Confidence and Coffee

In today's crazy modern world, we want it all. We want to be intentional for our families, be the best moms we can be, and run a business? We should be able to have it, but is it even a realistic goal?  Achieving a perfect work-life balance would assume that it is a 50/50, completely equal type of relationship.  

Doing so will result in our goals being achieved, or families completely happy, and we have no mom guilt, right?  The reality is that no matter what your schedule looks like,  it can't be perfect all the time.  Somewhere along the line sacrifices will need to be made. Sometimes it's the kids or your spouse, sometimes it is work-related, sometimes it's just time for you!  The best balance is different for everyone.

 In today's episode of Motherhood Unfiltered, I'm chatting with my good friend and mentor Beth Olson, and how she runs her business while being a busy wife and mother. We also take a deep dive into balancing it all and if that is even possible!  Beth Olson, wife, mom of 4 (3 boys then a girl just like you have) business coach helping people bust through obstacles and set their lives up the way so they can spend their time doing what matters most to THEM 

Listen in to learn more about: 

• Beth shares her journey and how she got started being a health coach 
• Practical tips for those introverts who want to put themselves out there 
• Don't stay behind the "scenes" - Let the light shine from within YOU!  Beth shares her secrets to how she manages her health coach business being a busy mom of 4 kids!  

Resources: Visit My store at ashleyhenriott.com and use the coupon code LOVE10 to get 10% off + FREE SHIPPING! 

To get started on your own health journey -  https://form.jotform.com/henriottas/your-health-journey 

Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ashley.henriott/ 

Connect with Beth  Follow her on IG: @BethLOlson Website: https://www.bethlolson.com/ 

Thank you, 

Ashley

The term " narcissist" is such a buzzword right now. You hear it everywhere in regular conversation as well as in so many social media memes, videos, and posts. The term used to be only reserved for an actual diagnosis from a doctor or licensed mental health professional. 

The unfortunate part of this is that so many people are being mislabeled by parents, family, strangers on the internet when they aren't narcissists at all, just showing narcissistic behaviors and being human. A True narcissist has a legitimate personality disorder. The issue is however, they don't seek treatment for any type of mental health issues.

In today's episode of Motherhood Unfiltered, I'm taking a deep dive into Narcissism, what the behaviors look like, and the symptoms of a true narcissist. I'll also examine what the Bible says about it as well. 

Listen in to learn more about : 

• What my therapist said when I thought I was a narcissist! 
• The only documented case of a narcissist being saved 
• What does the bible say about narcissist behaviors?
• Tips on how to respond to a narcissist when they attempt to gaslight you 

Resources : 

• https://www.changingus.org/blog/bible-tips-to-deal-with-narcissists 
• Visit My store at ashleyhenriott.com and use the coupon code LOVE10 to get 10% off + FREE SHIPPING! 

Thank you, 

Ashley

Hey Sister!  I am so excited about today's episode, as I've been waiting so long to share it.  For most women, having a baby is a wonderful and joyful time. For some, it can be a very stressful, anxious time. It can also produce something that one might not expect – depression. Many women will experience “baby blues” following childbirth that usually last a few days up to 6 weeks. 

Sometimes, a more severe form occurs called  Postpartum depression – symptoms include depressed mood, sleep issues,  crying all the time, feelings of worthlessness, intrusive thoughts, plus several other symptoms. This period also increases the risk of suicide or suicide ideation.  

 On this episode of Motherhood Unfiltered, I talk with Amy Koppelman, author, and director of the upcoming movie, Mouthful of Air. Amy and I share our individual journey of experiencing postpartum depression as well as, imposter syndrome, and not being afraid to ask for help. We also discuss her novel, A Mouthful of Air which inspired this powerful movie, which hits theatres on October 29th! (You need to see this movie)  

Amy Koppelman is the author of three critically acclaimed novels: A Mouthful of Air, I Smile Back, and Hesitation Wounds, a 2016 Independent Publisher Book Award winner. She produced and co-adapted the film adaptation of I Smile Back, starring Sarah Silverman, who received a SAG award nomination for the role. 

The film premiered at the Sundance, Toronto, and Deauville film festivals. Her latest film, A Mouthful of Air, is her first undertaking as a screenwriter, director, producer, and illustrator.  Amy lives in New York City with her family. She is an outspoken advocate for women’s mental health. 

Listen in as we discuss: Amy's passion for storytelling and what inspired her to write the book 18 years ago?  The reasons why more people don't talk about Postpartum Depression and why we need to get the help we need, share with others, and don't be afraid to take medication to help ourselves and ultimately, our family. 

 We want to keep our kids safe and protected but we put some of the pressure upon ourselves. Resources Postpartum Support International  Find Local Support  

Ways to connect with Amy  Instagram: @amy_koppelman/ and @mouthfulofair 

 Watch the trailer for the movie, Mouthful of Air 

Do you feel so overwhelmed and stressed out with parenting that you don’t know where to go or what to do? What if I told you that you could have a resource that can help you with all your parenting challenges?  Well, friends, today is an episode just for you! 

On this episode of Motherhood Unfiltered, I sit down with Kimball Lewis of Empowering Parents Program and we discuss all things parenting and some of the unique situations with challenging child behavior.  Kimball Lewis is an executive who has spent his career using research and technology to improve the lives of individuals and businesses. He began his career as a health, welfare, and child policy researcher for a leading public policy think-tank in Washington, DC. He then served as a technologist and executive in a series of successful healthcare start-up businesses. 

Mr. Lewis joined EmpoweringParents.com as CEO in 2017. At EmpoweringParents.com, Mr. Lewis is committed to ensuring that the timeless and practical parenting advice of James Lehman and The Total Transformation® endures for future generations of parents struggling to manage the most challenging child behavior problems. Mr. Lewis resides in Florida, USA, with his wife and two teenage sons. 

Listen in to learn more:  

what are some of the consequences of not teaching kids how to deal with complex emotions?  

You don't have to attend every argument your child invites you to.  

You're not responsible for your child's behavior, your child is.  

Practical steps parents can take to prevent feeling parenting burnout.  

Visit My store at ashleyhenriott.com and use the coupon code LOVE10 to get 10% off + FREE SHIPPING! Become a patron of Motherhood Unfiltered 

Ways to connect with Kimball Lewis and the Empowering Parents Program Website www.empoweringparents.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParentingAdvice Instagram: @empowering_parents Twitter: @Emp_Parents 

Thank you, Ashley

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ( Jeremiah 29:11) 

I'm so excited and honored by my special guest, Keewani Vallejo- Cook, aka Kiwi. She is an alumnus of Compassion International's program in the Philippines, and She is a compelling speaker who loves to inspire young people and adults to grow in their relationships with the Lord. She speaks passionately about the power of prayer, faith without limits, discovering God’s will, obedience to God, and the compassion of Jesus. 

With a genuine heart for people and a strong desire to provide help and healing, Keewani Vallejo Cook thrives in her work as a physical therapist. She also travels around the states and Canada to give her testimony. Born into abject poverty in the Philippines, Keewani’s childhood was difficult and heartbreaking. Her family frequently moved due to their inability to pay rent, and there was rarely enough food to go around. They lost family members to treatable medical conditions because they could not afford healthcare when needed. Life was hard, and she couldn’t imagine a way out of the hopelessness. When she was 7 years old, Keewani was invited to participate in Compassion's child development program at a local church. 

Through the love, support, encouragement, and care she received from her sponsors and program staff, her life began to change drastically. Hope grew in her heart as she experienced God’s great love and learned that He had a plan for her life and future. Being sponsored through Compassion made it possible for Keewani to receive an education and a university degree, which released her from the poverty she grew up in. Her family recently launched a children's ministry in their own backyard directly impacting young people in their community and helping to spread the word of God. 

Keewani and her husband, Terry, live in Dallas, Texas. So I aim to find new sponsors for at least 30 children with just THIS EPISODE with the Motherhood Unfiltered Community! 

I've made it really simple for you with 2 options! 

The first is that even as you are listening, you can open up a text and send the word SUMMER to 83393. You are going to get a text back with a picture of a child and a link.  Click that link and follow the steps to start sponsoring. It’s super simple. The second option is also easy. If you go to compassion.com/SummerCampAshley can choose exactly which boy or girl you want to sponsor. 

RESOURCES  Connect with Kiwi - https://www.compassion.com/christian-speakers/keewani-vallejo-cook.htm https://compassion.com/summercampashley https://www.patreon.com/ashleyhenriott Thanks,  Ashley 

I'm doing something a little different - when has that stopped me before?!  

Today is a bonus episode where I take a deeper dive into my reasons for wanting to partner with Compassion Internation and how the local church helped me become the woman you see today!   Compassion International works with more than 2 million children in 25 countries. Compassion pairs each child with one sponsor who can encourage and support a child’s growth – and also connects each child with loving, caring adults in their own community to mentor and guide them. Compassion’s goal is simple – to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Being released from poverty means moving from “not having enough” to “having enough to survive and thrive.” 

 So I have a goal of finding new sponsors for at least 10 children with the Motherhood Unfiltered Community! 

I've made it really simple for you.  You have two options. The first is that even as you are listening, you can open up a text and send the word SUMMER to 83393. You are going to get a text back with a picture of a child and a link.  Click that link and follow the steps to start sponsoring. It’s super simple.  

The second option is also easy. If you go to compassion.com/SummerCampAshley can choose exactly which boy or girl you want to sponsor. 

Compassion is an organization that takes child protection seriously. Sponsors won’t be given a child’s address but pass letters both ways, and letters can be written online.   I chose to partner with Compassion because I trust the way they work. 

 When I invest $38 every month, I know that 80% of that is being spent specifically for the development of the little boy we sponsor.  Compassion doesn’t give money directly to children, because they know that just handing out money isn’t going to make a long-term impact. 

 But spending that money wisely for nutrition and healthcare and education – teaching boys and girls to grow up and escape poverty – makes a huge difference.  The best part?

 Compassion does it all through local churches around the world. 

So, will you help me end poverty for the children in the Philippines?  

Links below 👇🏻  

https://compassion.com/summercampashley  

https://www.patreon.com/ashleyhenriott  

Thank you,   

Ashley 

Hey friends,  I'm am so excited about today's episode. 

As I have mentioned before, I have partnered with Compassion International on a VERY SPECIAL project! 

On the episode today, I'm joined by the fabulous Mary R. Snyder, and we are going to tell you all about it!!  

Mary R. Snyder has been with Compassion for over 6 years and loves what she gets to do. She says "the calling of my heart is to help speakers get their message out to the world." She now gets to do that by being at Compassion – She's worked in the Christian events industry for the past 20+years.  She has been a speaker, an event producer, a tour producer, and now she gets the awesome job of partnering with influencers and podcasters to get kids sponsored – to give a child hope. Compassion works with more than 2 million children in 25 countries.  Compassion pairs each child with one sponsor who can encourage and support a child’s growth – and also connects each child with loving, caring adults in their own community to mentor and guide them. Compassion’s goal is simple – to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Being released from poverty means moving from “not having enough” to “having enough to survive and thrive.” 

So we have a goal of finding new sponsors for at least 10 children with the Motherhood Unfiltered Community!  I've made it really simple for you. 

You have two options.  

The first is that even as you are listening, you can open up a text and send the word SUMMER to 83393. You are going to get a text back with a picture of a child and a link. Click that link and follow the steps to start sponsoring. It’s super simple.  

The second option is also easy. If you go to compassion.com/SummerCampAshley can choose exactly which boy or girl you want to sponsor.  Compassion is an organization that takes child protection seriously. Sponsors won’t be given a child’s address but pass letters both ways, and letters can be written online. 

I partnered with Compassion because we trust the way they work. When I invest $38 every month, I know that 80% of that is being spent specifically for the development of the little boy we sponsor. Compassion doesn’t give money directly to children, because they know that just handing out money isn’t going to make a long-term impact.

 But spending that money wisely for nutrition and healthcare and education – teaching boys and girls to grow up and escape poverty – makes a huge difference.  The best part? Compassion does it all through local churches around the world. So, will you help me end poverty for the children in the Philippines?  

Thank you!  Ashley

There's no such thing as perfection in motherhood. 

There's no perfect mother, just like no perfect child or perfect husband or perfect family or a perfect marriage. Society is filled with so mixed messages that make moms feel inadequate — no matter what we do. 

This is especially true in the Instagram-perfect and highly curated digital world. We are constantly bombarded with images that evoke "perfection" in all areas of our lives. This is especially true of those who grew up in broken homes with mental health, addiction, and abuse issues. 

In today's episode, Ashley and her featured guest, Libby Ward, discuss their similar experiences growing up in a broken home filled with mental health issues, tried to be the perfect mom, and their shared love of TikTok. 

Libby Ward is a wife of 11 years and mom of 2 kids, ages 4 and 6, and lives in Ontario, Canada. She is an EA (educational assistant, but you call them paraprofessionals) and is going back to school to become a teacher. She has always had a desire to impact those around her in a positive way. She has always volunteered extensively and shared her experience with those around her in hopes to inspire. She grew up in poverty and an unstable environment, so she always tries to understand those around her from multiple perspectives.

Her mission in life is to love others and encourage them to be their best selves while always giving themselves grace for their imperfections. Listen in as we discuss: 

 Libby and Ashley discuss their experiences in the first steps of their motherhood journey the transition from perfect mom to "that's good enough" mom and finding time for self-care. 

How they and their families have adjusted to their TikTok fame with their fame because of it 

Resources 

You can find Libby on TikTok and Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/diaryofanhonestmom | https://www.tiktok.com/@diaryofanhonestmom?lang=en 

Visit My store ashleyhenriott.com and use the coupon code LOVE10 to get 10% off + FREE SHIPPING!!

Helping women learn about the causes and symptoms of chronic pelvic pain is one of the main goals of Pelvic Pain Awareness Month in May. The International Pelvic Pain Society, or IPPS, established this awareness month in 2017 to bring attention to a severe problem that many women suffer from but are hesitant to discuss. 

That's why I brought my new friend Dawn Joseph on the show for today's episode.   

Dawn is a Kinesiologist and Core Specialist. (Kinesiologists specialize in the analysis of human body movement.) Dawn loves to kiteboard, enjoys paddle-boarding, mountain biking, and will never pass up a chai latte. She absolutely loves connecting with new people and strives to empower those around her (secretly dreaming of being a superhero). She has 2 rockstar daughters and lives in wine and lake country, Kelowna, British Columbia. 

Dawn's primary focus is stability. She believes that if you gain control of your deep core muscles, you will be more stable (and often aligned) above and below the pelvis. A lot of the work she does gets rid of back, hip, and neck pain, etc. She does a lot of re-patterning, which teaches people which muscles should be firing and which muscles should not be firing. (sometimes, it really is about RELAXING more than strengthening). 

Dawn's mission is to help you properly strengthen your core to achieve your performance, pain relief, and health goals through proper core strengthening that creates stability and mobility. 

We are moms - we don't need more pain! And LESS is often the answer anyway.  

As women, we often put everyone else first and accept dysfunction in our own bodies...and as  I believe, we were made to thrive. 

RESOURCES: 

www.pelvicpain.org 

www.simplycorefit.com

Hey there Mama!  

Today's episode is one all by myself, and I'm so excited about this episode. I've wanted to do one on this topic for some time.  Did you know your child had a love language? Different kids crave different kinds of attention and affection. We'll help you figure out which means the most to your child so they can feel genuinely adored based on the framework developed by Dr. Gary Chapman.  

After learning about the five different love languages, I realized that the verbal reassurances I'd been giving Rylan didn't mean nearly as much to him as hugs, cuddles, and other hands-on displays of affection. Now when he acts like he's running on an empty love tank, I scoop him up in my arms or shove his 65-pound, 4-foot frame into my arms, and his mood flips as if I've hit a switch. However, I still haven't stopped saying, "I love you."  I have learned that those cuddles don't work for Preston. His love language is words of affirmation, which means his discipline can be a conversation rather than my older son, who loves gifts and quality of time. All different personalities represent all other needs and all different types  of discipline.  

We have to truly understand our little nuggets to be able to strive with them. I mean, come on, mamas, I know for me when I feel loved that I am certainly on my best behavior, happy and ready to serve who I can. Our children have those exact needs, if not more!

 Resources  

Visit My store ashleyhenriott.com and use the coupon code LOVE10 to get 10% off  + FREE SHIPPING!! 

Books Mentioned 

•  The Great Spanking Debate 
• The Line Between Loving and Spoiling 14 Little Ways to Encourage Kindness
•  Thrive in 2025: How to Raise an Independent Kid 
• Take the Assessment available on  The 5 love languages website. .

We've all said it at one point or another, "I'm so busy!" right?  We fill our days with our kids' activities, tasks around the house, multiple other interests and can never seem to find time to spend in exclusively in God's word.  We need to get away from this  "I am so busy doing all the things" type culture that we don't truly get into God's word for ourselves.  

In this episode, my friend Amber Daniel and I take a deep dive into exactly that and how to carve out the time to spend in God's word.  Amber has been married to Andrew for 11 years, has four kids (ages eight and under), and lives on a farm in Greensboro, NC. Amber was a middle school teacher, but her husband's job moved them around quite a bit. 

Now, she can be found homeschooling and wrangling her kiddos, feeding the animals. Also, she works as a part-time social media manager for a non-profit and loves encouraging women in God's word in all of the spaces in between. Amber is passionate about empowering women to study the Bible for themselves. 

She has a ministry called Equipping Arrows as a way to do just that. She has created resources, teachings to equip women with practical tools to dig deep into God's Word. She loves a good "bible study" or scripture-based book just as much as the rest of them, but she firmly believes that there is so much encouragement, wisdom, and knowledge about God's love to be found in the pages of the Bible.  We also discuss:  

Amber gives us practical tools on how to study the Bible during the busy seasons of life.  Sometimes we put pressure on ourselves and others by glorifying the things that don't really matter.  Amber explains the difference between studying and reading the Bible.  

Resources 

Amber's Website: https://www.equippingarrows.com/

Follow Amber on IG:  https://www.instagram.com/equipping.arrows/ 

www.blueletterbible.org 

www.gotquestions.org 

http://timeline.biblehistory.com https://bibleproject.com/ 

The CSB She Reads Truth Bible  https://amzn.to/3i0fxO8  

Friend - Don't forget to use the coupon code LOVE10 to get 10% off  + FREE SHIPPING in my shop at https://www.ashleyhenriott.com/shop-1 

Hey Friends! 

Joining me on the show today is the fabulous and amazing Andrea Fortenberry, a writer, speaker, and Bible teacher. She is the host of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering, a podcast that equips moms to find freedom from perfectionism and show up for the life God has for them. 

She also shares some practical strategies that we can implement right now to help us break free from the draining and sneaky cycles of guilt. Andrea shares her own personal journey of letting go of perfection and control within her family, and seeing a Christian-based counselor helped her in that journey. She also shares some practical strategies that we can implement right now to help us break free from perfectionism.  

We also talk about: how unpacking your past can lead to discovering the reasons for your walls and the way to break them down.  The idea of trying to control everything in our lives, but we know that God controls it all.  

To squash this idea of perfectionism in motherhood, we need to remember to rely on God. He wants us to depend on Him.  Resources  Visit her website at AndreaFortenberry.com  

Follow her on Instagram: @AndreaFortenberry 

 Goli Gummies https://go.goli.com/ashleyhenriott use code ashley.henriott and get 10% off today!

Today's episode is a short one but an essential one. No special guest today as I'm taking on a topic that is so important to me... Mom-Shaming. 

These days with social media and online platforms, people are more vocal than ever about their opinions, thoughts, and "cancel culture." So many mothers face mom-shaming online and in-person from strangers and well-meaning friends and family. Sometimes, we even do it to ourselves. Well, I say let's cancel mom-shaming. We've all been through it at one time or another. Life as a mom is hard enough as it is under normal circumstances. Let's not even talk about how difficult it is with online learning, COVID rules, quarantining and a global pandemic. 

If you've ever felt like a victim of mom-shaming, I want you to know that you are enough.  You are doing your very best during a difficult season, and I see that. We are struggling and doing our very best. 

Resources :

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/parenting/mom-shame-coronavirus.html 

https://www.verywellfamily.com/dos-and-donts-of-mom-shaming-4137757

We are hearing from my friend Jessica Bearden! A MA< LPC-I A mother of twins and happy wife Jessica is going to talk to us about letters or no letters behind your name DO NOT DEFINE YOU! 

She is going to talk to us about her identity not depending on that and that our calling would be just as significant with or without the degrees and license and such. We can get caught in comparisons and it’s toxic and a sign that we are really not trusting God with where He has us and who He puts in our life.  Especially as a mother. My kids don’t care if I’m the president of the United States haha! They just need ME in my role as a mother

She will also be sharing her story of also just having twins. LOL pulled in two directions is always fun ;) and being a twin mom comes with an interesting set of fears. Not wanting one twin to be behind the other .. what if one dies and leaves the other alone ... sad I didn’t get to enjoy them as newborns because of NICU and exhaustion from feeding two around the clock ... trusting the lord with the high risk of carrying twins ... and the Joys of watching the interaction and develop together.

If you are tempted to look at the world and want to run wait! Our thinking and our journey are in the hands of our Lord. Feel, hurt, and see what's going on! Own your feelings but keep going because God is still on the throne. 

One of my favorite moments and a time of Jesus Tiffany and I talk about is Matthew 26:36-44
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”  And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”  And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

Jesus wanted to burden taken away while still saying if it's your will. Jesus felt the burden of his destiny but still got back up to honor the will and obedience of Christ. It's okay not to feel okay but it's not okay to stay there. 

When you have every right to give up, and all hope seems lost Cindy reminds us how faithful God is. Cindy had a desire to have children and held onto a promise the Lord gave her so many years ago. But it didn't come without heartache and disappointment. Her faithfulness, God's plan, and pain in the process brought her three beautiful children.  If you are struggling with infertility, adoption, or even just discouragement with no hope in sight then you are going to want to listen to my friend Cindy and her journey of becoming a mother!