Armed to the Heart - Military Women, Work-life Balance, Female Veterans, Christian Moms, Pregnancy and Postpartum
Live out God’s calling in work & family life, within and beyond the uniform — Are you feeling alone as a woman of Christian faith in the military or another male-dominated environment? Are you driven to make a big impact, but wish you could be more present, and give more time to your family? Are you working to lead change, struggling to find your voice or courage as you swim against the current? Are you a high-achiever pouring yourself out for everyone else but burnt out, stressed, and struggling to find time for your own physical & mental health because there’s always so much that needs to be done? Does your harsh inner critic make you feel like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough? You know you’re called to be a leader and change-maker, but it’s hard to find others like you who also share your faith & values. Maybe you’re feeling forced to choose between. Every day is a battle, trying to give 100% in all the hats you wear. You’re performing well but your load is heavy, you’re weighed down by guilt, and exhausted from pushing through but never having a moment to rest. It’s hard to know what to say yes to, and scary considering a different course than the traditional path of success everyone is pushing you toward, or what you’ve always known. Maybe you’ve recently made the transition or are thinking about leaving the military. You don’t want your work to come at the expense of your family; they come first. Amidst it all, you just want to do God’s will. I see you sister. I’m on this journey with you. In this Podcast, you’ll find heart to heart conversations about motherhood and military life, work-life balance and leadership, all grounded in Biblical truths, my education & experience as a professionally-trained Catholic Mindset Coach, certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach, and lessons I’ve learned the hard way in the last 5 years of high level advocacy work fighting for mothers, families, and life in the military. I believe strongly that no one should have to choose between their family and their call to serve. That motherhood should never be the death of our dreams. That motherhood is not a limiting factor in what a woman can achieve, but lack of support can be. I started Armed to the Heart to be who I needed when I was in the trenches, overwhelmed by motherhood in the military, struggling in my mental health & postpartum recovery, drowning in my home, carrying so much guilt for the time I had to spend away from my baby, feeling so much pressure to prove myself in a combat arms unit and feeling like a failure in all of it. My family was getting the leftovers of me. I felt stifled in my faith. Trapped in the military. It felt impossible to actually live out my priorities. I felt so far from the superwoman others saw in me. As a dual military, active duty Army officer raising 2 sweet (and wild!) boys in the Catholic faith, a fierce advocate for my sisters in arms going through pregnancy & postpartum, a recovering perfectionist and people pleaser, & big dreamer with a heart to make a difference, I know the struggle that comes with wearing so many hats & trying to fulfill God’s call for us. Through so many answered prayers, the Lord has allowed me to be part of the change I want to see. To bridge the gaps I’ve experienced and seen in thousands of women’s experience in the military, through policy advocacy work, mentorship & coaching. To fight for motherhood, for life, and for freedom to live out our faith in the military. He taught me that our minds are the true spiritual battlegrounds, and that by learning to manage our mind, emotions, & time, we don’t have to be a victim to our circumstances. He showed me that by discerning His will in every season, it is possible to keep my faith and family first while making a meaningful impact. So if you’re ready to do the same, for the glory of God, this Podcast is for you! Lace up those boots sister, it’s time to jump in. We can do this together.
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Episodes
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Wanna win a Starbucks card for just a few mins of your time?
It’s important to me to continually improve the resources available for you and ways I serve you. So as we enter the new year, I want to hear from YOU!
So there are 2 ways you can help me out with this market research so I can learn more about you and support you the best I can through your journey (or you're welcome to do both!):
This 3 min Survey where you'll be entered to win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card
OR
A 15 min 1:1 Call with me, where EACH participant will receive a $10 Starbucks Gift Card.
If you are a busy mama in the military, and you’re struggling navigating the challenges of pregnancy & postpartum, either with maintaining or getting back to fitness, or with work life balance, I want to hear from you!
If you're not in the military but want to participate you’re welcome to, just share more about you in one of the sections of the form or in the email so I have more context!
What to expect on the call: I’m looking to sit down with 5 of my listeners on the phone or Zoom this weekend/week for a super informal conversation to ask just a few questions and learn more about you.
This will be super chill, no strings attached, this is purely to learn more about where you're at on your journey and what you’re going through, so I can create content that addresses your biggest struggles, frustrations, and questions and supports you best.
It's been so much fun so far connecting with a few of you and hearing what's on your heart!
As a thank you for your time, I’m giving a $10 Starbucks Gift Card to those who participate so be sure to be one of the first 5 ladies to reach out to me! Please email me at megan@armedtotheheart.com and we can set a quick call up! :)
If you don’t wanna hop on the phone, would you mind taking a couple minutes to fill out this short and sweet survey to help me learn more about you? Whatever's on the top of your mind. Your time is valuable to me, and I don't want this to take you more than 2-3 min. Again, everyone who completes it will be entered for the chance to win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card.
Thank you so much for being part of this community.
I can’t wait to hear from you, and keep improving this Podcast to serve you more deeply. All my love and prayers for you sister!
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
Welcome back! So excited today to share with you a powerful, step-by-step goal setting process that has been tremendously helpful for me over the last couple years, in pursuing both personal & professional goals.
Now that we're a few days into the New Year, you likely have a goal or dream that's on your heart. An area of life you want to improve, change, or take to the next level this year. Maybe you haven't quite written it all down, or don't yet feel like you have clarity on a solid plan or strategy to get there, or avoid falling off the train after a few weeks when motivation goes down.
That's what this simple process will help you do -- get clear on exactly what your goal is, know why it matters, break it down into actionable steps, decide how you'll measure progress, and to understand what are the things that are gonna hold you back, and how can you prepare ahead of time to set yourself up for success so that you have much higher likelihood of ACTUALLY achieving the goal and sticking with your commitment to yourself, do continue to pursue & persevere in your God-given calling, even when it gets hard or when it even feels impossible.
When life happens and gets in the way (as it always does!)... Whether it's wrestling with perfectionism or self doubt, the demanding seasons of pregnancy or postpartum, when you’re managing kids’ constant sicknesses, when work gets crazy busy, when you’re in a big transition like cross country or across the world moves, when you’re navigating time apart from your husband and have to manage more on your own, when you're super sleep deprived because you have little ones who are up often through the night or a teething baby, when you’re grieving loss, etc.
Ready to dive in? Grab your notebook & pen, a drink that makes you smile, and let's do this!
Are you signed up for my free Goal-Setting with God Workshop yet? Can't wait to see you on January 8th! Together let's build upon this process so you can gain more clarity & renewed hope toward your goals & dreams for this coming year, confidence in where God is calling you to focus (versus being distracted by all the shiny objects), and the peace of mind of having a plan for those inevitable roadblocks & challenges (in both circumstances & mindset) that WILL come up. (Babies are always welcome on Zoom -- half of the time I'm nursing my little one too :) Recording will be made available for those who register but are unable to attend the live workshop).
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you set your goals & plans for the new year? We can give you so much clarity in just a single 1:1 strategy / mindset call.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Today we're continuing the series of reflections & reviews of this past year.
Here we'll walk through a powerful, Christ-centered process to reflect on failures, areas of improvement, gaps, & shortcomings, looking for the lessons God wanted us to learn, and asking Him for forgiveness to receive His mercy wherever needed. I believe failure is a great learning opportunity, if we're open to seeking the wisdom from it. Our challenges, setbacks, & trials are leading to triumphs, and testimonies.
In this episode I guide you through:
A Simple Evaluation Protocol with 3 questions to ask yourself to Assess any area of your life
A 7-Step / 7-Question Deeper-Dive Process to get to the Root of what most often causes us to fall short of our goals
Techniques and practical tips to release the shame, guilt, & tendency to beat yourself up when examining our failures or areas of improvement so we can give ourselves more grace & approach it with a lens of compassion & curiosity instead of self-criticism & condemnation, while drawing out those lessons learned
To get the most out of this series:
Be sure to 1) Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss the new episodes that'll be coming out this week!
2) Register HERE for the upcoming FREE Goal-Setting Workshop on JAN 8th -- together let's build upon & implement this process so we can set you up with confidence, clarity, & renewed hope toward your goals & dreams for this coming year, and help you have a plan for those inevitable roadblocks & challenges that WILL come up.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you set your goals & plans for the new year? We can give you so much clarity in just a single 1:1 strategy / mindset call.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Monday Jan 02, 2023
Monday Jan 02, 2023
Today we're going to dive into a series of reflections & reviews of this past year, to pave the way for intentional, prayerful goal-setting for this New Year.
Here we'll walk through a process to capitalize on the momentum you've gained through your growth, wins, & successes this year. Without pausing to reflect on & celebrate our accomplishments and areas of gratitude, we're neglecting to honor the journey and our growth, we're missing valuable GOLD for how to learn from those successes to build upon them next time, and not giving glory to God in all of it.
I pray this helps you reflect on what God was doing in & through you, and the fruit He was bearing in your life & relationships.
Most of us (me included!!) are quick to run to the next thing or focus on our imperfections, weaknesses & gaps and beat ourselves up about those, but instead of just jumping straight into what needs to improve or all the things that may have not quite gone the way that we hoped, or where we may have fallen short of our goals this past year, let's take a moment to honor the journey and celebrate the good work God is doing within our hearts, and lives.
This will lay the groundwork for our assessments of our areas of improvement, failures, and lessons learned next, and it will help give clarity to the goals we want to set, things we hope to change in the coming year, and where the Lord is calling us to focus.
To get the most out of this series:
Be sure to 1) Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss the new episodes that'll be coming out this week, as they build upon each other!
2) Register HERE for the upcoming FREE Goal-Setting Workshop on JAN 8th -- together let's prepare our hearts for what God has in store for each of us and our families this year.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you set your goals & plans for the new year? We can give you so much clarity in just a single 1:1 strategy / mindset call.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
Hey friend! It's that time of the year again, the last day of 2022 where we are now probably scrambling, or feeling pressure to have all our goals planned & perfectly mapped out, to create all those New Year's resolutions that are gonna help us get right on track to improve our lives, to do MORE so we can BE more.
I'm gonna give you some tough love today and a different way of thinking about New Years resolutions/goals as we finish up 2022 and enter 2023, in light of all the messaging you're likely being inundated with, and those pressures to hit the ground running at a fast pace.
In this episode I share some traps we often fall into, and important reminders to keep in in your heart as you approach this new year, to help you filter out the narratives & messaging that won't serve you so you can stay grounded & feel more empowered to pursue those big dreams, without sacrificing or losing sight of what matters most.
Our hope is not in the New Year -- but in the one, who makes all things new.
Our worth is not in those goals we set or accomplish -- but in Christ who gave himself up for us.
Give yourself the time & space to reflect, ground your identity in the Lord, & discern your goals & intentions for this New Year, making sure they're filtered through God's word and the truth of who you are & who He calls you to be.
You get to set your own pace, you get to choose your goals, you are not behind, failing, or missing out if you don't have everything figured out as we hit January 1st.
You don't have to compare yourself to or keep up with what other people are doing or make your new goals out of guilt, shame, or obligation.
Let's ensure they're truly aligned, values-based, and God-centered.
***Be sure to 1) Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss the new episodes that'll be coming out this week on this topic, and
2) Register HERE for the upcoming FREE Goal-Setting Workshop on JAN 8th -- together let's prepare our hearts for what God has in store for each of us and our families this year.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you set your goals & plans for the new year? We can give you so much clarity in just a single 1:1 strategy / mindset call.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
Hey beautiful friend! If you're setting your sights on improving your health & fitness in this New Year, I want to give you some different ideas for how you can measure & track progress, other than those numbers on the scale.
Especially postpartum, we usually end up focusing on losing weight, and often turn to the scale as a main metric of our progress, and a measure of our worth.
It can be helpful data for some, but it is SO far from the full picture, and is often not actually an accurate representation of our health & fitness. And it is FAR from a measure of our worth. Yet we often allow it to define us & how we feel about ourselves & our bodies.
In this episode we'll dive deep into:
Body image & healing our relationship with exercise & food as we set new goals, resolutions, & intentions.
Why it may be detrimental to focus on weight loss
Why those #s on the scale are inadequate in painting a picture of progress
20 ideas of what to pay attention to instead
You can improve your health & fitness, and grow in confidence, strength, & performance, WITHOUT losing sight of what matters most along the way, and with God at the center. Optimizing our holistic health enables us to pour into all we're called to, to serve our family & beyond, even more fully & faithfully, and lead by example.
Let's do this together!
***Join in my upcoming free New Years Goal Setting with God workshop on JAN 8th! Learn more & save your seat here.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you work to break free from these cycles? Having support and being coached & mentored through this has made all the difference in the world for me, and for so many of my clients. There's no shame in struggling with this -- we're all on this journey & God wants to free us from this prison together. Don't let fear cause you to close in and isolate even more. We're not meant to walk alone.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Friday Dec 30, 2022
Friday Dec 30, 2022
The post-holiday blues are real. If you too are feeling like you're coming down from the Christmas high and are more drained, a bit sad, anxious, on edge emotionally, or just feel like you're in a bit of a funk in your energy & mood, you're not alone friend!
No matter if we had a beautiful or stressful Christmas, the intensity of the holiday season, the highs & lows of all its events & expectations, our jam-packed schedules, the preparation to return to work & normal daily life again, and being out of our routine can leave us feeling a bit depleted, or all over the place physically & emotionally.
Not to mention, we all want to kick off the New Year strong in our goals & resolutions, and are probably feeling pressure or underlying anxiety to do even MORE & hit the ground running at a fast pace again.
Today I'm sharing 10 tips you can apply right away to help you get out of the physical & emotional fatigue to feel more refreshed, grounded, and energized.
These will help you get out of the slump to feel more ready to enter the new year with a strong, solid, aligned, (and more sustainable!) start.
*Be sure to join us in my upcoming FREE New Years Goal-Setting / Resolution Workshop on JAN 8th! Grab your spot HERE. Can't wait to see you there!
Thinking about scheduling a 1:1 Coaching call so we can give you space to work through whatever you're personally experiencing, and build you a strategy & mindset to support you through it? You can sign up for a call HERE, or email me at megan@armedtotheheart.com to schedule a free 15 minute Discovery Call first.
Related Episodes:
Ep. 33: A 6-Step Process I come back to often whenever I feel overwhelmed or need to get organized & feel more in control of my to-do-list and everything on my plate
Ep. 26: My Top Hacks for Simple Meal Planning & Prep to Cook & Eat Healthy with much LESS time & energy
Ep 27 / 28: Are you Addicted to your Phone or Social Media? How to Break your Attachment & Discern its Role in your Life so you're NOT sacrificing your Family, Faith, or Well-Being
Ep. 25: How to Set Loving Boundaries to Protect Your Mental Health & Priorities
Ep. 15: 12 Simple Tips to More Easily Manage Stress & Overwhelm in Transitions or Hard Seasons of Motherhood, & Work / Military Life
To Work with Me:
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Friday Dec 23, 2022
Friday Dec 23, 2022
My beautiful sister, we're gonna have a heart to heart about making space for Christ this Christmas -- how to prepare Him room, so we can truly keep Jesus at the center of Christmas, and lead our families in this too.
The world & culture takes the focus off Christ, and commercializes this holiday, putting the focus on consuming, but we're called to live differently and not forget or be so busy that we neglect the TRUE reason for the season.
Today I'm sharing 10 tips for how to prepare Him room, amidst our busy schedules, full plates, and all the pressures we feel to do more & have a picture-perfect Christmas.
Maybe peace & joy feels impossible for you this Christmas. Maybe things feel stressful & chaotic. We want it to be a beautiful life-giving, magical time, but many of us get to the end of Christmas and feel exhausted, depleted & empty because we were pulled in so many directions & pouring ourselves out for our family & everyone else that we can't find true rest & time to slow down & savor the moments, or worried about so many things, & the holiday we envision is so different than our reality.
So as the pace of our lives is likely getting faster, more hurried & frantic as we get closer to Christmas & are in the thick of final preparations & service to our families, and as we attend all the events & celebrations, let us not be in such a rush that we miss the richness of the season, and all that our Lord & Savior wants to birth within us.
He is so tenderly, patiently waiting for us in the manger. He wants to fill us with His mercy & love. It doesn’t matter how prepared our homes & underneath the tree is, if our souls aren’t prepared to receive Christ. Will we deny Him room in the inn of our hearts, homes, & schedules, or allow Him to dwell with and in us?
Did this episode speak to your heart? If so, be sure to share it with a friend to spread the love of Christ & message of hope & mercy this Christmas.
***Join in my upcoming free New Years Goal Setting with God workshop on JAN 8th! Learn more & save your seat here.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you work to break free from these cycles? Having support and being coached & mentored through this has made all the difference in the world for me, and for so many of my clients. There's no shame in struggling with this -- we're all on this journey & God wants to free us from this prison together. Don't let fear cause you to close in and isolate even more. We're not meant to walk alone.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
Let’s be honest, the holidays can feel stressful for many reasons, but one of the biggest ones being the challenges & dynamics that often come with time with our extended families!
So let’s talk about how we can navigate it with much more peace. You don’t have to be a victim to your environment or circumstances.
Extended family relationships can be complicated, chaotic, messy, they can either feel like places of love, home, & community or places of negativity, discomfort, tension in communication, & insecurity. Or maybe (more likely) a combination! Because none of our families are perfect on this side of Heaven.
We may be facing or dreading…
Unsolicited or passive aggressive comments from family & opinions about our decisions, parenting, bodies, etc.
Political disagreements or differing values, maybe they don’t share your faith
Feeling labeled, or having a hard time not reverting back to who we used to be as a child, & how we used to treat each other, even though we’ve since grown a lot
Navigating personalities, drama, & relationships still in need of healing
Judgement, criticism, comparison, competition, making jokes that are more jabs than jokes because our families know our vulnerabilities & we may have tolerated certain things for years
Unrealistic or unmet expectations, or upended plans due to sickness or other reasons
Hiding in the bathroom to just get a break…
We’re called to be a light — a woman who radiates the joy, peace & love of Christ. But we don’t become this woman without preparation, intentionality & asking God for the grace we need!
We can’t control other people or all our circumstances but we don’t have to be a victim & absorb negativity, let it drain & deplete us, or steal our joy; we can take responsibility for our own actions & start changing the culture around us, beginning with who we are.
May this help you bless those around you even more fully this Christmas, and continue breaking down those barriers standing in the way of the peace the Lord wants to bring you this season.
***Join in my upcoming free New Years Goal Setting with God workshop on JAN 8th! Learn more & save your seat here.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you work to break free from these cycles? Having support and being coached & mentored through this has made all the difference in the world for me, and for so many of my clients. There's no shame in struggling with this -- we're all on this journey & God wants to free us from this prison together. Don't let fear cause you to close in and isolate even more. We're not meant to walk alone.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Hey sister! Let's talk about something we all struggle with in different areas of our lives -- comparison to other women. Today I'm sharing 10 tips to help you stop comparing yourself/your life to others & letting it steal your joy.
Christmas and the holidays can be a vulnerable season mentally/emotionally, & trigger a ton of different temptations to compare ourselves & our lives to others. Whether it's:
Tendencies to compare our behind the scenes to others' perfect-looking highlights on social media
Wishing we had what others had
Longing for a different, fitter, thinner, or more beautiful body
Comparing our homes & families to the women around us
Comparing our children to others & wondering if they're developmentally on track or worrying we're failing them & falling into MORE guilt & shame as moms
Pressure to keep up with everyone else & what others are doing, fear of missing out
Feeling behind on our goals/where we hoped to be by now, or feeling inadequate in any area of our life
Any of this sound familiar? I know it does for me. I've come a long way on this journey, yet the holidays often bring these emotions & our insecurities to the forefront.
The truth is that comparison steals our joy, sanity, time/energy, money & so much more. Whether it's frustration, discouragement, resentment, jealousy, or inadequacy, it's hard to not let negative, anxious thoughts drive us into places we really don't want to go mentally & emotionally, & get stuck ruminating & dwelling there, pulling us further from the peace & joy we want to feel during Christmas.
Comparison, and competing with other women, criticizing ourselves (all that negative self talk we tend to fall into!) and others is a poison. It is distracting us from our call, causing us to doubt God’s goodness, our own identity & worth, causing us to attach to false idols, and sabotaging our capacity to receive the blessings & joy we are meant to experience in Christ.
We’re made for connection & belonging with, celebration of, & collaboration with other women, but comparison causes us to isolate & put up walls between us & others. We rob each other, just as much as it's stealing from us.
Enough is enough. Let's put a stop to the hold comparison has over your life, mental health, & relationships with God & others. And let's begin this Christmas.
***Join in my upcoming free New Years Goal Setting with God workshop on JAN 8th! Learn more & save your seat here.
BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL OR CONNECT:
Email: megan@armedtotheheart.com
1:1 Coaching Call: Looking for more support & accountability as you work to break free from these cycles? Having support and being coached & mentored through this has made all the difference in the world for me, and for so many of my clients. There's no shame in struggling with this -- we're all on this journey & God wants to free us from this prison together. Don't let fear cause you to close in and isolate even more. We're not meant to walk alone.
Renew: My signature Group Coaching Community of Christian women & mamas (in the military & beyond!) who inspire & humble me every day with how much they embody this culture of celebrating, collaborating with, & connecting deeply with one another to run this race alongside each other.
Strong + Resilient Postpartum Fitness Program (18 week+ Plan for Busy, Active Mamas in the military + beyond who want to get stronger, heal their core + pelvic floor + regain confidence in their bodies again after giving birth, and have an empowering postpartum experience where you & your family can truly thrive)
RESOURCES FOR MORE BALANCE IN FAMILY & WORK-LIFE:
Overcome the Overwhelm (Feel like your to-do-list is never-ending, and pulled in a million directions? Grab my FREE guide to help you balance work + mom life with less guilt + more peace, with God at the center)
PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM FITNESS RESOURCES:
Free Postpartum Fitness Guide: How to Return to Fitness Postpartum for Military Mamas + Beyond
Free Pregnancy Exercise Guide: How to Safely Exercise + Maintain Fitness Through Pregnancy