The Confident Mom Podcast

MAGICAL MOMENTS OF MOTHERHOOD CONFIDENT MOM PODCAST #018 My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her. – -George Washington Today, on The Confident Mom, we’re chatting about: * Slowing down when you’re super busy with the 4-minute pause * Fighting self-comparison * Saying yes to more magic in the madness of motherhood MAGICAL MOMENT: THAT LOOK www.trishblackwell.com/thatlook SPONSORSHIP NOTE: I am proud to be an educator and consultant for Beautycounter, a B-Corp company on a mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone.   The lack of regulation in the personal care and cosmetic industry is astounding and it is harming our health in very serious ways. We need more voices to join up on our mission. If you want to put your passion to purpose while being generously compensated, then I would love to start a conversation with you about what it means to be involved in the #saferbeauty tribe that is Beautycounter. Join the movement of #betterbeauty and message me via email to make your voice really resonate for a cause. ANNOUNCEMENTS: * Want more confidence and inspiration in your life? Make sure you come like my Facebook Fan page at facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness and go check out my other top-ranked podcast show, Confidence on the Go at www.trishblackwell.com/podcasts * Tell someone else about this show! * Excited about this new show? Help me know that by writing a review in iTunes. I promise I personally read each review and that reviews are like little love letters to me. Now go out there and be more of who you are, be you, be free, be the confident mom that you are meant to be.

CREATING A FAMILY LEGACY EPISODE #015 “Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” —Robert Browning In this episode of The Confident Mom Podcast, we’re chatting about: * What a family legacy is – the emotional, social and spiritual components of it. * Probing thoughts on how to create a legacy and heritage that lasts and leaves an impact that matters * Practical ways to create a legacy of memories that will unite your family more intimately The podcast for regular, busy moms who just want to be the best mom they can be….a podcast for moms to have confidence in knowing that they are in fact doing a great job, that they are a great mom and that they are raising up great kids who will have great futures. SPONSORSHIP NOTE: I am proud to be an educator and consultant for Beautycounter, a B-Corp company on a mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone.   The lack of regulation in the personal care and cosmetic industry is astounding and it is harming our health in very serious ways. We need more voices to join up on our mission. If you want to put your passion to purpose while being generously compensated, then I would love to start a conversation with you about what it means to be involved in the #saferbeauty tribe that is Beautycounter. Join the movement of #betterbeauty and message me via email to make your voice really resonate for a cause. CREATING A FAMILY LEGACY From Focus on the Family: http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/building-relationships/family-legacies/family-legacies-passing-on-a-legacy No matter who we are, where we live, or what our goals may be, we all have one thing in common: a heritage. That is, a social, emotional and spiritual legacy passed on from parent to child. Every one of us is passed a heritage, lives out a heritage, and gives a heritage to our family. It's not an option. Parents always pass to their children a legacy … good, bad or some of both. REFLECT UPON YOUR GIVEN LEGACY What has been passed onto you that is positive? Know yourself, know your family legacy and take pride in it. Me? Maternal grandparents --- work ethic, passion for physical activity Paternal grandparents --- large family gatherings, open door policy Mother --- courage to do anything, belief in potential, unquenchable love for learning Father --- easy going attitude and approach to life, no stress Then, think about what legacy or generational tendencies you wish to put an end to. Me? Maternal grandparents --- scarcity mindset, sternness Paternal grandparents --- gossip and careless spending Mother --- fear based anxiety and perfectionism Father --- not getting involved in things on a deep level WHITE BOARD VISION CASTING Create family mantra (je suis belle, “Synans are people who love everyone”) Create family mission statement (work in progress) Create family values (love, generosity, communication, connection, kindness, courage, integrity) Create family traditions (celebratory picnics, surprise poems, mother’s day winery, family walks, Christmas morning baileys, family bedtime prayer) Create family impact – what organizations matter to you? (our church, compassion, young life, water) PRACTICAL WAYS TO CREATE A LEGACY IN TANGIBLE WAYS Collect favorite family recipes Created personalized photo albums

STRONG, NOT SKINNY EPISODE #014 THE CONFIDENT MOM PODCAST We have a secret in our culture, and it’s not that birth is painful. It’s that women are strong.” ~ Laura Stavoe Harm Today, the confident mom community is chatting about * Teaching our children to be confident in their strengths * How the way we define strength for ourselves impacts the way our children see strength * 2 tips to help you pursue being strong instead of being skinny HIATUS EXPLANATION: I've been passionately launching my newest book, Insecurity Detox: A Breakout Plan to Rejuvenate Your Mind, Body and Spirit ... grab your own copy at  www.insecuritydetox.com SPONSORSHIP NOTE: I am proud to be an educator and consultant for Beautycounter, a B-Corp company on a mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone.   The lack of regulation in the personal care and cosmetic industry is astounding and it is harming our health in very serious ways. We need more voices to join up on our mission. If you want to put your passion to purpose while being generously compensated, then I would love to start a conversation with you about what it means to be involved in the #saferbeauty tribe that is Beautycounter. Join the movement of #betterbeauty and message me via email to make your voice really resonate for a cause. STRONG, NOT SKINNY. The message I want to teach my daughter is that I believe I am beautiful. Do I always believe that? No, my mind manipulates my emotions all the time. But I know it to be truth. I am in the constant pursuit of training my mind to be strong in truth. Mom, do you want to be skinny? No, I want to be strong. WHAT DOES STRENGTH MEAN TO YOU?  Strength to me is: …the ability to slow down and savor daily life …the mental fortitude it takes to put on a good attitude every day …the pounding my legs can take in my pursuit of physical endurance …the humility to know that every day is a day in which I can learn from others …the pursuit of personal empowerment …the mindset of inner confidence …the patience in walking through seasons of life …the pursuit of excellence rather than perfection …the ability to love even when it hurts …the practice of generosity and grace, even to those who don’t reciprocate …the act of forgiveness …the walk of walk in trusting in God’s plan and in His abundance TWO WAYS TO PURSUE STRONG: * Start making strength training a priority. * Establish goals based around strength, not weight. ANNOUNCEMENTS: * Want more confidence and inspiration in your life? Make sure you come like my Facebook Fan page at facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness and go check out my other top-ranked podcast show, Confidence on the Go at www.trishblackwell.com/podcasts * Tell someone else about this show! * Excited about this new show? Help me know that by writing a review in iTunes. I promise I personally read each review and that reviews are like little love letters to me.   Now go out there and be more of who you are, be you, be free, be the confident mom that you are meant to be.

NO MORE DUCK SYNDROME EPISODE #0013 THE CONFIDENT MOM PODCAST     * What is duck syndrome – and how it has become a toxic part of your life * Why fighting against it will increase your happiness. * 5 specific ways to stop the syndrome         WHAT IS IT?   In 2003, Duke jolted academia with a report describing how its female students felt pressure to be “effortlessly perfect”: smart, accomplished, fit, beautiful and popular, all without visible effort. At Stanford, it’s called the Duck Syndrome. A duck appears to glide calmly across the water, while beneath the surface it frantically, relentlessly paddles.     The perception of a perfect life "believes social media is a huge contributor to the misperception among students that peers aren’t also struggling."  It's easy to see how this could contribute to a feeling of loneliness and helplessness.           WHY I’M THINKING ABOUT DUCKS:   * Because Ellie is obsessed. * Because I have suffered from both sides of effects of duck syndrome WHY TO FIGHT AGAINST IT:   * Inauthentic * Isolating * Exhausting * False and based on lies from our enemy * Discourages us and discourages others – lifts no one up * Self-glorifying – when we fall prey to duck syndrome we are focused on impressing others, not necessarily on making an impression in the world   HOW TO STOP THE SYNDROME:   * Be honest with your struggle * Let people see your mess * Live to love and build up others – not yourself * Acknowledge your hard work (and give yourself periods of rest to glide) * Change your goals (go against perfectionistic thinking and other people’s opinions / strive to significance, not success)      

  HOW TO STOP OVERANALYZING YOUR PARENTING EPISODE #012   You know your life has changed when going to the grocery store by yourself is a vacation.         WHY DO WE OVERANALYZE?   We overanalyze because we self-doubt. We overanalyze because we fear that we aren’t enough. We overanalyze because we compare. We overanalyze because we lack trust and confidence in our capabilities.     HOW CAN WE STOP OVERANALYZING SO MUCH?     There are five simple framing shifts that we need to do mentally in order to stop the habit of overanalyzing. Summed up, these are confidence markers and the stronger our innate self-confidence and understanding of our self-worth is, the stronger we will be in holding to our ability to trust these truths.   * Trust your gut. * Trust your capabilities. * Trust your love. * Trust your falability – know that you aren’t perfect and won’t ever be, nor do you need to be. * Trust God’s design – you are perfectly matched with your child for a reason. When you think back on your parents, whatever your relationship might be or have been with them, there was a reason they were your parents. God could have put your child in the lives of any number of people or families, but He chose you.     It’s important to know and remember that we will make mistakes, that we will fail our children and that we will have things we need to learn along the way – but the mark of truly successful parenting is not displayed through the accomplishments of your child, whether or not your family looks like it’s walked out of a J.Crew catalogue or whether you look like a good parent – the mark of great parenting are children who have hearts overflowing with love and kindness for others. I really believe that if we live with kindness as our compass, then our compassion and love for others will power us to follow our dreams and purposes and to be successful and contributing members to society at large…ultimately making the world a better place. And isn’t that what we desire as parents? For our children to live with happiness and to live in a world that is better than the world in which we abide? We can do and accomplish this by making our children’s character the most important focus of our parenting.         * Write down your mission statement as a parent. * Journal about your anxieties and then let them go and give them to God. * Give yourself permission to relax * Ask yourself when will enough ever be enough (the answer is that it won’t, so instead of stressing about every decision you make and everything your children do, just walk through life with confidence to know that as long as you are doing everything with love as your motivator, then you will be walking a walk of beauty and grace). * Start a praise notebook at night – write down one thing you did well as a parent that day, one thing that you learned about or through parenting that day for which you are grateful, and one thing you absolutely love about the gift it is to be a parent.       EDUCATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT:     Moms with daughters, this announcement is for you, and it’s something, since I’m the mother of a daughter, I am passionate about educating about.  

BEING THE MIRROR EPISODE #011   The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children. –Jessica Lange     THIS PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY BEAUTYCOUNTER.    This podcast is proudly brought to you by BEAUTYCOUNTER, the only personal care company committed information, transparency and performance. Their mission is to get safe products in the hands of everyone and to make legislative change in the regulation of chemicals for cosmetics and personal care products in America. BEAUTYCOUNTER is a company devoted to progress and to putting the truth back in beauty. Not only do I love their products and the positive change using them has made for wellness, but also I am proud to partner with them. Start shopping for your own beautiful BEAUTYCOUNTER products at www.trishblackwell.com/beautycounter. or email me directly at trish@trishblackwell.com and I can personally consult you on what products will be best for you and your family.     YOU ARE THE MIRROR.   My baby has discovered mirrors. She’s mesmerized with her own reflection. There’s something about a mirror that gives us the ability to physically see ourselves in a way that we couldn’t before.   It’s gotten me thinking about mirrors and the role of them in our lives as women and as mothers.   You are the mirror reflection your child sees. How you see yourself is how they will learn to see themselves. How you act and how you treat others – including how you treat yourself – is how they will learn to treat others and how to act. How you see and experience the world is how they will … these are all deep truths that we instill within our children without words.   * Are the being the mirror you want for your child to see? * Does the way you see the world – and the beauty of life itself – really reflect joy, love, happiness and potential in a way that you would want for your child?   Children are the mirror for our internal work as parents. Some thoughts on mirror science … also known as “mirror neurons”: A recent research on mirror neurons has discovered that when we watch someone doing something, the same neurons that fire in their brain also fire in our brain. By watching them, we end up thinking and feeling the same thing they feel by doing. Scientists believe that the mirror neuron system is not only responsible for the acquisition of language and motor skill but also for how we acquire social skills and our ability to empathize with others.   Ok, but in addition to how we are teaching our children through mirror neurons, it’s important to talk about something more pressing in our daily lives…and that is our relationship with mirrors themselves. …   TO BE AN EFFECTIVE MIRROR PHYSICALLY YOU MIGHT NEED TO WORK FIRST ON HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR.   * Know that you can learn to love your body.   Negative body image is a type of disordered thinking and it’s one that there are tools for to combat and overcome. Do not resign yourself to thinking that you’re always going to feel unhappy or unsatisfied with yourself physically – choose to engage your mind and to train your thoughts.   * Speak words of life to yourself and stop being so stinking mean.   We are our own worst critics,

  RAISING A CONFIDENT THINKER EPISODE #010   “Birth takes a woman’s deepest fears about herself and show her that she is stronger than them.” ~ Author Unknown         SPONORSHIP NOTE:   This podcast is proudly brought to you by BEAUTYCOUNTER, the only personal care company committed information first, product second, transparency and performance. Their mission is to get safe products in the hands of everyone, because we all deserve better. BEAUTYCOUNTER is a company devoted to progress and to putting the truth back in beauty. Not only do I love their products and the positive change using them has made for wellness, but also I am proud to partner with them. Find out more about BEAUTYCOUNTER at www.trishblackwell.com/beautycounter.       LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT:   Why do we want to raise confident thinkers? Because a confident thinker will always have natural self-confidence in life, and with confidence, you can conquer anything that comes your way. Confident thinkers tend to be better leaders, more creative, more willing to step outside of their comfort zones and to have more self-efficacy. Confident thinkers tend to be optimistic and tend to walk through life with confidence that things will work out…in short, confident thinkers are happy thinkers.   Even though I have admittedly struggled with my fair share of insecurities, I can confidently say that my parents raised both me and my brother to be confident thinkers. In preparation for this topic, I thought about what it was that made us become that way – what exactly was it that my parents did – and here is what I have concluded:   * Curiosity reigns.   Teach our children to be intellectually and emotionally curious. Curiosity promotes creativity, creativity births confidence and confidence gives us the freedom to be our true selves.   * Books are imperative.   Readers are leaders, and for your child to have confidence to navigate the social world, they need to be intellectually challenged and stimulated. There is no better way to encourage reading than for you to set the example yourself.   * Dreaming is encouraged.   Keep an open dialogue about your child’s dreams – encourage them that they can do and achieve anything they set their mind to. Expose them to stories of triumph and of seemingly impossible dreams and goals being achieved. Additionally – lead by example, share your dreams with your kids…let them know that dreaming never stops. Dreaming is a life-time endeavor.   * Exploration is necessary.   Confident thinkers know that they have the freedom to explore – or try something out – without fear of failing or without fear of having to re-route. They understand that changing direction is simply part of exploration. Exploration empowers us to learn how to enjoy the journey rather than to focus on the destination.   * Creativity is nurtured.   Your child doesn’t need to be “creative” in order for their creativity to shine. We are all created with a need for creative expression … some express it differently from others, and it is our job as parents to encourage creative expression and e...

THE SUPERMOM SYNDROME EPISODE #009: ­­   The joy in motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. –M. Russle Ballard     SPONSORSHIP NOTE:   This podcast is proudly brought to you by BEAUTYCOUNTER, the only personal care company committed information first, product second, transparency and performance. Their mission is to get safe products in the hands of everyone, because we all deserve better. BEAUTYCOUNTER is a company devoted to progress and to putting the truth back in beauty. Not only do I love their products and the positive change using them has made for wellness, but also I am proud to partner with them. Find out more about BEAUTYCOUNTER and start shopping at www.trishblackwell.com/beautycounter.         OK, LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT:     WHAT IS IT?   Supermom syndrome is the idea that you can be the do-it-all-all-the-time-and-look-effortless-while-you-do-it.   It is a lie many women have believed is the standard. It is a societal pressure to pretend that you aren’t tired, you aren’t overwhelmed and that you don’t need help from anyone to flawlessly manage your family’s life and wellbeing.   THE DANGER OF IT?   The danger is that is a façade – a façade that takes a lot of effort and diligence to maintain. It is a mindset and approach to life that removes us from being able to be our authentic selves.   It makes us feel like we are inadequate as mothers unless we are doing – doing – doing. It is a performance-based / achievement oriented approach to life…and one that can be toxically destructive to our hearts and our overall wellbeing and happiness. A mom who prescribes to the supermom syndrome is a mom who fears that if everything isn’t perfect then her worth as a mother will diminish. Do not believe the perfectionistic thinking life of supermom syndrome. There is no such thing as a perfect mom and therefore we should never strive to achieve that undefined, and unachievable standard.   Additionally, the supermom syndrome is lonely. It is based in the belief that life is entirely under your control and that everything is up to you. It isolates us and cheapens the quality of the relationships that we do have in our lives.   THE TRUTH?   The truth is that we are all supermoms. There is no reason to buy into the syndrome that we need to perform, perform, perform to achieve this status, a status we already have.   If you want deep relationships with others, let them into your life. Show your vulnerable, messy side. Have them over for coffee without straightening the pillows on your couch or worrying about the unswept kitchen floor or food caked onto the very visibly placed high chair.  Don’t fall for worrying about what another mom might think of you – like I did just this past week. (Walk story / baby play date with new mom friend, Ellie dropped her cracker on the ground…my reaction and my truth telling afterwards…about wanting her to think that I’m a good mom.)       5 WAYS TO STOP BUYING INTO THE SUPERMOM SYNDROME LIE:   Redefine your idea of what being a supermom means. (Know that you, by just being you, are super, and that makes you a super mom.)   Resist the desire to compare parenting styles.

  OVERCOMING OVER-SCHEDULING EPISODE #008:     Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation. –Robert A. Heinlein       WHAT ARE THE DANGERS AND SIDE-EFECTS OF OVER-SCHEDULING?   * Mental stress and pervasive anxiety * Lasting feelings of fatigue and being worn down * Feeling always just a little bit behind and never good enough * Hyper-focus on performance versus being present and alive * Health and metabolic disruption caused by stress eating or unhealthy eating * Insufficient and interrupted sleep * Disconnected – and rushed – relationships * Diminished quality time with family and friends * Living for the weekend but feeling like they fly by * Feeling overwhelmed with life and pressured to do more   "Parents need to teach their kids to balance human doing with human being, kids need to know they're not defined by what they do, she said. They need time to play, experiment, rest and figure out who they are." -clinical psychologist Paula Bloom.     "As parents, we've got to get over our anxiety that we're not doing enough. Creating a sense of safety, helping kids have confidence to try certain things, those are the things that matter." – Paula Bloom   Ivin Rosenfeld, M.D., a child psychiatrist and author of The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap, believes that enrolling children – and ourselves – in too many activities is a nationwide problem. “Overscheduling our children is not only a widespread phenomenon, it’s how we parent today. Parent feel remiss that they’re not being good parents if their kids aren’t in all kinds of activities. Children are under pressure to achieve, to be competitive.”     WAYS TO RECLAIM YOUR DAY:   Focus on “enjoying” the day, not “doing” the day. Have a to-do list, but keep it small. Build in “white time” Learn how to say “no” Never let guilt be your motivator Take more recess – make moving your body the cornerstone of your wellness Prioritize creativity for yourself – and for your kids Use Sundays to map out your next week Polish your next-day priorities before going to bed at night     HOW YOU LIVE IS HOW YOUR CHILDREN WILL LEARN TO LIVE.  YOUR EXAMPLE MATTERS.     Consider the example you are setting for your children. Do you want them to live an overscheduled life? What message are you currently passing down to them and is it the message you want them to hear? As parents we have the unique opportunity to demonstrate a lifestyle and attitude towards life to our children – what we show them is what will come most naturally to them in the future. How do you wish for your child to experience the world as an adult? Stressed out and always trying to accomplish something and prove something, or fully engaged in enjoying life and pursuing creative excellence in all they do?     A poll by HealthAmerica from 2006 revealed that out of 882 children, 41 percent between the ages of 9 and 13 felt stressed all of the time or most of the time, because they have too much to do. Of those same children surveyed, 78 percent wished they had more free time.            

HOW TO HANDLE THE SUPER-MOM  There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one. ~ Jill Churchill   SPONSORSHIP NOTE: This podcast is proudly brought to you by BEAUTYCOUNTER, the only personal care company committed information first, product second, transparency and performance. Their mission is to get safe products in the hands of everyone, because we all deserve better. BEAUTYCOUNTER is a company devoted to progress and to putting the truth back in beauty. Not only do I love their products and the positive change using them has made for wellness, but also I am proud to partner with them. Find out more about BEAUTYCOUNTER at www.trishblackwell.com/beautycounter.         LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT:   Comparison is the thief of joy. –Teddy Roosevelt   This episode isn’t just about the supermom – or what I like to refer to as supermom syndrome – we’re actually going to devote an entire episode to that topic alone. What we are talking about today is the disease of comparison.     WHY DO WE COMPARE OURSELVES SO MUCH?    We engage in comparison because we are approaching life from a fundamentally flawed viewpoint: that we are in competition with others and that we must use them to measure and evaluate ourselves. Our connection to the cult of comparison is fed by our belief that our value is based on what we do, not who we are.   Comparison is the by-product of criticism and self-judgment. Desperate to know we are enough, we judge ourselves and assess our value based off of how we see others are doing. Sometimes this leaves us feeling less than, other times we feel elevated and more than. Either outcome is dangerous. THREE WAYS TO OVERCOME COMPARISON:    1. Change your belief system.   You must train your thoughts to know that your value as a human being does not lie in what you have accomplished, in the number on the scale, in your success at the office or in the size of your car or house. Your value is in who you are; in who God created you to be. It has nothing to do with performance and everything to do with character.   This is a major mental overall – an entire cognitive reconstruction – and it will take time. Work to change your belief system by   Deciding that your current value-system is flawed and you want to change it Meditating on the statement that you are enough because of who you are, not what you do Journaling and writing about this concept, what it has meant to you in the past and what it will mean to you in the future; write about what kind of freedom this new belief system might bring you Pray and talk to God, asking Him to overhaul the flawed thinking of your mind and asking Him to empower you to see yourself and your value from His eyes.   2. Actively pursue celebrating others     When we learn to celebrate and sincerely admire others, rather than looking to others as measuring markers, we can start to find freedom from the dangerously toxic cycle of self-judgment we put ourselves under.   Do this by:   Being the first to say hello Being the friendliest and most generous neighbor on the block Being affirming and complimentary to others Being sincere in acknowledging someone else’s success Being actually interested (yes, actually listening) to what someone else is really saying

7 FAQS TO CONFIDENTLY ANSWER MY DAUGHTER’S QUESTIONS   Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. –Howard W. Hunter         SPONSORSHIP NOTE:   This podcast is proudly brought to you by BEAUTYCOUNTER, the only personal care company committed information first, product second, transparency and performance. Their mission is to get safe products in the hands of everyone, because we all deserve better. BEAUTYCOUNTER is a company devoted to progress and to putting the truth back in beauty. Not only do I love their products and the positive change using them has made for wellness, but also I am proud to partner with them. Find out more about BEAUTYCOUNTER at www.trishblackwell.com/beautycounter.     CELEBRATION GIVEAWAY!!!!   THE GIVEAWAY DETAILS!     Steps to enter:   * Search for “The Confident Mom” Podcast in iTunes * Subscribe to the show * Post an honest review and use the tagline #confidentmom at the end of your review * Make sure to listen to both podcast shows for the next 4 weeks and I will be randomly choosing winners! There will be three winners, one for each week of the new show who receive FREE access to my Emerge Program [!!!!!} If by November 1st the new show receives over 100 reviews, a major winner will receive access to Emerge AND a beautiful Beautycounter gift of my go-to skin care love, Beautycounter Essentials Face Collection…the collection that is making my skin look radiant, clean and youthful. * If you hear your name announced on the show email me at trish {at} trishblackwell.com so I can contact you with your prize.       LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT:   Okay, I tricked you. Ellie can’t talk yet, but these are her anticipated questions. As you heard in episode #5, I am really jamming out on a new area of wellness for my life and for my family that I never anticipated I would care about before.     7 FAQS FOR MY DAUGHTER ABOUT CHEMICALS AND THE ENVIRONMENT   I am a right-brained person. I love words, I love literature and I love anything creative. I understand math and science, because, well, my mom raised me to be a good student, but I like to forget as much of it as I can unless it is absolutely necessary. My mind simply doesn’t like to dwell on or think about anything that ends in –ology, which contributes to the explanation of my previous lack of involvement in activism for natural wellness. The phrase natural wellness itself bores me and makes me want to run away. Because I value being a good citizen, I have always cared about the environment and about the biology of the eco-system, but, my care never translated to action. I avoided conversations about organic choices, dug in my heels of ignorance about global climate change and certainly wrote off activism of any type, that is, until I realized just how much it all actually did relate to me. Previously my brain had been lost in translation, but as a result of one powerful documentary and one well written book, I was compelled into change…not because I hadn’t cared before, but because I finally understood the implications of what all of that left-brain talk really meant for me, a right-brain girl just trying to be a good wife, a good mom and a good motivator for my community to be physically healthy.   A personal trainer by trade,

MAKING BETTER DECISIONS AROUND THE HOUSE EPISODE #005   The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children. –Jessica Lange               LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT:   I’m not interested in what you do, I’m interested in who you are.   What we do does not define us; it is certainly a part of our identities, but it is not who we are.   This is a concept that as a 32 year-old I am currently working proactively to master and make a reality in my life – it inspires me to find a way to speak differently into the life of my child. My parents spoke into me what was spoken into them – words of affirmation about what I accomplished. They loved me unconditionally, that is without a doubt, but somewhere along the line I taught myself to want to live to impress them.     HOW TO SPEAK TO YOUR CHILD’S CHARACTER:   * Affirm their worth in the small acts of daily life - dig deeper than just simply acknowledging that they've done a kind act or exhibited love to someone...seek to identify and recognize what deeper quality of the heart they are displaying that motivated them to said act of kindness. * Teach them to live for significance over success * Speak to their character as often as possible - they are inundated with messages of performance and achievement everywhere they go, so the more we as parents can pour into them, the better equipped they will be to know that they are valued and loved for who they are, not for what they do.     BE A CONFIDENT MOM IN YOUR BOD:   Get instant access to your own copy of my free eBook, The 77 Secrets of Hot Moms at www.trishblackwell.com/77 and find out exactly how I lost all of my baby weight in eight weeks, as well as other secrets I have compiled from hot and confident moms I have worked with over the past ten years. Get your copy now at www.trishblackwell.com/77     ANNOUNCEMENTS:   * Want more confidence and inspiration in your life? Make sure you come like my Facebook Fan page at facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness and go check out my other top-ranked podcast show, Confidence on the Go at www.trishblackwell.com/podcasts * Tell someone else about this show! * Excited about this new show? Help me know that by writing a review in iTunes. I promise I personally read each review and that reviews are like little love letters to me.     Now go out there and be more of who you are, be you, be free, be the confident mom that you are meant to be.  

INVESTING IN OUR KIDS FOR WHO THEY ARE, NOT FOR WHAT THEY DO EPISODE #004   Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is almost synonymous with servant hood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves. –Charles Stanley           LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT:   I’m not interested in what you do, I’m interested in who you are.   What we do does not define us; it is certainly a part of our identities, but it is not who we are.   This is a concept that as a 32 year-old I am currently working proactively to master and make a reality in my life – it inspires me to find a way to speak differently into the life of my child. My parents spoke into me what was spoken into them – words of affirmation about what I accomplished. They loved me unconditionally, that is without a doubt, but somewhere along the line I taught myself to want to live to impress them.     HOW TO SPEAK TO YOUR CHILD’S CHARACTER:   * Affirm their worth in the small acts of daily life - dig deeper than just simply acknowledging that they've done a kind act or exhibited love to someone...seek to identify and recognize what deeper quality of the heart they are displaying that motivated them to said act of kindness. * Teach them to live for significance over success * Speak to their character as often as possible - they are inundated with messages of performance and achievement everywhere they go, so the more we as parents can pour into them, the better equipped they will be to know that they are valued and loved for who they are, not for what they do.     BE A CONFIDENT MOM IN YOUR BOD:   Get instant access to your own copy of my free eBook, The 77 Secrets of Hot Moms at www.trishblackwell.com/77 and find out exactly how I lost all of my baby weight in eight weeks, as well as other secrets I have compiled from hot and confident moms I have worked with over the past ten years. Get your copy now at www.trishblackwell.com/77     ANNOUNCEMENTS:   * Want more confidence and inspiration in your life? Make sure you come like my Facebook Fan page at facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness and go check out my other top-ranked podcast show, Confidence on the Go at www.trishblackwell.com/podcasts * Tell someone else about this show! * Excited about this new show? Help me know that by writing a review in iTunes. I promise I personally read each review and that reviews are like little love letters to me.     Now go out there and be more of who you are, be you, be free, be the confident mom that you are meant to be.  

 CONFIDENCE IN THE MOM BOD EPISODE #003   Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had … and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed. –Linda Wooten           LET’S GET INTO THE CONFIDENT CONTENT: I’m going to put my personal trainer hat on today – and, since we’re just getting to know one another, I owe it to tell you about my experience in the fitness industry:   * I specialize in working with body image issues, eating disorders or significant amounts of weight loss needs (50lbs or more)…. essentially my sweet spots are with the folks who need to just lose “those last 5 pounds” and those who need to lose a lot more than five pounds.   * I’m an athlete for life – marathoner, Ironman athlete, obstacle race competitor, snowboarder, surfer, cyclist….I love being active. I have competed internationally in my sports of choice and am grateful to say that the sport of swimming paid my way through college. I have been active in the Fitness Industry as my field of profession for almost ten years now.     SOME THOUGHTS ON THE MOM-BOD:   * You’ve heard about the Dad Bod – let’s celebrate the Mom Bod today. The Mom Bod is a beautiful thing…and it’s time to stop talking about it like it’s not. * Stop with the excuses – stop blaming your body on your baby, take ownership of your body for where it is right now – 5 pounds overweight or 50 pounds overweight and stop saying that you’re “too busy” to take care of yourself. * Celebrate your body for the battle scars you incurred from carrying your child and giving birth; celebrate and accept it as it is today. * Get serious – have a system and a plan – my plan is 6x/week, social time while exercising, morning workouts, pre-planned meals, one big grocery shopping trip per week, one big cook-up and tracking. * Plan your fitness a week at a time, but have flexibility in your plan because sometimes life does happen   NUTRITION TIPS:   * 3-Hour Rule * Proper Prior Preparation – Meal Planning, Snack Bags and Big-Cook-Ups * Breakfast of Champions * Minimize Sugars * Maximize Water     FITNESS TIPS:   * Don’t workout – exercise. * Do what you enjoy. * Create a social opportunity out of it. * Set a goal. * Celebrate the small victories. * Get an accountability partner .       BE A CONFIDENT MOM IN YOUR BOD:   Get instant access to your own copy of my free eBook, The 77 Secrets of Hot Moms at www.trishblackwell.com/77 and find out exactly how I lost all of my baby weight in eight weeks, as well as other secrets I have compiled from hot and confident moms I have worked with over the past ten years. Get your copy now at www.trishblackwell.com/77     ANNOUNCEMENTS:   * Want more confidence and inspiration in your life? Make sure you come like my Facebook Fan page at facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness and go check out my other top-ranked podcast show, Confidence on the Go at www.trishblackwell.com/podcasts * Tell someone else about this show!

 WHAT MOMS DON'T TALK ABOUT EPISODE #002 “Birth is the sudden opening of a window, through which you look out upon a stupendous prospect. For what has happened? A miracle. You have exchanged nothing for the possibility of everything.” ~ William Macneile Dixon     WHAT MOMS DON’T TALK ABOUT ENOUGH / WHAT I WISH PEOPLE HAD REALLY TOLD ME BEFORE BECOMING A MOM   * The first six weeks of a baby’s life are hard. Not just a little hard, a lot hard. * You will cry a lot. And then you will feel bad for crying. * Everyone will have an opinion of your parenting style and decisions. * There are way too many blogs and opinions out there – don’t get bogged down by them * Living in fear is the best way to be a watered down momma   WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MORE … NO, NOT JUST TALK ABOUT, CELEBRATE:   * We need to celebrate our mom-bods [Story about my C-section scar] * We need to celebrate one another more. * We need to celebrate camaraderie (trust one another with emotions, with fears, with our exhaustion, etc.) * We need to celebrate the help of others (accept help and refuse to pretend that you have it all together / are juggling it all) * We need to celebrate ourselves are ourselves – not just as moms (stay engaged in a hobby completely separate from our children)       BE A CONFIDENT MOM IN YOUR BOD:   Get instant access to your own copy of my free eBook, The 77 Secrets of Hot Moms at www.trishblackwell.com/77 and find out exactly how I lost all of my baby weight in eight weeks, as well as other secrets I have compiled from hot and confident moms I have worked with over the past ten years. Get your copy now at www.trishblackwell.com/77   ANNOUNCEMENTS:   * Want more confidence and inspiration in your life? Make sure you come like my Facebook Fan page at facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness and go check out my other top-ranked podcast show, Confidence on the Go at www.trishblackwell.com/podcasts * Tell someone else about this show! * Excited about this new show? Help me know that by writing a review in iTunes. I promise I personally read each review and that reviews are like little love letters to me.     Now go out there and be more of who you are, be you, be free, be the confident mom that you are meant to be. Email - trish at trishblackwell.com Contact on my website - www.trishblackwell.com Twitter - @trainerTRISH Facebook - www.facebook.com/trishblackwellfitness Instagram – @traintrishtrain