Get Mom Ready Podcast

Holly’s onsite with a client today, so it’s just Anna + Hannah + Meredith on the mic, talking about something that quietly shapes your whole motherhood experience:Friendship.Not “how to make more mom friends.”But how to know who’s safe… and how to be safe when someone hands you something tender.Because motherhood has a way of turning friendship into both:* lifeline* and landmineAnd a lot of us are carrying a low-grade question in the background of our lives:Who can I really bring my real life to?The word we’re side-eyeing: “loyalty”We started with a spicy-ish take from Anna:“Loyalty” feels like a weird expectation to place on friendship.Not because commitment isn’t beautiful, but because friendship isn’t a contract.When people say “I value loyalty,” sometimes what they mean is:* “I need you to prove you’re on my side.”* “I need you to show up the same way forever.”* “I need you to be available when I’m not.”* “Don’t change. Don’t drift. Don’t evolve.”And motherhood will absolutely test that.We talked about the difference between:* desire (“I miss you. I wish we had more time.”)* expectation (“If you cared, you would.”)That line matters.Thanks for reading Get Mom Ready! This post is public so feel free to share it.A safe friend doesn’t demand your nervous systemOne of the most freeing ideas in the episode:A safe friend understands that availability can’t be “drop everything, always.”Instead of “prove you’re loyal,” a safe friendship sounds like:* “Do you have it to give right now?”* “Can I put something here?”* “Do you want validation or feedback?”* “No pressure to respond fast, I just needed to say it.”That’s not distance. That’s respect.The most practical tool we sharedHannah brought in something we wish every adult friendship had language for:Before someone shares something hard, ask:What do you want right now?* Validation?* Support?* Feedback?* Suggestions?* A solution?* Just a place to vent?Because a lot of friendship tension isn’t “bad friend energy.”It’s misaligned expectations:* One person is venting.* The other is fixing.* Someone leaves feeling unseen.* Someone leaves feeling rejected.This one question fixes so much.Get Mom Ready is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.How do you know someone is safe?We didn’t give a cute listicle answer… because honestly, you learn over time.But some clear “tells” came up:Safe friends tend to:* treat other people’s stories with care (no “she wouldn’t mind me telling you…”)* disagree respectfully (no contempt, no reduction)* handle your hard moments without pearl-clutching* let you be human without making it about them* disappoint you sometimes… and let you disappoint them sometimes (without punishment)Safety isn’t perfection.Safety is trust + emotional maturity + respect.Next week: money talk (anonymous + no questions off the table)We have a finance guru joining us next week and no questions are off the table and everything stays anonymous.Send anything you want us to ask to info@thereadynetwork.com and we’ll get answers on next week’s episode.Question for you (comment and tell us)When you think about a “safe friend,” what’s the #1 trait that makes you feel like you can exhale and be fully yourself?Sponsor: Pediped makes developmentally appropriate kids shoes. Use code MOMREADY for 20% off at pediped.com. Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe

Sometimes the most “emotionally healthy” thing you can do as a mom is admit the truth: you’re overwhelmed, you’re over-functioning, and social media is not helping.In this episode, Holly, Hannah, and Meredith sit down with Alli Worthington (author, speaker, business coach (Holly’s actual business coach!), and mom of five) to talk about what it looks like to become an emotionally healthy mom… so we can raise emotionally healthy kids.What we unpack in this conversation1) Why moms feel so much guilt (and why it’s getting worse)Alli doesn’t mince words: social media can be toxic for moms. Because your brain starts believing “everybody is doing everything,” when you’re really watching a highlight reel + a business model.Instead, find your trusted people, and go to them when things feel merky.2) Confidence doesn’t come first… reps come firstWe talk about how confidence is built through action, mistakes, and evidence over time, especially in motherhood. Stop believing the lie that one mistake can mess everything up and instead put effort into becoming the mom you want to be...over and over again.3) What “regulation” actually means in real lifeNot in a fluffy way. In a “how do I calm myself down before I snap” way.Tools that came up:* Counting down (and saying out loud what you’re doing)* Taking a pause before disciplining* Naming what’s happening in your body (hot, sweaty, escalated)* Preparing for your predictable “activation moments” (car line, dinner rush, bedtime)4) Overwhelm makes reactivity inevitableWe talk about how chronic overload pushes you into emotion-brain (amygdala) and takes your thinking-brain offline, which is why you say things you don’t even agree with later…and how to stop this hamster wheel.5) “Over-functioning” (aka: doing too darn much)One of the biggest mic-drop themes: over-functioning doesn’t just exhaust you, it quietly trains everyone around you to do less.Alli’s practical gut-check:If someone can do it 75% as well as you, let them.6) The long game: don’t make your kids your identityThis part matters: if your worth comes from being needed, you’ll accidentally rescue too much, and your kids won’t build competence or confidence.Get Mom Ready isn’t here to tell you how to parent. We’re here to help you stay connected to who you are while you’re doing it, so both you and your kids can thank you later.A question to sit with this weekWhere am I over-functioning right now… and what’s one “75% solution” I can accept without fixing it?Mentioned + linked in this episode (Alli’s stuff)* Alli’s book: Remaining You While Raising Them: The Secret Art of Confident Motherhood* Finding Your Secret Superpower Quiz* Alli’s Instagram: @alliworthington* Alli’s website: alliworthington.com* The Alli Worthington Show (podcast)If you’ve been doing everything and calling it “being a good mom,” consider this your permission slip (actually, your order) to stop over-functioning.And if you know a mom who’s drowning in decision fatigue and trying to do it all perfectly…send her this episode as a little love note. Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe

If you’ve ever thought, “If I could just get more organized, everything would feel easier,” this episode is for you.This week on Get Mom Ready, we’re welcoming someone we trust deeply and couldn’t be more excited to introduce to this community: Jennifer Sise.Jennifer is a time and productivity coach, author, podcast host, and mom who has worked with hundreds of women to help them stop managing time and start owning it. She’s also someone who understands motherhood seasons from the inside out, not from a pedestal.This conversation is honest, practical, and surprisingly gentle.It’s not about waking up earlier, doing more, or finally getting your life together.It’s about understanding why so many moms feel behind…even when they’re doing everything they can.The Real Issue Isn’t Time. It’s Decision Fatigue.One of the most grounding moments in this episode is when Jennifer names what so many of us are experiencing:When you’re making decisions all day long, you end up in chronic decision fatigue.So you default to survival mode.You get through the day, but you’re not building the life you actually want.That doesn’t mean you’re bad at time management.It means you’re tired.What You Want Is Actually PossibleJennifer gently but confidently reminds us of something many moms have stopped believing:What you want is possible.Not all at once.Not without trade-offs.And not without intentional decisions.But you don’t have to choose between being a present mom and having dreams.You don’t have to sacrifice what matters most in order to build something meaningful.You can have both.And the path forward doesn’t start with more effort…it starts with clarity.Why Structure Can Actually Feel Like ReliefThis is the counterintuitive shift many of us need:The more decisions you make in advance, the more margin you create.Structure isn’t about rigidity.It’s about fewer emotional spirals when life goes sideways (because it will).When time is already “set apart,” interruptions feel less personal and less overwhelming.The Recovery HourJennifer introduces a concept we immediately wanted to implement:A weekly recovery hour.A block of time where all the things that didn’t get done have a place to go.Because so much mom stress isn’t about unfinished tasks…it’s about feeling like there’s nowhere to put them.When there’s a plan for recovery, missed tasks stop feeling like failure and start feeling like life.The “Should” ShiftAnother powerful moment in this episode is Jennifer calling out how often we use the word should.I should be able to do more.I should be able to keep up.I should have this figured out by now.She invites us to replace should with want.Not to lower standards.But to bring honesty and ownership back into our choices.Because when you choose something because you want to, you carry it differently.A Gentler Question for the Week AheadInstead of asking:“What’s wrong with me that I can’t keep up?”Try asking:“What decision can I make in advance that would support me?”That one question has a way of quieting the noise.🎧 Listen to Episode 16 of Get Mom Ready for super practical tips on managing your time, cancelling the “shoulds” in your life, and more on the ever-freeing recovery hour.You can also connect with Jennifer here:* Instagram: @jennifersise* Podcast: In Nine Minutes* Book: It’s Only a Matter of TimeIf this episode resonated, share it with a mom who feels stretched thin right now.These conversations land differently when you don’t feel alone.You’re not behind.You’re getting ready in real time.With you,- Holly, Anna, Meredith, and Hannah Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe

Happy New Year, friends! This episode of Get Mom Ready is intentionally raw, unproduced, and honest — which feels like the only appropriate way to ease back into life after the holidays. If you’re feeling rested…amazing. If you’re feeling behind, buried in email, and wondering how it’s already January 5th…you’re in very good company.As we step into a new year together, I wanted to pause and reflect on what resonated most with you in 2025. Because what you listened to — and kept coming back to — tells us a lot about what you actually need right now.What You Loved Most: Our StoriesThe top four most-listened episodes of 2025 were our personal stories:* My story* Anna’s story* Meredith’s story* Hannah’s storyAnd honestly? That means more than you know.I remember telling the team that it mattered to me that I went first — that I led with vulnerability. And then the morning my episode went live, I woke up thinking, What have I done? It felt incredibly exposed.Your response confirmed what Get Mom Ready is really about:We don’t need perfect advice. We need to know we’re not alone.Thank you for trusting us with your time, your stories, and your own quiet listening moments — probably while folding laundry or hiding in the car for five extra minutes.The Episode That Spoke Loudest (Fast)After our stories, the most-listened episode of the year was:Decision Fatigue, Mom Guilt, and the Power of Good EnoughWhat’s interesting? It was only released in November.That tells me everything I need to know. Decision fatigue is real. Mom guilt is constant. And “good enough” is something we’re all desperately trying to practice — even when it feels uncomfortable.You can expect us to keep talking about this in 2026. Because if you feel it every day… so do we.The Next Four Episodes That Resonated MostIf we group our stories together, here are the next four episodes that rose to the top — especially for moms who are tired, thoughtful, and navigating big internal shifts:* How to Find the Courage to Change Your Mind About Work and Motherhood* Principled Living: How to Live from Intention Instead of Reactivity* Choosing a Mindset That Works When Mom Life Feels Overwhelming* Get Mom Ready Live (our October live recording)That live episode still holds such a special place in my heart. We pulled it together quickly — partly because Meredith happened to be in Houston — and recorded it at SheSpace, which has been a meaningful space in my own growth journey over the last five years. Getting to share that moment with all of you felt full-circle in the best way.What’s Coming in 2026We’re already deep into recording for the new year, and I’m so excited about what’s ahead.You’ll hear from:* Alli Worthington — my personal business coach, powerhouse leader, mom of five, and someone I personally learn from* Priscilla Smith — a stylist and mom bringing such a refreshing perspective* Jennifer Sise — A business and productivity coach who will help us think differently about capacity and focusAnd of course, you’ll continue hearing from me, Meredith, Anna, and Hannah, having the conversations we wish someone had invited us into earlier.We Want to Hear From YouAs always, this community shapes where we go next.* What topics do you want us to cover?* What questions are you carrying quietly?* Would you be open to a live coaching episode — with one or all of us?If the answer is yes, let us know. Truly.Here’s to a grounded, honest, good-enough start to 2026. We’re really glad you’re here.You can find all episodes and updates here on getmomready.com — and we’ll be back in your ears very soon.Thanks for reading Get Mom Ready! This post is public so feel free to share it.With you,Holly 🤍 Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe

Today on Get Mom Ready, Meredith and Holly sit down with our dear friend and co-host Anna—her first full episode back after a couple months away navigating her daughter Emmie’s fourth heart surgery.And I can’t overstate this: her honesty, clarity, and resilience left both of us speechless (and a little teary).This episode is a conversation about what happens when life demands more of you than you ever thought you had.It’s about adrenaline and advocacy, fear and fortitude, and the very real stretch of motherhood that doesn’t happen in curated moments—but in hospital chairs, sleepless nights, and the tiny victories of a 3-year-old taking her medicine.It’s also about growth. Not the Instagram kind. The kind you only recognize when you look back and realize:“Wow. I handled that differently than the last time. I’m not the same person anymore.”Below are a few of the biggest themes from Anna’s story—offered gently, because if you’re in a season of crisis, transition, or simply feeling stretched thin…this episode will meet you there.1. Seasons Give Us Permission to Be DifferentOne of the most powerful things Anna said was this:“I can cognitively know it’s a season, but I don’t always give myself permission to live like it is.”Same, girl. Same.This time, she let herself do the season she was in:— Eat protein bars at midnight instead of real meals— Sleep upright in a hospital chair— Let the house go— Let her normal rhythms go— Let her expectations go— Let herself be held instead of holding everything togetherAnd in doing so, she found a grace and groundedness she didn’t even know she was capable of.What would shift for you if you stopped fighting your season…and started cooperating with it?2. You Don’t Know Your Capacity Until Life Pulls It Out of YouThis may be the quote of the year:“Our boundaries aren’t stretched and pushed—and we don’t grow—until our circumstances demand it.”Anna didn’t set out to be a superhuman.She didn’t choose this level of endurance.She didn’t wake up with a plan for how to stay connected, calm, and present through medical trauma.But when the moment required it, something in her rose.Not perfectly.Not without tears.Not without frustration.Not without breakdowns in bathroom stalls and whispered prayers for strength.But she rose.There is a kind of strength inside mothers that only emerges in fire. And it doesn’t arrive with fanfare. It arrives because it has to.3. Parenting Requires Curiosity, Not ControlA moment that stopped us in our tracks:Emmie refusing her medication—refusing it so consistently that the hospital wouldn’t discharge her.Every mom listening felt that tension:The stakes are high. You’re exhausted. Your patience is fried. You just want your baby to please take the medicine so you can go home.But instead of forcing or panicking, Anna—along with her support team—got curious.What would motivate her?How does her little mind work?What matters to her right now?When they realized the strongest motivator was separation from Mom, everything shifted.And later, when she learned “taking medicine = staying home,” the reasoning clicked.What a beautiful reminder:Kids aren’t giving us a hard time. They’re having a hard time.And parenting is less about control, more about creativity and connection.4. You Can Do Hard Things, But You Don’t Have To Do Them AloneAnna talked about the difference between this surgery and the last one.Last time:— Phillip had shingles— He couldn’t stay in the room— He lost his job— She felt isolated, overwhelmed, and underwaterThis time:— He was able to be present— He brought his science mind to medication decisions— They operated as a team— They supported, relieved, and uplifted each otherAnd somewhere in the mix—of prayer, personal growth, and simply time—something healed between them.Not magically.Not in a straight line.But enough to carry them through one of the hardest seasons of their lives with unity and tenderness.This episode is a reminder that marriage in crisis doesn’t have to collapse. Sometimes, it becomes the lifeboat.5. Growth Isn’t Perfection—It’s ProgressOne thing we deeply appreciate about Anna: she made it clear she wasn’t a saint in that hospital room.She broke down.She got frustrated.She lost her temper.She complained.She was human.But she saw her growth.She noticed the difference in her mindset.She noticed the new strength inside herself.She noticed the gentleness she extended to her own heart.She noticed she was becoming someone more rooted, more resilient, more aware.Progress, not perfection.Always.(We’re putting that on a mug. Or a sweatshirt. Or Anna’s forehead. TBD.)If You’re a Medical Mom—or a Mom in Crisis—You Are Not AloneIf this episode stirred something tender in you, please know:You don’t have to walk your hard season alone.Anna has created incredibly thoughtful resources for medical moms, available for free right here on GetMomReady.com.Meredith has her wellness guide.Hannah has grounding and mindset tools.Holly has her working-mom and household-systems resources.You can find all of it here:✨ GetMomReady.comEverything is free. No paywall, no hoops.Scroll a bit—articles and videos mix together on Substack—but everything is there waiting for you.Get Mom Ready is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listen to the Full EpisodeYou’ll hear:• The moment Emmie understood “medicine = home”• How Anna managed her mental health while being literally unable to leave her daughter’s side• How she and Phillip strengthened their marriage through trauma• The surprising joy she found in being a temporary stay-at-home mom• Why seasons matter—and how to live inside yours with more grace• And yes, the story behind the infamous “beef water” protein powderSponsor LoveA huge thank-you to our sponsor Pediped — use code MOMREADY for 20% off your first order of high-quality children’s shoes.If this episode touched you, please share it with a friend who needs to feel less alone today.Thanks for reading Get Mom Ready! This post is public so feel free to share it.We’ll see you next week, mama.You’re doing so much better than you think.💛Holly, Meredith & Anna Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe

This week’s episode started a little… off the rails. 😅 Anna was out, Holly couldn’t remember what episode number we’re on, and we hadn’t prepared a topic ahead of time for today’s conversation.And honestly? That was perfect.Because where we landed was exactly what so many moms are living in:* Transitioning from a demanding job into staying home* Wondering how not to create “new bosses” for yourself* Feeling both grateful and restless in a new season* Trying to figure out what your actual capacity is now that life looks differentWe ended up having a really honest conversation about capacity, seasons, and being a kind boss to yourself.In This Episode, We Talk About:1. When Your Job Changes but Your Internal Boss Doesn’tMeredith shares about a coaching client who’s leaving a high-capacity job to become a stay-at-home mom. Her big question:“How do I not make new bosses for myself at home?”We talk about:* How easy it is to carry the same pressure, urgency, and “shoulds” into a new season* The idea that wherever you go, you take you with you* How to notice when you’re recreating a pressure cooker in a place that was supposed to be restful2. Bringing the Best of Your Old Season Into the New OneWe circle back to Hannah’s Principled Living Guide and how it can help you ask:* What from my previous job/season do I want to bring into motherhood?* What rhythms, routines, or expectations do I want to gently let go of?* What actually matters for this season of our family, not the imaginary ideal in my head?Hannah shares a simple example: “tidy times” with her kids instead of cleaning all day, every day. Little containers of order instead of letting cleaning boss you around.3. The Guilt of Paying for Childcare (and Feeling Like You Must “Earn” Every Minute)We go there.Hannah talks about:* Paying for childcare and feeling like every single hour has to be “income producing”* The paralysis of having one free hour and not knowing whether to run, eat, organize, or rest so you do none of it and then judge yourself later* The invitation to disappoint the voice in your head that says you must be maximally productive at all timesMeredith names it so well: sometimes you have to let that inner voice be disappointed so you can actually live the life you say you want.4. The Danger of Going “All In” on One IdentityHolly shares a “hot take” she’s still working out:* Women who go all in on being a full-time stay-at-home mom or a full-time working mom can sometimes ignore a big, important part of themselves* When that part feels unfed or unseen, it can leak out as resentment, misery, or the sense that “everyone is miserable”* The goal isn’t a perfect balance; it’s honesty:* What part of me feels fulfilled right now?* What part feels undernourished?* Is there a small, creative way to honor that part in this season?5. Extra Time vs. Extra CapacityHolly shares about leaving her full-time job and realizing:* There’s a difference between having time on your calendar and having energy in your body* You can have open blocks on your calendar and still feel totally spent* Or, like she’s feeling now, you can have extra energy and not quite know where to put itWe talk about treating that extra energy with curiosity instead of urgency:“What do I want more of, not just what else can I cram into this day?”6. Seasons, Not Life SentencesWe keep coming back to this idea:* Some seasons you wake up at 5am and work out.* Some seasons you sleep every second you can because…baby.* Some seasons you volunteer for everything.* Some seasons your only “extra” is survival.And that’s allowed.You’re not signing a lifetime contract with any one rhythm. You get to pivot, reset, and change your mind as life changes.Practical Ideas We MentionedThese came up organically in the conversation and are too good not to list out:* Use our Principled Living Guide to name what matters in this season and what you’re okay releasing.* Create “tidy times” instead of cleaning constantly—short, intentional cleanups instead of an all-day mental load.* Make a list on your fridge: “Things [Your Name] Likes To Do.” When you get an unexpected pocket of time, you don’t have to remember from scratch.* Give yourself a personal, non-kid, non-work goal:* Run a race* Take a class* Grab quarterly coffee with someone * Learn something just because you want to* Think in seasons: What do you want more of this fall/winter/spring? Walks? Friend time? Rest? Creative work? Start there.* Be the boss you wish you had. If you’re “the boss of you” now, can you be a kind, compassionate one?A Little Love Note to Anna & Emmie 💛We recorded this episode on the day baby Emmie was in surgery, and we felt Anna’s absence so deeply. Good news - Anna and Emmie have been back home for a few weeks and Emmie is recovering really well. We’re beyond grateful! Also: Anna, we know you told us the episode number. Multiple times. In writing. We accept our fate. 😂Resources Inside the Get Mom Ready Paid CommunityIf this episode stirred something in you, our paid community has tools to help you actually do something with it:* Hannah’s Principled Living Guide – To help you identify your core principles and filter decisions through them* Meredith’s Postpartum Wellness Guide – For taking care of your body and nervous system after baby* Holly’s Pumping On-the-Go Guide – For working/pumping moms trying to make it all work* Anna’s Medical Mom Guide – For moms navigating medical journeys with their kidsWe’ve heard from some of you that it feels like a lot of resources (which, honestly, we take as a compliment). Think of it as a buffet - take what you need for this season and leave the rest for later.Reflection QuestionsIf you want to go deeper after listening, here are a few journal or voice-note prompts:* Where am I currently overwriting my true capacity with “shoulds” or old expectations?* What part of me feels fulfilled in this season—and what part feels undernourished?* If I could choose one small, kind way to be a better boss to myself this month, what would it be?Get Mom Ready is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Huge thanks to pediped for sponsoring this episode and helping us keep this community going.Our listeners get 20% off their first order with code: MOMREADYShop their shoes at: https://pediped.comIf you grab a pair, DM us pics of your kiddos in their new shoes so we can cheer with you! Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe

This week we’re turning down the shame around nutrition and remembering food is fuel. Hannah is traveling (we miss you, friend!), so it’s Holly, Anna, and Meredith—our certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner—digging into how food, wellness, and mom life all collide.Meredith brings her best tips for navigating the overwhelm of nutrition in real life—when you’re short on time, not sure what to believe, or just tired of thinking about what’s for dinner.We covered everything from morning hunger and cortisol to whether peanut butter counts as protein (Meredith has thoughts) and the importance of morning light.But most importantly? Spoiler: it’s not about perfection, it’s about paying attention to how your body feels and making small, doable shifts.Things We Loved This Week* Meredith’s favorite peanut butter – Maranatha (don’t tempt us with a spoonful straight from the jar)* Naked Collagen in your coffee – extra protein without changing the taste* Prime Protein Powder – an easy grab for busy mornings* Naked PB – peanut butter powder for more protein, less fat* Kelly LeVeque, Best-selling author, celebrity holistic nutritionist and wellness expert – If you’re not already following her, go do it now. * 👟 And thank you to our sponsor, Pediped! Use code MOMREADY for 20% off your first order at pediped.com.Practical Reflection Questions* What would it look like for you to add just one simple nutrition habit this week?* When do you notice your body feels best fueled? Can you create a repeatable system around that?* Are you holding yourself back with all-or-nothing thinking? What’s one “middle ground” choice you could try today?✨ Want Meredith’s full Wellness Guide and extra resources from this episode? Join the Get Mom Ready paid community.Get Mom Ready is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Get Mom Ready at www.getmomready.com/subscribe