Latest / Pretty In Pink Again / Episode 23: Why Are We So Tired? The Mental Load, Emotional Labor, and Invisible Work of Motherhood
Transcript
- 0:00I'm Christina and I'm t and this is the Pretty and Pink Again podcast where Motherhood meets Rediscovery.
- 0:17Hey.
- 0:18Hi.
- 0:18How are you?
- 0:20I am good.
- 0:20I'm good.
- 0:21How are you?
- 0:21I'm good.
- 0:22I think this episode is gonna be so fitting for how we're both feeling right now.
- 0:27How are you feeling right now?
- 0:28I think the blanket statement is exhausted.
- 0:31Oh, yes.
- 0:32Yes.
- 0:33But I feel like you're exhausted for different reasons than I'm exhausted for.
- 0:37Yes, I am in my summer adventure era.
- 0:39I'm really proud of you.
- 0:40Which is not, it is not like me.
- 0:43No.
- 0:43I say no to everything.
- 0:45You're so busy this year and like doing really fun things.
- 0:48I am, I'm in my Yes.
- 0:50Era.
- 0:50Yes.
- 0:51So yes, it's gonna catch up with me next week.
- 0:53I feel like it's already catching up with you.
- 0:54Honestly.
- 0:55Yes.
- 0:55Joseph and Vincent were in a tennis match on Wednesday.
- 0:59Wednesday.
- 0:59Yep.
- 1:00And I met this woman and she was hysterical.
- 1:04I met her for the first time.
- 1:05Our kids were playing in a match against each other and I was telling her how I went to Coldplay the night before and how I got home at 4:00 AM and how the next day I was going on a boat and she's wait a minute, I'm sorry.
- 1:15Didn't you just tell me that you like to be home in your pajamas?
- 1:18Right.
- 1:18That's, I was like, yes.
- 1:19I also just told you that I realize that the two don't really match up.
- 1:23Yeah.
- 1:23But I feel like you're doing it and this is like a very good thing for you.
- 1:27Like I feel like you are saying yes, you're in like an adventure sort of era.
- 1:31You're like going and having a good time and like you deserve that.
- 1:34You've reached this point of motherhood where you can do that right now.
- 1:37And we also have Mila sitting here with us today.
- 1:39Yes.
- 1:40Hi M you have a little guest.
- 1:42Do you wanna say hi into the mic quick?
- 1:44You can say, hi, it's summer.
- 1:46All the kids are here.
- 1:47Say hi.
- 1:48Say hi, Mila.
- 1:49Hi.
- 1:49Hi.
- 1:49This is Mila.
- 1:50We talk about her a lot on the podcast.
- 1:52Yeah, we do.
- 1:52But you're gonna let mommy and Christina work now, right?
- 1:55Thank you.
- 1:57But yeah, so we went to Coldplay Tuesday.
- 1:59Yep.
- 1:59And that was the best show I've ever been to.
- 2:02I am so jealous.
- 2:03So we were supposed to be with you guys, right?
- 2:04Of course.
- 2:05We ended up having to say no.
- 2:06We're in our saying no era, which is obviously what comes with, I was in that era too for I know, a decade, which makes sense.
- 2:13We were, we had to say no because we were actually in the cape for the weekend.
- 2:17Yes.
- 2:17And we knew we were coming back around that time.
- 2:19And we were like, there is absolutely no way that we'll be able to like, do both get home, unpack the kids, get everybody settled.
- 2:27We had to go get the cats for my parents and then like literally get on a bus and go out.
- 2:31I was like we have wouldn't have to say no to that, but I'm so glad that you guys went and obviously this is because this cold play scandal is also going on and it's hysterical.
- 2:40Oh my gosh.
- 2:42But sad but hysterical, but sad but hysterical.
- 2:44You can imagine that being your mom and dad.
- 2:45No, I cannot imagine that.
- 2:46So sad.
- 2:47I thought about this from every scenario.
- 2:48I feel so bad for like their family, like literally insane.
- 2:53But it's just so funny because we were supposed to be at this concert and you guys ended up going and you had a very late night.
- 2:59So I don't think that this the scandal was Tuesday.
- 3:03I think it was the day after.
- 3:04I think it was the day after.
- 3:04Because Coldplay plays for two nights sometimes at these stadiums.
- 3:08Yeah, because it's that big.
- 3:09So I do think that you guys missed it.
- 3:11Okay.
- 3:11But it is still so crazy that it was at the stadium that you guys were at, right?
- 3:15Yeah.
- 3:15So initially when you guys had suggested going to Coldplay, I was like, yeah, like I would go to a concert.
- 3:20Like why not?
- 3:21I think it'll be fun.
- 3:22It was so much more than fun.
- 3:24It's amazing.
- 3:25It was, I mean, I'm obsessed with them.
- 3:26The best performance I've ever seen there was fireworks, not just like dinky little.
- 3:30Yeah.
- 3:31End of like finale fireworks, like multiple 4th of July.
- 3:34Fireworks that took place.
- 3:35Like the music, the messaging, they didn't stop playing playing.
- 3:39They're iconic.
- 3:40They're iconic.
- 3:40Iconic, yeah.
- 3:40They're, they just start playing the whole time.
- 3:41They had a mother and a daughter announce them.
- 3:44Oh.
- 3:44Come on stage and introduce them.
- 3:47I love them so much.
- 3:48And then they had people come up on stage, like random people from the crowd like, come on up.
- 3:53Yeah.
- 3:54Very interactive.
- 3:55Raja and I had gone to see them like 10 years ago.
- 3:57And fun fact, sky Full of Stars was our wedding song.
- 4:01So we love, like the Coldplay is what a good wedding song.
- 4:04It's like our band.
- 4:06Oh.
- 4:07So we just love them.
- 4:07We saw them like 10 years ago and it was literally hands down the best show I've ever been to.
- 4:13And that was 10 years ago.
- 4:14So that was before some of these even like better songs came out.
- 4:17And I feel like Coldplay is very like hot or cold with people.
- 4:21Like people either love them or they can't stand them.
- 4:24And I am on the I'm obsessed bandwagon and I just love them so much.
- 4:27Yeah.
- 4:27It was excellent.
- 4:28And I'm so jealous.
- 4:30And I was like, Ooh, who's this lead singer?
- 4:31Chris Martin.
- 4:32He's cute.
- 4:33And Nicks the golf course.
- 4:34You're leaving the concert with a new crush didn.
- 4:36Oh my God.
- 4:36No.
- 4:36I didn't even know.
- 4:37I see.
- 4:38I love, I'm telling you like Nick and I, were not you guys.
- 4:40Were not really big fans.
- 4:41Not really big fans, but I am a huge fan.
- 4:43That's really cool that you're like coming home, like leaving Yeah.
- 4:45Like with that so we leave, you're coming back.
- 4:47As a fan, I love that I'm leaving as a fan.
- 4:49So we leave the concert.
- 4:51And there was like, just dead stop traffic.
- 4:53So we, one of our friends that we went with had won a party bus at one of an auction that he went to like years ago, like at a gala or something.
- 5:01So he was like, oh, I'll redeem it for this.
- 5:03It'll be perfect.
- 5:03None of us will have to drive whatever, blah, blah, blah.
- 5:05It'll be a late night.
- 5:06So wherever we got parking for the party bus, it was just very hard to get, it was probably hard to get out no matter where you were of course.
- 5:13So I fell asleep on the bus while we were in traffic on the way home.
- 5:18On the way home.
- 5:18And I was thinking like, oh, I'll wake up and we'll be close to home.
- 5:22So one of somebody had to use the bathroom.
- 5:24So I woke up'cause the bus stopped at a rest stop.
- 5:28So we all got up and we went into the rest stop.
- 5:30And I was like, where are we?
- 5:32And the rest stop attendant said, Lincoln, Rhode Island.
- 5:35I'm like, what the what?
- 5:36Why are we, how are we in Rhode Island?
- 5:39I don't even understand.
- 5:40The bus driver unfortunately made a wrong turn.
- 5:43I guess he went.
- 5:45Like 4 95 east instead of West.
- 5:47Oh my God.
- 5:48Yeah, because I was gonna say you guys, so this is, the concert was in, outside of Boston.
- 5:51It was actually at Gillette where the Patriots play.
- 5:54Yes.
- 5:54And so you guys ended up like further east, further east.
- 5:57So someone took a complete wrong turn, went somebody took a wrong turn into the wrong state, into the wrong state casual.
- 6:02Oh, now, so when I looked at, so now it was like 1:15 AM I'm like, oh my God, I was supposed to be home at one 15.
- 6:11Now I'm an hour and 45 minutes away from home.
- 6:13Like I didn't think we, the concert ended like at 1130.
- 6:16Yeah.
- 6:16I thought we'd be home by one.
- 6:17Yeah, that's was, I was thinking 1, 1 30 even I was 1 31, so my poor babysitter was here and I'm like, call, I'm sending her screenshots of where I am on a map.
- 6:27And she's like, how did you get there?
- 6:29I'm like, I have no idea, but I don't even know what to tell you to do right now.
- 6:32What time did you end up getting home?
- 6:33Four.
- 6:34Four.
- 6:34We got home at four.
- 6:35Yeah.
- 6:35So this podcast is called, Tired.
- 6:39It's called I'm Tired.
- 6:41No.
- 6:41This podcast title is going to be called Why Are We So Tired?
- 6:45And I think that you just explained why you're so tired.
- 6:49I'm gonna say something to that.
- 6:51I am less tired from doing fun things Yes.
- 6:55Than I am when I'm well rested.
- 6:59Yep.
- 6:59And I wake up and I am being inundated with requests.
- 7:03Yep.
- 7:04And tasks and just things don't seem like they are flowing.
- 7:08Yep.
- 7:09And I know you're nodding'cause you're waiting to jump in here.
- 7:12Yeah.
- 7:12'cause you can't keep the words in.
- 7:14'cause I can't because I could not agree with that more.
- 7:16And I, I think that's when I'm tired.
- 7:18I agree.
- 7:19And I honestly think that was one of the.
- 7:22Most shocking parts of motherhood is that's why you're tired.
- 7:26And I don't think in my, I just, I don't think I ever really thought about it or broke down why you would be so exhausted all the time.
- 7:33But that's what it is.
- 7:34It's like all of the invisible workload, that goes into being a parent.
- 7:39That's what's exhausting.
- 7:41And I totally agree with what you just said.
- 7:43Like sometimes the, like traveling, the jet lag, the just being tired from doing fun things is less tiring than the mundane every single day.
- 7:53And you totally agreed with me when I said that to you.
- 7:55I was like, I can't even imagine getting in at 4:00 AM but I'm still that exhausted.
- 8:00And I'cause what did you say?
- 8:01Had a good night sleep.
- 8:02You said, I'm from the, every day I'm exhausted.
- 8:04Tired.
- 8:05Tired.
- 8:05From the day I even do, I'm doing something ordinary.
- 8:08Yes.
- 8:08Yes.
- 8:09And I said, that's why you're tired.
- 8:11Yes.
- 8:11'cause you just you're doing ordinary things every day.
- 8:14Yep.
- 8:15Ordinary things are tiring.
- 8:16Yep.
- 8:17So we're gonna, we're gonna unpack this because I really think that one of the, there's been a lot of things that have surprised me about motherhood, but I just always pictured the exhaustion from having kids of just the sleepless newborn nights, right?
- 8:32And you get out of that phase.
- 8:34I had it for longer with one than the other, but you get outta that phase and I could easily say that I have a full night's sleep right now, most of the time, 80, 90% of the time.
- 8:46And I am still exhausted.
- 8:48And I find that when I'm with the kids, especially after the weekends, which I know we've talked about on here, my exhaustion is 10 out of 10 and it's, I'm like, why?
- 8:59I'm still getting a full night's sleep.
- 9:01It's the daytime that's like straight up kicking my ass right now.
- 9:05And.
- 9:06So it's some are fun, but it, the exhaustion just doesn't go away.
- 9:09And I just don't think that I was prepared to understand why that is.
- 9:13And maybe I wish that someone would've broke that down for me.
- 9:16What's really, I guess there's a couple ways to look at it.
- 9:19There's like a scientific way to look at it.
- 9:22Like you're probably, your cortisol levels are probably very high.
- 9:25Because you probably live in a flight or flight.
- 9:28Yep.
- 9:28Fight or flight.
- 9:28state of mind.
- 9:29Yep.
- 9:29For sure.
- 9:29Because you are in survival mode where you're just caring for your children and keeping them safe.
- 9:35And that is a very nerve, that puts your body in a very, like it is nervous, like nerve-wracking.
- 9:40Yeah.
- 9:40Nervous position.
- 9:41Yep.
- 9:41Which is very exhausting to live in that state.
- 9:45Constantly.
- 9:46I've lived in that state.
- 9:47I go back to that state, but I think I come out of it more than I to get a little chance to and I think that's what allows you to reset a little.
- 9:56Do you think that comes with the kids' ages getting a little bit older?
- 10:00You're like out of that survival mode, do you think?
- 10:02Or do you think it's just personality?
- 10:04I think it's both.
- 10:05But I definitely think that when you have little kids, you live in survival mode'cause you're just keeping them safe.
- 10:11And I think yesterday we, I hung out with a group of friends that are not like my group of friends.
- 10:17They're my, one of my girlfriends invited, like our group of friends and then her group of friends from growing up.
- 10:23Yep.
- 10:23And she included us on this like really fun day.
- 10:26And I went and so some of the girls I had never met before and some I knew peripherally like that I grew up with in town that I like reconnected with.
- 10:35And we had these like great conversations yesterday and the common thread was everybody is exhausted.
- 10:42Yes.
- 10:43And some of these women are working moms.
- 10:44Yeah.
- 10:44Some of these women are stay at home moms and the stay-at-home moms with the little kids.
- 10:50Were exhausted.
- 10:52Exhausted.
- 10:52They were so tired.
- 10:53Yeah.
- 10:53And they were just saying it's just like a safety thing.
- 10:56Yeah, it's, I think it's just, I would categorize this as like always being on.
- 11:00And not really having a chance.
- 11:02So for 13, 14 hours out of the day I'm on.
- 11:05And.
- 11:06It's just, there's really, even if there's a nap, or even if there's a slight break, it really just doesn't give your body a chance to catch up.
- 11:13And so by the end of the day, I am a zombie.
- 11:15And so that just goes on and on.
- 11:16And the summer has been wonderful, but there's been so much more family time where it is just Raja and I and the kids.
- 11:23And we're, that's time we're both finding it.
- 11:25Yeah.
- 11:25So it's not just me.
- 11:26We are both finding the level of exhaustion is just, it's like chronic fatigue at this point where it just feels like you can't get out of that foggy, exhausted feeling.
- 11:36And it doesn't matter how smooth the day goes.
- 11:38Obviously if the day is a complete shit show and everybody's in like a tantrum and it's just one thing wrong after another that's, that is beyond exhaustion.
- 11:47But then even on the days where like everything is smooth sailing, I'm a zombie at the end of the day.
- 11:53It's just something I wasn't expecting.
- 11:55Yeah.
- 11:56That's the worst when you then you're not even expecting it.
- 11:58Yeah.
- 11:59It's just, I thought that, I think that, I thought once you get through the sleepless newborn nights, maybe even once you get out of the young toddler era, that the exhaustion goes away.
- 12:11I think it does to an extent, from what I've heard.
- 12:13But I still think that the decision making constantly, the being on the, being the one that everybody goes to for everything, it's just, it's a lot.
- 12:23Mm-hmm.
- 12:24It's a huge responsibility and that just weighs.
- 12:27So I'm sure that's where some of the exhaustion, the invisible workload, keeping track of everything.
- 12:32Like you said, your opening line was like, you get requests first thing in the mor.
- 12:36I mean, It's just, you're inundated with it first thing until you go to bed.
- 12:40Yeah.
- 12:40There's a lot of requests.
- 12:42It's a lot, but.
- 12:43Sometimes I tell myself like, you have a great mantra, and I'll tell myself like, this is temporary.
- 12:48This is temporary.
- 12:49For me, it's temporary until I drop my kids off at their activity and then I have a three hour break.
- 12:53Like the boys right now are at tennis lessons right now and so now there's only two kids here.
- 12:58To, yeah.
- 12:58You're half to manage.
- 13:00I have like half.
- 13:01But you don't have that luxury right now?
- 13:03When your kids are little, you're not dropping your two kids off.
- 13:07No.
- 13:07At tennis and then having three hours in the house?
- 13:10No.
- 13:10Where there's no requests coming in at you.
- 13:12No.
- 13:12Is what I'm saying.
- 13:13I have help at home.
- 13:14But that help is for work.
- 13:16Yes.
- 13:16So it's for work hours.
- 13:18And this is to another point, I find that I could have the busiest workday where I am toggling between 50 tasks, right?
- 13:26Like I have, it's like a browser.
- 13:28That's how my mind, I feel like, works right now where it's like I have a browser open and there's 50 tabs.
- 13:34Like just, there's so much going on.
- 13:35I have a lot, between the podcast and work and then just other things that I have going on.
- 13:39I'm sure every working mom feels like this.
- 13:41Every mom feels like this.
- 13:43But there's just a lot going on.
- 13:44So I'm always toggling between tasks and, trying to keep everything organized and together.
- 13:50And then even on days where I am like running around, I am so much less exhausted.
- 13:56So it's shocking to me.
- 13:57I honestly think that being a stay at home mom for me.
- 14:02Would be the hardest job in the entire world.
- 14:05Like I just it really wears me down.
- 14:08And there's just no break.
- 14:09It's like a 24 7 job.
- 14:11And so for me, I could have the busiest workday and granted, I'm not a neurosurgeon, so it's not like I have a crazy, insane job or anything.
- 14:20It doesn't matter.
- 14:20A surgeon would agree with you.
- 14:22I could have the busiest job, I could have the busiest day at my job, and I still find that it's probably 20 times less exhausting than being home with the kids all day long.
- 14:33Yeah, it's crazy.
- 14:35Yeah, So the weekends right now are burning me out worse than the weekdays, right?
- 14:39Yeah.
- 14:39There's a lot of question asking.
- 14:41There's, they want a lot of answers.
- 14:43Mm-hmm.
- 14:43Sometimes you have to think about the answer.
- 14:45Yeah.
- 14:45Sometimes they ask like multiple times and it's just, it's like another browser being open in your mind.
- 14:51Yeah.
- 14:51And you wanna answer them.
- 14:52You don't wanna ignore them.
- 14:53You wouldn't ignore a coworker, but a coworker probably would send you a message and allow you to respond Yes.
- 14:58At your leisure.
- 15:00Yes.
- 15:00Yes.
- 15:00Or if you were in a meeting you knew like you were blocking off 15 minutes for question and answer time.
- 15:05There's no boundaries.
- 15:06When you're a mom, you have these kids who, everything is like open forum If you're in the kitchen, that means anybody can just walk around the kitchen and talk and yell and play the Alexa and have snacks.
- 15:18It's a very overstimulating environment.
- 15:20It's, yes.
- 15:20So it is probably the overstimulation that also contributes to the fatigue.
- 15:24Yes.
- 15:25There's a lot of overstimulation.
- 15:26It's crazy.
- 15:27I'm tired today and I knew, I was like, by Friday, I'm gonna have anxiety.
- 15:32I'm gonna be okay this week, but by Friday I'm going to have anxiety because the fun is behind me.
- 15:37I made it through.
- 15:38I'm proud of myself.
- 15:39I did these things.
- 15:40Now I'm back home.
- 15:42Back with my kids.
- 15:43Back to the everyday.
- 15:44Back to the everyday.
- 15:45And on Friday I'm gonna anxiety, have anxiety.
- 15:48It's today is Friday.
- 15:49Yes, I know.
- 15:51And that's how I feel today.
- 15:52Now I'm like, oh god, what do I have to do?
- 15:55So let's, I guess break down what is the invisible workload anyway.
- 16:00So I think that this obviously depends on what kind of ages that your kids are, but I think like the mental to-do list, so like the birthdays, the keeping track of the doctor's appointments.
- 16:12I'm not here yet, but like the teacher emails, all of the stuff that goes into like school and being organized.
- 16:19I've always hear people saying things about what day is it at school?
- 16:22Is it like Spirit day?
- 16:24Is it.
- 16:25A costume day?
- 16:26Do you have to bring something in?
- 16:27Is it like keeping track of all of that little stuff?
- 16:32What is going into their lunchbox that day?
- 16:35What are they eating?
- 16:35Oh my God.
- 16:36Stop talking.
- 16:37I'm like, literally my skin is crawling.
- 16:39No, I'm not even kidding you.
- 16:41I'm sure everybody listening here eat.
- 16:43It's oh God.
- 16:44I know.
- 16:44And then you just said it, it's like the emotional regulation, right?
- 16:48I feel like you said something to that effect.
- 16:50Yes.
- 16:50I said I don't even know what I said.
- 16:53I'm a little hungover actually.
- 16:57No, it's like the overstimulation you to become dysregulated.
- 17:01Yes.
- 17:01And it's hard to, file things away.
- 17:04You can be, and you can be very overstimulated, but then you're also still responsible to regulate everyone else's emotions.
- 17:12So it's like for yourself and for the kids.
- 17:14And then I think.
- 17:16Mine right now is anticipating needs before they happen.
- 17:20Oh, yes.
- 17:20Like I'm sure you're in that too.
- 17:22Yes.
- 17:22'cause I know we've talked, you've even talked about Yes.
- 17:24Like doing the prep work before there's a meltdown.
- 17:27So the constant I know this is gonna happen, so I need to be prepared or Yes.
- 17:31Famous word on this podcast.
- 17:33I do this all the time, like too, where I'm, it just creates a spiral.
- 17:36Yep.
- 17:37Camille had.
- 17:39Another appointment yesterday with a therapist, and the therapist said, kids have these like beautiful imaginations.
- 17:44But what happens is when you use your imagination so much, you begin to create fears and that doesn't ever stop.
- 17:52Like even as your brain matures into adulthood, like currently now as a parent, like our imagination takes off and we create these fears and these scenarios and this anticipation.
- 18:03We know, oh, at four o'clock this is probably what's gonna happen, but we don't wait until four o'clock to let it happen.
- 18:09We're already worried about it at two for sure.
- 18:11And that two hours is more time that we've wasted worrying and getting upset and getting worked up.
- 18:18Causing like upset and exhaustion.
- 18:21Yeah.
- 18:21And then even trying to.
- 18:23I guess like you, you predict that something's gonna happen, so you're trying to remedy it before it happens.
- 18:29Mm-hmm.
- 18:29And so all of that mental and physical energy that you're using to do that, it's crazy.
- 18:35It's so tiring.
- 18:36So I think it's just one of those things I've been saying, like I wasn't prepared for this or it wasn't something that I was expecting, but I honestly just don't think that you can even be prepared until you're in it.
- 18:47So it's hard to explain it to people unless you're in it, I agree.
- 18:51And also, I don't think it's fair to explain it to people before they're in it, Cause sometimes we say I wish I had known, it would've been nice, but would it have been nice?
- 19:00I don't know if I would've even understood.
- 19:04No.
- 19:04Because I do think that it's one of those things, and I used to get really mad at this statement, right?
- 19:09Of like.
- 19:10you don't know because you don't have kids.
- 19:11Like that.
- 19:12I've heard that statement before.
- 19:14It was very painful for me to hear that statement when Sure.
- 19:17When we were trying was, especially in a state.
- 19:18Yes.
- 19:18Especially with some infertility issues and when we really wanted to be parents and just weren't at the time.
- 19:24It's that's a hard statement to hear.
- 19:26But now that I'm on the other side of it, I think that it could be said more kindly, but I also do understand it, like it's a club that you don't know that you're in until you're in it.
- 19:37You don't understand the ins and outs of it until you're literally living and breathing it every single day.
- 19:43You just don't know.
- 19:44And it's not, I don't think that's to shade anyone who doesn't have kids or who maybe isn't in this same.
- 19:50Like sphere.
- 19:51But it's true.
- 19:53It's really true.
- 19:53Like you don't know until you're in it.
- 19:55I agree.
- 19:55My sister-in-law's here right now, Gina, she's here for the week and she doesn't have children.
- 20:00My children are like she, she says are her children.
- 20:03She's amazing.
- 20:04But she says it all the time.
- 20:05She's I don't know how you do this day in and day out, because when she's here, she's on.
- 20:10But then she goes home.
- 20:11And when she goes home, she eats her dinner at 4:00 PM Yeah, she does her workout, she does her shower, she does her lotion.
- 20:18She does whatever she likes to do in her routine.
- 20:20That's uninterrupted.
- 20:21So she can reset.
- 20:23There's no reset here.
- 20:24No.
- 20:25'cause there's no off time.
- 20:26Time.
- 20:26There's no off time.
- 20:27There's no off time.
- 20:28I think she would agree with that.
- 20:29Yes, I do.
- 20:30I do.
- 20:30I think that anybody who's not in it, who's maybe close to it and can see it.
- 20:34She's very close to it for sure.
- 20:35Could definitely understand.
- 20:36But yeah, it's definitely interesting'cause I think that's to a great point.
- 20:40You wanna know, but then you really can't know.
- 20:44Yeah.
- 20:44It's also, it's like when you deliver a baby for the first time, yes.
- 20:48You wanna know it's an experience, but you wanna know.
- 20:50But you don't wanna know because you're gonna have your own experience and if somebody tells you what it's gonna be like it might create a wrong thought.
- 20:58I'm almost happy, I didn't know what it was gonna be like delivering a baby for the first time.
- 21:02For sure.
- 21:02Because I don't know if I would've wanted to do that.
- 21:04You don't need more fear.
- 21:05Yes.
- 21:06You don't need more fear for something that scary sometimes you need to just jump in and almost, it's like being blissfully unaware of something before you're in it.
- 21:13I think that's like what parenthood, what motherhood is all about.
- 21:17But I know we talked about a list of like why we're tired.
- 21:20So it's the decision fatigue, the sensory overload.
- 21:23I feel like that has both of our names written all over it.
- 21:26The always on mentality.
- 21:28But I wanna talk about the hormone aspect.
- 21:31Yes.
- 21:31We're gonna get into this a little bit.
- 21:33Yes.
- 21:33With our guests over the next couple of weeks.
- 21:36Yeah.
- 21:36So we have, I'll give a, I'll give a tease'cause she's coming on next week.
- 21:40I'm excited for this one.
- 21:41I think it's gonna end up being two the next two weeks.
- 21:43Yep.
- 21:43'cause there's so many different things to unpack.
- 21:45Dr.
- 21:46Erica Lambert, she's actually a urologist and she specialized, she used to specialize in men's health.
- 21:54Men's health.
- 21:54Which is a multi-billion dollar business.
- 21:56And she was like, if I give one more guy a testosterone shot, like I'm going effing lose it.
- 22:01Yep.
- 22:02And she pivoted to women's health, which there is no money in.
- 22:05Interesting.
- 22:06And we'll unpack all of that.
- 22:07We're getting into all that.
- 22:07'Cause she went through menopause very early on and she'll share all of this as well.
- 22:11And she said to me, are you having like sleepless nights and this and hot, hot flashes.
- 22:18Hot flashes and all this.
- 22:19She's these are all signs.
- 22:21Of early menopause or perimenopause.
- 22:24And what happens is you are in your twenties, you feel great or whatever.
- 22:28You enter your thirties, you start, those are your childbearing years.
- 22:31You start having kids, you stop having kids, you're exhausted from having kids.
- 22:36But simultaneously what's happening is you're having this hormone shift.
- 22:39Yes.
- 22:40So there's I can't imagine even like for me sometimes when I'm wondering what the hell is going on in my body?
- 22:45Yeah.
- 22:45I'm like, this is probably a combination of the postpartum hormones going crazy and probably the early menopause.
- 22:51Which is crazy'cause there's just a natural shift.
- 22:54It needs to be accepted.
- 22:55And it's good to know what's happening.
- 22:57Yes.
- 22:57It's good to accept the combination of the two.
- 22:59Mm-hmm.
- 23:00It's dangerous to be inundated with so much information and be reaching for what it could be when it is not that, that'cause that's creating like more fear and more worry, but.
- 23:12I think for you, especially with the two little kids, I would say this is a combination.
- 23:18This is a combination for sure.
- 23:19So I'm really excited to have her on next week.
- 23:22So like t said, this is probably gonna be a two-parter'cause we have so many questions.
- 23:26This will also give us time to get your questions in Yes.
- 23:29From our listeners.
- 23:30So if there's anything that you're wanting to know, like we have an expert on and she is in this, like this is her bread and butter.
- 23:37So we're really excited to have her on and be able to talk about this.
- 23:40Yeah.
- 23:40We'll post something on our Instagram for any other questions.
- 23:43But one thing that she had said to us is that there is a lot of information out there and it's hard to sift through what's right, what's wrong, and I really grasp onto what she says because she's, not to throw shade at any other provider.
- 23:59She's a medical doctor, she's an md.
- 24:01She has a ton of training under her belt, and then on top of that, she has all of this new cutting edge material with the hormone replacement therapy.
- 24:12All of that.
- 24:12Yeah.
- 24:12This will be so interesting to get into and I think just really important because like you keep saying, there's so much information, it's also who has time to sift through and we're in this day and age, which we've been talking about on here, where there's just so much information.
- 24:25Yeah.
- 24:25That you don't even know if you're like listening to an expert who is this person.
- 24:28Sometimes you just hear things and I feel like people just go through I heard on TikTok, or like I heard on Instagram, and it's from who?
- 24:35You know, I say that all the time, so yeah.
- 24:36I'm stranger who's not.
- 24:38It's qualified, but I'm gonna listen.
- 24:40But you're like, you take bits of information and I think this is really gonna be a really interesting conversation.
- 24:45Yeah.
- 24:45But I do think it's important because we've, we're talking about it and hormones are a huge reason why we're having all of this fatigue.
- 24:53Yeah.
- 24:53And brain fog and the mom brain that everybody loves to.
- 24:58Throw out that term.
- 24:59No, I think that mom brain is so true.
- 25:02I mean, It's so real.
- 25:03What do you think for you is something that just makes you tired to your core?
- 25:08If you had to pinpoint one thing, like what, like pops in first, even if you don't wanna say it out loud, with the kids for sure.
- 25:14Just in general, it doesn't need to be children related.
- 25:17It just for you right now, Christina what do you think?
- 25:20Is that like the top of your list?
- 25:21So when I'm having decision fatigue, oh, that's so I that just drains me.
- 25:26Okay.
- 25:26Like when I have a lot on my mind when I have a lot of things that are moving parts and when everything is a little bit gray, I just, internally it's, it is exhausting and that's how I feel like motherhood is right.
- 25:40It's a lot of just being in motherhood is living in the gray.
- 25:43It's, It's living in the gray.
- 25:44And so I, I think I'm, IM learning to better at.
- 25:50Living in the gray, but it's still really exhausting for me to live in the gray.
- 25:54So I feel like when I have a lot of things going on with work, when I don't know what's going on with certain aspects, I've been back and forth with work and what, where do I wanna spend my time and what, I don't have a clear cut nine to five where it's like, these are my tasks, this is what I have to do.
- 26:09So even when I wake up and I'm starting my day, I'm what am I doing today?
- 26:14What do I need to share?
- 26:15What is happening in the space that, like what?
- 26:18What do I need to do today?
- 26:19So it starts with that.
- 26:21So it's like just.
- 26:22Figuring everything out for the day.
- 26:24And then it's, I just feel like I'm constantly in that place of not having everything nailed down, right?
- 26:30And that just exhausts me to my bones.
- 26:33That just constant, okay.
- 26:34And I think even with the kids it's a lot of decision fatigue.
- 26:38And that's just in the day to day okay, if this nap doesn't go according to plan, then what do I do?
- 26:44Or what am I gonna do with the kids in the afternoon?
- 26:47How am I gonna help them expel their energy?
- 26:50What are we having for dinner?
- 26:51Okay, nobody's eating that.
- 26:53What's the backup plan?
- 26:54What time should they go to bed tonight?
- 26:56Because of some it's just, it's so much.
- 26:58So you spend your day second guessing your decisions and or is it you just, or you're just having a hard time making decisions?
- 27:04I think it's just that I'm always question them, always making decisions.
- 27:07It's just.
- 27:07Always making decisions and there's always pros and cons to doing things right.
- 27:12Like I, we've talked about this before.
- 27:14It's, it could be as simple as it's too hot to bring the kids outside right now.
- 27:18Okay, so what are we gonna do for the next two hours until it's time?
- 27:22Okay, so maybe dinner needs to be a little bit earlier.
- 27:25Okay, so I need to start that now.
- 27:27It's just that constant being in prep and plan mode.
- 27:31Things aren't just happening.
- 27:32It exhausting.
- 27:32It's exhausting.
- 27:32You're making them happening.
- 27:33Yes.
- 27:34Okay.
- 27:34So that, that to me, just off the bat, I would say for like from a day to day standpoint, I guess then that would make sense why you set the days you feel the best are like these really like uber productive days of work.
- 27:46Probably.
- 27:47'cause you don't even have to make decisions.
- 27:48Exactly.
- 27:48Yep.
- 27:49When I needs to be, do know I what needs to be done for the day and I have a to-do list and I could bang through it and like I feel that productivity and I feel good and accomplished for the day that, that to me is I then I'm almost like it energizes me.
- 28:04Like it invigorates me, but the constant, not knowing what to do and being in this gray space is definitely what tires me up.
- 28:10How do you change your day as a mom to that you can't, I don't know, because I don't think that you can, and that's what we always say.
- 28:17We're asking the questions and we don't always get the answers.
- 28:20I don't think that you can.
- 28:22I just think that this is just, this is how it is and I think you have to learn to roll with things and adapt.
- 28:29And it's a complete personality shift.
- 28:32For some people.
- 28:33No I agree with that.
- 28:34I can see why, I think Lauren said it really well to us.
- 28:37A couple weeks ago, how, when, yeah.
- 28:39When we had a low profile year, output what did she say?
- 28:41She had said Output.
- 28:42Output.
- 28:42I liked that word.
- 28:43Gives you your sense of fulfillment and, children.
- 28:48You have to be, you're in the long game for that.
- 28:50Yes.
- 28:50You're not gonna be getting pats on the back and or, and Good job, mom, you did a great job.
- 28:55Taking care of me today.
- 28:56It comes way, it's very little wins way down.
- 28:59It comes way down the road.
- 29:00Yep.
- 29:00I think motherhood, especially when you're in the early years, it's like celebrating little wins.
- 29:06Just okay, we got through the part of the day and everybody was happy today.
- 29:09And we, I try, I've been trying to reframe how I think about things.
- 29:14Where it's not output and it's not just success in terms of okay.
- 29:18Everybody went down for their nap or ate well today.
- 29:21It's, I'm trying to like look at the bigger picture of things and like happier moments and things that we got to do together and share and Yeah.
- 29:29That's so important.
- 29:30I think if you can sit in just a few minutes of gratitude, it'll it'll perk you up a bit.
- 29:36Sometimes when you sit in like frustration and anger Yes.
- 29:39It just brings you down more.
- 29:40Yes.
- 29:40But it's very easy to do that.
- 29:41And I think that I for me and my personality, like I, I think that sometimes like the toxic positivity is also like exhausting the guilt that you put on when you're not feeling good.
- 29:53I've been getting inundated.
- 29:55I don't know if, I'm sorry.
- 29:56Hopefully everyone else block your phone when I say this.
- 29:58'cause then I feel like it shows up for everybody.
- 30:00But I've been getting inundated with this like extreme positive motherhood messaging, It's not like we're all in this together type of messaging.
- 30:08It's shaming if you're having a hard time in the day to day.
- 30:12I've been getting like some reels that pop up and I'm like, ugh.
- 30:15Stop.
- 30:15Like I don't like the toxic positivity.
- 30:17I also don't like the, just complaining all of the time.
- 30:21Like we say that we try to take a very neutral space in this, with this podcast.
- 30:26Yeah.
- 30:26Where we don't wanna be complaining moms.
- 30:28But you also don't wanna be like toxic positivity where you're like, everything is just, should be just so great and you should be so grateful for everything all the time.
- 30:36I think that it's okay to acknowledge things, but then it's also okay to try to do something about it if you are having a hard time.
- 30:43What can you do to get yourself out of this?
- 30:46That's what this, what our messaging is all about.
- 30:48Or you have, or this is just gonna be a harder time in our lives.
- 30:51Just a harder season.
- 30:52That's That's okay too.
- 30:53Were you, Myla was in a dance competition last weekend.
- 30:56Oh, I'm also in my adventure era because I was traveling all weekend with my daughter for the dance competi.
- 31:01Yeah.
- 31:01Kids in their adventure era too.
- 31:02They're in their adventure era.
- 31:03Yeah.
- 31:03Your kids are busy.
- 31:04Mela is like hot and cold.
- 31:06She is a lot to handle and she's always at my side.
- 31:10So I constantly have this little ball of fire beside me.
- 31:14It is very hard for me to remain like calm and neutral and not be overstimulated and all the things when I'm beside her.
- 31:20But when she goes up on stage, like she lights, oh the stage, lights it up.
- 31:25And one of the moms on our dance team sent the dance team this quote, and it was so cool because I think everybody was just like pooped by the end of the weekend.
- 31:32Like everybody was tired, some girls lost, some girls won.
- 31:35This is a lot mixed.
- 31:36Mixed bag of emotions.
- 31:37And she said, reflect on the weekend or the day you have a child who's healthy enough to express their self through dance.
- 31:44Just that's it.
- 31:45Yeah.
- 31:45That's the takeaway.
- 31:46Just very simple.
- 31:48Very simple.
- 31:49Yep.
- 31:49Like just.
- 31:50Lean into that message.
- 31:51And sometimes I like leaning into these little messages.
- 31:54It doesn't need to be this whole big inspirational thing, or stop complaining that you were here all weekend.
- 32:00Nope.
- 32:01You have a child who is healthy enough to express themselves through dance.
- 32:04Okay.
- 32:04I'm gonna, I'm gonna take that one today.
- 32:06Today's like celebrating a small win, but that's actually like a big win if you think about that, right?
- 32:10Yeah.
- 32:10If you think about, if you try to reframe yourself as you have, he healthy, happy children.
- 32:17I try to do that all the time when I'm in the weeds, when I feel like things just aren't going the way that I want them to go.
- 32:23I really try to reframe just so that I'm not coming across as like a complainy mom, or I am trying to, see.
- 32:33The light, right?
- 32:34Like instead of just the dark, just from being tired all the time.
- 32:37I'm well, being tired all the time is hard.
- 32:39Yes, Christina.
- 32:40It is really freaking hard.
- 32:41It's, yep.
- 32:42And that's honest too.
- 32:44I'm tired.
- 32:45Yep.
- 32:45I know I was very tired when my kids were little.
- 32:48I feel like I'm a little less tired now.
- 32:50Although we have an open door policy in our room that if you have a bad dream or you are scared, you can always come and wake up.
- 32:57Mom and dad, you have four.
- 32:57So there is that.
- 32:58You yeah.
- 32:59But I don't have as much fear anymore that I'm gonna be woken up.
- 33:03Like I feel like you still might have some of that.
- 33:05Yeah.
- 33:06And you, ptsd, ts d fear from that you know's getting, you know what, it's getting a lot better in terms of the waking up in the middle of the night.
- 33:11So all of like our newborn moms, if you have a newborn or just a kid.
- 33:15'cause I know that there's people that have kids that are in through their toddler years that are still not sleeping through the night that.
- 33:21I that is just so beyond exhausting.
- 33:24Again, I don't think that you can, even if you hear, because I've talked about this with some of my girlfriends before, like I've never really been like a great sleeper since I've been a teen you a like sleeper, probably like in, in college, I, that's when I started to have sleep issues where it would be very on and off.
- 33:40Like I'd have a good couple weeks of good sleep and then I would get into periods where I just was very restless and couldn't sleep and anxious.
- 33:47And I, so I thought that when I went into motherhood, I was like, I'm used to interrupted sleep.
- 33:53I'm not somebody who just passes out and can sleep like 10 hours without waking up.
- 33:57That's not me.
- 33:58So I thought that I would be okay with interrupted sleep with Leo, who was my first, it was very much interrupted sleep.
- 34:05It was very much like getting up.
- 34:07Going through the motions of having a baby up through the night we're gonna feed.
- 34:11Mm-hmm.
- 34:11We're gonna change, we're gonna, if we have to change the outfit, if we have to rock a little bit to sleep, he went back down.
- 34:18I can almost do it on autopilot.
- 34:20Especially as we went through the months and months with Layla.
- 34:23It was the decision making in the middle of the night.
- 34:26Aw.
- 34:27So that's, I also think that that's not something that you sometimes expect.
- 34:31It's again, it goes back to that's the level of exhaustion when you're not just interrupted, you're.
- 34:37You're like actually making decisions in the middle of the night.
- 34:40Like you have to function and you have to be like, what's the best thing to do here?
- 34:44What do I need to do?
- 34:45How can I settle her back to sleep?
- 34:47What needs to be done?
- 34:49That is exhausting.
- 34:50So I feel like.
- 34:51That's getting better, because I'll sometimes have an interrupted night of sleep where one of them will get up.
- 34:57I just need to go in and someone might be having a bad dream, so let's just settle them back down.
- 35:01You're not making decisions.
- 35:02Yeah.
- 35:03It's a little less of that anxiety of what are we going to, what am I gonna do?
- 35:07Like, how long am I gonna be up?
- 35:09So how is this gonna better?
- 35:10How tomorrow, how is this gonna impact tomorrow?
- 35:12So a lot of that anxiety is it's going back down.
- 35:16So I'm not really finding, I know these like in spiraling, intrusive thoughts are very tiring.
- 35:21Yes.
- 35:22That's also another, they take up a lot of space and a lot of real estate in your brain and your body that it does not need to be there.
- 35:28The only way to get rid of it is to have some wins.
- 35:31Yep.
- 35:31Truly, I think it, the only way to move through that is to replace it with better feelings.
- 35:35Yep.
- 35:35Better days.
- 35:36And if you keep stringing these like bad ones together, yes.
- 35:40It's really hard to add a good one to it.
- 35:42It's, and so I guess to that point, what would you consider what's helping and what isn't in that frame?
- 35:48We're all exhausted.
- 35:49We're all about the hacks, right?
- 35:51It's what are we doing to help?
- 35:53It's not gonna alleviate it completely, but what are we doing to help?
- 35:58I don't think it helps when I share my mental load.
- 36:02You don't?
- 36:02No, because I think then it's just me repeating what's already on my brain.
- 36:07Yeah.
- 36:08I can see that.
- 36:09And I don't I need to find a better way to say this to my husband.
- 36:12'cause I think when I say it to him and the kids, I think I come across snippy and mean, because what I'll say to him sometimes is stop asking me questions he's trying to help.
- 36:23That's his goal, right?
- 36:24He's trying to help, he's trying to find out like, what's the game plan?
- 36:27What's going on?
- 36:29And he'll say to me, you sit and talk on the phone with my sister for hours.
- 36:33You sit and talk on your podcast for hours and you never wanna talk to me.
- 36:37I'm like.
- 36:38I would love to talk to you.
- 36:39You just rapid fire questions at me.
- 36:42You know how, like you were saying, like your big thing with is decision fatigue.
- 36:46For sure.
- 36:46My biggest trigger is answering questions.
- 36:49I don't wanna answer questions, I just wanna keep the answers in my head and just do them do it right.
- 36:55I don't want the people, sometimes I don't want the people around me to ask me questions.
- 36:58'cause answering them is exhausting.
- 37:00Yes.
- 37:00Because I have to go into the filing cabinet in my brain, which is not organized.
- 37:05Retrieve the information, share the information, and then actually do it myself.
- 37:09And sometimes it's just quicker if you just do it yourself.
- 37:12So in most cases, I just wanna do it myself.
- 37:15Which I realize that's not healthy.
- 37:17Mm-hmm.
- 37:17And I realize that's poor communication.
- 37:19I know I'm breaking all the rules, but when I am very tired, I don't wanna, I don't wanna check in.
- 37:25I don't wanna deal it.
- 37:26I'm too tired.
- 37:27I totally agree with that.
- 37:28And yesterday I had no cell phone service and so Nick was home.
- 37:32First world problems we had somebody here help.
- 37:34We had like our security system, we had somebody here with the security system.
- 37:37We had somebody here cleaning the pool.
- 37:39Our pool was broken.
- 37:39We had somebody fix it.
- 37:40We had somebody here mowing the lawn like.
- 37:43We are lucky enough that we had lots of helpers yesterday helping Nick out, but he was calling me constantly trying to figure out who was who.
- 37:50Yep.
- 37:51And what time they were coming and what we owed them.
- 37:54'cause I was like, I usually handle all of that.
- 37:57And I had 10 missed calls from him.
- 37:58Yeah.
- 37:59And I got back to him at the end of the day and it was already taken care of.
- 38:02That's, I was gonna say he just did it.
- 38:04Yep.
- 38:05I think that's the key.
- 38:06Like you can have, because for me, I'm so grateful I had no service.
- 38:09Yes.
- 38:10For me, somebody who's very type A, I like to know everything that's going on.
- 38:14Something that's really helped me, and I wouldn't say I'm like a pro at this at all, it's something that I work through all the time, is when someone else is handling something, let them handle it.
- 38:25When you let them handle it.
- 38:27Obviously, if they're asking you a question and they need to know the answer, that's different.
- 38:31But like when my husband is taking care of the kids, sometimes I overstep and I try to micromanage the situation.
- 38:38It's been really difficult for me to try to take a backseat to some of that, but just that mental shift of let him handle it, let him, if he's.
- 38:49Doing this, then he has to do the whole thing.
- 38:52So how do you let him handle it and still physically be present?
- 38:55I would have to leave the house.
- 38:56So that's, or the state.
- 38:57I usually have to leave the house, but I sometimes just leave the room.
- 39:01Like I, I literally just try to separate myself and I'm like, if you handle this, but then you're gonna handle it from the ground up.
- 39:08You're gonna make all the decisions in you're way and you'll, and honestly, with that, yes, but I have to be, yeah I used to try to meddle a lot.
- 39:14Like I would remove myself, but come back in and be like, okay, wait no, we need it done this way.
- 39:18Or oh, it's ti you know, we need to do this.
- 39:20That's tiring for probably him too.
- 39:22It's, It's tiring for him too.
- 39:23It's tiring for the person that's trying to help.
- 39:25So I've had to do this in with, this goes back to our village episode.
- 39:30I've had to do this with anybody who is helping with the kids or the house.
- 39:33Just let them do their thing and it's a mental shift.
- 39:37It doesn't always work.
- 39:38I have to repeat mantras to myself, like in order to let things go, but.
- 39:43It honestly makes it a lot easier.
- 39:45And I also think that it gives the person who's stepping in and taking on that load to have the full 360 view of it.
- 39:54Because there is a lot of decisions to make and there is a lot of, it's not just follow the directions because the direction sometimes go awry and you're like, that's the thing.
- 40:03It's not just following.
- 40:04It's what do you do if this happens?
- 40:07All of the different scenarios.
- 40:07They may have to make decisions.
- 40:08They have to make decisions that you're making the decisions for them.
- 40:10Exactly.
- 40:11And if the decisions fatigue is what is, what you struggle with then there's no point in having the, being involved in making decisions for somebody else.
- 40:18Exactly.
- 40:18You might as well just do it the whole thing yourself.
- 40:20Exactly.
- 40:20So I've tried to remove myself.
- 40:22I have been, I think that's something I've done.
- 40:25I've grown tremendously with this past year is just like letting other people in and not only just physically in, but like mentally into, and like mentally help me take over some of the mental load.
- 40:39It doesn't always go the way I want it to go, but and I'm always happy to help if there gets a situation where somebody just needs to what do I do?
- 40:47Like I, I've had plenty of times where my nanny will call me and say, Layla woke up from her nap.
- 40:52Like she, what do you want me to do here?
- 40:54Do you want me to try to go back in?
- 40:55Or she's fighting it and we like problem rectify it together.
- 40:59That kind of has happened less and less as like I've learned to let the res go a little bit.
- 41:04It's yes, please call me if you need something.
- 41:05So that's less exhausting for you?
- 41:06Yes.
- 41:07Because then I feel like I'm not trying to do both where I'm trying to work, but then also trying to micromanage every little thing that's happening at home.
- 41:16Because then you're being pulled.
- 41:16Yes.
- 41:17When you had sleepless nights as a college student or as a newlywed, you had a sleepless night.
- 41:22You had interrupted sleep, but you didn't have interrupted wake time.
- 41:25No.
- 41:26You had settled wake time.
- 41:27Settled wake time.
- 41:28Now you have unsettled wake time.
- 41:30Yeah.
- 41:31You're constantly being interrupted.
- 41:32And that constant start, stop, start.
- 41:34Yes.
- 41:34Stop, start, stop is very unsettling to a person's body.
- 41:39It is.
- 41:40And I understand.
- 41:41I get it.
- 41:42You have tiny humans.
- 41:43Their job is to exhaust you.
- 41:45Their job is to ask you as many freaking questions.
- 41:48As they can ask.
- 41:49And they will ask as many as you will answer.
- 41:52They will be no stop.
- 41:54I understand that.
- 41:54I get that's all par for the course.
- 41:56But with that.
- 41:58Equals, I hired mother.
- 42:01It does I, period.
- 42:02End statement, mic drop, done.
- 42:04That's it.
- 42:04That's what happens.
- 42:04That's it.
- 42:05And so I think that just accepting that this is the season of life that we're in.
- 42:10There is no answer.
- 42:11This is another one of those things where it's like, there's just, there is no answer.
- 42:15You can work to help yourself through this season.
- 42:18Yeah.
- 42:18But there's no magic fix.
- 42:20It's just, it's really tiring.
- 42:22It's, and I would love to know from moms whose kids are grown.
- 42:26'cause we have a lot of people with different kids.
- 42:28Yeah.
- 42:28Like different age ages.
- 42:29We have people that have their kids fully out of the house that listen in and probably just reminisce.
- 42:34And tell us to enjoy these years, while we're in them.
- 42:38But I know we had a really sweet message come through yesterday.
- 42:41We've had a couple.
- 42:41Really nice messages come through.
- 42:43And somebody said to you in particular I have older kids now.
- 42:48Mm-hmm.
- 42:48They're year apart.
- 42:49They're like similar age boy, girl, like similar with you.
- 42:52And my kids are a little older now and this strong-willed, like Yep.
- 42:56Curiosity, will suit them well early on.
- 42:58Like those messages are so important and special and hopeful they are because this time is hard.
- 43:04It is.
- 43:04I know.
- 43:05And I love, I feel like we've gotten a lot of the well-rounded messages.
- 43:09Yeah.
- 43:09And I feel like it's just speaking to people just probably putting themselves back in this place and remembering what it's like to have kids all of our ages.
- 43:18Yeah.
- 43:18And so even when they aren't in the same exact space that we're in currently, they're not coming at it with they're not minimizing, that they're not coming through.
- 43:27To minimize anything that we're in currently and not to make us feel bad, right?
- 43:33Like that if we are struggling with some of these things.
- 43:36But I just love those messages of like hope and you are in the hard times.
- 43:40It's okay to acknowledge that it does get better and that's it, like that's, so it's just accepting that and like you said, trying to find the good, in some of these times.
- 43:52Yeah, I know.
- 43:53And times change.
- 43:54Embracing the exhaustion.
- 43:55Like my kids didn't go to camp this week and they're not in camp next week and I think a two podcasts ago I said, what's working for me this summer is having my kids engaged in activities and.
- 44:06There for whatever reason, like earlier this week, I didn't have them in anything and I had them all with me on Monday.
- 44:12And Mila had a dance class.
- 44:13We all went to dance class while they, she was doing it.
- 44:16I like went to mini golf with the boys, whatever.
- 44:18Like we were just doing stuff together.
- 44:20It's like McDonald's for lunch.
- 44:22And at the end of the day Nick said to me, you don't look tired today.
- 44:25You look like you had a good day.
- 44:27Usually when you're with the kids all day you're like tired, you don't look like tired today.
- 44:31That's a win.
- 44:32And I said, yeah, I don't know sometimes.
- 44:35Getting them to all of their things is just as tiring.
- 44:38I didn't have to work on Monday and I just had to worry about hanging out with them.
- 44:42I didn't have to like worry so much about You got to toggle.
- 44:45I didn't have to toggle.
- 44:46That's what I, that's a good word.
- 44:48I think that the dipping back and forth from like on off is very tiring.
- 44:53I didn't even think about that.
- 44:54It drains your battery.
- 44:55Yes.
- 44:55And until you said it, if you're just doing one thing, that's okay.
- 44:59Yep.
- 44:59It's the toggling.
- 45:00So that's another one for me.
- 45:01I would say the kind of decision fatigue and the toggling back and forth between tasks that just mentally drains me.
- 45:09So I you hit it on the head, like at the end of the episode.
- 45:12So it's crazy.
- 45:13I listened to a podcast.
- 45:14I don't know if it was.
- 45:16Mel Robbins podcast, but she had on I, I don't remember what, who it was, I think, but I know I was listening to a podcast and they talked about common threads between very successful people and very successful people chunk their time.
- 45:26And essentially that's eliminating the toggling.
- 45:30It is.
- 45:30You just, you're all in, in one thing.
- 45:32Yep.
- 45:32You wake up early, you do your workout, that's your workout.
- 45:35Yep.
- 45:35You sit down, you work, you chunk your time.
- 45:37Then you go and you mom hard, like Yep.
- 45:40You chunk your time.
- 45:41I agree with that.
- 45:42I'm just, it's not a, it's not a strong suit of mine and I can get easily distracted, but I'm saying that.
- 45:48That eliminates that toggling and that going back and forth.
- 45:51Mm-hmm.
- 45:51And that also eliminates all of the decision fatigue and the answering questions because you're doing Yes.
- 45:57And I think it goes back to when you're very present at something.
- 46:00I think that then that sets you up for success for whatever you're doing.
- 46:05So if you are at work and you're very present and you're not worried about all of A, B, C all of the other things that are going on outside, yes.
- 46:12You can really give yourself to what you're doing.
- 46:15You're more productive for a personality like mine.
- 46:18When you get the check done you're like, great.
- 46:20You feel accomplished, you feel good.
- 46:22Then you move on, come home and you can be present at home again.
- 46:27Check it off of we were together, we, I didn't have my time split, my attention wasn't somewhere else.
- 46:32You feel good and accomplished in that space.
- 46:35That's a very positive way to spin being present because I've always taken being present with your kids as like a.
- 46:43Oh, you're never gonna get these days back.
- 46:45You need to be present.
- 46:47And I'm like, how do I be present when I have 500 things on my mind?
- 46:51Actually, the way you just framed it is no, if you can just say, this is kid time.
- 46:56Just be at kid time.
- 46:58And then later or before or whatever.
- 47:01Except that you're gonna use your time for something else.
- 47:04Yes.
- 47:04And I think that's, I'm sure some people do.
- 47:05Maybe that's what I did on Monday.
- 47:07Maybe I was just president kid time.
- 47:09And I wa and maybe that's why I wasn't as tired probably.
- 47:12And maybe,'cause I knew it was just gonna be for one day.
- 47:14Yes.
- 47:15Because the next day I had something else planned.
- 47:18Maybe it's easier to do that when I, it's, I have things lined up.
- 47:21But I think that's definitely something that would take work.
- 47:24I think that's something that you would have to practice.
- 47:26And you have to put that into practice every single day.
- 47:29But, and I'm sure some people that comes a little bit more natural to them, but for me, that's not something that comes natural to me.
- 47:35So I'm all over the place at all times.
- 47:37So when I'm at work, I'm thinking of the kids and what's going on there.
- 47:41And then when I'm with the kids, sometimes I'm like, oh no, I just forgot I have to do, didn't do that.
- 47:45Maybe we should try Vincent's a DH, ADHD medication.
- 47:47I wonder if it would help us.
- 47:49I think that we need to have on an A DHD specialist, because I actually think, my husband always is like, you're always trying to diagnose yourself, right?
- 47:59Like you always need to know I have this right?
- 48:02Like I'm like I, you have to label yourself.
- 48:04And I'm like, I do.
- 48:05I have to label myself.
- 48:06I actually think that since becoming a mom, the best way to describe how my brain works is I have an A DHD brain and I always go back to the browser with 50 browser tabs open.
- 48:20And I'm not just on, I'm not just on one tab.
- 48:22I'm going back and forth okay, let me do something here and then let me open this one and let me do something here and then let, and like how could you be productive?
- 48:29That's a what we were just saying, like you're better chunking your time, but it's just not something that I'm good at.
- 48:34So maybe we are gonna put that on our wishlist of guests.
- 48:37We need to find one.
- 48:37If you guys have, do you know what if anyone's a specialist in this and wants to chat about this or has a recommendation?
- 48:43I think that this would be what type?
- 48:45Fascinating.
- 48:45What type of person specializes in like adult, a DH, adhd, a primary care doctor?
- 48:50I'm actually very curious if somebody.
- 48:52Could come on and talk about either misdiagnosis as a child or if it's real that this could happen after motherhood.
- 49:00Yeah, if maybe it was like always looming and then like motherhood just sparked it, but I feel like my brain doesn't work the same that it used to.
- 49:08And we can blame that on hormones.
- 49:10We can blame that on just being busier and just having all this, all this extra weight on you and responsibility.
- 49:16But like I, if you asked me, I would say yes, I have symptoms of that for sure.
- 49:22So when the boys went to the pediatrician to get their initial diagnosis, they ended up doing it's called a neuropsych evaluation, and they ended up both having it, but like in different ways.
- 49:32One has a little more hyperactive and one has like an inactivity in attention or something.
- 49:36Or in attention or something.
- 49:37Yes.
- 49:37And I was taking the test besides them'cause I was helping them do it.
- 49:41Yeah.
- 49:41Curious.
- 49:41And I'm like yep.
- 49:42I have it too.
- 49:43Yeah, I have it too.
- 49:45I know.
- 49:45I have sensory issues.
- 49:46I have all, I have it all.
- 49:48Yep.
- 49:48Is that just being a mom or was that something that you were before?
- 49:51I know, I think it's something that like we grew into.
- 49:54Yeah, it's mom, a DH, adhd.
- 49:56And again, I don't wanna throw around these like I know no things because I realize that they're like real and people struggle with them for sure.
- 50:03And they're serious diagnoses for sure.
- 50:05But I definitely think the open tabs in the brain.
- 50:08Yep.
- 50:09So I love that.
- 50:10So we're gonna move into our last segment, which is our pink spotlight.
- 50:15Oh my God.
- 50:15We're here already.
- 50:16Yes we are.
- 50:17Today's like flying by.
- 50:18I know.
- 50:18It is.
- 50:19It's a beautiful summer day.
- 50:21But, okay.
- 50:22So our pink spotlight is our little tip that's making life better this week.
- 50:28Do you have anything to share?
- 50:30Oh.
- 50:31Now you go first.
- 50:32Okay.
- 50:32So I don't know yet.
- 50:33Circle back.
- 50:34So mine, I'm usually the one that's wait, what was my pig smile?
- 50:36Which goes exactly to the topic this week?
- 50:39So mine, actually, this week I was just in the cape with my two best friends from home.
- 50:44It was really fun.
- 50:45Didn't even talk about your trip.
- 50:46How was it?
- 50:46My trip was fantastic.
- 50:48Tell us about it quickly.
- 50:48I wanna hear about it.
- 50:49I went to Cape Cod.
- 50:50I had a very going on and out about my stupid adventure errors.
- 50:53So you are in one too.
- 50:54I we were adventurous with the kids.
- 50:56It was a really nice trip.
- 50:58So we are two for two, like really good trips this summer, which is just, feels like a win.
- 51:02I'm trying to just be like, wow.
- 51:04We did a little road trip.
- 51:05The rides were very hard, but once we were there, we got in a really good groove.
- 51:10We were with two of my best friends, their family kids.
- 51:13The foods that you, the food that you were posting looked out of this world.
- 51:15My best friend Dana is like.
- 51:17A doctor, but a chef.
- 51:19And she is just incredible.
- 51:21So people like that follow me on Instagram wait, every year they're like, oh my God, I can't wait to see what she's gonna make because her food is just out of this world.
- 51:28So we ate really well.
- 51:29We had a really good time.
- 51:30The kids had a really good time.
- 51:32And one of her little tips that I noticed was she has, on the background of her phone, she has like a rotating portrait where every hour it's a different photo.
- 51:44Oh.
- 51:45And I didn't even realize that you could do this, but we were talking about it because her kids are a little bit older than mine.
- 51:50And so she has portraits of her kids from when they were a little bit younger.
- 51:55Oh, cute.
- 51:55And they pop up.
- 51:56So every hour she has, I think you could do every day, every hour where the.
- 52:00Your background, essentially on your phone, like your lock screen will change.
- 52:04Oh, we'll just pop up as a new picture.
- 52:06And so I ended up doing it because I've had the same photo of my cat, Misha from like 10 years ago.
- 52:13Favorite girl.
- 52:13It is probably long.
- 52:14My, my favorite person she's been on my lock screen for as long as I can remember.
- 52:18And I've kept it, even when I had kids, because my kids would get a, they would crack up when they would go and touch my phone and it was a picture of Misha.
- 52:26They would go, Misha, like it became a thing.
- 52:29And so I didn't wanna get rid of it'cause it was just like a nostalgic thing.
- 52:32But then I saw that you can actually add, so when you go to it, I'll show you guys how to do it or I'll talk you through it.
- 52:38So you go to your lock screen and you press and hold.
- 52:42The lock screen and you get this like customize button that pops up.
- 52:47So if you go to customize, you can tap the lock screen and then you can choose on the left hand side, there's like a little folder, and you can choose the categories that would come up.
- 52:59Oh.
- 52:59And so you can actually, it attach pets, people, pets, nature, or cities.
- 53:03And so I clicked people and pets, and then you can actually click into people and click the people that you want.
- 53:09You wanna see, so I have my two kids, and then my two pets are under there.
- 53:13And so every hour I have a rotating portrait.
- 53:17So it's one person.
- 53:18It's not you and the kids, it's just like the picture of the kids or a picture of the pets.
- 53:22And it's so cute because every hour it rotates.
- 53:25Like right now it's back on Misha.
- 53:28And every hour it will rotate and and you phone picked that picture.
- 53:32It's not my phone.
- 53:33You added that picture and you can go through.
- 53:36And like you could say don't feature this photo or don't you know.
- 53:39But I keep it as just a surprise and it's been so cute.
- 53:42And actually the kids now, it's like a thing with the kids where like Leo's been coming up to me and saying what photo is it right now?
- 53:49And sometimes it's a picture of him as a baby and it's been cute because he responds to it or he will see Layla as a baby and he'll see the pets and it's just been really cute.
- 53:57So I like loved that tip.
- 53:59And it's now I feel like when I look down at my phone I'm like, it's like exciting.
- 54:02'cause I'm like, who's on there now?
- 54:04What a good tip.
- 54:05I love it.
- 54:05It's been so fun.
- 54:06So she's Dana's full of all sorts of good tips.
- 54:09She's, she has all the tips.
- 54:10Hi Dana.
- 54:11'cause you're probably listening.
- 54:12Oh, I'm so happy that you did that.
- 54:13Yes.
- 54:13I'm so happy you went away with your girlfriends.
- 54:15Yes.
- 54:15I know that your girlfriends is particularly your best friends from growing up really feel like fill you up.
- 54:21They fill my cup, they fill and it's your people.
- 54:23Yep.
- 54:23You love them and they love you with Yep.
- 54:25All of their souls.
- 54:26And it's been really nice for my kids to get to know my friends in that way.
- 54:29'cause we go for they're like cousins.
- 54:30Four days cousins.
- 54:31Yes.
- 54:31We get to spend time together, we all stayed together.
- 54:35Oh, that's awesome.
- 54:35And it's chaotic, but it's also easier, like Raja and I were saying there was a bunch of adults, a bunch of kids, yep.
- 54:41And.
- 54:42It's somehow easier, like right altogether, even though there's like a lot more to add on and everybody's staying in the same house.
- 54:49I'm like, this is why the village works that everybody talks about.
- 54:52It's because there's just like more adults like managing it.
- 54:55Don't also find if one of your friends' kids is like fussing, you are like so much more inclined to be like to step in to scoop it and be like, Hey, come over here.
- 55:04Distract you.
- 55:04Yep.
- 55:05And that's how it worked.
- 55:06And then kids are always like more susceptible to you too.
- 55:09They're, and then you like connect with them and then you get there's nothing more, there's nothing cooler than like when your friends get close to your kids.
- 55:16It's so cute.
- 55:16Cute.
- 55:16So cute.
- 55:16Like then your kids like look up to them.
- 55:19Yep.
- 55:19And then it's just like another person that loves them.
- 55:21Yes.
- 55:21It's been really nice.
- 55:22I'm so happy that we went again.
- 55:24Good.
- 55:24We've been going for forever.
- 55:25But this is probably like the third or fourth summer where we've gone with the kids together.
- 55:29Yes.
- 55:30And it's just been really fun because this is really the one time of year where they all get to see each other.
- 55:35Yes.
- 55:35And I'm like, this is just so cute.
- 55:37I put up a really cute reel with the summer I turned pretty the voiceover from that.
- 55:42Yes.
- 55:42Because that's what we're doing Where every Did you start season?
- 55:44Not, I have not.
- 55:46Guys, you have to watch this show.
- 55:47It is so freaking good.
- 55:48I'm obsessed with that.
- 55:50It's been like two and a half years.
- 55:51Yes.
- 55:52Since season two came out long.
- 55:53It's been a long time.
- 55:54I know.
- 55:54I'm so excited to watch it.
- 55:55It's so good.
- 55:56I only watched the first episode and I read both of the two.
- 55:59You read the books, the two, I read the books, but I didn't read the third one because I knew it was gonna take time for the episode.
- 56:03I didn't wanna have the spoiler, so I was like, oh, I, you wanna watch the show first?
- 56:08I think I might read it now that it's out, but I didn't wanna know what was gonna happen.
- 56:13And then the show wouldn't come out for a couple of years.
- 56:15And then, so I like I really don't know.
- 56:17Decision fatigue.
- 56:17She choose You really didn't know what you wanted to do.
- 56:19And I don't know who she chooses and I have to know.
- 56:22But yes, that is such a good show.
- 56:23Yeah.
- 56:23But it's very, I feel like we're almost giving our kids that sort of summer where every year they're coming back and seeing the, yes.
- 56:29Seeing each other in the house and that we go and stay at.
- 56:33And so it's just been, it's really fun.
- 56:35Who's le gonna choose?
- 56:36I don't know.
- 56:36Who's Leo gonna choose?
- 56:37It's actually there's more girls than boys, so it's Leo.
- 56:40Who's Leo gonna choose?
- 56:41Leo's gonna choose.
- 56:42Yeah.
- 56:42It's so funny.
- 56:43Oh, so cute.
- 56:43That's awesome.
- 56:44Good.
- 56:44I love it.
- 56:44I'm happy you had a good time away.
- 56:45Okay, and what's yours?
- 56:46Okay.
- 56:47So I love to make jewelry.
- 56:50I love to create you.
- 56:51I know you haven't about that.
- 56:53And I have this business, but it's more of a hobby.
- 56:56It's not really like a functioning business that's gonna pay my rent.
- 56:59Yes.
- 56:59It's really like a hobby business, but I love to create things and I haven't, I like paused doing it just because I feel like when you are in any type of work like your work where you have to be creative, you have to be inspired.
- 57:12And sometimes I'm not inspired to make things right.
- 57:14And every so often I like see something or I travel somewhere, or I like get an outfit that I'm like, oh, I wanna make something to match.
- 57:21And then I get like reinspired.
- 57:22So one of my girlfriends is in a wedding in a few weeks and she had asked me to make bracelets for the bridesmaid's dresses.
- 57:28And all the bridesmaid's dresses are different.
- 57:30Did you do these beautiful beaded bracelets?
- 57:31Yeah, I probably them on bracelets, necklace or whatever.
- 57:34And I made all the bridesmaids bracelets and they were all like slightly different.
- 57:39Some had pearls in it, some had like big freshwater pearls, and I like.
- 57:42Went to the bead, I went back up to the bead store that I like to go to in Massachusetts and I picked everything out.
- 57:47'cause I like the weight of the beads.
- 57:48Mm-hmm.
- 57:48The whatever.
- 57:49And I've been bead again.
- 57:50That's nice.
- 57:50And I find it very calming.
- 57:52You've said that it's very calming just to sit quietly and make something.
- 57:57And then see what I've made.
- 57:58Yep.
- 57:58It's productive.
- 57:59And then that's it.
- 58:00I put it away.
- 58:01And I'm done.
- 58:02It doesn't take hours to do, to make something.
- 58:05Yeah.
- 58:05And they're beautiful and they're like, they're a statement too.
- 58:08Everybody always asks when I'm wearing them.
- 58:10So thank you.
- 58:11We are, this will be a perfect segment.
- 58:12Yes.
- 58:13So yes.
- 58:13So tea makes these beautiful bracelets.
- 58:16It's KB beads.
- 58:17That's her business.
- 58:18Mm-hmm.
- 58:18We will leave the website in case you guys are curious, but we also as a thank you mm-hmm are gonna be sending any of our PPAs who leave a review on our podcast page on Apple.
- 58:30If you leave a review, we're going to send you a beaded bracelet with a, it's a pink, like it's a light pink beaded bracelet.
- 58:36Yeah.
- 58:36With a flamingo.
- 58:38Tiny with a flam.
- 58:38Flaming tiny gold flamingo off, like dangling off of it.
- 58:41And we're gonna send that to you as a thank you Yeah.
- 58:43For writing us a review.
- 58:45Because we've, in the process of this, we've realized how important reviews are for this podcast, and our show is slowly but surely growing.
- 58:54But I guess the more you review, and even if you just, click the star button and just leave us a review that way.
- 59:01But if you leave a written review for us, we're gonna send you a beaded bracelet, right.
- 59:05as a thank you.
- 59:06So the beads that I've chosen are, it's called Morganite.
- 59:09And the reason why I like the pink morganite is'cause every bead is a slightly different shade of pink.
- 59:13Yes.
- 59:14It's like a pale pink.
- 59:15But they're all beautiful, slightly different.
- 59:17And I just feel like we're all slightly different.
- 59:19Yes.
- 59:20All I love be, and we're all our own shade.
- 59:21Yep.
- 59:22And I love them.
- 59:23And they're beautiful.
- 59:23Beautiful.
- 59:24And they have a little flamingo charm.
- 59:25So what I'll do is I'll.
- 59:26Post a picture of the flamingo.
- 59:29Beaded bracelet and once you've written your review, if you DM us.
- 59:33Yep.
- 59:33And then you just DM us your name and your address.
- 59:35Yep.
- 59:35We'll send them out to you.
- 59:36So let us say that you wrote us and I love your dms.
- 59:38Yes.
- 59:38We've gotten some really nice ones.
- 59:39And we got a bunch about the, the the last podcast that we did that was a little controversial that we weren't sure how it was gonna go on our gentle parenting one.
- 59:49We didn't really know how it was gonna go because this isn't a parenting podcast, right?
- 59:53We are certainly not experts.
- 59:54We're just like two girls questioning what we're doing with our kids and how it's making us feel and how it's making them feel.
- 1:00:02And apparently we are not alone on that.
- 1:00:04I know.
- 1:00:04So people are, a lot of other people are questioning what they're doing too.
- 1:00:07Yep.
- 1:00:08And I got.
- 1:00:08Stopped a couple of times just by people that we know or people that know that I have a podcast.
- 1:00:14And I met a couple of people this week and people were like, oh my God, you like, sounded off about the gentle parenting and just like really hit home for me.
- 1:00:22And I was worried that because I have very little kids, I was like, I don't think that this is really my realm.
- 1:00:28Yeah.
- 1:00:28Like I didn't know if I could speak to this topic, that went over very well.
- 1:00:32And so we appreciate, we had a ton of dms from that.
- 1:00:35I appreciate anybody who came up to me in person if I saw them.
- 1:00:38But yes we appreciate all of your feedback.
- 1:00:40And if you can literally go right now on Apple Podcast, write a review.
- 1:00:45Mm-hmm.
- 1:00:45Hit the five star button if you love following along and that will help.
- 1:00:50Other women find this podcast because it helps with the algorithm of the podcast.
- 1:00:54And we don't wanna, if you feel inclined to leave us a review, we really appreciate it and it will help other people find this podcast and we can grow all together.
- 1:01:02Yes.
- 1:01:03So thank you all so much.
- 1:01:04Said.
- 1:01:04All right.
- 1:01:05So we will see you all next week, I know, for our two-parter.
- 1:01:08Yes.
- 1:01:08Have a great week.
- 1:01:09We'll see you then.
- 1:01:10Bye bye.