The Kettle with Meagan Francis – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this month's Journal, I share what's inspiring me going into November: my favorite cinnamon-spiced teas, embroidery projects as holiday gifts, making herbal tinctures, and an epic novel trilogy from medieval Norway.

Episode Links:

*most links are affiliates. If you make a purchase via my link, I will earn a small commission - a great way to support this podcast!

Read my accompanying November Journal post at TheTeasMade.com

Episode 32 - How and Why To Start Foraging For Wild Plants

Light of Day Organics Heartwarming Cinnamon Tea

Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice

Hot Cinnamon Spice decaf option

Mountain Rose Herbs

My Vitamin D supplement

Stick N Stitch printable embroidery paper, or pre-printed designs: love these snowflakes, these fun designs for lovers of books (and cats!), and vintage-inspired holiday designs.

Only Murders in the Building 

the Kristin Lavransdatter Trilogy by Sigrid Undset

This episode is brought to you by Bevy, my tea and craft company! Order your holiday 2024 BevyBox - a gift box hand-curated by me and featuring tea, craft supplies and other special goodies - at BevyBox.co, and use code TEA15 for 15% off.

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Between social media platforms, email, blogs, podcasts, streaming video and all the rest, there are so many ways these days to consume (or create!) content. In this episode I share what taking social media breaks has done for my brain, how pressure to create and consume has impacted the way I feel about my work, and what I'm planning to do going forward - including a change to the format of this podcast.

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Hi all! Hopping in from my podcasting break with a birthday message, some tips on staying connected and calm in a divided and noisy world, and a little preview of what you can expect when The Tea's Made returns on August 15.

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From starting a brick-and-mortar retail shop, to putting the finishing touches on my book manuscript, to caring for my new chicks, to getting another son ready for college, this summer has already been jam-packed with activity. In the last episode of The Tea's Made before my midsummer break, I'm sharing more details about what's happening in my world and what you can expect when I return in the early fall.

Featured Tea:

Harrod's English Breakfast

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

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When I was a young girl, I was completely fascinated with the idea of being able to find food and medicine in nature. But in our modern world, eating anything that grows wildly can seem strange...undesirable...even dangerous. While it took me until my mid-40s, I've begun to embrace foraging and wildcrafting as not only a fun and mostly-free hobby, but also a way of looking at the world differently. In this episode I'll talk about what this journey has looked like for me and share basic tips for getting started, staying safe, and using what you find.

Featured Tea:

Yooper Yellow from S•TEA•P

Featured Links:

Learn more about my new tea shop on Instagram!

Follow Bevy Tea on Instagram

The Seek app from iNaturalist

Midwestern Medicinal Plants by Lisa M. Rose

Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Forêt

Here's a good basic blog post on starting foraging. I agree with the author that getting a book or two is a really good idea, as is getting mentored in real life from an experienced forager!

Cotton mesh drawstring bags like these are great for collecting and drying herbs

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

From navigating relationships with our teenagers to how we engage with social media, the post-40 years offer many opportunities to rethink old patterns of people-pleasing and live more authentically. In this conversation with author Rachel Macy Stafford, learn how to create a "Soul Shift" that will help you slow down, connect, and live more in line with your deepest values.

Episode Links:

Find Rachel Macy Stafford Online:

• Instagram 
• Substack 
• Facebook
• Rachel's website 

Rachel's Books:

• Hands-Free Mama
• Soul Shift
• Only Love Today
• Live Love Now

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Sometimes life is hard, sometimes life is exciting...and often, it's both at the same time. When that happens, it's not always easy to know how to feel from one moment to the next. In this episode I'm sharing some news from my life over the past week, and how I've been coping with some sad events and hard moments in the midst of the exciting things happening alongside them.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

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With a graduation, a move, an anniversary, and travel all happening within a couple of weeks of each other during what was already a jam-packed spring, I've been giving a lot of thought to what helps particularly chaotic periods feel more manageable. In this episode, I'm reflecting on some of the practices, habits and mindsets, from sticking to healthy routines to leaving room for spontaneity, that I've learned can help me thrive - not just survive! - during really, really busy seasons of life.

Featured Tea:

Gorge Sunrise from Good Medicine Tea - use code TEASMADE for 15% off!

Episode Links:

Episode 27: Five ways to add more steps to your day

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Have you ever dreamed about getting away from it all...all by yourself? Five years ago, a year or so after getting divorced when I desperately needed to do something just for myself, I went on a life-changing six-day solo hiking and camping adventure. In this episode I share why the trip was so meaningful, how I packed and prepared, how you can safely plan your own solo getaway - and why you should consider it.

Episode Links:

Beginner hiking and camping gear guide for women

A woman's guide to solo hiking and camping

Episode 26: Herbal how-to: my favorite herbal teas & how I prepare them

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A few months ago I looked back over the last few years' worth of my smart watch data and was shocked to see my step average had plummeted by over half in the last year or so - coinciding with some other health issues that I believe were related. We're told to get in at least 10,000 steps per day, and while there's some debate over that number, I definitely feel my best when I'm consistently getting in lots of natural movement - but sometimes tight schedules and modern conveniences conspire to keep us sedentary! In this episode you'll hear five ways I've gotten those daily steps back up - way up - and how you can create a more movement-oriented mindset, without ever going to the gym.

Episode Links:

My Garmin Vivoactive 4s - I've used this watch for daily movement and sleep tracking (as well as keeping time!) for over 3 years and it's still going strong.

I love these 2-lb Velcro wrist weights with thumb loop. I wear them for the first part of my walk, while I do the stairs, and I incorporate lots of arm movements (both planned and more random) to maximize the "strength training" portion of the day. Then I ditch them in my car and enjoy the rest of my walk like normal. I also have a 20-lb kettlebell in my car and will often tack on a quick leg workout + kettlebell swings at the end of my walk.

I LOVE wearing my Happy Feet toe aligner socks to show my feet a little love at the end of the day!

Vionic insoles - I put these in all my non-Vionic shoes, including my regular sneakers and hiking boots. Vionic is a sponsor; use code TEASMADE at checkout for 15% off.

A good magnesium supplement also helps a lot with foot and other muscle/joint pain.

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy