that I hear from moms, is that they're overwhelmed.

Yes. Um, I have two main, like, mantras, mindset shifts that I use consistently that has completely changed the game for me. So the first one is that life is happening for me and not to me. So everything that, you know, is good is a result of what I am doing. I am creating the good in my life, the successes that I feel. It's because of what I am doing, but also the bad things that are happening or the like inconvenient things. Is there— what is this trying to teach me? You know, what can— what positive thing can I see? Or what is this, you know, saving me from? And you're able to kind of just pause and, you know, not get so overwhelmed and let the stress and the chaos of motherhood consume you. And you're able to see, okay, well, what, what do I need right now to feel supported? And what am I supposed to get in this moment that is gonna, you know, move me forward? And then the second thing is, is that I'm just a mom having a hard time, not that I'm a bad mom. Motherhood is so crazy and unexpected and challenging, but yet beautiful and, you know, blissful all at the same time. And it's It's just a matter of, you know, I'm, you know, not having the best time right now, but I'm still a good mom. And, you know, I'm just going to give myself grace and keep moving forward with my day and just accept that everything's not going to work out the way that you planned it to or the way that you wanted to. And just kind of letting expectations go and just going with the flow of motherhood because you can't control everything. And You know, who knows how your child's going to behave in that day. So it's just a matter of you're a good mom, you're just having a hard time right now, and what can you do to kind of move past it and, you know, accept what is happening and not, you know, try to force things.

Well, and, and I think you're talking about like our expectations as mothers are insane. I can't believe what we expect from ourselves to be a good mom. Definitely too much. And I think that that goes with you talking about limiting beliefs, you know? Yeah. So can you give us an example of a limiting belief that mothers have that works against them?

Um, I think the number one thing is like, I should— is that society feel like, okay, I should be, you know, doing all these activities with my kids. I should be, you know, present with my children 24/7. I should be, you know, X, Y, and Z. And I feel like that's like where really focusing on what you're taking in is so important. But I feel like that's where, you know, moms have crazy expectations because they think that they should be doing a bazillion things all at once, all the time. So it's just a matter of realizing what is actually important to you and what do you want to prioritize in motherhood, because we can't do it all. And just because, you know, so-and-so is doing that with her children, but will that feel good to you? Like, is that something that you really want to do with your children? If not, then let it go. Don't take on more than what you can handle and what is not going to fill your cup up. Like some people love to do crafts with their kids. Other people are like, that just is a big old mess and not something I want to do. So it's like, well, then don't do it. I think that's just where it's like you got to be real with what is important to you as a mom and what's going to feel good for your family.

I think you just hit the nail on the head because you brought tears to my eyes. I think that I say that most to my husband. I should be doing this. I should be doing that. And he's like, who says? And where are you getting this from?

Yeah. Yeah. I try to remove that word from my vocabulary and it has helped so much.

I'm going to— I'm going to work on that. I, you know, like today is Saturday and my kids are like, what are we doing today? And my automatic My thought was I should have plans for them. Is that so funny? It's always the I should.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, I'll work on that next.

One step at a time.

One step at a time. So you talk about empowered thought pathway. Did I say that right?

Yes.

Can you tell us an example? Because that sounds amazing. Yes.

So I think a lot of times when you get caught up in like a negative mindset or just like the poor me or like playing victim mode or like, why is my child acting like this today? Or why is nothing going my way? That's when like your whole day goes downhill. And if you're like me or like how I was in the past, I would hold on to that and then the next day would go downhill, the next day would. And it's like you got to kind of interrupt your negative thought pathways and just you know, switch it. So it's like if your kid's having the 10th tantrum for today, then it's like, okay, my kid is just having a hard time. He's not a bad kid. And when you tell yourself that, then you're able to take a pause and be able to take care of your child's needs and be able to be more compassionate and empathetic to them. And then instead of, you know, allowing that to just, you know, you end up snapping at your child or, you know, derailing your whole day, you're able to just take a step back and kind of let it go, relax, and, um, shift your mindset to be more positive. Like, okay, how can I serve my child? You know, he needs me, and I'm going to, you know, be there for him and support him in this hard time that he's going through. And not that he is like a hard, you know, child, or, you know, a bad kid. So that's like one thing that I do. And just being able to, um, like I said before, it's not that you're a bad mom, you're just having a hard time, or, you know, a bad day. So that's like another thing that you can do to kind of not go down the mom guilt pathway and kind of switch it back to, you know what, I got this, we're going to get through it. And, you know, let's move on to some of the next moment and, you know, keep going throughout our day and just be positive. And, you know, some days it's going to be really hard and you may not be able to interrupt your, you know, disempowering thought pathways. And that's okay. That's when you just got to be like, oh, tomorrow's a new day. Or that's when you're going to be like, I need to do something that's going to fill my cup up and get out of the house and be alone for a minute. And that's just where you got to ask yourself, what do I need in this moment? And just make sure that you're taking care of yourself and that will help with your mindset all in itself.

100%. So, so true. We are way too hard on ourselves. Every, every single woman listening to this is way too hard on herself. I will tell you that, right?

Yes.

It means we're good mothers.

Yes, exactly.

But we could be easier on ourselves. That still makes us a good mother. Yes.

Yes.

So we talked a little bit about some of the, you know, habits we can incorporate in our day. Can you tell them some simple positive habits to just sprinkle into their days?

Yes. So I like to kind of, when I wake up in the morning, set a positive intention for the day. So whether it's, you know, how you want to show up as a mom or how you want to show up in, you know, your business or how you just want to show up in life, just think about, okay, who do I want to be today and what do I want to accomplish today and how do I want to feel today? And, you know, this can be a matter of a few minutes. You can do it when you're laying in bed or when you're getting up, brushing your teeth, just thinking about that and setting the intention that you want for the day. And that will help you already instill a positive mindset and a, you know, positive outlook on the day. The third thing that— or the second thing I like to do is make sure you're drinking water, because when I'm dehydrated or, you know, that's when I start to not feel my best, my energy is low, I start to get the headaches. So I've been really prioritizing drinking water and it has been a game changer for, you know, how I feel in my mental capacity for the day. And the third thing is I would just try to find at least, you know, 10, 15 minutes, if not longer, to just be by yourself and kind of journal, you know, how you were thinking today, how you were feeling today, and what you can do, you know, what you want to do better at tomorrow. And just, you know, taking that time to reflect on yourself and what you did for the day and, you know, if it was good, bad, ugly, you know, whatever it was. So that way you can have a better day the next day.

That is all such good advice. I think my favorite— I love all of them, but when I wake up, I literally— it's kind of like a ready, set, go, like, just like take off and I'm not pausing at all. I love you talking about setting an intention for the day. I don't do that. And I think that would be so helpful for me.

Yeah, it's been a game changer for me because I used to be the same. I'd pop out of bed, throw on my clothes and get out the door, and then I just felt like frazzled and like rushed or, you know, unsteady the whole day. And just by kind of taking that time to set the intention, it gave me something to shoot for for the day and just made me feel so much more relaxed and ready to take on whatever was coming my way. 100%.

I'm totally going to try that. I'm going to do it tomorrow. I guess I can do it when I get off. I guess I can do it today. I don't have to wait for tomorrow.

Yeah, you could do it whenever. And even if you need to take a moment, you're feeling like you're getting overwhelmed and stressed, then it's like, okay, I need to go put myself in timeout for a minute, clear my head and come back.

I've really embraced the word reset. I think that's my one of my biggest motherhood words is that I think it's okay that we get frazzled and overwhelmed. I think that's a very normal feeling. But like, I don't want to get crazy with my kids. I don't want to go in the— I don't want to get— I don't want to have the temper tantrum with them. So I have to be aware of myself needing to reset.

Yes. And that's one thing that I have just learned over the past month is that all feelings are, you know, acceptable and necessary. And instead of like feeling guilty for feeling like overwhelmed or stressed or even annoyed or frustrated with our children is to just accept that that's what you're feeling, feel all the feels, and then let them go. Because I used to just, you know, get so caught up in how I was feeling and then just let it, you know, boil up inside until I was exploding. So it's like when I just acknowledge the way that I'm feeling, it's acceptable to feel all the feels and then to just let them go. I'm able to just be able to move on from things so much faster than what I was in the past. And I feel like that's like so important in motherhood because so many things are changing all the time that, like you said, we're going to get overwhelmed, we're going to get stressed out. It's— you're not going to be able to avoid that. So it's like you just got to accept it and be able to move past it.

Yeah, 100%. Yes. I'm like, I tell my family, I'm like, I'm not roses and sunshine all the time. I have all the feelings.

Yeah, exactly. And that's okay.

So what do you think has been most helpful to you so far in your motherhood journey?

I think just being willing to pave my own way and being able to take advice from people, but also know that if it doesn't feel good for me and my family, that it's okay that I don't do what everyone is throwing at me because there's so much advice, so many opinions about motherhood. That it's like if you tried to do what everyone said that you like, you should be doing, you would absolutely go insane. And so I think that's what's been totally game changer and has helped me to just fully embrace motherhood and who I want to be as a mom and be able to be okay with going against the norms and doing what feels good for me and my family.

That is such good advice. We all needed to hear that. My, my husband got me a shirt when we had little babies and has said, no unsolicited advice.

Exactly. I love it.

I have changed though. Now when people give me advice, instead of feeling annoyed that they're giving me unsolicited advice, now I'm like, okay, listen and see if it fits for your life. Because a lot of times it does and a lot of times it doesn't. So now I'm like, just be open-minded and listen to what they're saying.

Exactly. And I think it's also important to know that like you might think that you're gonna do this and it's okay if you try it out for a little bit and then you transition and actually say, you know what, actually that's not working for me and my family. I'm going to try something else because, you know, motherhood goes through so many different stages, you know, as your children are growing up. And it's like one thing might work for a little bit, but if it ends up not working long term, it's okay to change and try different things. That's like, you don't have to feel bad. Like, okay, actually that's not what I want to be doing.

Yeah, that's really true. That is so true. Just when we think we have something figured out, they change. Our kids change all the time. Can you tell everyone what kind of support that you seek out that helps you?

So I have my own coach, which has been very helpful and, you know, game changer. I feel like everyone needs someone that they can kind of rely on to see their stuff because when you're deep in it, you're not able to fully call yourself out on things. And, you know, be able to have that person. I also seek out a counselor because, you know, a lot of motherhood has brought up things from my childhood and it's all about, you know, working on fixing the insides of you in order to, you know, be a better version of yourself. So that has helped a lot. And also just relying on like my support system. So my family and my friends that I have nearby to, you know, when I need a moment to step away, to ask help for either, you know, come over and watch my son or can you come help me pick up my house and get, you know, whatever I'm needing in that moment to not feel bad that I need to ask for help. And so that has been a game changer. And also, if you do have like a significant other or whatever, scheduling in time for, you know, you and your partner has been huge for, you know, my mindset and how I'm feeling and also for our, you know, marriage.

Well, that's the perfect segue into my next question because now tell me if I'm wrong, but from memory, you've been with your high school sweetheart for 14 years, right? Yeah, that's incredible that you married your high school sweetheart. So tell us what you've learned on your 14-year journey with him about marriage and relationships.

Um, just, I think, being able to give each other grace and also to be able to say what we're needing, because I feel like I still struggle with this and it's something I'm still working on. But I feel like so often when, especially with us being together for so long, I kind of just expect him to know what I'm needing in that moment or whatever. And then when he doesn't, you know, show up as I was expecting him to, then I end up getting frustrated. And then we're bickering over something and he's just like, well, why didn't you say that's what you needed? And it's like, I don't know, because I just expected that you would, you know, know that. So I think having communication and just being open to, you know, your partner and being able to fully express what you're needing in that moment and um, being willing to listen and help them through whatever they're going through, and just being able to prioritize your marriage too. Because, you know, your kids are going to grow up, they're going to leave the house, and eventually you're just going to have, you know, you and your partner. So it's important to not forget about their needs and what they're, you know, going through at that time too.

That was such good advice. We definitely expect each other in relationships to read each other's mind. I think, you know, we got in a little tiff yesterday because I just thought something was common sense. Yeah, hates when I say that. If I could take common sense out of my vocabulary, we would have so many less fights. So I think I need to remove it because he is like, common sense doesn't exist. Like, I just don't know. I don't know sometimes that you expect something. And he's like, if you tell me, I'll give it to you.

Yeah, yeah. So yeah, my husband's the same way. He's like, well, I didn't know that that's what needed, or like, if you would just ask me to do that, I would do that. And it's like, well, sometimes I also think that that's another struggle for like moms is that we have, or it feels like we have such more mental load than like our partner. And I think that sometimes it's important for our significant others to kind of give us a little bit more grace and compassion because it's like I have so much going on in my mind with like, you know, everything that I have going on. I don't think to ask him to do things. So I think that's another thing that was kind of, um, something that like me and my husband are still working through and working on because, you know, every day is something different.

Absolutely. Well, and, and if, if my memory is serving me correctly, my producer found you at a Beauty Boost Buffalo event. Am I right? Is that— yeah, I'm trying to, I'm trying to remember the sequence. So was that like an exercise Exercise thing, or do you remember? Yes, that was—

yeah, it was the Fitness Sampler.

So are you a part of that group?

Yeah.

Do you feel like that's been a good support system for you?

Absolutely. And I think that, you know, that's one thing I wish I would have done a little bit sooner in motherhood is to find like either mom groups or women's support groups that I could go to. And either even if it's online, But even more importantly is in person, because just being able to get out of the house, talk to people, and to meet new people has been an absolute game changer for, you know, my mindset. And it also made me, you know, feel more like myself outside of motherhood.

Yeah. And we can, you know, especially for moms who work at home like me, we can be home too much. So I love that stuff like that gets us out of the house.

Yes, absolutely.

So when you're life coaching, do you do it virtually or do you do it in person? How does that work?

I've been just doing everything virtually right now.

And are you accepting new, new clients that might be?

Yes, I am. Yeah.

So can you tell everyone how to find you if they want to find you?

Yes, they can find me on Instagram at Jessica Swanson underscore life dot coach. That's pretty much where I connect with everyone. If they can shoot me a DM and we can connect, you know, there.

Awesome. Well, I asked you a ton of questions. Is there anything else that I didn't ask you that you would like to share?

Well, I don't think so. I think we touched on everything.

I asked you a ton of questions, and I know I took you away from your family on a Saturday. So thank you so much for taking time to talk to me and sharing your expertise. I really appreciate it.

Yes, I'm so glad that I was able to do this, and it was great talking with you.

You too. This is Rebecca Greene, and I want to remind everyone to spend every day laughing, learning, and loving. Thank you for tuning in to the Whiny Palooza podcast. If you like what you heard, please be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. While you are there, leave a review. I love to hear your feedback. Thank you so much for listening. Until next time.

This show has been produced by Market Domination LLC. To discover how you can have your own show completely done for you and turn it into a real published book and become the authority in your marketplace, go to www.marketdominationllc.com/podcastoffer.

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