Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to unplug from our devices so we can be more present in our everyday lives.  I couldn’t wait for this topic because I know firsthand how tough it can be to break free from the constant pull of our devices. We tap into social media with the best intentions, only to emerge from the digital haze thirty minutes later, wondering where the time went. If you can relate, today’s conversation is for you!  Our guest for today’s episode is my dear friend, Hannah Brencher. Hannah is a writer, TED speaker, and entrepreneur. She founded The World Needs More Love Letters, a global community dedicated to sending letter bundles to those who need encouragement. She also wrote a book called, The Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World. In this book, she shares about the exhaustion she felt from her constantly plugged-in lifestyle and the challenge she undertook to change that — the challenge being unplugging from her device for 1,000 hours in one year! Her results after completing the challenge are pretty astounding – you’ll hear more about them soon! My hope is after hearing Hannah's story, you'll be empowered to reassess your own relationship with technology and be more present for the things that matter most. Alright, friends, let’s hop into my conversation with Hannah! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited for today’s episode because you get to hear from two of my favorite humans on the planet, my dear friends, Mariko Clark and Rachel Eleanor. Marri and Rachel have a brand new kid’s Bible coming out this week called The Book of Belonging and to say I am overjoyed and ecstatic about it is a huge understatement.  I knew I needed to invite them both on the show to not only talk about the book and incredible backstory, but also what the process was like while writing and illustrating it.  I loved this conversation so much because it reminded me that when God stirs our hearts to action, he equips us to do the hard thing, no matter how daunting the task (or how unqualified we feel!).  I can’t wait for you to hear from them! Let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to better understand yourself and your kids using the Enneagram.  Since the Enneagram has gained popularity in the past few years, I’m guessing most of you are at least somewhat familiar, but, if you need a refresher, The Enneagram Test is basically a personality assessment to help us know ourselves better and to help us overcome some of the roadblocks in our lives and become the best versions of ourselves. I personally love using the Enneagram because it has helped me understand my heart and my mind and my personality SO MUCH BETTER. But, something I haven’t spent as much time on is learning how I can use Enneagram as a tool to better understand my kids and learn how they feel and process things. And that’s why I cannot wait to share today’s conversation! Our guest for today’s episode is my friend, Beth McCord. Beth is an accomplished Enneagram speaker, author, coach, and teacher with over two decades of dedicated experience. Her passion lies in helping individuals rewrite their life stories, empowering them to realize that lasting change and meaningful relationships are possible. Beth's mission led to the creation of the Your Enneagram Coach community—a nurturing space where individuals safely explore the Enneagram. Her most recent book is called, The Enneagram for Moms: See the True Colors of Yourself and Your Children as God Intends, and I cannot wait for you to hear more about it!  I absolutely loved this conversation and I know you’re going to love it too! Here’s my conversation with Beth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! So, I was at an event recently when someone asked me what Girls Night is all about. I told them that here on the show we talk about anything and everything that you’d actually talk about with your real life best friends at a real life girls night. That pretty much covers it, right?  Well, one of the things my friends and I spend a lot of time talking about is where we’ll live. Where we live is a big deal — our homes are where our lives happen. Our cities are where our people are. And so making decisions about where we want to be located and what kind of house we want to live in — those are really important things to talk about!  And because so much rides on this decision from finances to family to lifestyle, I’m so glad we had our friends to help us walk through it. As many of you know, one of my closest friends here in Nashville is Hanna Seymour. Hanna’s been on Girls Night a bunch of times, and she’s actually the one who connected us with her amazing Realtor, Cindy Easley — who also happens to be Hanna’s mom.  Cindy has walked Carl and I through the process of buying and selling our home a few times now, and I am SO grateful for her. Buying a home can feel really scary, but it’s been so much easier and less intimidating to have my friends, and one of friends’ amazing mom to walk me through it. And that’s why I cannot wait to share today’s episode with you! We’re talking about how to buy a home for the first time and how to make it less intimidating!  In this episode Cindy is going to teach us… How to figure out if we’re personally ready to buy a home and what to consider when starting that process How to figure out the financial part of buying a home — she’ll walk us through things like down payments, mortgages, credit scores, and loans. How to find a real estate agent and lender that you trust  How to figure out your must-haves for a home – what’s realistic and where we might need to compromise a little And so much more!  Friends, if you’re trying to figure out your living situation right now, this episode is for you. I can’t wait for you to meet Cindy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited for today’s episode. Today we’re talking about boundaries: How to set them, how to keep them, and why they’re so truly life-changing.  If you’ve been a Girls Night listener for a while now, this isn’t the first time you’re hearing me talk about boundaries. And it’s because this has been a HUGE lesson for me. I am historically bad at knowing what I want and what I need — at drawing lines and saying no. And for the longest time, I was okay with that. (Maybe even a little bit proud of it?) I like being helpful. I like being needed. I like feeling useful, and capable, and strong. For years I thought that this was the best way to love the people I love: To always put their needs above my needs, to say yes to everything, to give but never take, and to have everything that’s mine be theirs without limit — whether it was my stuff, my space, my time, or my energy.  This is what I thought would lead to the healthiest, closest relationships. But over the last few years I’ve learned that the opposite is true. Boundaries are an absolutely essential part of healthy relationships. They’re an essential part of a healthy life, of a healthy US. And that’s what we’re talking about here today.  To help us through this, I invited my dear friend, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt back on the show. Sasha is a renowned cardiac anesthesiologist, professor, bestselling author and CEO and Founder of Brave Enough. Sasha is also a wife and a mother who has walked through seasons of loneliness, anxiety, and complete burnout. Needless to say, she has had to learn about boundaries the HARD way.  She has a new book called, Brave Boundaries: Strategies to Say No, Stand Strong and Take Control of Your Time where she helps us find the courage to implement boundaries in our own life.  Here are just a few of the things she’s going to teach us in this episode:  How to take a personal boundary inventory and identify what boundaries we need Why saying no to others and yes to ourselves isn’t selfish and can actually help us be a better version of ourselves (and love our people better!) How to kindly respond to someone if we receive backlash for the boundary we’ve set And so much more!  One of my favorite things that Sasha says in the episode was, "The world will set your boundaries if you don't set them for yourself” and that couldn't be more true.  Friends, if you’re feeling anxious, burned out, or overwhelmed in life right now, this episode is for you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to have more fun and why fun is so important.  Let’s be honest: being an adult is hard. There’s so much to navigate, so much to balance, so much to figure out. We’re figuring out work, and bills, and health insurance, and our living situations. For so many of us, we wake up FAR earlier than we want to, work all day at school or at our offices, eat lunch at our desk, and then come home at the end of the day feeling totally and thoroughly spent. The things we’re doing are good, and important, and necessary. But as we’re making time for all these important things, we also need to make sure we’re having some fun. Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Annie F. Downs. Annie is an amazing Author, Podcaster, and Speaker. She has a new devotional book called, Chase the Fun: 100 days to discover fun right where you are. And that’s exactly what we’re talking about in today’s episode! We’re talking about:  Why having fun matters (it actually matters — for our brains, and our bodies, and Annie and I both agree that fun is an important spiritual practice!)  How to figure out what sounds fun to us and how to actually do those things Practical ways to make more time for fun (even with super busy schedules!)  How to embrace the things we find to be fun (even if those things aren’t necessarily cool) How to start a new hobby And so much more! Friends, if you’ve been itching to add more fun and joy into your life, but don’t know where to start, this episode is for you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I don’t think I’m telling you anything new when I say that there have been a lot of hard things happening in our country and in our world recently. It seems like bad news hits us and before we can even take a breath or process what just happened, it hits us again.  And if I’m honest, this has been weighing really really heavily on my mind and my heart lately. It’s something my family and friends and I have all been talking about a lot — we’ve all just been feeling heavy, and tired, and at times even a little bit hopeless about the state of things.  (Side note: If you’re wondering what I’m referring to, I don’t have a specific event in mind from this week’s headlines. I’m actually recording this two weeks in advance — so I have no clue what’s happening in the news on the day this comes out. But so much has happened in the last few months and last few years, I’m just feeling the weight of it overall.) And I figured that if I’m feeling this way, and my friends and family are feeling this way, that you might be feeling this way too.  And that’s why I’m excited about today’s episode.  When I’m trying to process bad news in the world, I always find myself thinking back to one of our Girls Night episodes. It’s the conversation I had with Danielle Coke back in Season 13 of the podcast. Dani has a way of taking really important, really complex issues and making them more digestible and helping us figure out what to do with them. And so today I’m actually going to be re-sharing the conversation I had with her, because I have a feeling we could all use these reminders today.  Here are just a few of the things I ask Dani in this episode: When the whole world feels like one big ball of bad news, how do we process this? How do we care about the people who are hurting in the world without getting so overwhelmed by the hurt in the world that we just shut down?  How do we identify the cause or mission that is our thing? How do we figure out where and how we can help and actually make a difference? Once we figure out what our mission is, what do we do with everything else? When something crazy or hard or heartbreaking happens in the world, how do we process it? How do we both care and help without losing focus on the thing that is our thing?  How do you figure out what to say, when you should speak out, and how to do it? And I asked her about how to get through the fear that you’re going to say the wrong thing. (Does anyone else have that fear? Is that just me?)  Friends, if you’re feeling discouraged by all of the bad news or tragic events happening in our world, I’m right there with you, but there is hope! This episode is seriously life-giving and has practical advice on how we can process our feelings and make a difference in our world and community today! I can’t wait to share it with you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today you’ll be hearing part two of my conversation with my amazing therapist, Christen Reed, from Ready Nest Counseling in Nashville! If you haven’t listened to the part one episode, make sure you go back and listen to that one first. In this two-part episode, we’re talking about becoming a mom — why it’s such a big transition, what you can do to prepare for it, and some really practical pieces of advice and wisdom to help you through it. (Especially in those first few months). Like I said, if you didn’t listen to part one, go back and listen to that part first. But today in part two, we’re focusing on: How to ask for help as a new mom — and why needing help is NOT a sign of failure or weakness or a sign that we’re somehow a bad mom Why it’s so important for us to take care of ourselves, how to actually do that, and how to drop the guilt so many of us feel when we do How to filter through all of the advice that’s out there for first time moms, so we can figure out what’s best for us, our family, and our new baby And more And then at the end of the episode, since Christen is my therapist, we talk about therapy — why it’s so important, how it can help, and how to find the right therapist for you (even if you’ve struggled to find someone who is a good fit in the past!). I said this last week, but this is a pretty vulnerable topic for me. Becoming a mom is by far the hardest transition I’ve ever been through. But I wanted to share the whole story of how this went for me, because if you’re struggling in the same ways I was, it’s so important to me that you know you’re not alone.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! Our guest for today’s episode is Christen Reed. Christen works as a licensed marriage and family therapist at Ready Nest Counseling here in Nashville. And not only is she an amazing therapist, she’s MY therapist.  Christen has been there with me every step of the way as I’ve gone through the most gigantic transition of my entire life — becoming a mom.  And that’s what we’re talking about today.  We’re talking about becoming a mom — why it’s such a big transition, what you can do to prepare for it, and some really practical pieces of advice and wisdom to help you through it. (Especially in those first few months). Now, I have a few disclaimers to share with you before we dive in:  First: I mentioned this last week, but it is a tad unconventional for you to be meeting my therapist. (She and I had tons of talks and signed lots of papers having to do with boundaries and confidentiality and making sure that we keep our therapist/client relationship as safe and sacred as it’s always been!)  So I just wanted to let y’all know that. Second: I wanted to let you know that this is a pretty messy, vulnerable topic for me. In this episode, you’ll hear why I had such a hard time in the first few months of being a mom — why I say that it’s the hardest transition I’ve ever gone through.  And the reason I want to be so honest about this is not to be discouraging (that’s the LAST thing I would want to be), but it’s because I don’t ever want you to have to go through any of this alone. I was actually talking to my sister about this a few weeks ago. Maybe your first few months of mom life won’t be that hard, and if that’s the case, AMAZING! I’m so so happy for you. But if this is really hard for you — I want you to know that you’re not alone in that. You’re not weak, you’re not a bad mom. This is hard. And you’re not alone in feeling that way.  One last thing I wanted to say: Christen and I had so much to talk about in this episode that we actually had to split it into two parts. But trust me, it’s so worth it. So today you’ll be hearing part one of our conversation, and next week we’ll air part two.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! A few summers ago — the summer of 2018, to be exact — was one of the toughest, darkest, saddest, most difficult times of my whole entire life. I found myself in an absolute tailspin of anxiety and depression. And as the anniversary of this season rolls around each year, I always find myself remembering with striking clarity how it all felt. As the weather grows warmer and summer sets in, I always feel a fresh wave of gratitude for the fact that I'm not stuck in that dark place anymore. And I tear up every single time I think of the women who carried me through it. Our guest for today’s episode is my former therapist — the one who walked me through that dark season in 2018 and so much more — Blake Blankenbecler.  And today I’ve invited her on the show to talk about people-pleasing. People-pleasing and how to set boundaries are things she and I talked about a LOT during the years I was seeing her. And I cannot even begin to tell you how much freedom I was able to step into as a result. Friends, if you’re a people-pleaser, if you have a hard time saying no, feel guilty for setting boundaries, worry constantly about how other people are perceiving you, and often feel resentful because you feel so depleted from it all — this episode is for you.  (Quick disclaimer here: Confidentiality is something that is taken really seriously when it comes to counseling and therapy. And so it’s pretty unconventional for me to be introducing you to my counselors — both former and current — and for us to be sharing some of what we’ve talked about in our sessions. I just wanted to let you know that we’ve had all of the conversations and signed all the necessary paperwork when it comes to the ethics of having them on the show — especially with my current therapist who you’ll meet next week — we’ve done all the work to make sure to protect my privacy, the work we’ve done together, and the integrity of our therapeutic relationship. Just wanted to make sure to say that.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to travel solo.  I love this topic because traveling is absolutely one of my favorite things to do and has played an irreplaceable role in my story! I’ve had the privilege of visiting places all around the world and every time I come back feeling more inspired and more full of life and just more like myself. But while I love traveling, I know firsthand how hard it can be to actually make a trip happen. Sometimes it’s finances that get in the way, sometimes it’s work, and a lot of times, we find that we don’t have anyone to go with!  That’s why I’m so excited to have my dear friend Gennean Woodall back on Girls Night to talk us through this. Gennean is a travel planner and content creator, and she has traveled to places all around the world… all by herself. Like most of us, she had some major reservations about traveling solo. (Is it safe? Will I be lonely? Can I actually do this?!) But she’s figured out a formula that really works and now, traveling solo is her favorite way to go. She also has grown so much as a person through these solo trips. I honestly can’t wait to take one myself!  Friend, if you’ve been dreaming of taking a trip and are ready to actually make it happen — this episode is for you. Gennean equips and empowers us to do the things we’ve been dreaming about for so long, and I’m so excited to share this conversation with you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited to be back for Season 15 of the Girls Night podcast — and we’re kicking off this season with a really wonderful episode.  We’re talking about why it’s so important to celebrate the big things (and the little things) in our lives — and how to practically do that! I love this episode because I always find myself craving delight and whimsy and celebration (and popsicles!) more in the summer than any other time of year. But this episode is actually so much deeper than just having more parties. Something I learned in this episode is that joy is one of the most vulnerable things we can ever feel. It’s WAY less vulnerable to feel disappointment, to imagine worst-case-scenarios, and to rehearse bad things happening. It’s like, if you’re preparing for the worst, it won’t hurt so much if it happens. Whereas if you really open your arms and your heart to something good, and embrace it, then if it gets taken away, you feel like you’ll be crushed. (Even more so because you didn’t see it coming!) It’s like naming a puppy you’re not going to get to keep. It feels easier just not to name it. But actually, it doesn’t work this way. I can’t wait for you to hear why! Our guest walking us through this incredible topic is my friend Nicole Zasowski. Nicole is a Marriage and Family Therapist as well as an author. She recently wrote a book called, What If It’s Wonderful?: An Invitation to Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, and Find the Courage to Celebrate. Friends, if you’d like to feel more joy and contentment in your life (that’s all of us, right?) this episode is for you. I can’t wait to dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! We know that sex is an important part of marriage, but because it’s such a personal, intimate thing, it’s often the area of marriage where we have the least amount of help, guidance, and support.  If sex is uncomfortable, or if it hurts, or if it’s just not as good as you thought it would be — or if you find yourself wanting to have sex more often or less often than your partner and it’s causing some tension between you — or if one of you is struggling with porn, or if you’re just not feeling as connected or free in your intimacy as you want to feel — we don’t necessarily know where to turn for help. And while there are some books and resources available to us — a lot of the advice out there about sex and intimacy just honestly isn’t that good. Sometimes it’s not just unhelpful, it’s actually damaging. A lot of us are suffering as a result of the bad advice we’ve been given in the past, sometimes without even realizing it.  All of that is exactly why I’m so excited about today’s episode. Our guest this week is author and sex expert, Sheila Gregoire. Sheila has written several books, but two of my favorites are The Great Sex Rescue, and The Good Girls Guide to Great Sex. These are incredible resources. Sheila has helped so many couples grow in their connection, passion, and intimacy, and that's why I’m so excited for you to get to hear from her. In this episode she’s talking to us about:  How often we should be having sex Libido differences: What to do if one person wants to have sex more than the other What to do if sex is painful, uncomfortable, or honestly just not that good What to do if shame is keeping us from being able to feel free in our sex lives How to undo some of the harmful messages that have had a negative impact on our view of sex What to do if your spouse struggles with porn And so much more Friend, if you’re struggling — with literally anything — in your sex life, you are SO not alone. And you also don’t have to walk through this alone either.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today we’re continuing our brand new series on the Girls Night Podcast called, “How She Does It.”  About once a month we do a profile of a woman who’s living a beautifully, unique life and we'll get to hear the behind-the-scenes of how she does it. We’ll also talk about what things she does or, maybe more importantly, doesn’t do to make it all happen! The idea for this series came to me while I was writing my new book, Create A Life You Love, and so I want to read you the passage that inspired it. Over the years, I’ve spent more and more time looking for women who are breaking the mold—creating lives that look like them and feel like them and work for them. And the more I see, the more I notice, the more empowered I feel to create my own life in a way that’s a little different, a little outside the lines, but that looks like me, feels like me, and works for me and my family. — Create a life you love That's my hope for these episodes.  I’m so excited about today’s episode because we’re talking to my dear friend, Christy Wright. Christy is an author, podcaster, certified business coach, dynamic speaker and personal development expert. I’ve been a huge fan of Christy for years — she’s truly one of the most inspiring women I know!  The plan for the episode was to go through all of my usual questions that I ask for this series. Questions like “What “supposed to’s” have you wrestled with in your Everything Era?” and “How did you do things differently?” We made it through the first two or three and then totally changed gears… but in the best way possible!  This conversation is one I wasn’t expecting, but totally needed, and I think you’ll feel the same way. We talk about listening to God’s voice, interpreting signs, following God’s lead (even when it feels scary), and so much more!  Christy has so much faith and wisdom — you’re going to love her! Okay, let’s dive into the conversation!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! So today is a bit of a departure from what I had originally planned. Instead of a new episode, today you’re going to hear an episode that originally aired in 2019. And the reason we’re doing this repeat is because honestly… I need to.  We have had a few crazy, CRAZY weeks in our house — traveling, a family wedding, the wonderful people who normally help us take care of the girls have been out of town, and then just when we thought life was about to get back to normal — we all got sick. (Which, if I sound weird, or suddenly start coughing, that’s why!) The fact that we’re all sick has meant lots of time together as a family, which has actually been really sweet. But it’s meant absolutely ZERO time for anything else. Seriously, you should see my inbox, and the piles of laundry in our house. So, while we’re all recovering, and resting, and wading through piles of laundry, and trying to pull ourselves back together, I thought that in the name of simplicity, we should do a repeat episode — especially because it was such a good one. Our guest for this episode, Emily Ley, is a woman I’m constantly learning from. Not only is she the maker of my all-time favorite planner, The Simplified Planner. But she’s an incredible author, podcaster, speaker, entrepreneur, mom (she also has twins!), and in all of those areas of her life, she’s both an incredible teacher and student of what it means to live a simplified life.  She also has a gorgeous new kids book coming out here in a few weeks. I just pre-ordered my copy. It’s called You're Always Enough: And More Than I Hoped For and I can’t wait to read it to my girls! In this episode she teaches us how to make our lives more meaningful and less stressful.  We’re talking about: What living a simplified life practically looks like How to rework our day-to-day routine and keep ourselves from overcommitting How to prioritize our time so we’re spending less time on things that stress us out and more time with the people we love Practical tips for simplifying our use of social media How to shift our mindset from always wanting more to loving the amazing and beautiful things that we already have And more.  I can’t wait for you to hear from her. You ready? Let’s dive in!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to get out of debt! I wanted to do an episode on this topic because I know there are so many women in our community who are really struggling with their finances right now. There are so many things you dream of doing in life, but debt is standing in the way of all of them. You want financial freedom, but reaching that point seems confusing, daunting, and like it will require an unthinkable amount of sacrifice to achieve. I totally understand that feeling. I’ve been there too. But the things we’re talking about in today’s episode have helped me so much to get control of my financial life, and I truly believe they’ll do the same for you. And to help us with this, I invited my friend Rachel Cruze back on the show! Rachel is an author, financial expert and host of The Rachel Cruze Show. I knew I needed to have Rachel on for this episode because she’s helped countless people get out of debt and achieve financial freedom — and the way she does it is so approachable and actually doable. I can’t wait for you to hear from her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited for today’s episode! Today we’re talking about how to get pregnant — everything you need to know when you’re ready to start trying. I’ve been wanting to do this episode for years now, because this is something my friends and I have been talking about at our real life girls nights for a really long time. If you’re anything like me, the last time you got a full overview of your reproductive system was also the last time you took a health class. Which again, if you’re anything like me, was in high school, and you were too busy trying not to die of embarrassment to really pay attention to what was going on. Also, for the longest time, I was mostly focused on how NOT to get pregnant. So when I actually wanted TO get pregnant, I had no idea where to start. Okay… I knew where to start… but I didn’t know much more than that. But really, there’s so much that goes into it, and while yes, I have a great doctor, and most of my friends do too, the really important “how to get pregnant” information is something we passed around to each other. It was my friend Hanna that told me that you can only get pregnant for a short window of time each month. (ESSENTIAL information!) It was Kelsey who told me how long it typically takes to get pregnant, and who talked me through how I might feel if it didn’t happen right away (Which, of course, it didn’t.) My dear friend Ann was my practitioner for a while there, and so she was the one telling me which prenatal vitamin to take and also the one who referred me to our fertility clinic when the time came. It’s not an exaggeration to say that my friends directly contributed to the lives of my babies — whether through emotional support, encouragement, or sending me the link to an ovulation predictor kit on Amazon. And I love that. That’s exactly how it should be, right? And so that’s why it was so important to me to capture the conversations we have been having over the past few years and to share them with you. But because I didn’t want to accidentally steer you wrong, I wanted to make sure to bring a professional on the show to talk us through the details. So today’s guest is my new friend, Rebecca Helie. Becca is a Certified Nurse Midwife and provides full-spectrum women’s health care. In her spare time, she also runs a women’s health account on Instagram where she provides free, evidence-based information all about women’s health! I’ve been following along with Becca for a while now and just love her content and resources! I’m so excited for you to hear from her! She’s going to bring us back to the basics and explain how our bodies work in a really practical way. She’s also going to walk us through the steps we need to take when we’re ready to start trying to have a baby. I’m so honored to get to talk about this together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about online dating and how to do it well! So, here’s the thing, I think we fall into a few different camps when it comes to the topic of online dating. A lot of us want to try online dating, but we are totally nervous about it. We don’t know if it’s the right fit, the right next step, and we’re not sure how to do it successfully. On the other hand, I know there are a lot of us who have really given online dating a try and we have come out the other side totally exhausted, discouraged, and burned out. It’s just not working. Friend, I promise, whatever group you find yourself in, you’re not alone there. Today’s conversation is going to dig deep into the fears and frustrations we have about online dating, while also giving us lots of encouragement – the kind of encouragement that might even have you reconsider your outlook on online dating altogether! And the woman who’s going to walk us through this is a Girls Night favorite and my dear friend, Kat Harris. Kat is the Co-Founder of the online publication, The Refined Woman, and host of The Refined Collective Podcast. She’s also the author of an amazing book called, Sexless in the City. Kat is the go-to expert when it comes to online dating. I had the honor of helping out with a workshop she did about online dating a few months ago, and as I was listening to her teach, her knowledge, wisdom, and insight seriously blew me away. In this episode, Kat’s going to teach us how to shift our mindsets and attitudes around online dating, how to set up our dating profiles so that we stand out, how to make our online dating experience better, and so much more! I can’t wait to share this with you!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to make a meal plan that will actually make your life easier. Alternate titles for today’s episode are:  A meal planning guide for people who are terrible at meal planning Stephanie finally gets unstuck in an area of life that has been frustrating her every single day for years.  So, I know that some of the women in our community are excellent cooks. They feel comfortable in the kitchen, and their favorite question to answer is, “What’s for dinner?” I wish that was the case for me, but it’s totally not. I’m the takeout queen. And although I’ve tried meal planning more times than I can count, I’ve never been able to do it in a way that makes my life easier. In fact, it always seems to make my life harder. I could break out in hives just thinking about it! When I think about meal planning, I picture a complicated app full of recipes I don’t actually want to make. I picture the app spitting out a grocery list that’s the length of a CVS receipt, and I picture me spending too much time and too much money on meals I’m not actually excited about eating in the first place. This plan didn’t make my life easier, it’s made it 10X harder. And so I always end up tossing out my meal plan (and the whole weekend I spent making it!) and just end up winging it — somehow surprised and frustrated every single day when at 5pm we have to (AGAIN!) answer the question, “What do we want to do for dinner?” So when I got the opportunity to have Kendra Adachi back on the show to tell us about her new book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, I was excited, but also thought that whatever tips she had probably wouldn’t help me. I’m so happy I was wrong. This conversation was honestly life-changing for me. I can’t wait for you to hear it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! Friends, I’m so excited about today’s episode. This is such an important topic! Today we’re talking all about our periods! I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, you don’t spend much time learning about your period. You are pretty sure you know the basics — after all, you’ve lived with it for years now. It’s a normal part of your life. But also, if you’re anything like me, there are really hard parts about your period that negatively impact your quality of life. Maybe you have terrible cramps, or really bad PMS, maybe your period is super irregular or really painful, but it’s always been that way so you’ve just sort of tried to accept it. That’s how I’ve been for years. I’ve been frustrated by my period, had issues with my period, and just overall hated my period at times, but I honestly just didn’t know there was a different way. If you can relate to any of those things, I’m so excited for you to hear this conversation. Our guest for today’s episode is Berrion Berry. Berri is a menstrual health educator, practitioner and the creator of Optimize Your Flo. And in this episode she is teaching us everything we never learned about our periods — things I wish I knew so much sooner. We’re talking about alleviating pain, navigating our hormonal shifts, and so much more. You guys, I learned SO much in this episode. There were things I’ve always done that I learned I should NOT be doing, and there are ways of embracing the changes in our hormones throughout the month that has totally revolutionized the way I view my period and honestly, the way I live. This was such a good conversation! So make sure you put on your coziest sweatpants and grab a pen and paper because you don’t want to miss out on this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! Today’s episode is a harder one, but also a really important one. Today we’re talking about how you know when it's time to end a relationship (and how to actually do it!). I wanted to do this episode because I know there are women listening to this who are currently in a relationship, maybe one they’ve been in for years, but things have been feeling off lately and you just can’t seem to figure out why. You’ve tried your best to communicate your feelings, but nothing seems to change. You know deep down that you might need to end things, but you’re feeling hesitant because you’ve invested so much time and energy into this relationship. And really, you’re just feeling stuck! If you’re nodding your head, you’re not alone in those feelings. And I have just the right friend to talk us through this and that’s Kenz Durham from Delight Ministries! We actually had Kenz on another Girls Night episode where she briefly mentioned ending a long term relationship with her boyfriend at the time and that it was one of the hardest decisions she ever had to make. She casually mentioned that we could do a whole podcast episode about it. And so…here we are, doing exactly that!  In this episode, Kenz shares her story – the things she’s glad she did and the things she wished she did differently. I’m so excited for you to hear from her! One more thing – I know there are some of you listening who are not in a place of ending a relationship, but so many of the things Kenz shares applies to other situations too – other areas of our lives where we need to say goodbye, walk away, end something and we haven’t known how. So if you’re in a similar situation, this episode is for you too!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about the beautiful things that can happen when your life doesn’t go according to plan. I recently had the privilege of being a guest on a podcast called, On the Front Porch. The hosts are two amazing women from our Girls Night community, Angela and Mary. They are so much fun. They asked amazing questions. And I loved the conversation so much I just knew I had to share it with y’all. I asked them if I could share the interview we did for their show here on Girls Night and they so graciously said yes! I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, you’ve had this picture in your head for a long time of how your life was going to play out. You were going to attend that school, get that degree, get hired for that one job you’ve always wanted, get married, have kids, buy your dream house and the list goes on! But, as most of us know, life doesn’t always play out like we want it to or in the time frame we hope it will. Sometimes God has a way of wrecking our plans, or at least that’s how it’s felt to me at several points along the way. And that’s the story you’ll get to hear today. In this episode, I’m sharing about my faith journey and how I met Jesus in the most unexpected way, and in the most unexpected place. I’m talking about several times when God completely wrecked my plans when it came to my career. And finally, I’m sharing how God completely transformed my outlook on dating and relationships and helped me make the most of my single life. You guys, I share so much of my story in this episode and how God has shown up in the BEST ways possible, and I truly believe he can and will do the same for you!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have my real life friend, Jordan Lee Dooley back on the show to teach us how it’s possible to really like our lives (even when we’re not exactly where we want to be). Jordan has a new book called, Embrace Your Almost: Find Clarity and Contentment in the In-Betweens, Not-Quites, and Unknowns. I love this because so many of us have found ourselves here. So many of us are experiencing heartbreak, disappointment, lost dreams, and never-ending delays. We’re in seasons of waiting — waiting for a relationship, a promotion, a baby, or a big move. We’re in a place where our life just isn’t working out the way we thought it would, the way we really, really want it to. And that’s HARD.  It’s even harder to know what to do when we’re in this place. Do we try harder? Do we keep pushing? Do we give up and walk away? How do we know? And as we’re waiting, what do we do in the meantime?  Jordan’s going to walk us through all of this and more. I can’t wait for you to hear from her. Episode Links: Jordan’s Podcast: She Podcast Jordan’s Book: Embrace Your Almost: Find Clarity and Contentment in the In-Betweens, Not-Quites, and Unknowns Past Girls Night Episodes with Jordan: Girls Night #5: How to Keep Comparison from Stealing Your Joy Girls Night #58: How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome: Pursuing Your Dreams When You Feel Like a Fraud CONNECT WITH JORDAN Facebook // Website // Instagram CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE Facebook // Bookstore // Instagram Our sponsor for today’s episode is Faithful Counseling. Faithful Counseling was so generous to give my Girls Night listeners a special offer of 10% off your first month of counseling. So, to check it out, and get 10% off of your first month, just go to GetFaithful.com/girlsnight.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast episode you'll learn: How to create a must-have or non-negotiable list when dating (and why they’re important!) What should be on your must-have list What you can (and maybe should!) take off of your must have list Things you should consider when dating someone younger or older than you Things to think about if weight/height/other physical specifications are on your must-have list Why changing your must-have list can positively change your life Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about How to make your travel dreams a reality.  I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, you want to travel and explore new places, but there’s a few things that tend to hold you back.  First, traveling is expensive. You really want to make travel a priority, but between plane tickets, lodging costs, and other travel expenses, it gets to be a lot.  Two, you don’t know who to travel with. Maybe you’re single and not sure if you want to travel solo or you're married but it seems like none of your friends are able to travel.  If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone, but today’s guest is going to help us!  Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Whitney Haldeman. Whitney is a Luxury Travel Advisor and Founder of Blonde Atlas, a luxury boutique travel company that provides planning services for individual clients, as well as group tours for women called Atlas Adventures. She is passionate about connecting like-minded women who have a shared love for travel.  In this episode, she’s helping us figure out how to incorporate travel into our lives no matter our budget or whether or not we have someone to go with.  One of my favorite tips she shares is splitting time between budget friendly lodging and luxury lodging — more about that in the episode!  If you have the itch to explore and want to make your travel dreams a reality, this episode is for you! Okay, let’s hop into my conversation with Whitney! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast you'll learn: Why it’s never too late to make a change in your life How to identify the things in your life that no longer serve you Why celebration is important and how to celebrate when the world feels heavy What to say yes to and what to say no to How to become the healthiest, most whole person that you can be What to do when you find yourself in a place where your relationship with God (or really, your relationship with the church) doesn’t feel the way it once did Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, our guests, Jess Johnston & Amy Weatherly from "Sister I Am With You," teach us the best things you can do today to go deeper in your friendships and why authentic friendship is essential for us as women! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mariko Clark is hopping back in the host chair to interview Stephanie about her journey with social media. If social media has been feeling more draining than life-giving, this episode is for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, wardrobe stylist, Blair Moore, is teaching us how to figure out our personal style and simplify getting dressed in the morning! If you feel like you never have anything to wear, this episode is for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, therapist & author, Hillary McBride, is answering my hardest questions about body image and teaching us how we can accept our bodies as they are (without giving up hope of being stronger or healthier). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, our guest, Danielle Coke, from Oh Happy Dani, is going to teach us how we can process all the bad news in the world & be a force for good! She's also going to share how to identify our mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my sweet friend, Mariko Clark, is hopping back in the host chair to interview me on the full (sometimes messy) story of how I became an author and podcaster! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my guest, Dominique Broadway, is teaching us how to take ownership of our finances and set ourselves up for financial success (why didn’t someone teach us this sooner!?). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my friend, Mariko Clark, and I talk about what to do when the faith we were taught growing up or the faith we picked up ourselves doesn’t feel quite the way it used to. We also talk about the questions we wrestle with and how to bring those to God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my best friend, Kelsey Bennett, and I are continuing our conversation on how to figure out if you're ready to have kids. We're talking about finances, life changes, God's timing in all of this and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. When writing my book, Create a Life You Love, I did a ton of research on what life has been like for women throughout history. One of the biggest themes I’ve found is that throughout history, women have had next to no authority over their lives. And while that’s been getting better — we have more options today than any generation of women in history, we also are carrying more than any generation of women in history, because the more we’re able to “do it all” the more we’re being expected to actually, “DO IT ALL.” That’s why I cannot wait for you to hear from today’s guest!  Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Paula Faris. Paula is a journalist, author and Founder of CARRY Media, which advocates for working moms. Paula’s mission is to make sure being a working mom works!  One of my favorite parts of the episode is when she talks about the “mom default” and why so much of the load seems to be left in the hands of women — and what we can do to change that! Paula is funny, and brilliant, and an advocate for real change — you are going to love this conversation! Let’s hop into the episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today we’re talking all about how to figure out if you’re ready to have kids. I don't know about you, but deciding we were going to start trying to have kids is maybe one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. Maybe you’re the woman who’s always seen yourself as being a mom and you have no doubt in your mind about that. But I know there are also women on the other side of the spectrum, like me, who are dealing with so many doubts, fears and questions. To talk us through some of these questions, I invited my very best friend, Kelsey Bennett, on the show! Kelsey is my go-to person for pretty much any question I have about kids or parenting. Kelsey is the one who walked me through my whole journey of figuring out if and when I was ready to have kids and I’m so thrilled to get to share her wisdom with you today too.  Just a heads up — we actually had so much to discuss in this episode that we decided to split it into two episodes. In part one, we’ll be talking through questions like, “Does everyone want to have kids and do we need to have kids?” “How do we go about the conversation with our significant other?” “What if you find yourself having way more doubt and fear than longing? Is that normal?” And so much more! And then in part two we’ll talk more about what it actually looked like for us to get ready to have kids. Having kids is a really big decision to make! It comes with excitement and fears and everything in between, so I’m so excited to talk through this with you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I'm chatting with Danielle Bayard Jackson, Certified Friendship Coach, about all the answers we need when it comes to friendship like what to do when a friendship changes or what to do when a friendship feels one-sided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mac & Kenz, from Delight Ministries, and I chat about what to do when the timeline you have for your life isn't going as you had planned — especially when it comes to marriage! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jena Dunay will be teaching us how to know if it’s time to move on from a job, what to include on your resume, tips for networking and job interviews, and, ultimately, how to get the job you've been wanting! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kait Tomlin, from The Heart of Dating Podcast, and I chat about how to invest in your future marriage and your single life at the same time. We also talk about praying for your future husband! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Emily P. Freeman and I are chatting about how to make big life decisions, how to know what God has for us, and how to trust God in uncertain seasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Chrystal Evans Hurst is going to teach us how to stop praying general, basic prayers, and instead pray boldly, intentionally, and in a way that totally transforms us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my friend, Hanna Seymour, and I are sharing what it means to have a personal relationship with God and how to navigate the questions we have about God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is sharing her 7 types of rest and how intentional rest can change your life and relationships. If you're feeling stressed or burned out, this episode is for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my guest, Elizabeth Laing Thompson, shares how you can better understand your emotions, embrace your emotions, filter your emotions, control some of your emotions, and grow from all of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! A few weeks ago, my husband Carl and I hosted a virtual live girls night of sorts with the incredible crew of women who helped me launch my new book, Create A Life You Love. Nothing was off the table — we had them send in any and all questions they had for us, and we answered as many of them as we could.  We made sure to record that Q&A session, and I’m so glad, because now we get to share it with you.  In this episode, we’re talking about marriage, dating, pursuing your dreams, and we’ll be answering a few questions about moving to Spain — what that looks like and what we’re most excited about!  This was such a fun conversation to have, especially with mine and Carl’s 10 year wedding anniversary coming up in early July!  So, without further ado, let’s dive into my conversation with my husband, Carl Wilson! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Carl and my 7-year wedding anniversary! In this episode, we're sharing the story of how we met, how we started dating, and our best advice on what qualities to look for in your future spouse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Hanna and I will be talking through questions like: What if you don’t want to have sex as much as you thought you would? What do you do if sex is awkward, or even hurts? How do you get better at sex? How do you get yourself (or him) in the mood? How often should you be having sex? And so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my friends, Kailey Dickerson, Hanna Seymour, and I chat about everything from how much bickering is normal as a newlywed, to how to deal with finances as a couple, to navigating a healthy sex life, and that’s just the beginning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices