In this episode, we are talking about all things holidays! As we approach the holiday season, we know that while it feels magical and even if we love this time of year, it can also feel overwhelming.
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In this episode, we are talking about how entrepreneurial jobs are viewed as more of a hobby or can be seen as “less than” in the home and the world, especially for women.
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We are wrapping up our series on identity crisis. I am sure this is not the last we will talk about identity crises, because as moms, we go through so many changes throughout our lives. If you're looking around your quiet house and thinking, “Wait—who am I now?”—you’re not alone.
According to a 2023 study by AARP, 60% of empty nesters report experiencing a loss of identity after their children leave home. More than half - and like our previous stats about PPD - this number feels LOW!
Because everything always seems fine, until it’s not! It’s crazy that these things just aren’t really talked about. During our research, we had trouble finding facts around this because people sort of gloss over the hard parts. Because this isn’t postpartum or menopause or another “named” phase—we don’t always talk about it. Which leads to that isolating feeling of, “Is it just me?” Or being an empty nester is viewed in such a positive light, or like a “you got your freedom back - now you can travel - or whatever.” But not… You just spent the last 18+ years caring for children, and now that part of you is no longer in service. What happens when you come home from work now? What do your weekends look like? How are you spending your time? It’s wild!
And have you thought to yourself, Why does this stage hit so deep? Well, because motherhood becomes part of your core identity. And let’s be real—society doesn’t help. We’re praised for being selfless, for putting everyone else first. But when your full-time caregiving role ends, there’s this echo of “Now what?”
As therapist and author Dr. Shefali Tsabary puts it:
“We begin to confuse our role with our identity. When the role ends, we feel as though our identity has disappeared too.”
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This episode is the second in our identity crisis series, which is about what it feels like when our kids go to school. Maybe you were a stay-at-home mom, and now your kids are gone during the day. What now? Maybe you work a 9-5 and your schedule has to adapt to school hours, and who you are in your career has to shift. One question I see asked all the time in my mom groups is: I’m traveling with my kids, what are all your tips and tricks?! I love that we are doing this episode! I have asked a couple of friends who I know travel with kids regularly for some tips, so we will share those too!
Or maybe you are a new mom and sending your baby to daycare. That is a tough transition, and you’re trying to make sure you are making the right choice for yourself and your baby. Before having that baby, decisions were so much easier because they involved one less person, and for that matter, one person who can’t make decisions on their own. This could mean part-time daycare or jumping right into full-time daycare. There are so many emotions that come with that.
Just know that you are not alone!
About 70% of mothers report feeling a loss of purpose or direction when children first go to school full-time.
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In this episode, we are starting a new series all about identity crises. We’ll explore three different phases of life that all involve a shift in who we are as mothers and as women. We are starting with the change that comes when we become mothers, the birth and postpartum phase. The next two episodes we go into when our kids start school and when we become empty nesters (someday for us!)
In reality, around 10–20% of mothers experience clinically significant postpartum depression (World Health Organization).
Postpartum & Birth Resources:
✨ These resources are not a substitute for medical care, but they’re a great place to start if you’re looking for support.
👉 These are also resources we wish we had known about during our own postpartum journeys. You’re not alone. 💛
General Support & Education
Postpartum Support International (PSI): www.postpartum.net – Free resources, peer support, and access to mental health professionals.
📞 Helpline (call or text): 1-800-944-4773 (English & Español)
The Fourth Trimester Project: www.newmomhealth.com – Research-backed info and tools for the first 12 weeks after birth.
Evidence Based Birth: www.evidencebasedbirth.com – Articles, podcasts, and resources on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.
Mental Health & Community
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In today’s episode, we’re continuing our conversation on traveling with kids! This time, we’re sharing some of the best places to go based on your kids’ ages, the benefits of traveling as a family, and a few of our favorite travel tips. Plus—we’re excited to kick off a brand-new recurring segment you won’t want to miss!
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In this episode, we’re talking about traveling with kids. We figure this is the perfect time to talk about this since it is summertime! We’re going to break down the different kinds of travel like road trips, air travel, and sight-seeing / amusement parks.
One question I see asked all the time in my mom groups is: I’m traveling with my kids, what are all your tips and tricks?! I love that we are doing this episode! I have asked a couple of friends who I know travel with kids regularly for some tips so we will share those too!
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In this episode, we’re talking about what it’s really like to parent through summer—when routines are loose (or non-existent), snack requests are endless, and emotions are running high (theirs and ours).
We wanted to have an honest conversation about the mental load of summer—how much falls on caregivers to create the magic, keep the peace, and somehow still get things done. If you're feeling a little tapped out right now, you're not alone.
We get into how we're navigating screen time, camp decisions, sibling dynamics, quiet time, boredom, and the (sometimes unrealistic) pressure to make every moment meaningful. We also share what’s working for us, what’s not, and how we’re trying to create pockets of rest and connection—without burning ourselves out.
This one’s a mix of empathy, strategy, and gentle reminders:
*You don’t have to be the full-time cruise director.
*Boredom is okay (and good).
*You're allowed to set boundaries, need breaks, and change your mind.
Summer is a season—not a performance. Let’s make space for joy and mess and real-life memories.
Your kids are gonna remember how they felt during these summers— not what you did.
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In this episode, we’re diving into procrastination and work avoidance—those moments where you know exactly what you should be doing, but you find yourself doing literally anything else. Maybe you’re deep-cleaning your kitchen, maybe you’re lost in the seventh layer of TikTok, or maybe you're just... frozen. We’ve all been there. And we want to talk about it with some honesty, some science, and a lot of grace.
Because procrastination is about managing emotions, not time. Work with your rhythms, not against them.
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In this episode, we talk about how we view priorities. This is something we’ve mentioned before in previous episodes, and we wanted to dedicate an entire episode to this concept.
The word is “Priority”, being singular, which means that there can only be ONE most important thing.
It wasn't until the 20th century that the concept was pluralized into "priorities." The shift reflects a change in thinking, from the understanding that one could only have a single 'first' thing to the modern idea that several 'first' things can be juggled simultaneously. Yet, this modern interpretation also reveals a paradox; if many things are 'first,' the essential meaning of 'prior'—to be before something else—is diluted.
— Jeff Kays, from this article, which is really good!
There are a few tried-and-true methods that can help sort priorities. One of the most famous is the Eisenhower Matrix, where you break tasks into four categories:
Urgent and important (do these first)
Important but not urgent (it might seem like urgent would come first but actually doing what is important should come first)
Urgent but not important (urgent to whom? How urgent?)
Neither urgent nor important (why even do these? Are they must-dos? Can you get rid of or outsource them?)
Here is a link to download a PDF of this that you can fill in to keep yourself on track!
Psychologist Dr. Susan David, whom we are loving right now, is an award-winning Harvard Medical School psychologist and named one of the world's most influential management thinkers. She calls this “emotional agility”, which she has written a book about, so check that out. And BTW, there’s an emotional agility quiz on her site, you know we are all about that. (https://www.susandavid.com/quiz/) This is about letting your values—not your calendar—guide your choices. That way, even if your day is full, it’s full of things that mean something.
Three questions to ask yourself to determine your day’s priorities:
What’s urgent AND important?
What’s just noise?
What would help me breathe better if it was done first?
Try setting ONE priority at a time and then be fully present for that.
We saw a little trick recently, that if you have trouble saying no, make a punch card for yourself and for every time you say no to something that doesn’t align, punch the card and then after 10 get yourself a little treat.
Here’s the link to download our punch card! Cause we all love little treats, let’s be real.
“When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.”
“A person with a priority does what matters, while a person without a priority does what is urgent.” — Anastasia Mudrova
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In this episode, we are going to talk about getting out of our comfort zone! Whether it is something big, like moving to a new city, or small, like driving a different route to work, we think the fact that you tried anything is impressive!
We talk about taking small steps in our manifestation episode and how that can make a big difference, and the same could go for stepping out of our comfort zone. Start small and do something like drive a different route to your favorite coffee shop. Mixing up the routine can often be hard for people so just switching one little thing can help you get comfortable with bigger things in the future. It can help you be more adaptable, too.
When things aren’t necessarily going great, you can shift without too much stress because you know there are lots of paths to the same destination.
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In this episode, we talk about the mental load and household management. We get into how we each manage our households and what that looks like with our families. We also touch on kids’ chores, activities, and expectations.
The mental load is described as “the often invisible cognitive and emotional labor involved in managing a household and family, including planning, scheduling, and remembering tasks. It's the work of anticipating needs, making decisions, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.”
We came up with 5 ways that can help you lighten the mental load!
1. Family Planning Meetings
2. Visible To-Do Lists
3. Delegate Ownership, Not Just Tasks
4. Celebrate Small Wins
5. Model Asking for Help
Remember, you’re not weak for asking for help; you’re wise.
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In this episode, we are talking about angel numbers and human design — and how these tools can actually help you get more in sync with yourself.
Here’s the thing — when you start paying attention to patterns, nudges, and your own natural energy, it’s like the volume on your life turns up. You start to realize what’s really yours versus what you’ve just been carrying.
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In this episode, we are going to walk you through a brief history of women, specifically in the US, as it relates to womens' rights, money, business, etc. And the different events that led to where we are today and where we hope to go in the future."We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."
— Maya Angelou“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.”
— Coco Chanel“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish”
— Michelle Obama
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A fun quiz to see which trailblazing woman you are most aligned with! Kelly and Carly got the same result: Michelle Obama!
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We took all the personality quizzes—just like we used to in our favorite '90s magazines—and we’re sharing our results! From Love Languages and Myers-Briggs to the Enneagram, Big 5, Emotional Intelligence, and Clifton Strengths, we break down what we learned, what surprised us, and how these tools help us better understand ourselves (and each other). Don’t worry—we’ve linked them all so you can take them too!
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Strengths Finder / Clifton Strengths
You Handled That Perfectly™
As mentioned in our Manifestation Part 2 episode, this quick bonus segment will walk you through a calming breathwork and grounding exercise designed to regulate your nervous system in just two minutes. Use it anytime you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in your head—and reset your energy so you can shift into clarity, calm, and alignment.
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We love talking manifestation so much and had a lot to say about it, we decided to do a part 2!
This time we get a little more into the science behind manifesting and how it’s not only a fun thing to do but also proven to help reduce stress, build confidence, and give people a sense of purpose. There is a big tie between manifesting and nervous system regulation. They go hand in hand because knowing that you are aligned with the universe in your goals and trusting the process will allow your body and brain to take a breather allowing it space to regulate.
One thing we mention to help get you to a place of least resistance to manifesting is box breathing. The process here is to breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, out for 4, and then hold again for 4. After a couple rounds of this your body will calm and allow you to be in a place where you can envision the future you want.
Carly mentions the Quantum Theory, which was hinted at above. The theory is that we are all the same energy, and when we are aligned with the universe, things work together to make our goals become reality. It is similar to the power of positive thinking but with a giant universe-size force behind it.
Ask, believe, work, receive.
For more details on everything we mentioned in this episode—plus some of our favorite people to learn from—head over to our Instagram. We’re always sharing more insights, resources, and the experts we love!
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“When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” - Wayne Dyer
Manifesting what you want is no new concept. We remember reading The Secret then creating vision boards and putting out positive energy essentially, doing all the things. There are so many self-help and affirmation-style resources now that come with the idea that we can manifest our futures. But manifesting is only part of the process, the rest comes with action taken on those dreams.
In this episode, we talk about how we manifest our dreams and what steps we have taken to make them happen. We also discuss what we do when things don’t seem to go our way and how we give ourselves grace then reassess our goals. We don’t want to get so caught up in them that we miss opportunities along the way.
We talked about a manifestation journal workshop where we did a guided journaling session that we loved. We were prompted to write 1.5 pages of gratitude for things in the present and then go into future gratitude as if it were already happening for another 1.5 pages. This was a helpful thing for both of us and is a nice fresh way to look at journaling!
Our book recommendation: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
One thing that Carly mentioned as a turning point in her life, was when she made the decision to go to Grad School and told her mom she would be 30 when she finished. Her mom’s response, “you’ll be 30 anyway, you might as well have a degree”. We understand that time is going to pass anyway, so why not be working toward a version of our future selves in the process. Think of how happy past you is to see you now. Taking small steps is important on your evolution to the person you want to be. Things are not going to happen overnight; be sure to give yourself grace and allow the right things to come your way.
Past you is cheering you on.
Future you is welcoming you.
Your “you” team is your biggest cheering section.
And remember: “If you build it, they will come” - Field of Dreams
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In this episode, we talk about starting a business! We felt like this was a logical next episode for us since it is so fresh in our minds having just started this business. Like we mentioned before, we both own businesses that launched in 2023 and have taken slightly different paths with those.
Carly started her business with a jump in and figure it out as you go mindset. She built out her client base through connections and networking. She got in touch with previous employers and asked if they needed help and wanted to contract to her or had connections who need help. She has since established a healthy balance between retainer clients and new projects or continuous projects. All her marketing efforts have been through networking and word-of-mouth, which has worked for her.
Kelly started with a more conservative mindset, setting out all her plans, goals, offerings, and making sure everything was buttoned up first. Then she joined a business group where she met potential clients and learned what she could about the business world. She has since started networking and joining more groups in order to get the word out about her services.
We wanted to share steps to help you get started on your business, lots of these happen in tandem, but for the sake of creating a guide, we have listed them as steps here! Please reach out with questions, we’re here for you!
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Carly interviews Kelly: Kelly is the founder and owner of Avalon Professional Services, where she helps female entrepreneurs—especially moms—streamline their operations with high-level support that bridges the gap between a virtual assistant and a fractional COO. With over 20 years of remote work experience and a background working alongside C-level executives, Kelly has mastered the art of organization, efficiency, and strategic problem-solving. She is passionate about helping business owners reclaim their time so they can focus on what truly matters.
Dedicated to delivering exceptional service and building strong, long-term relationships, Kelly goes above and beyond to support her clients. As a wife, mother of two, and entrepreneur, she understands the importance of work-life balance and brings this perspective to You Handled That Perfectly™, offering real, relatable insights from her own journey.
When she’s not working, Kelly finds joy in little adventures with her family, embracing the outdoors with her dogs, immersing herself in music, podcasts, or audiobooks, indulging in gaming, and nurturing her passion for holistic wellness.
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