Real Connections

I am so excited to share with you an interview I did with Catrina Gandara from the Create Joy podcast. I am so honored that I was able to be on her show. She's so similar in her mission and her passion as far as life and podcasting go, so we are amazing friends now and I couldn't be happier about it. In this interview, I share how vulnerability has changed me in my life and why I do it, as well as tips and tricks on how I do it. I feel so strongly about vulnerability and living an authentic life and I shared my best thoughts, tips and tricks. I hope you pick an area of your life where you could live more vulnerably and chase it. I promise it will change your life. Want more from Create Joy podcast - Head on over to www.createjoypodcast.com or @createjoypodcast

Traditions for YOU Pick a theme for your life and pick something for this year that supports that (word, phrase, picture, song, scripture, etc.)Create a vision boardWrite a "Not to do" list for this year which could include things like Examples are Stop trying to please everyone. Stop being a perfectionist. Stop trying to do everything. Stop worrying about things that are out of your control. Stop beating yourself up for making mistakes. Stop trying to change other people. Stope spending time with people who don’t build you up. For your FAMILY Pick special meals for New Year’s Eve and New Years Day - We do cheese and chocolate fondue for New Year’s Eve and black eye soup with monkey bread for New Year’s Day.  Every bowl of black eye soup brings you luck and for you get a piece of monkey bread for every bowl you eat.Janis the dragon - take a sheet of paper and fold it in half and write the previous year on the top of the left side and write the new year on the top of the right side of the sheet of paper.  Everyone in the family should have their own sheet.  On the left side, you draw all of the things that happened that year (vacations, special events, achievements) and then write all of the things that are going to happen or goals that you have for the new year.  Let everyone have about 20 - 30 min. to draw theirs and then share.Do a Year in Review - collect all the photos you’ve taken this year and put the special ones that you love into a folder in iphoto and then set it to music and watch it as a family.Make a “family to do” list for the new year and get many of those items on the calendarPick a theme for your family.  If you didn’t do this at the beginning of the school year, this is the perfect time to start.  It could be a quote, phrase, scripture, etc.

Many people struggle with grief during the holidays. It can be hard when others are excited by the hustle and bustle of the season and you are grieving loved ones who have been around for the holidays past but who no longer are. How do you celebrate still? How can you cope with wanting to remember them but also creating new traditions? It can also be very tricky to know what to do or say if you aren't grieving, but someone close to you is. How do you help them during this time of year? What can you say or do to be helpful? These situations are real and hard and Karen Papin is here today to answer all of those questions you may be having surrounding grief and the holidays. She has some incredible tips during this episode for those grieving which include... Hang up a special ornament that is specifically for the person you have lost 2. Keep the traditions that you had with them to help you feel like they are still with you. 3. Remember that tradition is the spark that keeps you connected to the loved ones you still have. 4. Share about your loved one. Her tips for helping those you love who are grieving this season are ... Give a plate of cookies or a “thinking of you” card to let them know you are aware of them. 2. Invite them to join with you in your holiday traditions so they aren’t alone in their grief with the understanding that they may decline. 3. Create a safe place for them to talk and show them you are ok to sit with them in their grief. 4. Invite them to share photos and memories of those who they’ve lost. 5. Share your memories of their loved one that you remember. Resources she mentioned (so cool that her mom is the author of this one) "The Act of Ministering: From Heartache to Hope for Latter-Day Saints" https://www.amazon.com/Act-Ministering-Heartache-Latter-Day-Saints/dp/1718646569/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=from+heartache+to+hope&qid=1576216106&sr=8-1 Be sure to sign up on my website for all the SECRET family recipes my guests have given me. They would all be the perfect thing to bring to your holiday party this season. In this email I will send out tomorrow, you will get the recipes for pumpkin waffles and buttermilk syrup, peanut butter fudge, creme brule french toast, and many more. Sign up today because I'm sending out the email tomorrow!

It can be hard to come up with traditions that simple and meaningful. Today Tasha talks about 4 traditions that she does with her family that are both meaningful and fun. Find an organization in your area and serve. (Her family decorates and donates trees to the Ronald McDonald house) or www.justserve.org is an excellent resource.Have a Christmas bucket list day.See the lights somewhere and add a service element to it.Do the 12 days of service. Look for people who generally get overlooked. I will be implementing many of her traditions because they are easy to do and are so meaningful.

Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed during the holidays? Running everywhere to get the perfect gift for your kids, sending Christmas cards, making neighbor gifts and you end up just wanting to not do any of it but just enjoy the holidays. Well today I am talking all about what we are doing this year to simplify the holidays. Figure out what traditions you love and do those. 2. Revise the "Elf on the Shelf" 3. Donate the money you would use on neighbor gifts and don't worry about them. 4. Don't send Christmas cards. Instead send Valentine cards. 5. Make a secret code for your gifts so you don't have to try to write the "Santa" tags. 6. Create simple expectations. 7. Give your kids 1 gift from Santa, 1 gift from you and then give them a set amount to choose and budget for experiences they want to buy.

Do you make family dinner a priority?  Do you think of the impact that it will have on your family if you do in 5, 10 or even 15 years from now? These are some questions that Jennifer asks in my interview with her today and as a result, made me think of family dinner in a totally different way. In today’s interview, Jennifer talks all about the importance of family dinner, how to do it or improve what you are doing, and how to make it fun for both kids and teens to interact with each other during meal time. Be motivated to make it happen.Set up the environment to be welcoming and inviting.Keep it positive.No side conversations.Make it teachable. I have made having family dinner a priority for years but never really considered the actual interaction taking place once I got there. This episode really has made an impact on the way my family does meals together. Sometimes we do breakfast together, and other times it’s dinner but when we sit down at the table and use these suggestions that Jennifer gives, it truly has made a big difference in our family. I am doing a family holiday service project called “Wreaths for Refugees” where we are going to be making fresh holiday wreaths to sell for money to make kits for refugees in our community. We wanted a way for those who live far away to participate as well.  If you would like to donate (cash donation of your choice) you can do so and with that donation, we will make a wreath to take to a lonely elderly person in our community this holiday season.   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hi-3MFdOLVQvwFgAeCjeUjt-QI_kc1NMS5-ElW3OHTo/edit?usp=sharing Jennifer Zumbiel @togathermoments website https://www.togathermoments.com/ freebie https://www.togathermoments.com/try

If you are a mom, you can definitely relate to falling prey to the comparison trap. It happens to us all for one reason or another. It can be so easy in this social media age to compare our weight, looks, nutrition, children, achievements, interior design skills, party planning abilities, husbands and the list goes on and on. I get it because I've been there and I will tell you that it is a constant battle. Today on the show, Jamie and I chat about our struggles with comparison in our own ways and what we have learned what works for us to combat it. Here are some of the tips we talked about to help you combat comparison every day. get clear on who you are and what your purpose isreframe your response to comparison by either celebrating or developingrinse and repeat - it's a journeywrite down things you love about yourself (20 to start and work up to 100)genuinely compliment others on their gifts and talentsdo a social media fast and then follow hashtags that remind you not to compare #comparisonisthetheifofjoy & #nocomparisonreach out to people on social media and attending events in real life to meet real peoplelisten to music and write down lyrics that resonate with you that may help you find your purpose I got to share one of my secret family recipes today on the show - cookie salad. Yes, it's a thing. If you want to get the recipe and the other secret family recipes of the guests I have on the show, be sure to click the link below so I can send them monthly, right to your inbox. https://mailchi.mp/b481a3a31e08/secretfamilyrecipes2 You can learn more about my guest, Jamie at https://www.jamiegjohnson.com/ or on Instagram @journeytowonderful

Doing a family service project is something that can sound really tricky but it doesn’t have to be, and the benefits can be huge.  Today, my guest Tawni Beardall, shares all about a service project she and her family did with 3 other families last year and how it has changed her and her children.  Her kids loved it so much, they are doing it again next year.   Listen to the podcast to hear her 3 simple steps for coming up with you own holiday family service project. Things to Remember When Doing Your Own Family Service Project remember to take photosif possible, involve other familiesprovide a service people would already be paying for or already need during this time of year Examples of Service Projects You Could do rake leavesmake fresh wreathsmake sugar cookie kitsmake gingerbread kitsdeliver and/or haul away real Christmas tree Examples of People in Need During the Holidays homeless in your own communityrefugeeselderlyfamilies who are struggling financially Resources Carleen Tanner “Positive Parenting” youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCshIopgVSrtm-ots1xiwxgw Becoming for Teens podcast  https://becomingforteens.podbean.com/ Becoming for Teens podcast Episode 16 “Doin’ Work” https://becomingforteens.podbean.com/e/16-doin-work/

Today my dear friend, Catrina Gandara, shares 5 simple ideas on how to celebrate the Day of the Dead. She shares everything from watching Coco to discussing family ancestors at dinner. If you love celebrating and you love connecting, the Day of the Dead is the perfect way to do both.

In this episode I share how I will be taking the podcast in a different direction for this season. This season I want to share with you simple ideas on how to make connections that matter. Whether it is with your spouse, kids, self or others, connection is well worth the effort and something we are lacking in our society. If you are a mom who wants more depth and meaning in your relationships - this is the season and podcast for you. I will be interviewing experts as well as other moms on all things connection to give you tangible ideas and strategies to feel and be better connected to the people who matter most.

I'm so thankful for all of the support and love I've had this season. It's time to take a break and I can't wait for season 2!

I talk about what was helpful after my dad's death and specific people who reached out to our family. I share how this experience has directed my life and the traditions I now have with my family. I also discuss the letters I found from my dad only a few years ago that are now some of my most prized possessions.

I've made it to a year of having this podcast! Because of that, I want to share an encore episode with you! It is a huge part of why I started the podast and it is actually my story. My dad died in a plane crash when I was 9 years old. In this episode, I talk about the day my dad died and what that was like for me as a child.

Dani's husband, Denny died only 4 short months ago and she has made it her mission to talk about it because she wants to stop the stigma surrounding suicide. About a month ago, Dani posted a video that went viral showing some of the real trauma her family experiences on a daily basis as a result of him being gone and the people it has helped it truly is inspiring. In today's episode she her story and what each of us can do to help those in our influence who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Audra explains her eating disorder which is Body Dysmorphic Disorder and how she manages it. She talks about her victory of gaining weight for the first time in years and gives advice on the big and small things you can do if you struggle with body image yourself. She shares how her marriage works not with her choice to become active in her faith again even though her husband is not. Audra offers so much hope for those who find themselves in similar circumstances. She also shares advice to those who are questioning their own beliefs. Audra talks about how she views her life and relationships differently as a result of all she has experienced.