After Hours With Amanda

I wrote “Visit Pixar Studios” in my goals for five years, and this year, that dream came true. In this episode, I’m sharing the story behind getting invited to Pixar for Toy Story 5, but really, this is about dreams, faith, motherhood, and learning to keep showing up even when not everyone understands what you’re carrying. I talk about borrowing belief, fear that sounds like wisdom, safe friendships, and what I hope my tiny queens learn from watching me dream out loud. If your belief feels tired today, you can borrow mine.00:00 The Pixar Invite I Didn’t Know Was Possible00:33 Welcome Back, Boo01:03 I Got Invited to Pixar02:15 Writing the Dream Down for Five Years03:17 Why This Is Bigger Than Pixar05:12 Dreams Have Fingerprints06:11 When People Don’t Get Your Dream08:08 When Fear Sounds Like Wisdom12:11 Borrowing Belief16:07 Medicine Cabinet Reminders19:00 What I’m Teaching My Tiny Queens24:12 Maybe Belief Is the Better Gift

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about dreams, comparison, Disney, going back to work, content creation, grief, and learning not to discount the chapters just because I have not reached the title of the book yet. I share what it felt like to attend a Disney event in LA, why that weekend felt like a wink from my mom, and how I realized I have been living pieces of dreams I used to have. If you are in the middle of your own story, I hope this reminds you that the chapter still counts.00:00 Truly After Hours Tonight00:20 Rainbow Connection and My Mom02:05 I Forgot the Cheer Party03:25 Controlling the Controllable05:19 The Disney Event Was Bigger Than I Realized07:20 TGI Fridays, CVS, and Forgotten Underwear09:38 Seeing the F1 Car11:46 Walking Into the Event With Zero Chill13:19 Disney Store, Sweatshirts, and Pop Ups16:37 Taco Bell and Late Night Editing17:15 The Dream Inside the Journey19:05 The Book Title and the Chapters20:28 Busyness, Trauma, and Strengths23:31 Savoring the Wins on the Way25:16 There Is No Story Without the Prequel28:15 The Michael Kors Bag and My Mom32:24 Living in a Dream I Used to Have35:37 Do Not Compare Your Chapter37:00 We Cannot Do It All38:10 If No One Has Told You Lately

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about decision making, changing your mind, regret, college choices, parenting, self worth, and why I do not think there is always one perfect “right decision.” I share about glamor shots, leaving my management company, learning to trust myself again, and the old belief that if you made your bed, you have to lie in it forever. But you do not. You made the best choice you could with the information you had then. You are allowed to grow, pivot, apologize, change, and step into who you are becoming.00:00 Welcome to the Coffee Chat00:39 Water, Weather, and Life Updates01:00 Glamor Shots Had Me in a Chokehold03:08 Stepping Into My Purpose at the Mall04:43 Leaving My Management Company05:23 Handling My Own Email Again07:33 How People Make You Feel Matters09:22 There Is No Right Decision10:07 College, Tiny Humans, and Big Choices11:41 You Made Your Bed, Now Lie in It14:10 Step Into the Light of Who You Are Becoming15:33 Doing the Best With the Information You Had17:39 Why Decisions Feel So Heavy19:08 Watching My Girls Make Choices20:35 When People Hold You to an Old Version23:22 The Same Song Forever24:00 Friendships Can Change Too25:32 Taking Time Before a Decision27:23 Does This Align With Who I Want to Be?30:14 Choosing College Without Everyone Else’s Opinion31:27 Do Not Let Fear Paralyze You32:11 Do Not Let Yourself Be Typecast34:01 Making Decisions Without Knowing the Result37:40 You Are Allowed to Grow and Pivot39:03 Choosing Integrity Over the Easy Yes40:03 Throw the Paper Towel and See If It Sticks41:00 Do Not Carry the Backpack of Guilt42:46 If No One Has Told You Lately

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about toddlers, teenagers, the terrible twos, threenagers, and why I think we need to stop labeling tiny people before we actually understand them. This one starts with Christmas break chaos and the Olympic sport of getting school program seats, then moves into parenting, emotional regulation, meltdowns, food preferences, repair, and seeing hard moments as discovery instead of deficit. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by a stage your child is in, I hope this feels like permission to pause, breathe, and look again.00:00 Last Day Before Christmas Break00:25 The Christmas Program Seat Olympics02:31 Christmas Break and No Cheer03:13 North Pole Visitors Took Over04:10 Every Other Week Podcast Rhythm04:30 Running Away From Comparison06:05 Why We Need to Talk About Toddlers06:49 Terrible Twos and Threenagers08:38 The Street Example Parents Always Use10:17 The Target Meltdown11:55 Adults Still Get Disappointed Too12:57 Stop Setting a Negative Tone14:25 Deficit or Discovery?16:06 Teenagers Get Labeled Too17:15 I Hope You Have a Daughter Like You20:12 What Labels Make Us Miss20:34 The Corn Story23:03 Running Away Is Communication24:06 Parents Can Change Their Minds26:31 Stop Labeling the Age Group29:38 What I Would Say About Throwing Toys31:03 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop33:17 A More Compassionate Way to Parent36:05 Choices, Magic, and Starting Over36:53 Deficit to Discovery40:33 If No One Has Told You Lately

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m doing a bestie Q&A about motherhood, routines, Disney, eating disorder recovery, marriage after kids, self regulation, and parenting tiny humans without making everything a power struggle. I talk about waking up early, prepping for back to school, letting kids say no, dinner battles, adjusting from one kid to two, and why no one knows what they are doing, but you know your tiny person. This one gets tender in places, especially around food, grief, fear, and recovery, so take care of yourself while listening.00:00 Late Night Q&A Energy01:11 Lying to Myself About Tomorrow02:13 Do We Need an Intro Post?03:42 Disney Bounding and Budget Girlies05:33 Tips for Waking Up Early09:01 How I Met My Bestie Cindy10:59 Would I Move to Another State or Country?12:07 Mr. Coffee Machine and Quick Questions15:21 My Favorite Motherhood Mantra17:43 Pros and Sacrifices of Being a Parent24:35 Back to School Routine Prep28:08 Avoiding an Eating Disorder Relapse31:57 Parenting Differently Than I Was Raised37:24 My Biggest Fears as a Mom39:31 Dinner Battles and Tiny People42:30 Did Our Relationship Change After Kids?46:10 What Got Me Into Disney?48:08 Self Regulating When Everyone Is Melting Down51:15 Favorite Worship Songs Right Now52:07 Adjusting From One Kid to Two55:06 The Goodness of God This Week56:20 If No One Has Told You Lately

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about rejection, slow seasons, faith, boundaries, work changes, and the reminder I keep coming back to: no means new opportunity. I share what it has felt like to be in a season where things are shifting, content creation is slower, relationships are changing, and therapy is helping me learn that being strong is not the same as being brave. Sometimes the brave thing is saying no, blocking the number, circling the wagons, and trusting that the path is being cleared even when it feels confusing.00:00 Welcome to the New Shelf Corner01:00 Thank You for Being Here02:07 When Life Feels Uprooted03:08 Sharing Without Owning Everyone’s Reaction04:16 A Season of Cinching06:12 When Work Gets Slow07:08 Scarcity Mindset and Closed Doors09:28 When the Plan Changes12:04 A Path Being Cleared13:29 No Means New Opportunity14:46 Relationships Have Seasons16:25 Strong Is Not the Same as Brave20:18 Growing Into a New Season23:05 When Slow Feels Like Something Is Being Taken26:33 Your Yes Is Coming29:17 Saying No So a Better Yes Can Come34:40 You Are Not Alone in the Waiting36:39 Being Brave Enough to Block38:56 JOMO and Circling the Wagons40:31 Slow Growth Is Still Growth41:48 If No One Has Told You Lately

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about parenting, projection, activities, milestones, and the way we can accidentally box our tiny people into who they used to be. From cheerleading tryouts to learning differences to realizing I had missed how much one of my girls had grown, this one is about stretching kids without pressuring them, letting them change, and remembering that their timeline is not about us. And honestly, it is for us too. You are allowed to be more than one thing. You are allowed to change your mind.00:00 Audio Only, But Still Here00:39 Speaking From Personal Experience01:39 Cheerleading and Tiny People02:15 Parenting Projection02:33 When We Box Kids In03:16 Milestones Are Different for Every Child04:37 Comparing Siblings05:16 Peer Pressure at Amusement Parks07:29 You Are Allowed to Grow and Change09:01 Kids Changing Their Interests10:31 Protecting Them From Disappointment11:26 Learning Differences and Parent Teacher Conferences13:04 Stretching Without Pressuring14:33 Running Their Own Race15:28 Your Season Was Not Today16:30 Boxing Ourselves In Too18:08 When Mom Identity Gets Too Heavy20:03 Your Best Is Enough This Week21:40 You Are More Than One Thing24:51 Do Not Hold People Hostage to Old Versions26:28 Adults Change Too28:30 Tiny People Need Choices30:22 Winning, Losing, and Building Character31:56 Seeing the Growth You Missed32:44 Just Because It Is Uncomfortable33:37 If No One Has Told You Lately

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about raising girls’ girls, kindness with boundaries, jealousy, comparison, and the way insecurity can make us act like people we do not even like. I share why I was not always a girls’ girl, what younger me had to unlearn, and why I want my tiny queens to know that someone else’s compliment is not their criticism. This one is for the moms raising tiny humans, the women healing old friendship wounds, and anyone learning that kindness is not weakness.00:00 Back in the Closet01:15 One Bar Left to Give01:43 Going Live Again02:16 The Under Eye Filler Comment04:46 Showing Up Anyway05:38 Mr. Coffee Sent the Machine07:09 My Mom’s Birthday Week08:01 The Girls’ Girl Video10:14 I Was Not Always a Girls’ Girl12:02 Exposing Younger Amanda14:37 Tearing Someone Down to Feel Chosen16:31 Healing the Hurt18:38 Feelings Are Not the Boss of Behavior19:17 Preparing Girls for the World21:25 Kindness With Boundaries24:07 The Pollyanna Jam Example28:40 Their Encouragement Is Not Your Discouragement30:18 Not Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop34:28 What Being a Girls’ Girl Means37:18 Jealousy, Growth, and God’s Timing41:30 Kindness Is Not Weakness43:30 You Can Change the Sheets45:52 Yesterday You Is Not the Whole Story47:27 If No One Has Told You Lately