The Expat Mom Podcast

When we plan out our goals we often assume it will be like driving to the grocery store, hitting all green lights, getting a front row parking spot, not waiting in line and zipping home. But it never is. There are always obstacles that come up. Today on the podcast I’m sharing 3 common mistakes we make that derail our goals so you can be more successful at avoiding these mistakes.

On this episode you’ll learn:

• A healthy way to define if you’re being successful at your goal day to day
• How to anticipate obstacles head of time and how to prepare for them
• How to change your self-talk so you don’t sabotage yourself

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Did you know 80% of New Year's resolutions fail? And most of them fail by mid-February. That is a sobering statistic. I've been part of that statistic until a few years ago, when I learned some simple tools that have helped me and my clients actually accomplish our goals instead of just make them. Accomplishing goals is actually like creating and following a recipe.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to move past overwhelm
• How to stop procrastination
• How to accomplish goals when it feels like you don't have time
• What to do when you don't feel like it

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Instagram
You can also connect with me on Instagram or FaceBook. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach, The Expat Mom FaceBook Page

Leave a review:

Reviews are important for a new podcast, and they help more people find it! Here are the instructions for leaving a review on iTunes.

Click On Podcast> Scroll down to the reviews > Click on the icon "leave a review" > write a quick review and tell me one of the things you've learned or has impacted you, and press send.

Join the Free Getting it Done Bootcamp!
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What kinds of feelings does setting goals bring up for you? This year goals setting brought up anxiety and lack of motivation. I’ve felt a bit sluggish nailing myself down with one goal. I was feeling overwhelmed with all the goals I WANT to do but knowing I only have the capacity to do some. Choosing can be tough! And, as I look back on some of the past years, it can feel discouraging to think about goals I’ve set and never accomplished. But, I pulled myself together and applied some of the strategies and tools I’m teaching in this podcast, and I chose a goal for the year that I’m really excited and motivated about.

What you’ll learn on the podcast

• Why goals matter
• How many goals are realistic
• Which goal to choose
• A step-by-step process for choosing a goal in less than 10 min

Free 30 Min. Coaching Session
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Other Free Resources
One-Minute Wisdom
Sign-up for free, bite-sized wisdom right to your inbox once a week

Instagram
You can also connect with me on Instagram or FaceBook.
@theexpatmomcoach, The Expat Mom page

Leave a review:

Reviews are important for a new podcast, and they help more people find it! Here are the instructions for leaving a review on iTunes.

Click On Podcast> Scroll down to the reviews > Click on the icon "leave a review" > write a quick review and tell me one of the things you've learned or has impacted you, and press send.

Most of us have known someone at some time that was grieving. If you’re like most people you want to help! You don’t want the person to suffer. But, it can be challenging sometimes to know how to help. On the podcast this week, I share 5 common mistakes we may make in trying to help someone who as lost someone.

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In Grief Part 2, I shared my grief journey through the first two tasks of grief. In this episode I continue sharing my grief journey through the last two tasks of grief which are adjusting to the new life without the loved one, and reinvesting in a new reality. I found I was a bit like the little bird in PD Eastman's Book asking "Are you my mother?" I share how I found her--and a new version of me after her passing.

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The experience of grief journeys, the timelines, and the ways we find more normalcy and re-calibrate are different too. In the second part of the interview with my siblings, we explore more about healing and help in grief.

On this episode we’ll cover:

• What things were most helpful to you during your grief journey?
• Was there anything you did or do that has helped?
• How are you different after this experience?

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Grief is as different as the number of people on earth. But sometimes it’s easy to wonder if what we’re experiencing is “normal.” I’m so thankful to my siblings for being willing to share about their varied grief experiences—it paints a picture of how different grief journeys can be for people who even lost the same person in the same way.

On this episode we’ll cover:

• Experiences of acute grief right after our mother’s passing
• Experience of longer-term grief over the past ten years
• A difficult part of grief
• Something that surprised us about grief

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This week on the podcast, I share my personal journey of grief around losing my mother. I hope it will be helpful to you in your own grief journeys of loss. There is something about other’s stories that can be more reassuring than science or models—other’s experiences can offer validation, understanding, empathy and connection. I’m getting a bit more raw and personal in this podcast because that is exactly the nature of grief. I talk about how I navigated the first 2 tasks of grief. 1) Accepting the reality of the loss. 2) Experiencing the pain of the loss.

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Twelve years ago Saturday, my mother passed away. Grief isn’t something we plan or prepare for, so when it comes it’s often unexpected—even if someone’s death is expected due to a terminal illness. I’ve been looking back at my own grief journey, and studying the most common things about grief that cause people to get stuck and what helps them get unstuck. I’m excited to share those tips with you today. This is the first part in a series on grief. The next few episodes will include an episode sharing my experience of my mother passing away, an episode interviewing my siblings about their various grief experiences and an episode about what to say and what not to say to people experiencing grief.

On the podcast you’ll learn:

• Why the using the common grief model by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross to understand your grief journey might NOT be helpful
• Different graphics or models that may be more helpful
• What the four tasks are that help us heal from grief

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Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Last time we discussed the 6 parts of confidence. This time we're going deep on self-worth.

Consider the following questions:

• What are you worth?
  (I 'm not talking about how much money your make or what your net worth is. I mean what is your intrinsic value as a human being unrelated to money?)
• What gives us value as humans?
• Who decides your value or worth?

Worth is the value we give to something. Self-worth is the value we assign to ourselves. Why does self-worth matter? Think about something you have that is valuable. How do you treat it? For most of us we treat valuable things with more care and deliberate action. The same is true for you. When we value ourselves and believe we have innate worth, we treat ourselves (and others too) differently. Self-Worth is foundational to all the other parts of confidence.

You won't want to miss this episode.

If you haven't had a chance to take the confidence quiz:
Confidence Quiz
https://forms.aweber.com/form/29/413260329.htm

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Just like you wouldn't want a surgeon to operate on your body without having taken anatomy, you wouldn't want to make a serious attempt at increasing confidence without first knowing it's "anatomy." In this episode I discuss 6 of the essential components of confidence.

Confidence Quiz
https://forms.aweber.com/form/29/413260329.htm

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Confidence is the foundation of our mental and emotional health. Ironically confidence begets more confidence because when we believe we can we do more, we try more often, we are willing to take risks. Confidence creates a rich life experience, it speeds up decision making, improves communication, and is frankly a lot more fun to live with than self-doubt.

In this episode we dig into some of the benefits of confidence--I share some personal stories and some from clients about the difference confidence can make in your life.

Confidence Quiz
https://forms.aweber.com/form/29/413260329.htm

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

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How confident would you say you are? Does it change in different situations? With different people? Has it been different during different life stages? It's normal for confidence to ebb and flow some. In fact, it's actually useful to have a little self-doubt. However, confidence is like the background music to our lives--it impacts how we feel, how we see the world, and how we interact with others. This confidence series is designed to help you improve your confidence. In this first episode we're going to explore how confident you are!

Confidence Quiz
https://forms.aweber.com/form/29/413260329.htm

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

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In honor of 3 years of the podcast, today I'm sharing tips on the 3 most coached on issues. For each topic I share I client journey, a book recommendation and a podcast recommendation

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Most expat couples don't plan on divorcing. But sometimes they find themselves needing to navigate divorce while one or both partners are living abroad. This creates some unique challenges for couples deciding where to file for divorce, deciding on custody agreements, creating custody arrangements that can be enforced in various countries, maintaining visas for both parents where necessary and a host of other issues. My podcast guest Lucia Levias, a family law attorney who specializes in this area walks us through some important considerations as couples make plans and offers some helpful tips about how to navigate the process.

You can connect with Lucia Levias here:
Dubois Levias Law Group: www.duboislaw.net

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
This is a great chance to try out coaching and see if it's a good fit for you.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Changing your behavior around people pleasing is a process.

In the first 3 episodes of this series we discussed how to shift your mindset in order to stop people pleasing WITHOUT BEING UNKIND.

This week, the podcast offers 10 practical tips to help you prepare for a potential people pleasing situation, navigate people pleasing in the moment, and a few tips for how to make NOT people pleasing successful.

You can check out episode #119 of The Expat Mom Podcast to learn the 10 Commandments of Not People Pleasing.

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

People pleasing is something almost all of us do. Chronic people pleasers sometimes don’t know how to stop. On this episode we dive into how to stop people pleasing. There is a practical four step process with several examples to help you see how it might apply in different situations.

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Maybe you are thinking, "I don't struggle with people pleasing." And...you might be right.

However, what many people said is that after taking this short quiz, they were surprised.

I wasn't, because we ALL struggle with people pleasing to some extent.

In fact, it's healthy to struggle with people pleasing a little--it means you care about others and you want to connect with them.

The problem comes when it causes side effects in your life like keeping you small, not recognizing your own needs, resentment, anxiety, depression, and other things.

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
This is a great chance to try out coaching and see if it's a good fit for you.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Do you ever feeling the face you put on the outside, doesn't match how you feel on the inside? ⁠
⁠
If so...you might be people pleasing. ⁠
⁠
The Niceness Disease is another way of describing people pleasing, it's a term coined by Dr. David Burns, a noted Psychiatrist. ⁠
⁠
The Niceness Disease includes doing something just to appease someone else--even if it isn't something you want or feel you can do. ⁠
⁠
On The Expat Mom Podcast, we discuss more about what The Niceness Disease is, why it's a problem, and what the difference is between niceness and kindness.⁠

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Of all the things we could give our children, self-confidence ranks at the top of the list for most parents. However in a world of comparisons on instagram, high stress levels for everyone in the family, and unusually high expectations, it can be challenging.

Jamie Edelbrock, an award-winning author, expat, mother, and mental-health advocate, shares with us a few ways we can increase our children's self confidence. Enjoy!

Connect with Jamie
www.jamieedelbrock.com

Instagram: @tangledupbook

Find her Books!
Tangled Up
https://a.co/d/gGmzqGI

Be the Sparkle
https://a.co/d/89FUm5o

Coming soon: Little Selfie Sue

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After 11 years living away from the mainland US, our family moved back to the US for a year a couple of years ago.

Most people expect going abroad to be hard, but they don’t expect returning home to be as challenging. And, they particularly underestimate the challenge kids will have; kids often struggle more than adults to re-patriate.

One study found that 87% of repatriated kids felt different from their American peers. And, though they did eventually feel more comfortable, most never felt fully integrated. As well-meaning parents we do our best, but there are eight common parenting mistakes that make repatriation harder for kids. We'll cover these on the podcast.

It was challenging moving back to the US in some ways. However, knowing what to expect helped a lot and having the tools to navigate it made it a much better experience.

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

If you've ever felt like you can't stand the country you're living in for another moment, you're normal. If you've ever been in the middle of a transition and felt like you wanted to abandon it all, you're normal.

In part 2 of our culture shock series on the podcast, we’ll cover 3 tools you and your family can use as you transition to another country.

These tools apply whether this is your first overseas assignment or your 12th. It’s applicable whether you’re just going over seas or whether you’ve been abroad for years. They're applicable to any transition.

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There are 5 stages of culture shock, and each one is driven by neurotransmitters in the brain.

Stage 1 The Honeymoon Stage: On arrival-2 weeks to 3 months long

Everything feels exciting and novel and wonderful

Stage 2 The Rejection Stage: Around 3-6 months

You are irritated, frustrated, and overwhelmed with cultural differences

Stage 3 The Transition Stage: Around 6-12 months

You are getting used to the culture, finding ways to adapt routines and behavior

Stage 4 Adaption: Around 12 months

You feel more at home in the host country

Stage 5 Re-patriation or reverse culture shock: when you move back to your home country

You recognize that both you and your home culture have changed.

Understanding these stages can help us adapt better to a new culture because we aren't blaming ourselves for not adapting. We realize this is normal! It can also help us realize it won't last forever.

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Today, my podcast guest, Kailyn Fullerton, who is an teacher, a bonus-mother, an EdD candidate in social and emotional learning, and an expat, shares her insights on the emotional shift many have experienced post-COVID, and shares some practical strategies about how we can learn to regulate emotions better for ourselves and our kids.

For some, the COVID-19 pandemic was a chance to slow down a little and catch up on life and connections. For others COVID-19 was an incredibly stressful time of uncertainty, overwhelm homeschooling children, having to be present with stressful relationships, and worrying about work, the economy, and our health, and the world.

COVID-19 certainly isn't "over" but many of the adjustments we made seem to be back to more similar COVID-19 patterns. However, many feel like their ability to deal with the same stressors we had before the pandemic are less robust. After months of being at home, social anxiety is higher. We've also lost the ability to regulate emotions in challenging situations. This is especially true for children who weren't learning through interacting with classmates frequently. Teachers are seeing kids who aren't able to regulate emotions in the classroom.

Coaching with Kailyn
https://upstream-collaborative.org/

Resources:
-Nonviolent communication needs list: https://www.cnvc.org/training/resource/needs-inventory

-RAIN of Self-Compassion guided meditation: https://www.tarabrach.com/meditation-the-rain-of-self-compassion/

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
This is a great chance to try out coaching and see if it's a good fit for you.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

It's easy to put our confidence in fancy doctors, professionals, or books to know how to improve our children's mental and emotional health. And those things can be fantastic! Sometimes though, it's harder to trust simple routines and practices at home which can actually be as powerful or MORE powerful than more complex solutions. One of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to help improve mental and emotional health in families is simply having family dinner together.

On the podcast we dive into all sorts of research that demonstrates the power of this practice. We also talk about how to overcome the common obstacles that keep families from having family dinner as often as they might like to. Maybe you are doing family dinner, but you don't feel like you're getting the benefits shared. I share some practical ways you can make family dinner meaningful so that it is creating the connection and relief it can offer your family.

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TCKs emotional cup is full a lot of the time--meaning they are at the threshold of keeping it together. When an additional stressor is added, sometimes that cup just overflows. One of my favorite tools to help TCKs and Expat Families with is "The Debrief."

This is a tool developed by Lauren Wells, and TCK Training. Last year I certified to learn how to conduct debriefs for families. It's a way of periodically helping reduce the amount of liquid in your child's cup so they have more space to handle stress.

There are some pieces of debriefing you can do at home with your family regularly--no certification needed. This might look as simple as asking your kids what a "rose" and "thorn" was from the day. Or it might look as complicated as mapping out where you've lived, major events, and emotional impact on kids.

Having a chance to process challenging transitions and losses helps kids have more emotional space to handle hard things. Some things might also require a third party to help identify and process. I share more about it on this week's episode.

Learn more from TCK Training:
https://www.TCKTraining.com

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
This is a great chance to consult about what a debrief might look like for your family or your child.
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Part 1 of the interview with Tanya Crossman explored recent research on TCKs which showed pretty dire outcomes. However, Tanya Crossman offers hope to Expat parents how we can prevent mental health issues in our TCKs. It's amazing, the solutions aren't complex, but they do require that we be deliberate and consistent. As an adult TCK herself and having done years of research she's the perfect advocate to teach us how. Enjoy part 2 of this interview with researcher, coach, author, and expert Tanya Crossman.

Connect with Tanya Crossman
Cross-cultural consultant, TCK/CCK advocate
Author of Misunderstood: The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century

www.tanyacrossman.com
www.facebook.com/misunderstoodTCK
www.twitter.com/TanyaTCK
tcktraining.com/research

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
Sign-up for a free coaching session. It can make a challenging relationship with a child into one of connection. It can make the resentment of expat life into a rich experience. It can help make a struggling marriage better, and good marriage amazing. It can take you from feeling overwhelmed to feeling better.
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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

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Many books have been written about TCKs and some of the challenges and benefits of expat life for kids. But recent research puts numbers and specific outcomes to some of these factors, and the results might surprise you. In a study done on Adverse Childhood Events, TCKs had significantly more ACEs than their counterparts in their home country. These are predictive of a number of issues both mentally and physically. Soft research suggests that 85% of TCKs experience some sort of depression or anxiety. That is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than their monocultural counterparts. That's just one outcome of the TCK life. Tanya Crossman has done research TCKs for years and breaks down the research for us. But what I love about Tanya is that she shares not just the difficult news of how this life may be affecting our children, but also the hope of how we can prevent some of these experiences for TCKs. I love her line, "We believe that TCK life can be conducive to good mental health." It's possible, but it does require awareness and proactive work of expat parents. I hope you enjoy this interview and Tanya's wealth of knowledge.

Connect with Tanya Crossman
Cross-cultural consultant, TCK/CCK advocate
Author of Misunderstood: The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century

www.tanyacrossman.com
www.facebook.com/misunderstoodTCK
www.twitter.com/TanyaTCK
tcktraining.com/research

Free Coaching Session with Jennie Linton
Sign-up for a free coaching session. It can make a challenging relationship with a child into one of connection. It can make the resentment of expat life into a rich experience. It can help make a struggling marriage better, and good marriage amazing. It can take you from feeling overwhelmed to feeling better.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Each of us have a desire to be noticed, cared about, and understood by our partner. Gottman calls efforts to get this kind of connection is called “an emotional bid.” I love this name, because it brings up an image of an art auction with someone at the front looking around the room to see who is willing to pay money for this item. Someone in the audience might raise their finger to indicate they are interested. Essentially we do the same thing for each other. We hold up something for our partner, and we hope for our partner’s response—we want them to show they see us and value what we are offering. As partners, we get to decide whether we will turn toward or away from our partner's emotional bid. Whether or not we do this consistency has a predictive influence on the success of your partnership.

Free Coaching Session
Sign-up for a free coaching session. It can make a challenging relationship with a child into one of connection. It can make the resentment of expat life into a rich experiencees. It can help make a struggling marriage better, and good marriage amazing. It can take you from feeling overwhelmed to feeling better.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Our brain naturally makes assumptions. It's an essential skill for our survival. Without this skill, we wouldn't be able to make decisions unless we had ALL the information--which is rarely the case. However, assumptions can also be detrimental to our relationships and happiness. They can cause us a lot of suffering and ruin our connections. On this podcast, we talk about when assumptions are useful and when they aren't. And we talk about how to minimize the damage unhelpful assumptions can cause.

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It's really common for families in the expatriate community to be separated sometimes--either because one partner travels frequently, or one partner has an assignment and the rest of the family doesn't go.

These situations can be challenging for everyone in the family. It can be especially hard on the spouse who is at home "holding the fort" as Rhoda, my podcast guest, describes it. However, there are lots of tools that can help make this situation easier and help improve emotional health and the connections between family members not only despite the distance but even because of it.

Connect with Rhoda
Website: https://amulticulturallife.com/
Podcast: www.amulticulturallife.com/podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amulticulturallife/

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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

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Most of us were given the advice when we got married, “Do everything you can to make your spouse happy.” This sounds like such lovely and good advice. I agree that we should be loving and kind and sacrificing. But when we do these things with the expectation that it will make our spouse happy, very often we undermine our happiness and the happiness of our spouse. In other words when we do this we are people pleasing—doing something in order to manipulate someone’s response. There is a much healthier and much more fun way of cultivating happiness in your marriage.

What you’ll learn on the podcast

• Why sometimes our spouse doesn’t feel happy even when we’re trying our best
• Why trying to make our spouse happy can cause us to feel miserable
• How trying to make our spouse happy can actually cause disconnection in our marriage
• Why your spouse may not WANT us to try to make them happy
• How to cultivate happiness in your marriage in a healthier way
• How to create connection even when you don’t honor your spouse’s wishes
• How to hold space for your spouse’s disappointment

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

One of the blessings of living in a developing country as an expat, can be having a household helper. It can be a wonderful way to learn about the host culture, and language, as well as have assistance figuring out new things like bleaching fruits and veggies, figuring out how to get around, paying your bills, and more. And then, there is the incredible blessing of having help around the house and with child care. It's great to be able to contribute to the local economy in a positive way. We have been SO thankful for the wonderful helpers that have blessed our family.

However, employing someone in your home also comes with some challenges, and it can lead to frustration and difficulty. I have certainly made lots of mistakes over the years. This is a conversation with a fellow veteran expat, Angi Solley. We discuss some of our takeaways about navigating having a household helper.

Contact Angi Solley
http://www.teenlines.com

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Has someone in your family ever gotten a cold? Within a few days, everyone in the family has one? Just like germs are contagious, so are emotions. Obviously, we don't pass microparticles to each other like bacteria, but we do have biological structures that cause us to mirror emotions in each other. On the podcast, we explore how this can be SO useful in our relationships and how it can also be destructive. I offer some tools to use this human phenomenon to build our relationships rather than destroy them.

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Cows spend 7-8 hours a day chewing, swallowing, regurgitating, re-chewing, and re-swallowing their food. That's a lot of time! Humans spend a lot of time ruminating as well. Rather than ruminating on food, they ruminate on thoughts: they love to chew on thoughts over and over again, swallow them, regurgitate them, and chew on them some more. While rumination can be helpful to cows in digesting food, rumination for humans has the opposite effect. It wastes time, depresses our mood, and keeps us from solving a problem. In this episode, we dive into rumination--why we do it and how to stop it.

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Have you ever noticed that sometimes the very things you love about someone are also sometimes the things that drive you crazy? Often our strengths and our weaknesses are two sides of the same continuum. We're constantly late but it's because we're optimistic about how much we can get done. We're compassionate, but when we care too much, we might neglect ourselves to solve other's problems. Understanding that our weaknesses are actually just our strengths overused can be a game changer in helping us accept ourselves AND in learning how to navigate situations with our strengths as opposed to our weaknesses.

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Do you ever feel like you have a CNN line ticker constantly moving across the bottom of your brain listing all the things you have to keep track of from whether you've run out of toilet paper, to order the soccer uniform, to making dinner, to exercising etc.? This is your mental load. Studies show that women carry significantly more of the mental load around home life than men do. In reaction to this, many women feel frustrated and expect men to "do their share." But what I've seen in my coaching is that this actually discourages both partners to blame the other partner and expect them to suddenly do what their partner does. I see it create frustration and disconnection in marriages. I created a podcast to share some ways to navigate mental load without sabotaging your marriage--in fact, it can bring you closer together.

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What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror? Do things like, "Ugh, why am I so fat?" or "I hate my body" sound familiar? Many of us internalize messages starting at a young age that can lead to a negative body image.

It may not seem like a big deal. But actually, what we say to ourselves about our body has a tremendous impact on our emotional AND physical health. In fact, it plays an important role in whether or not we're able to lose weight.

Many people think they can hate themselves into losing weight. They think they have to force themselves to stop eating so much or work out more. But most people who attempt this method end up discouraged.

Ironically learning to love your body is actually the most effective, lasting, and fun way to lose weight! And it's possible...even if you feel like you've tried everything.

Connect with Becca Brown
https://www.instagram.com/beccabrownthecoach/

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In gardening and agriculture, it's clear that you'll reap what you sew. If you plant corn, you won't reap wheat. The law of the harvest is also true in our emotional health. However, sometimes it is less obvious. Gratitude is one type of seed we can plan that can help us grow and cultivate happiness and emotional health.

Gratitude has physical and emotional benefits, particularly when it’s practiced regularly. In this episode, we discuss some of these benefits, how gratitude creates them, and how to cultivate gratitude regularly in your life.

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Regardless of whether you’ve moved several times or this is your first move as a couple, there are invisible changes that happen to both partners during transition. My guest, Karina Lagarrige—an international psychologist who specializes in expat couples—discusses what these changes are and how to deal with them in a way that brings you closer, not farther apart as a couple.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What are some of the “invisible changes” couples experience when moving?
• Why do they experience these?
• What issues do these “invisible changes” create for the couple?
• The difference between overcoming and addressing an issue
• When it’s time to deal with an issue and when it’s time just to get by
• What an emergency kit might look like for a couple who is struggling with a move.

Links Referred to in the Podcast:

Link for Expat Couple’s Summit
https://www.expatcouplessummit.com

Link to participate in Expat Mom Research for Karina Lagarrigue
Karina is an international psychologist doing research on personality and adjustment to expat motherhood. If you are willing to participate, please click the link below.

ADJUSTING TO EXPATRIATED MOTHERHOOD
https://qmulsciences.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a2XwJ4RkYMleatE

If you are not an expat but want to contribute to enlarging the literature on how personality, social support, coping mechanisms, etc. modulate the experience of becoming a mother, please fill in this form and be part of my control group!

ADJUSTING TO MOTHERHOOD
https://qmulsciences.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fOAYY99HT6FNsy

Links for The Expat Mom
Download The Expat Mom Podcast Roadmap
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

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or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

Just like you wouldn't try to find a new place in a new city without a map or a GPS or a guide, you won't want to navigate a midlife transition without a guide either. You aren't usually at your best in "crisis" so it's even more essential to have a guide. This podcast will walk you through seven helpful ways to navigate a midlife crisis.

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

Link to participate in Expat Mom Research for Karina Lagarrigue
Karina is an international psychologist doing research on personality and adjustment to expat motherhood. If you are willing to participate, please click the link below.

ADJUSTING TO EXPATRIATED MOTHERHOOD
https://qmulsciences.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a2XwJ4RkYMleatE

If you are not an expat but want to contribute to enlarging the literature on how personality, social support, coping mechanisms, etc. modulate the experience of becoming a mother, please fill in this form and be part of my control group!

ADJUSTING TO MOTHERHOOD
https://qmulsciences.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fOAYY99HT6FNsy

When we reach midlife, it is often accompanied by a variety of changes. Those changes can often trigger a midlife crisis. The way we think about and respond to that experience to make a tremendous different in how we navigate a midlife crisis. It can make the difference of suffering and prolonging a midlife crisis vs. a midlife crisis being the impetus for us to become who we were meant to become. There are five mindset shifts that can help us traverse the midlife transition successfully.

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

Link to participate in Expat Mom Research for Karina Lagarrigue
ADJUSTING TO EXPATRIATED MOTHERHOOD
https://qmulsciences.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a2XwJ4RkYMleatE

If you are not an expat but want to contribute to enlarging the literature on how personality, social support, coping mechanisms, etc. modulate the experience of becoming a mother, please fill in this form and be part of my control group!

ADJUSTING TO MOTHERHOOD

https://qmulsciences.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fOAYY99HT6FNsy

One of the questions I get frequently is, “Am I having a mid-life crisis?” The way a mid-life crisis is portrayed in the media often does us a disfavor. We assume it looks like buying a Porche or quitting your job to travel the world alone. The truth is that mid-life is the intersection of some important shifts intellectually, emotionally, physically, and intellectually. These changes often cause us to reflect on our lives, to re-evaluate ourselves and our relationships, and sometimes compel us to make changes. This is normal. It’s part of the human experience, and it’s a powerful opportunity for growth. This episode is part of a series on mid-life transition. In this episode we’ll break down what a mid-life crisis is, what triggers them, how you know if you are having one, and what the stages of one are. If you are human and you’re younger than 65, you won’t want to miss this one. :)

Episodes referred to:

The Grief Series-Episodes #63-#67
The Teenage Brain-Episode #54

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Do you ever look at other people and wonder how they got where they are now? On this episode, I'm excited to share a little of my journey starting out as an expat mom as I and my kids struggled with the challenges of expat life. I share some of the tools I discovered that helped me totally change my emotional health, my mothering experience, and our life abroad. I'm excited to share this piece of my journey with you on the 2nd anniversary of The Expat Mom Podcast.

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Sibling conflicts are important. They provide the exact experience kids need to learn how to communicate with others and how to resolve problems--two essential skills in adulthood. However, kids need some guidance about how to resolve differences. As parents that is our job. The podcast covers some tools that can help.

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At the end of the summer, after kids have spent a lot of time together, it seems like siblings tend to fight more. This can really grate on parents' nerves, and it can be frustrating to try lots of things and still have the fighting continue. I have great news. Sibling fighting is actually useful. In this episode, we look at some of the benefits of sibling fighting and how it can help your kids--especially when you use a few tools we'll discuss. This mindset shift can be a huge relief for parents.

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Most teens look forward to summer as a time when they get to have less structure, sleep in longer, and can be with friends. As parents, there are some great things we can do to use summer as a time to help teens improve their confidence and motivation. My guest Irene McCann-Braun shares 4 take-aways to help you and your teen make the most of this summer.

Irene McCann
Free Worksheet with Sentence Starters
https://www.irenemccannbrauncoaching.com/cheat-sheet-conversations-with-your-teen-sentence-starters

Website
https://www.irenemccannbrauncoaching.com

FB page
https://www.facebook.com/educationallearningcoach

Facebook Group for expat families with teens.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1157356781719187

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Lots of families love to travel in the summertime. Travel with families can be incredible or miserable, and most often it is both...

In this episode, I discuss some simple tools for enjoying travel with kids.

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Moving is common in the expat community. Even if we're not moving, often friends are moving. This means most summers we are saying goodbye to someone or somewhere. Moving is a loss--in fact, it can be as significant as when someone we love passes away. However, it's easy to think that moving isn't as legitimate of a loss since we're often going somewhere exciting. Part of maintaining good emotional health for our families as we transition is knowing how to say goodbye. In this episode, we talk about research-based tools for helping your children say goodbye.

Resources:
Katie Fowle: https://learningtoflourish.org/about/
Book: Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds
The Big Purple Blob Morning Show
www.thebigpurpleblob.com

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Happy Father’s Day! Expat Dads play an essential role in forming the mental and emotional health of their children. Many expat Dads deal with “Expat Dad Guilt” this idea that difficult things that happen to kids or kids’ dissatisfaction is “THEIR” fault because of their career. My husband, Scott, shares some ideas on how to navigate this and other challenges expat Dads experience.

On the Podcast You'll Learn:

• Some of the biggest benefits for dads and kids living overseas
• Some of the biggest challenges as an expat dad
• How to navigate expat dad guilt
• How expat life impacts your marriage
• Tips for maintaining relationships abroad as an expat dad

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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

In part 2 of the Launching Your Child Series, Kristi shares some things expat parents and TCKs can do to smooth the transition to college. TCKs have unique challenges AND strengths that impact the way they transition to college and to independent living. There are a few important things that can improve this transition.

On this Podcast You'll Learn:

• Learn about the benefits of a gap year
• Learn how to structure a gap year to gain momentum and smooth transition
• Learn about TCK transition programs
• Learn how to utilize the international student program at the college

Learn More From Kristi
Website: https://www.kc360.co/
Financial Consult: https://calendly.com/kc360/15-min-quick-financial-picture?month=2022-05
Student Assessment Consult https://calendly.com/kc360/pathway-planner-assessing-the-best-major-for-you?month=2022-05

TCK Camps
https://interactionintl.org/programs/transition-seminar/
https://www.barnabas.org/member-care/events/mk-transitional-seminar
https://www.oc.edu/church-resources/center-for-global-missions/global-reunion
https://ncfliving.org/what_we_do/mk-reentry-seminar.html
https://rekonnectcamp.org/
https://globallygrounded.com/

Links to Relevant Podcasts
Culture Shock Series Episodes # 34-36 (Especially the Repatriation Episode!)
How to Talk to Your Kids About Scary World Events Episode #78
Teaching Your Kids to Navigate Emotions in a Healthy Way Episode #39-42
Building Trust with Your Teen Episode #55
TCKs and Identity with Lauren Wells Episode #49 & #50

Resources to Help Around the Uvalde Shooting
Uvalde Strong Fund:https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=2452
VictimsFirst Gofundme: Texas Elementary School Shooting Victims Fund:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/mtdrdc-texas-elementary-school-shooting-victims-fund
Federal Resources for Helping Youth Cope after a School Shooting
https://youth.gov/feature-article/federal-resources-helping-youth-cope-after-school-shooting

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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

As we approach graduation season, some moms are getting ready to launch their children into a more independent life. Even for those who don’t have high school graduates yet, moms often reflect on their children and how long it will be until their children graduate. As moms, we want to do everything we can to help our kids succeed as adults. There is no one checklist that can determine if every child is ready. However, there are a few skills that help indicate their readiness to launch. My guest, Kristi Steele, an international education consultant shares 2 important indicators that a child is ready to be successful on their own.

Learn More from Kristi
Website: https://www.kc360.co/
Financial Consult: https://calendly.com/kc360/15-min-quick-financial-picture?month=2022-05
Student Assessment Consult https://calendly.com/kc360/pathway-planner-assessing-the-best-major-for-you?month=2022-05
Fall College & Gap Year Fair (TBA in August)

Links to Relevant Podcasts
Teaching Your Kids to Navigate Emotions in a Healthy Way Episode #39-42
Building Trust with Your Teen Episode #55
TCKs and Identity with Lauren Wells Episode #49 & #50

Expat Mom Personality Test
https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6098aee0341e7b0017c866d2

Free Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

Have you ever noticed some moms seem to sail through sorting and moving fairly smoothly, but others are scrambling and stressing? Have you noticed some expat moms take a long time to adjust to a new place and others seem to adapt quickly? Have you noticed that some moms encourage their kids to get out and have new experiences, while others are an emotional safe space for their kids? Our personalities can have a significant impact on how we mother and how we navigate expat life. In this episode we discuss the impact of personality on our emotional health as an expat mom and how our personality impacts the emotional health of your children.

On this podcast you'll learn:

• How personality impacts your mothering abroad
• What attributes research shows tend to predict success in expat life and in mothering
• Four types of expat mom personality types
• The superpower and limitation of each type of expat mom personality

Expat Mom Personality Test
https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6098aee0341e7b0017c866d2

Free Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

Have you ever had someone give you unsolicited advice about how to mother? Living in another culture can compound this experience many times. Different cultures have different styles and values about parenting which drives different behaviors and expectations. As expat moms, we are often navigating not only deciding what’s best for our kids but doing it in a context when other parents around us are making very different decisions. This can cause confusion, frustration, and even self-doubt. Having lived abroad for the last decade and a half with my 4 daughters, I know this experience well. On the podcast, you’ll likely resonate with some of the stories of parenting culture clashes! And I’ll share three tools about how to navigate cultural parenting differences while living abroad.

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Between events in Ukraine and COVID and school shootings and other world events, there are a lot of news stories that can feel scary to kids. They hear things on the news, at school, and from adults talking that we may not even be aware of. Kids are often good at observing and listening, but not as able to process and interpret it accurately. 68% of kids said the news made them anxious, angry, or depressed. As expats we are often more involved in events and it’s important to know how to address this topic with kids in a way that will support their mental health rather than detract from it. On today’s podcast I’d like to address how to talk to kids about them. I'll be sharing 4 tools about how to do this.

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Help in Ukraine:

• UNICEF
  • UNICEF supports health, nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation and protection for children and families caught in the conflict in Ukraine.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders
  • MSF is conducting a range of activities in Ukraine to help people travel to health care facilities and access prescribed medications.
• International Committee of the Red Cross
  • The Switzerland-based international organization seeks to help people affected by the conflict and support the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross.
• Save the Children
  • The London-based organization helps deliver essential humanitarian aid to vulnerable children in Ukraine and worldwide.
• UN Refugee Agency
  • The international organization provides emergency assistance to families in Ukraine, including cash assistance and opportunities for resettlement.
• Voices of Children
  • The charitable foundation of this organization is helping to provide psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by the Ukrainian conflict.
• United Help Ukraine
  • They are focused on organizing fundraisers to benefit people in Ukraine affected by the war conditions and raising awareness about the war.

Labels on food items can be useful, but they can also be misleading if we aren’t careful. The same can happen with labels on ourselves and our children. We unknowingly label ourselves and others in order to understand and organize the world. However, these labels can limit our personal growth and progression and disconnect us from others. This podcast does a deep dive into labels, how they impact us and how to change them when we realize they are harmful.

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach or on Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach

Help in Ukraine:

• UNICEF
  • UNICEF supports health, nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation and protection for children and families caught in the conflict in Ukraine.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders
  • MSF is conducting a range of activities in Ukraine to help people travel to health care facilities and access prescribed medications.
• International Committee of the Red Cross
  • The Switzerland-based international organization seeks to help people affected by the conflict and support the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross.
• Save the Children
  • The London-based organization helps deliver essential humanitarian aid to vulnerable children in Ukraine and worldwide.
• UN Refugee Agency
  • The international organization provides emergency assistance to families in Ukraine, including cash assistance and opportunities for resettlement.
• Voices of Children
  • The charitable foundation of this organization is helping to provide psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by the Ukrainian conflict.
• United Help Ukraine
  • They are focused on organizing fundraisers to benefit people in Ukraine affected by the war conditions and raising awareness about the war.

If you picture mindfulness as a monk on a green mountain, or you've dismissed "mindfulness" or "meditation" as something you don't have time for, this episode is for you. Today I'm talking with Annalee Little, a Wellness Coach and Mindfulness Teacher. We dig into a little of the science and why of mindfulness and get practical about how to apply it as a busy mom on-the-go.

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https://brainbasement.libsyn.com/

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It’s clear that play has tremendous benefits to kids and adults of all ages. As kids, play comes naturally. As an adult playing can feel awkward, unproductive, frustrating, and even unenjoyable sometimes. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, adults sometimes have to re-learn how to play. This podcast will offer some mindset shifts and practical ideas to help parents make play a natural and regular part of their lives and relationships.

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Play is something we tend to associate with children. Play is essential for children’s development. However play also has tremendous potential to improve emotional health in adults as well as children and to strengthen family relationships. This podcast breaks down some of the science behind play and fun and helps offer some insight into the specific benefits of play in your family.

On the podcast you’ll learn:

• Why play is essential for adult’s emotional health
• Why play is one of the best ways to connect with your child
• How fun improves learning
• Why play helps in conflict resolution
• Why it’s harder for adults to “play” as they get older

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A common complaint I hear from moms is, “I don’t have enough time.” As moms we balance so many things: caring for our children, working on our marriages, keeping up the house, working or volunteering, not to mention taking care of ourselves. Often there doesn’t seem to be any time left for us and our interests or dreams. We can start to feel like we are in a never-ending sea of “have-to’s” and that we never have time for “want-to’s.” We can begin to feel a growing resentment and frustration that there isn't enough time. But there is a simple shift that can help us feel more peace and contentment in our lives, without having any more time. We explore this on the podcast episode this week.

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Traditions are important ways to connect and build families—however they can become counterproductive and destructive if we don’t know how to adapt them for our circumstances. Traditions are living things—they need to grow and evolve with us. This podcast shares three ways we can adapt traditions based on our stage of life and on where we live.

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Traditions can be a way of creating identity, strengthening family bonds and passing along values and a sense of family to our children. In this podcast we talk about the science of traditions and how they impact kids. We also talk about how to sort through which traditions to continue with your family, how to personalize cultural traditions to our family and how to create your own family’s traditions to help teach and share what’s most important to you with your children in a fun way they look forward to.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• The definition of traditions
• The 5 B's or benefits of traditions
• How to personalize cultural traditions for your family
• How to create traditions that help you teach your kids the values you want to pass on

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Many of us look forward to December and holiday traditions, festivities and getting together. However, sometimes in our excitement, we overestimate our capacity; we add all sorts of things into a schedule that is already busy! It’s like trying to add 4 more hours a day to the the 24 hours a day we already have planned with our normal activities like sleeping, caring for our kids, doing work, caring for the house, and still hoping to get 24 hours! It’s bad math! The whole reason most of us look forward to these things is because we anticipate they will bring us and others joy! And when we try to cram too much in, we end up feeling overwhelmed, stressed out and disappointed….the exact opposite of why we wanted to do them in the first place. On the podcast, we’re going to help identify if you might have some bad math this holiday season. And, if so—how to improve your math so you can get the result you want.

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Most of us have known someone at some time that was grieving. If you’re like most people you want to help! You don’t want the person to suffer. But, it can be challenging sometimes to know how to help. On the podcast this week, I share 5 common mistakes we may make in trying to help someone who as lost someone.

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Gratitude has physical and emotional benefits, particularly when it’s practiced regularly. In this episode we discuss some of these benefits, how gratitude creates them, how gratitude isn’t something that happens to you, it’s something you can cultivate, and some fresh ideas about how to cultivate gratitude.

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In Grief Part 2 (episode #64), I shared my grief journey through the first two tasks of grief. In this episode I continue sharing my grief journey through the last two tasks of grief which are adjusting to the new life without the loved one, and reinvesting in a new reality. I found I was a bit like the little bird in PD Eastman's Book asking "Are you my mother?" I share how I found her--and a new version of me after her passing.

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The experience of grief journeys, the timelines, and the ways we find more normalcy and re-calibrate are different too. In the second part of the interview with my siblings, we explore more about healing and help in grief.

On this episode we’ll cover:

• What things were most helpful to you during your grief journey?
• Was there anything you did or do that has helped?
• How are you different after this experience?

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Grief is as different as the number of people on earth. But sometimes it’s easy to wonder if what we’re experiencing is “normal.” I’m so thankful to my siblings for being willing to share about their varied grief experiences—it paints a picture of how different grief journeys can be for people who even lost the same person in the same way.

On this episode we’ll cover:

• Experiences of acute grief right after our mother’s passing
• Experience of longer-term grief over the past ten years
• A difficult part of grief
• Something that surprised us about grief

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This week on the podcast, I share my personal journey of grief around losing my mother. I hope it will be helpful to you in your own grief journeys of loss. There is something about other’s stories that can be more reassuring than science or models—other’s experiences can offer validation, understanding, empathy and connection. I’m getting a bit more raw and personal in this podcast because that is exactly the nature of grief. I talk about how I navigated the first 2 tasks of grief. 1) Accepting the reality of the loss. 2) Experiencing the pain of the loss.

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Ten years ago today, my mother passed away. Grief isn’t something we plan or prepare for, so when it comes it’s often unexpected—even if someone’s death is expected due to a terminal illness. I’ve been looking back at my own grief journey, and studying the most common things about grief that cause people to get stuck and what helps them get unstuck. I’m excited to share those tips with you today. This is the first part in a series on grief. The next few episodes will include an episode sharing my experience of my mother passing away, an episode interviewing my siblings about their various grief experiences and an episode about what to say and what not to say to people experiencing grief.

On the podcast you’ll learn:

• Why the using the common grief model by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross to understand your grief journey might NOT be helpful
• Different graphics or models that may be more helpful
• What the four tasks are that help us heal from grief

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Changing your behavior around people pleasing is a process. Today’s podcast offers 10 practical tips to help you prepare for a situation, navigate no people pleasing in the moment, and a few tips for how to make not people pleasing successful. If you haven’t listened to the first three podcasts, be sure to do that as the podcasts build on each other.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• The Boomerang Principle
• The Einstein Experiment
• The Um Rule
• About Filling Your Own Cup
• And several more tips!

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Podcast Mentions:
The Full Cup Podcast by Libby Switzer and Craig Berthold

People pleasing is something almost all of us do. Chronic people pleasers sometimes don’t know how to stop. On this episode we dive into how to stop people pleasing. There is a practical four step process with several examples to help you see how it might apply in different situations.

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Today, we’re going to discuss a bit about how to know if you’re a people pleaser or if you have “The Niceness Disease.” Because it “looks” like kindness, and it’s shrouded in friendly behavior and even reinforced by positive social feedback, the niceness disease can sometimes be difficult to detect, especially in your self; however just as physical illnesses are often diagnosed by a patient’s symptoms, there are both external and internal symptoms of people pleasing. . In order to help “diagnose” yourself or your children, listen and see if you recognize any of these external or internal symptoms. The more of them you have, the more likely you are a people pleaser.

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According to Dr. David Burns, over 75% of people with anxiety suffer from "The Niceness Disease." The Niceness Disease is another way of describing people pleasing--doing something just to appease someone else, even if it isn't something you want or feel you can do. On the show we discuss more about what The Niceness Disease is, why it's a problem, and what the difference is between niceness and kindness.

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Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

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Kindness is powerful in lifting ourselves and others and creating the biology of happiness. But is kindness something we can “teach” our kids? Like anything else, we can’t force our kids to be kind, but we can do things to help children develop empathy and experience themselves the power of kindness. This episode will explore some ways we can help our children develop the skill of kindness. It will also address using our experience abroad to help toward developing children’s kindness.

One this episode you’ll learn:

• How to help children recognize other’s feelings
• How to help kids notice the power of kindness on others
• How to help children experience the joy of kindness
• How to use your experience abroad as an opportunity to be kind.

You can download a free calendar with prompts for daily kindness from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

https://assets.randomactsofkindness.org/calendars/neighborhood/2021/2021_RAK_kindness_calendars.pdf

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You’ve probably heard people say that being kind makes you feel good. Most of us have experienced this through simple kindnesses like letting someone go in front of us in line or holding the door for someone. But, did you know that there is a biochemical change in your body when you are kind that creates that feeling? This podcast episode explores the science of kindness. We’ll discuss the neurotransmitters that are released when you are kind and the fascinating biochemistry of others involved in the exchange too.

Understanding the science behind kindness can help give credence and more urgency to the the desire to be kind. Knowing the physiology can help us recognize the physiological responses more easily. We recognize that humans are wired for kindness, and we can live up to our true potential.

On this episode you'll learn:

• The physiological changes produced by kindness
• The neurotransmitters produced when we are kind or receive kindness
• Some of the physical health benefits of kindness
• Some of the emotional health benefits of kindness
• How to recognize these benefits in your life and your family

You can download a free calendar with prompts for daily kindness from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

https://assets.randomactsofkindness.org/calendars/neighborhood/2021/2021_RAK_kindness_calendars.pdf

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One-Minute Wisdom
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We often think of kindness as something that requires effort, time, humility, patience or other exertion. In other words, we often tend to think of kindness as a sacrifice. But is it? As we examine kindness more closely, we find that kindness often pays us more than it costs us. In the podcast we examine the principle of “lift” in geese and how kindness operates much the same among humans. As we lift others, we lift ourselves. Kindness impacts everyone involved—the giver the receiver and even those watching!

On the podcast you’ll learn:

• The impact of kindness on the receiver and the giver as found in studies.
• What geese can teach us about kindness.
• When kindness stops being kind and starts being unkind
• And lots more

You can download a free calendar with prompts for daily kindness from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

https://assets.randomactsofkindness.org/calendars/neighborhood/2021/2021_RAK_kindness_calendars.pdf

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One-Minute Wisdom
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Trust with teens is an important topic. Last week we address whether or not we should trust our teens. But trust in any relationship is not just a one-sided experience. Today we’re talking about the flip side of this equation…how to help a teen trust YOU.

Trust matters. Whether or not your teen trusts you is likely the difference in whether or not they will share what’s really going on. And, it makes the difference in how connected we can feel to them.

On the podcast, we discuss what things parents can do to enable teens to trust them more.

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“Should I trust my teen?” is a question I get asked in coaching, and it’s one most of us with teens thinks about. As parents we WANT to trust our kids. And our kids want to be trusted. But is trusting them the best thing for them? In my opinion the answer isn't a simple yes or no. I believe the answer is actually yes AND no. On the podcast I break down the science on the teen brain and why developmentally it might be wise not to fully trust teens. But, I also discuss how we can raise kids to become worthy of trust.

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Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

It's hard to believe it's been a year since the launch of The Expat Mom Podcast! As a special celebratory episode, I interview my four daughters ages 14 down to 5 about what it's like to be in the middle of an international move. You'll get a sneak peak into our family, and hear some honest emotion expressed--both positive and negative. You'll also hear what my kids think about having a mom as a life coach.

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Parenting teens requires a totally different brand of parenting than younger children. Sometimes parents of teens get frustrated because the parenting they used to use doesn’t work as well, but also because don’t have the same control or influence over their kids that they used to. It’s a transition for parents. In the process of sorting it all out, parents often end up struggling in their relationships with their teens and they make lots of mistakes. My podcast guest, Ginger Habel, interviewed several seventh-grade students and asked them what they wished their parents would do differently. Whether you are a parent of teens yet or not, you might be interested to hear what these teens had to say.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• 6 mistakes parents make with teens
• Whether teens want MORE or LESS time with their parents
• How to handle mistakes teens make
• What teens want when it comes to limits on technology
• What teens need training on around technology

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One-Minute Wisdom
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Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

August is the time many teens are making school transitions. While transitions are challenging for kids of all ages—teens often struggle the most because they depend developmentally on social and moving makes social connection more uncertain. In addition, their academic accomplishments tend to hold more gravity so challenges in transition tend to affect kids in the long-term. In addition to all this expat kids may be adjusting to a new language, a new culture and the social and academic ramifications of these things. My podcast guest, Ginger Habel, shares some recommendations about how parents can support their teens during a school transition.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• Typical timelines for making new friends and when to worry
• How to deal with the negativity a child may bring home
• How your own anxieties may impact your teens
• How to know when something isn't just normal adjustment and your teen needs help
• One simple thing parents can do to support kids academically during a transition

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Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

TCKs have some unique challenges and tend to have more grief and loss in their lives than a mono-cultural kid might experience. However, there are lots of things parents can do in order to help kids develop a healthy identity and stay emotionally healthy. This podcast features the second half of the interview with Lauren Wells, the author of the book, “Raising up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids.” We discuss some practical things parents can do to make the transition back to your home country easier, we discuss more about how to remove blocks from your child’s grief tower and how to process along the way so blocks don’t get put on the grief tower.

One this episode you’ll learn:

• Three specific things you can do as a parent that help TCKs develop a healthy identity
• Why repatriation is often a critical challenge to TCK’s identity
• Two things that parents can do to smooth the transition back to home country.
• How to know if your child has a grief tower
• How to know what’s on your child’s grief tower
• How to remove blocks from your child’s grief tower
• How to prevent blocks from going on your child’s grief tower when difficult things happen.

Contact Lauren Wells
Website: www.tcktraining.com
Instagram: @tcktraining

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
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Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

If you are an expat raising kids abroad—your kids are “Third Culture Kids,” meaning—they are spending some of their developmental years living in a culture different from their parent’s passport culture. They are a third culture kids because they aren’t living in their pp culture, they don’t totally fit into the culture they live in—they are part of a third culture as an expat. Research has shown over the past few decades that people with this experience tend to experience a set of similar challenges, and tend to develop similar positive attributes. Understanding this experience can help us be more deliberate as we parent our TCKs. In addition, there are some practical things we can do along the way to help our kids be emotionally successful now and as adults.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• What is a TCK?
• Challenges TCKs tend to experience
• Long-term issues if grief and loss are not addressed for TCKs
• Common positive attributes TCKs tend to exhibit
• When the TCK label is helpful, and when it is unhelpful
• How we can support our TCKs in their emotional health

Contact Lauren Wells
Website: www.tcktraining.com
Instagram: @tcktraining

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Rates of anxiety in expat kids are high. The unique lifestyle it’s challenges can exacerbate anxiety. However, there is lots parents can do to support kids. On this episode my podcast guest, Alivia Irwin LCSW, shares some tools to help.

On the podcast you’ll learn:

• How does moving impact kids with anxiety?
• How can I best support my kids during a move?
• How do I support my teen with anxiety around social issues?
• How much does sleep affect anxiety?

Contact Alivia Irwin
Website: https://www.aliviairwin.com/
Instagram: @aliviairwinlcsw

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Rates of children with anxiety everywhere are rising, but the rates are even higher among the expat population. Many expat children struggle with anxiety. On the podcast, Alivia Irwin, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in anxiety herself and has been an expat twice addresses how parents can best support kids with anxiety.

One the podcast you’ll learn:

• What happens to a child biologically when they experience anxiety
• How to support a child in the moment of high anxiety
• How to help children deal with anxiety in the long-term to lessen it
• About habituation and how it impacts anxiety

Contact Alivia Irwin
Website: https://www.aliviairwin.com/
Instagram: @aliviairwinlcsw

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Sometimes getting kids to share details about the day can feel like pulling teeth out! While we can't force our kids to talk, there are a few simple things we can do to help our kids open up and be willing to share.

One the episode you'll learn:

• How your agenda and your child's agenda might not match
• The type of questions to use...and which ones NOT to use
• How to respond so your child wants to keep talking
• How to know when to back off

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

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Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Sometimes dealing with sibling rivalry can feel exhausting!! One of the best ways to mitigate the potential harm from sibling rivalry is to teach children how to fight right. In other words, rather than just stopping the conflict—we can teach kids HOW to resolve it. This meta-skill is SO valuable, much more valuable than simply ending the chaos of the moment during a sibling quarrel. In this episode we learn what we can do as parents to set our kids up for success in resolving conflict.

On the podcast you'll learn:

*When should you intervene in a sibling argument
*How to create an environment that naturally limits conflict among siblings
*Five P's of resolving sibling conflict
*How to stay calm when kids are fighting

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

If you have more than one child, you’ve probably experienced some fighting and some rivalry between your kids. Actually, expat life is very supportive of sibling relationships and many families report that living abroad helps their kids feel close since they depend more on each other and have unique shared experiences. But being together a lot can also mean there is conflict. Today on the podcast we explore some of the benefits of sibling conflict, how to use rivalry to teach your children, and how to stay calm yourself.

On the podcast you'll learn:

*Benefits of sibling rivalry

*How to handle fatigue from dealing with constant fighting

*Why sibling rivalry is an amazing teaching opportunity

*How to trust yourself to know how to respond

*Three roles that can help you address sibling rivalry

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Traveling with kids can have some amazing benefits, but it can also be challenging. On this episode we discuss how minimize the challenges and accentuate the benefits to really enjoy traveling with kids.

On this episode you'll learn:

• What science says about the benefits of travel with kids
• How to prepare for an enjoyable trip with kids
• How add more fun into your travel
• How to support kids with anxiety while traveling
• Why what you do after travel has a lot to do with your experience

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

Free Mini-Coaching Session
Sign-up for a free 30-min. mini-coaching session. It can help make a struggling marriage better, and good marriage amazing.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

What keeps you from emotion coaching your kids? Do you feel like you just don’t have time? You are just too reactive? Your kids are too young or too old? There are lots of things that keep us from coaching our kids through emotions. This episode addresses some of the most common questions and issues parents have about emotion coaching.

Things you’ll learn on the podcast:

• When is too young or too old to emotion coach
• How to adapt emotion coaching for different ages
• What to do if your child gets MORE upset when you emotion coach them
• How to feel less reactive when your kids have a big emotion

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

Free Mini-Coaching Session
Sign-up for a free 30-min. mini-coaching session. It can help make a struggling marriage better, and good marriage amazing.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Studies show that kids’ emotional success is much less dependent on the quantity of difficult things that happen to them and much more on their experience with them. As parents, we can’t always control what happens to our kids—nor would we want to. But we can control how we support our kids through whatever does happen. And, this support piece is much more powerful to their emotional health anyway. On this episode we break down the “how-to” of emotion coaching. We discuss five simple steps to walk your child through a big emotion. This is the third in a series on emotion coaching kids. If you haven’t listened to episode #39 and #40—those are helpful pre-cursers to this episode.

On this episode you’ll learn:

• The five steps to emotion coaching
• How to help your kids feel understood but still set limits and move forward
• If emotion coaching can be used for positive emotions
• Practical applications and examples for emotion coaching for young kids and teens

Send me an email with a question or with an experience
jennie@theexpatmom.com

Free Mini-Coaching Session
Sign-up for a free 30-min. mini-coaching session. It can help make a struggling marriage better, and good marriage amazing.
Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Most of us think that we’re being a good parent if we keep our kids happy. But that’s not true. In fact, some of our best parenting can occur when our kids are experiencing a negative emotion. That’s because studies show that kids’ emotional health is less dependent on the amount of negative emotion they experience and more on how they were supported through it. When we are able to coach our kids through negative emotions and companion them along the way—we offer them a much more valuable gift than simply trying to eliminate stressful things or act like everything is fine all the time.

Having a mindset that allows you to help you children deal with big emotions depends on being comfortable with some important beliefs about emotions. Some of these beliefs are a bit counter-culture, meaning they aren’t beliefs we absorb naturally in our modern society. We’re often taught that negative emotions are bad and something to avoid. But negative emotions have MANY benefits for us and our children. But as parents, we get to be on the cutting edge of creating a healthier society for ourselves and our children to live in. We get to be the change.

On this podcast you'll learn:

• The mistake lots of parents make when addressing kid's big emotions
• Why mindset matters
• Why negative emotions might be exactly what your child needs
• Five essential beliefs that establish a healthy mindset to coach kids through emotions

Resources
Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Brene Brown Podcast feature the authors:
https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-emily-and-amelia-nagoski-on-burnout-and-how-to-complete-the-stress-cycle/

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

• Four parenting approaches to kids' negative emotions
• What the impact of each is on kids according to research
• Which one is most successful

Resources
John Gottman, Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Getting your stuff pared down to a weight or space allotment for a move can feel daunting. And then there is figuring out what to bring in suitcases, air shipments, sea shipments and what to put in storage! Once you get to your destination, you're faced with "stuff" again, and trying to decide where to put it all.

Lisa Crawford, an experienced expat mom, shares some easy, practical tools to help us deal with stuff on both sides of a move.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• How to make a stuff "map" of your home before your shipment arrives
• How to purge at the beginning of your move instead of panicking at the end
• How to un-pack based on routines, not whatever box you open next
• How to help kids during a move and incorporate them into the process
• How to feel less resentment and overwhelm about all the tasks that have to be done
• Why it's important to match your consumer habits to your values

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

For many expat families, stuff + moving = stress. Families often have weight limits or financial restrictions on how much they can move. And at the same time they have lots of items that are important to them and may tell a story about their lives. This can create some stress leading up to a move about how to organize and prepare for the move. My guest today is an organization and parenting expert. She shares some tools for how to approach dealing with stuff on both sides of a move. She’ll also share some helpful tools for staying organized and using organization to strengthen your mothering.

Transitions are often one of the most stressful parts of expat life. This month the podcast is offering tools to help families in these transitions. We just finished a 3-part podcast series on culture shock and repatriation, starting with this episode, we are moving on to a two- part series on how to deal with stuff abroad, and we’ll also have an episode on how to support kids transitioning to new schools.

On the Podcast you'll learn:

• Some of the reasons moving can feel overwhelming for expats
• How to overcome overwhelm
• Practical tools for preparing for a move and setting up when you arrive
• How systems, routines and intention work together to support organization
• How organization improves relationships

Connect with Angie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/parentcoachangie
Instagram: www.instagram.com/parentcoachangie
Website: www.parentcoachangie.com

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

Most people expect going abroad to be hard, but they don’t expect returning home to be as challenging. In particular, they often underestimate the challenge kids will have re-adjusting. While meaning to be helpful there are eight common mistakes parents make that actually make readjusting harder for kids. Today on the podcast we look at each of these mistakes and discuss a healthier approach to support our kids in transition!

This topic is part of our April focus on how to navigate transitions in expat life. This is the third part of a 3-part series on culture shock and repatriation, we’ll also be discussing how to support kids transitioning to new schools, and how to deal with stuff in frequent or international moves.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• Why people expect repatriation to be easier and why it's not
• How to help ourselves and our kids manage their expectations
• How to help kids manage their emotions
• What the latest research says about physical objects and their role in transition
• How to empower kids feel more included with their peers

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

There are some intentional things we can do to help adjust our mindsets, and help ourselves move through the stages of culture shock with more speed, more confidence, and less frustration. In part 2 of our culture shock series, we’ll cover 3 tools you and your family can use as you transition to another country. These tools apply whether this is your first overseas assignment or your 12th.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to navigate each stage of culture shock
• How to use the first honeymoon stage to help you in later stages
• Why feeling irritated might be exactly the thing you need and want to feel sometimes
• How to use curiosity to get out of irritation

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

There are five stages of culture shock when we move to another country. Understanding the can help us normalize our experience, blame ourselves less and help us realize it won’t last forever! This is part 1 of the culture-shock series.

On the podcast this week you’ll learn:

• Why we experience culture shock
• The 5 different stages of culture shock
• Common timelines when experience culture shock
• What is happening in the brain to cause culture shock
• How culture shock is a healthy brain response
• The benefits of understanding the stages of culture shock

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach

Find more resources at my website: http://theexpatmom.com

You've probably heard the buzzwords "self-care" and "awareness" in podcasts, magazines, and self-help books. But they can refer to such a large range of things. Today on the podcast, my guest helps define "self-care" in a fresh way and offers an equation you can use to determine how to choose and benefit from self-care. She defines "awareness" and gives a practical way to practice it in your life to help you improve your emotional health.

Today on the podcast you'll learn:

• The definition of self-care
• Learn how to choose a self-care practice
• The definition of awareness
• Learn why body awareness can be helpful in your emotional health
• Learn how to practice awareness
• Learn how self-care and awareness apply specifically to expat life
  
  

Connect with Leslie DeGrande, Certified Yoga Therapist

Download the Stoplight/Awareness Download
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC9Qkrqe8ef8h0S_htS2lhg
Website: https://www.lesliedegrande.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliedegrande/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesliedegrandeyogatherapy

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website
@jennielintoncoaching
http://theexpatmom.com

Have you ever eaten one of those twisty donuts at the bakery? Our thoughts are a bit like those donuts. They get twisted and distorted. Of course we don't mean to make them this way. It just happens as we have life experiences, our biology is imperfect, we have families who model imperfect ways of thinking and being. The problem with distorted thinking is that it often causes us to feel worse than we need to and to act in ways we don't want to. Today on the podcast I'm teaching how to untwist your thinking.

On the podcast you'll learn:

What twisted thinking is
Why it's a problem
How to untwist your thinking
Three questions you can ask yourself to untangle the way you see something

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website
@jennielintoncoaching
http://theexpatmom.com

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Each of us has an on-going dialogue in our minds. Did you know you can listen to yourself think? Today on the podcast, we're discussing how powerful our mental dialogue is in how we feel. And...how to get some leverage over our dialogue, especially when we're feeling stuck or in a low place.

On the podcast you'll learn:

• How many thoughts we have each day!
• Why paying attention to our mental dialogue matters
• How to get recognize what you're thinking
• The benefits of writing down your thoughts

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website
@jennielintoncoaching
http://theexpatmom.com

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Most of us believe that happiness is superior to other emotions. But is it? Many of us if given the option would love to feel happy all the time--at least we THINK we would. But are there benefits to negative emotions? And does trying to be happier actually lead to feeling happier? Today on the podcast, we address some of these questions. And I share part of my journey with emotional health and emotion.

This month on the podcast we’re covering how to improve your emotional resilience. Studies show that 50% of expats have depression; this is 3x higher than the general population. The risk of anxiety is twice as high as the general population. Given the high amounts of expats with depression and anxiety—we know that there are some factors related to expat life that are challenging to our emotional health. We’ll be covering a few different topics and tools this month order to help us improve our emotional resilience.

On this episode you'll learn:

• Why trying to avoid negative emotions often causes us MORE negative emotion
• The benefits of negative emotion
• What to do with negative emotions
• How to solve for the problem—not for the negative emotion itself

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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Schedule

One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website
@jennielintoncoaching
http://theexpatmom.com

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Just like we have different seasons in our weather, our marriages have different seasons too. In marriage, spring is characterized by hope, warmth, and excitement about the possibilities of the relationship, while winter is characterized by coldness, harshness and uncertainty about the future. We often enter winter when we’ve been hurt or disappointed by our spouse. All 4 seasons of marriage can actually allow us to deepen our love. On the podcast we’ll discuss how increase your capacity to love even when you’ve been hurt or disappointed. And we’ll talk about how to keep moving through winter and fall seasons of marriage, when we feel stuck there.

On this episode you’ll learn:

• About each season of marriage
• Why we get stuck in fall and winter
• How fall and winter can actually HELP your marriage
• How to move through fall and winter when we feel stuck
• How to increase your capacity to love after you’ve been hurt or disappointed by your spouse

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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website
@jennielintoncoaching
http://theexpatmom.com

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

We often assume the way we see our spouse is simply the way they are. But actually, most of us see our spouse through a distorted filter. My Dad recently had cataract surgery. When the cataracts were removed, he was surprised how much clearer and whiter his vision was—he had assumed for years that the way he saw them was simply the way they were. But in reality it was not the way they were—it was the way he saw them. The same is true for us. We see our spouse through a filter that distorts who they really are. Today on the podcast I’ll talk about this filter, how we develop this filter, what problems it creates and how to remove it.

What you’ll learn on the podcast

• How we develop a distorted view of our spouse
• Why it’s a problem that we don’t see our spouse as they are
• What doesn’t work to remove the filter
• How it DOES work to remove this filter
• Why it matters to remove it.

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

One important aspect of marriage is sexual intimacy. I'm excited to share with you an interview with Certified Sex and Marriage Coach Amanda Louder.

In this interview, Amanda offers some fantastic insights into how men and women differ in their approach to intimacy; specifically why many women have lower sexual desire than their husbands. She offers some suggestions about how to increase desire and cultivate romance and intimacy in your marriage. We also cover aspects of sex and intimacy that are specific to expat life--things such as navigating sex during stressful time, and how to increase intimacy while you're separated physically. These aren't your everyday kind of suggestions--they are powerful, get at the source of things, types of solutions.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

· Common reasons why married women may have lower desire

· How to shift from obligation for intimacy into desire for it

· Why it's important to be honest around intimacy with yourself and your partner

· How to cultivate romance in your marriage and keep the flame alive

· How to handle sex during stressful times

· How to cultivate intimacy while you're apart

Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Her website is: Amanda Louder Coaching
You can also connect with her on FB or Instagram @amandaloudercoaching
And her Podcast "Live From Love" where she talks about all things sex and marriage
Episode #106 Expanding Your Sexual Palette
Ester Perel, Author of Mating in Captivity

Apps Mentioned
Ultimate Intimacy App
Intimacy Us App
Spicer App

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

Most of us were given the advice when we got married, “Do everything you can to make your spouse happy.” This sounds like such lovely and good advice. I agree that we should be loving and kind and sacrificing. But when we do these things with the expectation that it will make our spouse happy, very often we undermine our happiness and the happiness of our spouse. In other words when we do this we are people pleasing—doing something in order to manipulate someone’s response. There is a much healthier and much more fun way of cultivating happiness in your marriage. This whole month we’re focusing in on marriage and how to improve it!

What you’ll learn on the podcast

• Why sometimes our spouse doesn’t feel happy even when we’re trying our best
• Why trying to make our spouse happy can cause us to feel miserable
• How trying to make our spouse happy can actually cause disconnection in our marriage
• Why your spouse my not WANT us to try to make them happy
• How to cultivate happiness in your marriage in a healthier way
• How to create connection even when you don’t honor your spouse’s wishes
• How to hold space for your spouse’s disappointment

Free Mini-Coaching Session
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One-Minute Wisdom
Each week I carefully craft a short perspective shift or tool that you can read in about a minute or two. You can sign up here.

Follow me on Instagram or find more free resources on my website

Please leave a review on your favorite podcast app. It helps other people find it!

I don’t know many people who LIKE to fail. But like it or not, life includes lots of failure. That is—if you’re stretching yourself enough to actually be growing. The reason most of us fear failure is we don’t like feeling humiliated, disappointed and frustrated. But did you know that it is possible to have a different experience with failure. Did you know failure could be fun? This week on the podcast I’m going to teach you how to fail in a way that’s useful…and maybe even fun.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why we don’t like to fail
• How to shift the way you feel about failing
• Why failure can actually be useful
• Different types of failure and why some are better than others
• How to convert your worst critic into your best cheerleader

Free Mini-Coaching Session
The best way to find your blind spots is to get a coach to help you see why you’re stuck! Sign-up for a free 30-min. mini-coaching session.
Schedule

Join The 30-Day "Getting It Done Bootcamp"
Choose a goal you want to accomplish in 30 days! This is a boot-camp you can do at anytime. When you sign up, you'll receive weekly challenges for 30 days that help you apply the things we're discussing on the podcast this month about goals.
Sign up for "Getting It Done Bootcamp!"

Special Bonus for Foreign Service Members
If you’re in the Foreign Service, you can join us in the Toolbox FB group where I’m giving daily short videos with all sorts of fun tools and tips to help you with your challenge from Jan. 19-February 19th.
The Toolbox

Follow Me on Instagram And Share Your Progress
You can also follow me on Instagram to watch me applying what I'm teaching on the podcast about goals. My 30 day goal is to declutter 15 min./day between Jan. 19-February 19th 2021. I'll be sharing my progress and tips for sticking to goals along the way. I'd love hear about your progress as you accomplish your goals!!
@theexpatmomcoach

Bite Sized Inspiration Right to Your Inbox
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While many of us love to set goals, being consistent with them can be challenging. They are challenging because new behaviors take more effort and they can be uncomfortable. It’s easier to just do what we’ve always done…and our lower brains like ease. If we haven’t set up the right systems for ourselves, the lower brain often wins out and we procrastinate or give up on our goal. In order to be consistent we can use a couple of tools to help our lower brains work for us, not against us in accomplishing our goals.

On the podcast, you’ll learn:

• Why it’s so hard to be consistent with our goals
• Why our brain is the problem AND the solution
• Two tools for being more consistent with our goals
• Practical examples of how you can use these tools for accomplishing your goals.

Resources Mentioned on Podcast
Hallmark digital scheduled cards https://www.hallmarkecards.com/
Think ahead gift giving service https://joyful.gifts/

Free Mini-Coaching Session
The best way to find your blind spots is to get a coach to help you see why you’re stuck with your goal! So sign-up for a free 30-min. mini-coaching session.
Schedule

Join The 30-Day "Getting It Done Bootcamp"
Choose a goal you want to accomplish in 30 days! This is a boot-camp you can do at anytime. When you sign up, you'll receive weekly challenges for 30 days that help you apply the things we're discussing on the podcast this month about goals.
Sign up for "Getting It Done Bootcamp!"

Special Bonus for Foreign Service Members
If you’re in the Foreign Service, you can join us in the Toolbox FB group where I’m giving daily short videos with all sorts of fun tools and tips to help you with your challenge from Jan. 19-February 19th.
The Toolbox

Follow Me on Instagram And Share Your Progress
You can also follow me on Instagram to watch me applying what I'm teaching on the podcast about goals. My 30 day goal is to declutter 15 min./day between Jan. 19-February 19th 2021. I'll be sharing my progress and tips for sticking to goals along the way. I'd love hear about your progress as you accomplish your goals!!
@theexpatmomcoach

When we plan out our goals we often assume it will be like driving to the grocery store, hitting all green lights, getting a front row parking spot, not waiting in line and zipping home. But it never is. There are always obstacles that come up. Today on the podcast I’m sharing 3 common mistakes we make that derail our goals so you can be more successful at avoiding these mistakes.

On this episode you’ll learn:

• A healthy way to define if you’re being successful at your goal day to day
• How to anticipate obstacles head of time and how to prepare for them
• How to change your self-talk so you don’t sabotage yourself

The best way to find your blind spots is to get a coach to help you see why you’re stuck with your goal! So sign-up for a free 30-min. mini-coaching session.
Schedule

Apply What You're Learning on The Podcast
Download Guide: How to Overcome 3 Obstacles That Sabotage Our Goals

Join The 30-Day "Getting It Done Bootcamp"
Choose a goal you want to accomplish in 30 days! This is a boot-camp you can do at anytime. When you sign up, you'll receive weekly challenges for 30 days that help you apply the things we're discussing on the podcast this month about goals.
Sign up for "Getting It Done Bootcamp!"

Special Bonus for Foreign Service Members
If you’re in the Foreign Service, you can join us in the Toolbox FB group where I’m giving daily short videos with all sorts of fun tools and tips to help you with your challenge from Jan. 19-February 19th.
The Toolbox

Follow Me on Instagram And Share Your Progress
You can also follow me on Instagram to watch me applying what I'm teaching on the podcast about goals. My 30 day goal is to declutter 15 min./day between Jan. 19-February 19th 2021. I'll be sharing my progress and tips for sticking to goals along the way. I'd love hear about your progress as you accomplish your goals!!
@theexpatmomcoach

Did you know 80% of New Year's resolutions fail? And most of them fail by mid-February. That is a sobering statistic. I've been part of that statistic until a few years ago, when I learned some simple tools that have helped me and my clients actually accomplish our goals instead of just make them. Accomplishing goals is actually like creating and following a recipe.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to move past overwhelm
• How to stop procrastination
• How to accomplish goals when it feels like you don't have time
• What to do when you don't feel like it

Free 30 Min. Mini-Coaching Session
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Apply What You're Learning on the podcast
Free Guide: How to Create a Recipe For Success

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What kinds of feelings does setting goals bring up for you? This year goals setting brought up anxiety and lack of motivation. I’ve felt a bit sluggish nailing myself down with one goal. I was feeling overwhelmed with all the goals I WANT to do but knowing I only have the capacity to do some. Choosing can be tough! And, as I look back on some of the past years, it can feel discouraging to think about goals I’ve set and never accomplished. But, I pulled myself together and applied some of the strategies and tools I’m teaching in this podcast, and I chose a goal for the year that I’m really excited and motivated about.

What you’ll learn on the podcast

• Why goals matter
• How many goals are realistic
• Which goal to choose
• A step-by-step process for choosing a goal in less than 10 min

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As the holidays approach lots of us are experiencing more interactions with family and friends. With a global pandemic, a highly politically polarized environment in addition to the normal strains of life, disagreements are more frequent. While we might not agree--our disagreements don' t have to ruin our relationships.

On this episode you'll learn:

• Why disagreements often lead to division in relationships
• How to dislike what someone says without disliking them
• How to stop viewing the other person as "wrong"
• How to share your opinion in a way that the other person is more likely to receive

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Mom guilt is an epidemic among women. We feel guilty because we can't meet our own and others expectations all the time. But, guilt can actually become a gift if we know how to use it in a helpful way. In this episode, we dive into a three step process about how to do this.

On this episode you'll learn:

• A new definition of guilt
• The three steps for using guilt in a useful way
• Why our brain loves to guilt us
• How to get your own back when you make a decision

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With the holidays approaching there are often more parties and gatherings. Most of us have been in a social situation where we felt awkward. Turns out research shows that when we're feeling out of place at a party, we do things and see things in a way that makes us feel even more awkward than we already did. And....our awkwardness often makes others feel awkward. That's a whole lot of awkwardness going around! Awkwardness often comes from worrying about what other's will think, worrying we don't fit in, thinking others are boring etc. This week on the episode we dig into how feel more confidence at parties and be the one who everyone enjoys.

What you'll learn on the podcast:

• How to feel confidence in any social situation
• Why we feel awkward sometimes
• What to do before you go to a party
• How to make others feel good
• How to ask good questions
• How stories impact us

Free Class
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It may sound backwards, but making an un-grateful list can help you be more grateful. In fact scientists estimate that we can improve our happiness level by up to 25% simply by practicing regular gratitude.

Gratitude is powerful, but our brains are sneaky. They like to add subtle caveats to our gratitude statements that undermine our happiness. It might sound like this; "I'm thankful for a healthy body." Then the brain adds, "but I'd be more thankful if I could lose a few pounds." This sneaky follow up thought dampens the joy we get from gratitude. But! There is a simply way to minimize the brain's subtle maneuvers to dampen our joy.

In this episode we dive into why making an un-grateful list in addition to a gratitude list can help increase your gratitude.

What you'll learn:

• Why gratitude increases happiness
• Three reasons why a list of things you an un-grateful list can be helpful
• All about how to join the 7-day challenge to share things you are grateful for now that were once on your un-grateful list. Share these daily on social media wit the hashtag #theexpatmomthankful

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When you move abroad, your grocery shopping looks different, the way you get from place to place looks different, and likely your "purpose" or the way you contribute to your community looks different.

Emma Ball is a new expat mom. In this interview she discusses some of her journey moving abroad and navigating finding her purpose. She has a background in education, but found that she couldn't teach in Shanghai due to visa restrictions. She has a lot of wisdom to share about how she created purpose abroad.

In this interview you'll hear:

• How purpose changes over time
• Multiple ways to find purpose abroad
• Key insights about how to get out of discouragement and loneliness
• Great questions to ask yourself to find more purpose

How to Connect with Me and Get More Help:
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Whether we realize it or not, most of us have a long list of “shoulds” for our spouses. Some common “shoulds” I hear include: they should clean up after themselves, they should listen and remember what I say, they should agree with me, and they shouldn’t criticize me. We attach these “shoulds” to how we feel about our spouse, and our own happiness. We think that if our spouses do what we think they should do, we will feel more love for them and we will feel happy.

Many of these “shoulds” feel fair and reasonable. And, things sometimes work out when our spouse agrees and does them. But, many times our spouse does not follow our “shoulds.” That doesn’t mean we have to feel miserable. There are some practical tools for finding more peace even if our spouse doesn’t change.

On this episode you’ll learn:

• Why nagging, criticizing, and “punishing” a spouse rarely gets them to change their behavior
• How to feel more peace even if your spouse doesn’t change
• How to act in a way that is most likely to get your spouse to change

How to Connect with Me and Get More Help:
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@theexpatmomcoach

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The question, “Where are you from?” is a common question. If you’re someone who has lived the same place your whole life, it’s a pretty straight forward answer. But for expat kids who don’t live in their home country, and have often lived in more than one additional country the answer is more complicated. When kids have a negative experience answering this question—either they don’t know what to say, or they say something and get a negative response, it can be easy for kids to start to feel weird or like they don’t fit in. It can begin to affect the way they feel about themselves. As expat moms there are few simple things we can do to help kids feel more confident when they answer this question.

On this episode you'll learn:

• Three reasons kids struggle to answer the question, "Where are you from?"
• Three ways to prepare your kids to respond to the question.
• Some practical templates for answers

What is your family's answer to the question, "Where are you from?"
Tell me on Instagram. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach

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What I hear from a lot of moms, is that they just want to be a "good mom." We all do! But for some reason this goal is illusive. Rarely do I hear moms say they feel confidence they are amazing moms. Certainly there are some moms who aren't good--but the majority of moms I know of are trying their best. However, they compare themselves to an unrealistic standard of motherhood that is impossible to achieve...so they feeling like they are not enough in some way. In this episode, we talk about one simple thing you can do to increase your confidence as a mom.

In this episode we'll learn:
Why unrealistic definitions of a "good mom" can make it harder to BE a "good mom."
Why defining what a "good mom" is can increase your confidence.
Three characteristics of a helpful, realistic definition of a "good mom."

What is your old, and your new definition of a "good mom?"
Tell me on Instagram. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach

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This week is the 9-year anniversary of my mom’s passing. As I’ve been reflecting on her life and influence, I’ve been thinking that one of the things that made her an amazing mom was her failure. Yes. You read it right. Her failure. She had SO many successes as well, but one of her perceived failures was one of the most helpful things to helping me become who I was meant to become.

What you'll learn:
*How our failures as moms can actually help our children
*How to think differently about failure
*How to use failure to bless ourselves and others

Connect with me!
What is a failure of someone else's that has helped you become who you are meant to be?
Tell me on Instagram. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach

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The number one topic I coach on is relationships. Mother-child relationships, marriages, and difficult relationships with bosses, colleagues, friends and extended family members. Relationships are such a huge part of our emotional health. Today's topic has to do with communication in relationships; learning to say what we mean and mean what we say. We often think we are communicating clearly but we say one thing and mean another. This causes all sorts of confusion, resentment and frustration. There are a few simple changes we can make to communicate more clearly.

What you'll learn on the show:

• Why sometimes we say one thing when we really mean another
• What it means to own our words
• How to own our words
• How intercultural situations amplify the issue of miscommunication when we don't say what we mean
• Learn the impact of not owning our words

Connect with me!
What's a time that you owned or didn't own your words?
Tell me on Instagram. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach

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Loneliness is an emotion, not a condition. Most expats experience loneliness; in fact estimates are that over 50% of people feel loneliness regularly. When we feel lonely we're less likely to reach out and connect with others, so loneliness begets MORE loneliness. As humans we need connection. There are some important mindset shifts that can help release us from the cycle of loneliness and allow us to create more connection in our lives.

On this episode you'll learn:

• Why loneliness is a problem
• Take a simple test to gauge how lonely you are
• How to remove the stigma of loneliness
• Benefits of loneliness
• Five tools to turn loneliness into connection
• Lots of examples help you apply these principles

What is something that helps you deal with loneliness?
Tell me on Instagram. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach

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Stress occurs when we feel like we don't have the ability or the resources to deal with demands in our lives. This can result in feelings overwhelm, exhaustion, frustration and discouragement. Sometimes it is true that we aren't able to deal with something. However, more often we ARE able to deal with it, we just THINK it's too hard because of how we see it. As we learn to see our problems and ourselves more accurately, we are able to stop stressing about stress and deal with the problem in a helpful way.

What is one of your biggest stressors?
Tell me on Instagram. I respond to every comment.
@theexpatmomcoach

On the episode you'll learn:

• How to become aware of distorted thinking that causes us to see our problem inaccurately
• How to see ourselves and the resources we are often blind to
• How to see the benefits of stress in addition to the challenges of it
• Loads of practical examples that demonstrate how to do it.

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Stress. In our modern world stress can feel more like the norm than the exception. We often think of stress as a villain--something awful that robs us of our joy and peace. But modern research shows that actually stress can be beneficial. AND, even more importantly, the way we think ABOUT stress matters. When we see it as a problem it has all sorts of negative side effects. But when we see at as beneficial our biochemistry changes. The physical and emotions effects are profound.

On this episode you'll learn:

• The negative physical and emotional impact stress can have
• What the latest research shows about why the way we perceive stress matters
• Some of the incredible benefits of stress
• What it looks like to shift our thoughts about stress

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Show Notes:

No one likes criticism. It's something most of us would love to avoid if possible, but the truth is that most of us do experience criticism more often than we'd like to. Our natural reaction to criticism is usually to withdraw and feel resentful or embarrassed, or to be irritated and defend ourselves. Neither of these responses help our relationships or our confidence. Criticism can actually HELP your relationships and your confidence if you know how to think about it and respond. This podcast offers you two simple questions you can ask yourself when someone criticizes you to help guide your response in a way that can strengthen your relationship and increase your confidence.

What you'll learn on the podcast:

• Why our default response to criticism hurts our relationships
• How to press pause on our default response and create space before we respond
• Two questions that can guide your response to criticism
• Examples of several different healthy ways to respond
• How criticism can help strengthen your relationships
• How criticism can build your confidence

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Show Notes:

Humans have a deep need for purpose. Purpose is what compels us and gives us the necessary motivation to do difficult things. In part 1 we talked about how purpose is decided not discovered. We uncovered 7 limiting beliefs that blind us to identifying and living our purpose. In this episode, I offer 4 simple steps to help you identify and begin taking action toward deciding on and creating your purpose. I give you lots of examples of how I and my clients have applied these principles. I’ll also offer some important ways to manage your mind in the process.

Here are some of things you’ll learn on this episode:

• How spending more of the day consuming things rather than creating can limit your ability to identify and create your purpose
• Where to start in creating your purpose
• Important questions to ask yourself
• Why looking inside yourself for the answers rarely works and where to look instead Important ways to manage your mind

Download Creating Purpose Road Map

This roadmap includes the 7 limiting beliefs that blind us to our purpose, and the 4 steps to creating purpose--including the questions to ask yourself.

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Mentioned on the show:

Secretary of Cake Instagram Page @secretaryofcake
US History Abroad https://www.ushistoryabroad.com/about


Articles about Creation and Consumption
Are You Consuming or Creating During Coronavirus?
How to Make Mom Breaks Refreshing: Creation vs. Consumption

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One of the most frequent requests for coaching I receive is about how to find purpose. As humans we crave purpose--it gives us direction, significance and belonging. However, I have discovered 7 limiting beliefs that often hold us back from recognizing and living our purpose.

What you'll learn on the podcast:

• The difference between things that give us meaning in life, and a life mission
• How to begin to recognize your purpose
• Why purpose matters
• Why the idea of "finding" our purpose is inaccurate and unhelpful
• How we can have multiple purposes and why that's beneficial
• Why purpose won't provide the sense of value you may be craving

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Because we are human, we experience a wide range of emotions. Emotions are the brain’s way of communicating something to us. Most of us dislike our negative emotions and we try all sorts of ways to avoid feeling them. When we do this, our brain has to work harder to get the message through and this ends up causing new problems. Most of us aren’t really taught how to handle difficult emotions in a healthy way. We are usually taught to shove them down, or distract ourselves. But it’s important to learn how to actually feel and process our emotions—when we allow ourselves to feel difficult emotions, ironically we free ourselves from their grip. This podcast will teach you how.

What you’ll learn on the podcast:

• What creates emotions in our body
• How negative emotions can help us
• The most common ways people handle difficult emotions and why they don’t work
• Practical ways to deal with negative emotions in a healthy way

Download Guide to Process Your Emotions

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Resilience is the ability to deal with and bounce back from challenges and difficulties, and during this time of pandemic, global change, and uncertainty, our children need this skill more than ever. Studies show that a few common characteristics help expat kids—as well as other kids—be more resilient. Today I’ll cover the top four skills to help kids be more resilient. I’ll offer you some simple, practical examples and ideas to start cultivating these skills in your kids right now.

What you’ll learn on this episode:

• What resilience is and why it matters
• How to handle things when your child is struggling
• How to cultivate a growth mindset in your child through the compliments you give
• How to increase your child’s emotional intelligence and adjust their expectations
• How to teach your child to build relationships through conflict
• What family history has to do with resilience

How to Connect with Me and Get More Help:
Sign-up for a free coaching session
Get more free resources on my website
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Mentioned on the Show:

NIH study of expat kids and resilience
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6064735/

Expat Children and Resilience
Simons, Julia Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child

NY Times article briefly describing Dr. Duke’s work on family history and resilience in kids
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html

Moving and change are a hallmark of expat life. There are a lot of exciting things that accompany a move, but also some difficult emotions and stressors as well. Expat moms are often the emotional anchor point for the family while also being the lead logistics coordinator for closing out the old life and starting a new one. This is a huge job.

Understanding what happens to the brain during a move, and how to navigate the difficult emotions that accompany a move can help you feel more peace and less overwhelm during the process.

I share an experience I had in Kenya when I was asked to move unexpectedly; I share some of the lessons I learned from that experience. I’ll also share some mindset shifts that can help you be the mom you want to be during a transition time and give you lots of practical ideas about how to apply these mindset shifts right away.

What you’ll learn on this podcast:

• What happens in the brain when you move and why you’re less productive at first
• How to deal with difficult feelings that accompany change
• How to know when it’s time to stop focusing on grief from a change and shift your focus
• Ideas for how to create a new normal
• How identity is affected by moving and what to do about it
• What to do when you’re in a post-moving slump

How to Connect with Me and Get More Help:
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Get more free resources on my website
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Mentioned on the Podcast:
Article about Processing Emotions
Days for Girls Organization
https://www.daysforgirls.org/

Welcome to The Expat Mom Podcast! Expat moms are amazing. They navigate all the normal challenges of living and mothering while living abroad. Studies show these challenges often take a big toll on the emotional health of expats. This podcast offers some mindset shifts and practical tools for improving emotional health and thriving abroad.

In this episode, I share one of my first break through moments in improving my emotional health as an expat mom when I discovered that blaming my children’s anxiety and suffering on frequent moving may have actually been unfounded. I was able to see how our expat lifestyle might actually be helping my kids’ anxiety. I’ll share the tool that helped me see things differently, and I’ll offer you a way to start applying this principle right away.

What you’ll learn on this episode:

• Why the thing you think is making you miserable might not be what’s actually making you miserable
• How to use your emotions as clues to help you solve problems
• The science behind how the brain processes experiences
• Why sometimes our perceptions are distorted
• How to shift your perspective and why it matters

How to Connect with Me and Get More Help:
Sign-up for a free coaching session
Find articles and other free resources on my website
Connect with me through Instagram

Leave a Review
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Mentioned on the Show:
Study quoted about expat statistics
https://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/3/prweb9277073.htm

Book referred to about constructing multiple true realities.
Before Happiness. Shawn Achor

Welcome to the Expat Mom Podcast!

Who is this podcast for?
This podcast is for expat moms who want to improve their emotional health.

Why this podcast?
Expat moms navigate the normal challenges of raising kids, cultivating their marriages, and managing their careers--all while juggling additional challenges of living abroad. Studies show that 50% of expats experience depression, anxiety rates are 2x higher, divorce rates are 50% higher and 40% of foreign assignments are broken due to unhappy trailing spouses.

I get it. I have experienced culture shock, overwhelm, depression, anxiety, loss, children who struggle, relationship issues and much more. I know what it's like to be stuck emotionally, and I know how to get unstuck.

I've learned some amazing tools that have helped me increase my emotional health and confidence, improve my marriage, find purpose and reinvent my career and be the mom I want to be while abroad. I created this podcast to share these tools and perspectives with other expat moms.

Who I am
I'm Jennie Linton. I'm a certified life coach, and expat mom to four daughters and married to a US diplomat. I've spent many of the last 20 years abroad. I coach women from around the world and help them find more joy, peace, and confidence so they can be the expat moms they want to be.

What to Expect
Each week you’ll walk away with one concrete idea, tool or shift in perspective that you can apply immediately to help you increase your confidence, feel more peace, improve your relationships and find more purpose.

How to Connect with Me
Schedule a free, 25 min. mini-coaching session with me http://theexpatmom.com/schedule
Free resources and articles on my website: http://theexpatmom.com
Instagram: @theexpatmomcoach
Facebook: @theexpatmomcoach