Christina is sharing some personal reflections about the season she's in and needing to honor her capacity. This one is for you if you're feeling weary, like your cup is a bit too full, like your inner or outer world has become loud, like you aren't showing up in the way you desire because you're pulled in too many directions. We hope you find so much grace and space here today.
“You have permission to be ordinary. To live a quiet life. To go for a walk. To do good work without being seen. To be present with your people instead of always building something. Your life doesn’t have to be optimized to be meaningful. The ordinary creates space for what truly matters.” - David Keeler
Apply the content in your own life:
Practice asking yourself, 'Who am I going to be today?' vs 'What am i going to do today?' If your cup is too full for you to show up the way you desire, what do you need to prune?
Links:
It's easy to feel like every other mom is doing it better or with more aesthetic. But comparison truly impacts our ability to cultivate presence and true gratitude. So I'm sharing a list of things I don't do as a mom, that might make you feel a little less alone in the sweet ordinary reality of motherhood. We're truly all just doing our best.
Apply the content in your own life:
Where can you lean into gentle contentedness rather than comparison as a mother or wife or friend.
Links:
We're catching up and asking each other three questions to foster deeper connection, that you might find helpful to ask a loved one as well.
Apply the content in your own life:
Can you ask one of these questions to your spouse or a friend this week?
-What's been good lately?
-What's been hard lately?
-What have you been learning lately?
Links:
Christina is sharing the backstory behind the newest branch of The Willow Tree - Christina Grace Interiors, as well as the correlation between our values, beauty, and feeling at home.
Apply the content in your own life:
How does your home feel to you right now? How do you want it to feel? Are there any shifts that you can make in your rooms (decluttering, adding beauty, seeking inspiration), or in the emotional energy of the space, to foster more of the home that you desire?
Links:
Christina is talking all about her personal journey with anxiety and specifically agoraphobia. She shares real life situations and practical tools that have empowered her to break free of the power that anxiety once had over her.
Apply the content in your own life:
What's something you're proud of yourself for in this season that would have felt impossible in the past? I'd love to hear if you want to message me over on IG!
Links:
I've been engaging and researching a lot around the topic of consumerism lately and it's really challenged me to make some changes in how I approach spending. This is a very open conversation exploring some of the big issues with consumerism in our time, as well as my personal conviction and what I'm doing differently in 2025.
Apply the content in your own life:
Does this conversation bring anything up for you? Is this something you want to move towards in awareness and action? What is one small step you can commit to?
"Pay attention, and do good, as often as you can. It does matter."
Links:
If you were sitting at my kitchen table and feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, more symptomatic, or anxious in this season....I'd pour you a warm drink, give you a hug, and tell you these things....
Apply the content in your own life:
How can you extend compassion and care towards yourself this week? Are there specific words you need to hear over and over again? Write them down and keep them in view.
Links:
Christina is talking about all things gift giving today.
-Intentional gift ideas on a budget
-Creating an intentional wishlist
-Gift ideas for a toddler/child
-Managing toy overwhelm
-What's on Christina's wishlist
Apply the content in your own life:
What is a learned belief about gift giving that you want to release?
Links:
A friend recently asked which one of us is the bigger dreamer, and it got us thinking about the topic. A lot. Turns out it's a bit of a tender topic. So we thought we'd have that conversation with you. Why do we stop dreaming? What about when dreaming gets painful? Does dreaming matter? What things are we currently dreaming about?
Apply the content in your own life:
Is there a dream that you could take action to breathe new life into?
Is there a need for acceptance in your current season where you might need to find peace with putting a big dream on pause?
Links:
This topic has come up often when we ask for listener questions, so today Christina is diving into the subject of fitness. As an Integrative Health Coach and certified yoga instructor, she's sharing from education and experience about why exercise matters, practical tips for incorporating it into your life season / preferences / limitations, and what her current fitness routine is.
Apply the content in your own life:
What would it look like to carve out 30 minutes a day for intentional exercise?
What would it look like to carve out 30 minutes a day for a walk?
What is getting in the way of a lifestyle routine of daily movement?
How can you creatively work around that obstacle?
Links:
Want to partner with us by supporting the show for $5 a month? We are so grateful!
We're so happy to be back for season 2! Today we're talking about transitioning into the colder months, mimicking nature, our family rhythms, and personal intentions for the final three months of the year.
Apply the content in your own life:
Where can you slow or let go to mimic nature in these winter months?
Maybe it's pausing a project for the next 3 months, letting go of a social commitment, minimizing your belongings to create less overwhelm, etc.
Links:
We're sharing 10 daily habits for health, heart, and home to help us thrive. From nervous system regulation to nourishment and rituals.
This is our final episode before taking a brief pause! We'll be back the first week of October. Until then, if you're a paying subscriber, you can expect to see us in your email inbox with inspiration and check-ins in the coming weeks!
Apply the content in your own life:
Is there a habit you want to add to your routine this summer to bring more health to your mind or body? What's the first small step towards making that a reality?
Links:
Osea skin care
We're answering your questions!
Garden update
Summer products we love
What a "thinker" needs for connection
How we budget
Finding high quality decaf coffee
Cloth diapering
Supporting a spouse with chronic illness
What makes a house a home
Apply the content in your own life:
What do you need for soul care this week?
What does your body need this week?
What is your priority relationally this week?
Links:
Free weekly intention sheet to download
Kinfield mosquito repellant
Kinfield anti itch balm
Kinfield deodorant
Owala waterbottles: Stephen's, Christina's, Beckett's
Gathre mat
Earth Runner sandals
Every Dollar budgeting software
Grovia cloth diapers
Lubalin video
Mental health with chronic illness is a huge topic, but today we're starting the conversation with a cycle that Christina has often found herself in -- from distance and denial, to acceptance and grief, to action and recalibration, back to distance. We talk about how this cycle is healthy and helpful in the process of progression both physically, mentally, and emotionally. We hope you feel seen and find grace and space as you sit with us under The Willow Tree for this very tender and important topic.
Apply the content in your own life:
Where in your life can you soften and accept in order to progress?
Where might resistance be causing more suffering?
Links:
Earth Runner sandals
Anti itch balm
Owala tumbler - Christina's favorite
Owala free sip - Stephen's favorite
What do you want to be when you grow up? What's your calling, purpose, life work... Society really hits hard with this question starting at a young age all through adulthood. It can bring feelings of shame, anxiety, and confusion if you don't feel like you have an "acceptable" answer as you age. So today we're talking about our experience with never feeling like we "landed" in the way that we once thought we needed to, and how perhaps purpose is a daily posture, not a roadmap up the ladder. We also share the very random jobs we've had in our life so far...and there's quite a few! See you under the Willow Tree!
Apply the content in your own life:
Is there a path, hobby, or job that you’re curious about trying? Can you dip your toes in for the sake of the journey and not the outcome?
Links:
Talk about following your curiosity
Blueberry sage tea from Yogi
Sink strainer
Wonder Oven: 6 in 1 air fryer toaster oven (we have the color "steam")
Normalyte hydration (Christina is using the "pure" version)
This could also be titled "listen in on Christina's therapy session." This is a really interesting conversation about the dynamic between a "feeler" and a "thinker" in relationship. Often the "feelers" can internalize the message from our society that they're "too much." Maybe you can relate to this? We're talking about our experience with this dynamic in our own marriage and some powerful things we've learned about honoring emotions as a form of intelligence equal to any other form of intelligence.
Apply the content in your own life:
Are you a deep feeler? How can you honor and celebrate that part of your intelligence rather than try to subdue it? If you’re a deep thinker, how can you honor that part of someone in your life?
Links:
Ranger Station Woodland Rose non-toxic candle
Tolos barefoot shoes
This week we're talking about ways we budget and stretch our dollar to allocate our money towards the things that matter most to us. We share some practical tips, mindset shifts, and ways that we save in order to spend more in other areas.
Apply the content in your own life:
What is one item or area of your spending that you can be more frugal in, in order to allocate the money towards something that matters more to you and is in alignment with your values?
Links:
Non toxic dish soap refill
Non toxic hand soap refill
Non toxic body soap - we also use this to refill all of our hand soap bottles sometimes
The Life on Purpose IG account
Cloth napkins
Electric lighter
Every Dollar Budgeting app
Favorite kitchen knife
Chicken dance video
Vegan enchilada recipe
This weeks is all about composting! And if that sounds boring...hold tight because this episode is actually pretty interesting and you might just find it to be a lot more simple and beneficial than you thought! Stephen shares why it matters and how you can create a simple system to benefit the earth!
Apply the content in your own life:
How can you be more mindful of waste in this season? Recycling, reusing, composting, etc.
Links:
Compost tumblr
Geobin composting for a large pile
Videos:
The Art of Lazy Composting
6 Different Ways to Compost
As a certified integrative health coach, Christina has worked with clients for years helping them navigate nutritional needs and preferences. So today she's sharing 5 tips for meal planning and prep that have been most helpful for her, especially in seasons of overwhelm or limited physical capacity. We're also sharing some of our current favorite meals that she cooks weekly!
Apply the content in your own life:
If dinner prep feels overwhelming, can you identify why?
How can you approach that obstacle in a creative way to overcome it?
Reach out to a friend and ask what a few of their favorite meals are lately to get some new ideas!
Links:
Nourish bowl blog and template
Rice maker
Mini food processor
Waffle maker
Stoneware bread pan
Vitamix blender
Single serve pour over
Popcorn maker
Toaster oven/air fryer - I can't find the exact one we have but this is similar
Bath towels
As seasons change it's an invitation to live in alignment with refreshed rhythms. Today we're sharing a few things that we're doing for our health, heart, and home as we transition from winter to spring.
Apply the content in your own life:
-Is there a task or rhythm that you want to instill in this season?
-Is there an area of your life that you'd like to reach out for someone to support you - doctor, financial advisor, designer, business expert, nutrition coach, spiritual director, therapist, etc?
-What's one thing you can put on your calendar to enjoy, experience, or accomplish this season?
Links:
Organic cotton pillow cases
Clothing storage bags