Creating a simple and realistic meal-planning routine is the most common topic that working moms bring to a Planning Intensive. After working through dozens of these meal-planning routines, each one slightly different from the last (because no routine is one size fits all), I know that all it usually takes is 30 minutes and we can have a plan mapped out so that you'll know exactly what to do next to put it into action.

As I was coaching a client recently on her feelings of mom guilt, we decided to try out a different word. One that doesn't come with so much weight and the thought that you've done something wrong. We swapped guilt for doubt. Mom doubt. (or just doubt because not everything we experience as moms has to be labeled with the word "mom". No one ever says "dad guilt".) Doubt doesn't mean you've done something wrong. It means you're unsure.

Are you living your life on autopilot? It was a wake-up call one of my clients had this week. Living intentionally, being awake in your own life, means being aware and choosing. Trying something so that you know whether you enjoy it or not. Whether it works for you or not. Instead of just assuming it does or it doesn't.

Having a flexible morning menu allowed me to let go of the expectations that anything about my mornings had to be perfect. And it re-framed the whole exercise. What if you released the idea of an ideal morning routine, for now? What if you let go of the frustration and disappointment that comes from comparing others' routines to your lack of routine? And then trust that your time will come eventually IF that's still what you want. 

If you're in a season that feels like you have no end in sight, how can you lean in? How can you make it your purpose to go all in on whatever this season requires of you? And if you read last week's email, how can you track where you are today so that your future self can see how far you've come?

This is the time of year when everyone realizes that it’s almost the end of the school year and so we rush to fit all the things into the calendar while also juggling the holidays and other events that are fixed in May. I don’t have it all figured out, but I’m borrowing some of the strategies I use in December to create an intentional holiday season and applying them here.

It's incredibly easy to get swept up in the excitement of warmer weather, being with friends, celebrating end of school and everything else. So of course, the topic of over-committing is top of mind. Maybe it is for you too. Maybe, like me, you’re in a position where you’re already in the thick of it, wondering what you can do. What can you do if you've already said yes, submitted the registration, or made the commitment in some shape or form?

For most holidays, celebrations, and special occasions, I make decisions in advance by following a formula or a template just like I do for everyday things like meal planning and setting priorities. If you want to get started creating your own template, here’s how!

"I need to figure it out"

It's a phrase I hear frequently and I want to talk about it because it's sneaky and often drains your mental energy.

How? Because it's not specific.

It creates open loops and unanswered questions that your brain desperately wants to close. And that constant scanning and thinking in the background takes extra energy that most of us don't have to spare.

Here's what you should say instead.

If you’re an overwhelmed working mom, I hope you meet Katelyn and get some of these big gifts from Beyond Balance. Not a silver bullet. Because the real, messy, nitty gritty, down and dirty, silly and serious life stuff is so much better.

Thinking about a goal and taking action toward a goal are two different things. I've had the same goal for myself for the last three years but have very few results to show for it. Why? Because I realized I've been spending my time thinking, researching, and planning instead of DOING.

Having a plan for dinner, knowing you have all the ingredients you need, and having food on the table at a reasonable time is like the biggest exhale. Not to mention it helps keep that bedtime train on the tracks. So I thought I would share the nitty-gritty of how I meal plan for our family of 5 with a simple routine.