3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms

I recently sat down to reflect on 2025, and I was honestly shocked by how much lighter my life feels now compared to just a few years ago. I'm not talking about having less to do. I'm talking about releasing the weight of expectations that never fit me in the first place. The guilt over my son's screen time, the pressure to have my spiritual life look a certain way, the belief that I had to maximize my income at all costs. When I started letting those shoulds go, something beautiful happened—I made room for so much more joy. In this episode, I'm sharing specific examples of how I decluttered my motherhood in 2025 and what shifted when I gave myself permission to stop performing and start living. You'll also hear the first lesson from my Motherhood Decluttered audio course, which walks you through the process I used to create this kind of lightness and freedom in my own life. In this episode, you'll learn: ✨ The exact shoulds I released in 2025 (and the joy I found when I let them go) ✨ How decluttering your internal "motherhood closet" creates space for what actually matters to you ✨ Why letting go of heavy expectations isn't about doing less but about making room for more of what brings you aliveIf you've been carrying shoulds that don't fit you anymore, this episode will help you see that you don't have to become a "better" mom in 2026. You just need to become a less burdened one. For full show notes, including takeaways, click here. *** Announcements: Motherhood Decluttered: My Motherhood Decluttered audio course is $50 off through January 19th with code MOREJOY. Get it today for $47 and revisit it anytime you shift into a new season. Learn more at 3in30podcast.com/declutter.Flecks of Gold: Today is the last day of the Flecks of Gold New Year's Sale! Get 10% off with code NEWYEAR. Related Episodes: 214: Simple Tips to Create New Habits in the New Year // BJ Fogg 411: Decluttering That Sticks: 3 Mindset Changes for Lasting Impact // Erica Layne 462: 3 Questions for the New Year Episode Sponsors: Boll & Branch: Get 15% off your first set of sheets plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/3IN30. Wildgrain: Right now, Wildgrain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box—PLUS free Croissants for life—when you go to Wildgrain.com/3IN30 to start your subscription today. Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram! Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course ***

A few years ago, I was sitting in a coffee shop feeling completely overwhelmed by all the things I thought I should be doing better—as a mom, as a wife, in my work, in every area of my life. My brain was foggy, my to-do list felt impossible, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was failing at everything. So I grabbed a pen and started writing—and three questions emerged that helped me cut through the noise and get clear on what I truly valued, not what everyone else expected of me. In this episode, I'm re-airing that original conversation from January 2022, and then coming back at the end to share what's happened since—what worked, what didn't, and how I'm answering those same questions for 2026. This isn't about pressure or perfection. It's about growing in ways that align with YOUR values. In this episode, you'll learn: ✨ Why you might be chasing growth without ever feeling successful—and how to fix that ✨ The uncomfortable question that instantly clarifies what truly matters to you ✨ How one small habit shift can create a ripple effect across your entire lifeIf you've been feeling like everyone else got a head start on 2026 except you, I hope this conversation reminds you that the right questions matter more than the perfect goals. For full show notes, including takeaways, click here. *** Announcements: Motherhood Decluttered Sale! My Motherhood Decluttered course is $50 off through January 19th with code MOREJOY. New Years Reflections Worksheet: If you want a worksheet to go through these three questions for yourself, I created one for you. Print it off, grab a cozy drink, and spend 20 minutes getting clear on what you actually want this year, not what you think you're supposed to want. Flecks of Gold: Shop our Flecks of Gold New Year's Sale! Get 10% off with code NEWYEAR through Jan 12! Related Episodes: 410: Align Your Goal-Setting with Your Menstrual Cycle // April Davis of Haus of Vagina 011: Setting Goals without Sacrificing Sanity // Monica Packer of About Progress 214: Simple Tips to Create New Habits in the New Year // BJ FoggEpisode Sponsors: Boll & Branch: Get 15% off your first set of sheets plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/3IN30. BetterHelp: 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/3in30 to get 10% off your first month of online therapy. Hungryroot: For a limited time get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/3IN30 and use code 3IN30. Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram! Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course *** 00:00:00 Intro 08:17:00 One: What Small Habit? 11:44:00 Two: What Is Success? 17:40:00 Three: What If Only 3 Years? 27:59:26 Summary

It's mid-December, everyone's running on fumes, and your child just screamed "I hate you." And even though you know it's the exhaustion talking, it still stings because you're killing yourself to make the holidays special, and this is what you get in return. The truth is, the holidays amplify everything: the excitement, the overstimulation, the meltdowns, and yes, the hurtful words our kids don't fully understand yet. But here's what I've learned after years of navigating big emotions with my own strong-willed kids: how we respond in these moments matters more than we think, and there are ways to handle it that actually strengthen our relationship with them instead of damaging it. This is an encore episode from March 2023, and I'm bringing it back because this message feels especially timely right now. I'm sharing audio from an Instagram Live I recorded about an experience with my son six years ago, and then I'll walk you through three things I've learned about what to do when your child says they hate you or uses other big, hurtful words that land like a punch. In this episode, you'll discover: 🎄 Why your instinct to "show them who's boss" in the heat of the moment actually backfires 🎄 The one-word response that validates your child's big feelings while protecting your own heart 🎄 How to know if your child needs outside support beyond what you can provide at home If your child has said "I hate you" to you this December, I want you to know you're not failing, and there is a way through this that brings you closer together instead of further apart. For full show notes, including takeaways, click here. *** Announcements: Start 2026 with more connection and less guilt. The Flecks of Gold Journal gives you a simple way to notice the good in your child in just a few minutes a day. Grab yours before the year ends. 💜 Related Episodes: 452: How to Repair with Your Child After Yelling // Devon Kuntzman 232: Minimizing Power Struggles // Denaye Barahona 030: How to Coach Your Children through Big Emotions // Georgia Anderson 004: How to Stop Yelling at your Kids // Ralphie Jacobs of Simply on Purpose Episode Sponsors: AirDoctor: Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code 3IN30 to get up to $300 off. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 3-year warranty. Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram! Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course *** 00:00:00 Introduction 03:02:00 The Story 18:46:00 One: Be the Adult 21:39:00 Two: Validate the Emotions 25:37:00 Three: Get Outside Support 29:20:05 Summary

As the days get shorter and the cold settles in, I can feel the pull to just hunker down and survive until spring, and I have to consciously choose not to give in to it. Maybe your winter is the literal season, the dark mornings and the gray stretches that feel endless. Or maybe your winter looks different—a season of grief, a transition you didn't choose, something in your life that just feels stuck and heavy and long. Either way, we've been taught to brace ourselves and push through hard seasons, to just survive until things get better. But what if there's a different way? What if the struggle isn't really about what's happening around us, but about how we've learned to relate to it? This week, I'm talking with Jamie from Rise Meditate, who spent years dreading winter and has now developed a beautiful framework for working with hard seasons instead of just enduring them. In this episode, you'll hear: ❄️ Why your winter struggle might have nothing to do with the actual weather (and everything to do with the stories you're carrying) ❄️ The study that proved fear can be passed down for 14 generations and what that means for your nervous system ❄️ What happened when Jamie finally stepped outside after years of avoiding winter (and why it felt like escaping from prison) I know winters—whether they're the actual weather or the seasons of life that feel impossible to get through—can be so hard. If even one thing from this conversation helps you feel a little less stuck or a little more empowered, that matters. For full show notes, including takeaways, click here. *** Announcements: 📔 Today is the last day to order the Flecks of Gold Journal and receive it before Christmas! This simple gratitude practice helps you notice and name the small, beautiful moments with your kids every day—and it's incredibly supportive of your mental health, especially during the "winters" of our lives. Order before midnight tonight at 3in30podcast.com/gold. Related Episodes: 414: Feeling Low Right Now? 3 Tools to Help You Cope // Sarah McKenna 406: Navigating Holiday Melancholy // Dr. Tanmeet Sethi How to Support a Friend during the Holidays who has Lost a Loved One // Rachel Gainer Episode Sponsors: Skylight: Right now, get $30 off the 15-inch Calendar at MySkylight.com/TAKEAWAYS. Hand-Lettered Design:  If you're looking for the perfect gift for a child or woman in your life who likes art or creativity, this is it. You can get 10% off your order at Hand Lettered Design with the code Rachel10. Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram! Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course ***

It's December, and if you've been feeling like you're running on fumes, snapping at your kids over the smallest things, or desperately craving a dark room where nobody needs anything from you—you're not the only one! The holidays bring so much beauty and connection, but they also bring overstimulation, dysregulation, and that version of ourselves we don't always recognize. The one who gets sarcastic and snippy when our partner walks in and asks what's for dinner. The one who hates everyone around us by 5 PM, even though we love them deeply. This week, I'm joined by Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed., CEO and founder of Seed & Sew, globally recognized expert in emotional development, and author of Tiny Humans, Big Emotions and her newest book, Big Kids, Bigger Feelings, which just came out. Alyssa is here to help us understand what's actually happening in our bodies when we get overwhelmed—and more importantly, what we can do about it. In this episode, you'll learn: 🎄 Why I threw a waffle across the room one morning a couple of years ago, and what I learned about myself and nervous system dysregulation in the aftermath 🎄 Why regulating your nervous system isn't about "thinking your way out of it" 🎄 Five practical, accessible strategies you can use right now to stay regulated This conversation is exactly what I needed heading into December. Because when we understand our nervous systems and give ourselves the tools to regulate, we start showing up as the moms we actually want to be. For full show notes, including takeaways, click here. *** Announcements: ✨ Take Alyssa's free sensory regulation questionnaire at seedquiz.com to discover what drains you, what recharges you, and how to support your nervous system this holiday season. ✨ Today is the last day of our Slow-vember Sale where Flecks of Gold is $5 off! This journal is designed to help you savor the small, sacred moments of motherhood and find beauty in the everyday chaos. Related Episodes: 449: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent After-School Meltdowns // Alyssa Blask Campbell 405: 3 Tips to Manage Your Mental Load During the Holidays // 3 in 30 Team 325: How to have Less-Stressful, More Meaningful Holidays // Desirae Endres from Minimal-ish Sponsors: Hand-Lettered Design:  If you're looking for the perfect gift for a child or woman in your life who likes art or creativity, this is it. You can get 10% off your order at Hand Lettered Design with the code Rachel10. Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram! Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course ***