It was many months ago, as the whole world was first shutting down and sheltering in place, that I sat down to a conversation with leadership coach and strategic parenting expert Heather Chauvin. As Back to School unfolds now with unique challenges for so many of us, I wanted to bring this episode to you, filled with wisdom that can help light our way...based on a question Heather asks herself…”How Good Can This Get?”

Heather Chauvin is the creator of the Mom Is In Control Podcast, a mostly solo show where she tells it like it is. She reveals her most vulnerable truths about womanhood, parenting her 3 boys, living through stage 4 cancer, navigating marriage and creating business success without burning out.

Featured on The Huffington Post, The OWN Network, CTV, Real Simple Magazine, and more, Heather draws on her experience as a former Social Worker, health advocate and inspirational speaker, giving women permission to live more, drop the guilt and ask for what they need.

It was actually a question posed to me by a friend and amazing soul Megan Baker, who was at the time battling cancer, about how we can still strive to live our E.P.I.C. life in the face of health challenges, that prompted me to interview Heather.

Sadly, Megan passed away in May. And though the episode didn’t come out in time to support her, I’m certain her courageous question and the thoughtful insights from Heather that came as a result, will help so many of us to be more present with what is and learn to receive support, as well as give, when things start to spin out of control.

As we move into Back to School in a way we never have before, I hope you’ll join me taking Heather’s challenge to ask for what we need, even if it’s uncomfortable, as we face the unknown and explore the question in our own lives “How Good Can It Get?”

Much appreciation,

Much appreciation,


P.S. Know someone who would love this conversation? Pay this forward to a friend who may be interested.

 

This Episode is Dedicated by: Anne Armstrong of My Gnome on the Roam

Anne is a mother, middle school teacher and out-of-the-box thinker from Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a Master’s and Ed. Specialist degree in gifted education. 

She takes an energetic, innovative approach to teaching and has an insatiable curiosity about other people and places. That’s why her middle school students call her the Field Trip Queen. 

Now a published children’s author, Anne tries to live by a phrase coined by some of her brilliant students and borrowed with their permission: “Make your life a book worth reading.”

She also is the creator of My Gnome on the Roam, a brand of toys and tools designed to help busy families build adventures into their busy days.

Anne invites you to a free 5-day homeschool challenge and get your kids (and yourself) excited about the year! Click here 👉 Gn-Home School Challenge to know more!

We’ll be sharing things like:

✅ daily adventures (from our app)

✅ our award winning My Gnome on the Roam Adventure and Creativity Kit

✅ ideas for turning adventures into teachable moments

✅ virtual field trips

✅ workshops with teachers, tutors, mind masters, artists.....

✅ a community of like minded parents and kids who have decided to make the most out of this unprecedented time. 

✅ a certified teacher at your fingertips for the entire school year

The program has been recommended by Dr Shefali Tsabery, Oprah’s parenting expert as well as Dan Heath, NY Times best selling author of “The Power of Moments”. 

Also make sure to check and join their exclusive Facebook group, My Gnome On The Roam Adventurers Club, designed for families who want to create some educational magic this school year!

Follow Anne on Social Media:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube

 

In This Episode We Talk About:

• The lessons that Heather learned from her own battle, six years ago, with stage four cancer
• Heather’s question for 2020 “How Good Can This Get?” and the ways that has become a useful inquiry during the pandemic
• Heather’s quest to not become a statistic when she became a mother at the age of 18 and instead how motherhood inspired her to become the best version of herself 
• Engaging mindfully and being present for what is
• How your children’s behavior is speaking to you
• What it means to be driven by impact and not money
• How learning how to receive, along with how to give, is where the magic unfolds
• Having a commitment and conviction to follow through with what you want and who you say you want to be
• How Heather is committed to structure, inquiry, and practices in her life but also lets go of a sense of failure when it doesn't go exactly right

This Episode's Challenge:

For this episode’s challenge, Heather encourages us to ask ourselves, “what it is you know to be true that you need to implement into your life that maybe makes you feel guilty or afraid or uncomfortable?”

And within the next 24 to 48 hours to take that action, whether through using your voice and saying “I need to go for a walk” or “I'm going to take a bath” or just creating space for yourself in the world. Heather invites us to sign up for that email, that course, or just something that makes you uncomfortable. 

“Begin to take a stand for how you want to feel in your life because that's the first step in creating that epic life!”

Learn More About Heather Chauvin

Heather Chauvin has been named the next generation’s thought leader in parenting and women’s leadership. Her mission is to crack women open to their deepest potential and lead the life their soul craves. She reaches thousands of readers worldwide and leads innovative retreats and coaching programs that teach women to succeed in their most sacred work in parenting and business. Heather’s the creator of the New & Noteworthy Podcast, Mom Is In Control and has been featured on the OWN network, Huffington Post, TV outlets and others. 

Through her Courageous Rewrite Initiative, Heather has given voice to many humans who have courageously taken inspired action towards creating a life they’re proud of. With wit and wisdom, Heather inspires a global community of women to take back control of how they want to lead, work, play and parent.

 

Follow Heather on Social Media

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Heather Chauvin's Website

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Dying To Be A Good Mother | Heather Chauvin TEDx talk

 

Announcements:

Do you dream of writing a book? 💫📚What if it could be easy?

From the time that I was young, I had this whisper about becoming an author. I have always “written” my whole life, but have not yet taken the leap to be a published author.

As my 49th birthday approaches (this December 1!) and I think about all I’m still on a quest for, the whispers and the call to become an author are going from a still small voice to a loud roar.

I’ve so admired Alexandra Franzen and recently discovered @lindseysmithhhc who has co-created the Tiny Book course. 

In 45 days, in community with other aspiring writers, with supportive coaches alongside including live calls, you go from idea to done!

I’m giving myself an early birthday present...much like I did before my 45th birthday when I launched the podcast. And saying “yes” to this dream.

Have you had a voice calling you to write and publish? Ready to listen to that voice? Join me in the Tiny Book course!

As an affiliate for the course...for every mother from the Mother’s Quest Community who says “yes” to this call...MQ will get a small bonus, $ that will support more inspiration, more coaching and more community connection to help us live our E.P.I.C. lives.

I’ll also facilitate a special Reflection Circle for all who participate when we launch and when we end to help us make meaning of our journey.

Who’s in? Link here 👉 https://www.tinybookcourse.com to learn more and sign up. 

Make sure to let Alex and Lindsey know I sent you!

WHAT IS A TINY BOOK YOU MAY ASK?

Registration in the Tiny Book Course incluses:

☑ Checklists and Templates - to simplify the process

☑ Step-By-Step Tutorial Videos - showing you every step you need to take

☑ Incredible Customer Service - your very own book coach to answer any questions you have by email

☑ Expert Guidance - from professionals who know the ins and outs of the self-publishing world

☑ 4 Live Group Calls - Interactive check-ins to make sure you're feeling good, getting things done, and moving toward the finish line

☑ Online Community Forum - to connect with your instructors and fellow authors

☑ Success - pretty much guaranteed. Alexandra and Lindsey have a very strong track record of success. They help people become finishers.

 

Special Coaching Invitation for Mindful Mothers  

Before the summer ends...are you on a quest for personal clarity and connection so you can start the academic year well?

The secret to starting well is to end well

One of the biggest lessons I've learned on my parenting and life journey is that if we want to set our children up for successful new beginnings, we need to do the reflective work ourselves to close the last chapter and begin anew.COVID-19 and distance learning upended all of our lives and made it very challenging to end the school year well. But, in the midst of the difficulties, we also found new ways of being and deep resilience.There is wisdom and lessons learned to mine for that can help shine a light on what to do next. And when we create space for reflection and invest in ourselves, we open up possibilities and a blueprint to help our children do the same.Interested in getting support to close COVID, life and distance learning 1.0 before beginning again?
With me as your guide?

In August, I'm launching a special Back to School Coaching Special that combines my signature "Virtual Milestone Hike" experience in a one-on-one 90-minute coaching session along with the opportunity to be in "Circle" with other reflective mothers to share what we uncover together on these Virtual Hikes.

Details Here:

Here's what it will include:

 1 90 minute one-on-one coaching session with me via Zoom using my signature Milestone Hike Reflection process. We won't be on a real hike, but it's the next best thing...slides/photos and all!

 A 1.5 hr. Reflection Circle with the other mothers who have been through the same Virtual Hike experience where we can share together the insights that came up & make commitment statements for how we want to move forward into the fall.

Cost: $270 (please reach out if a scholarship is needed)

Spots Avail: Only Six to keep our Circle Intimate

Timeframe: One-on-One Sessions early August.

Circle date TBA working with the schedule of the six who sign up.If this calls to you, I encourage you to sign up quickly. I have space to take on six participants! Sign up here & link in bio: www.mothersquest.com/backtoschool

Season Five of the Mother’s Podcast is Under Way! - Help us Spread the Word  

If you enjoy the Mother’s Quest Podcast, we’d love your support in sharing this or another favorite episode with a mother you think would appreciate it too! 

Another way to help spread the word is to leave a review at Apple Podcasts. Instructions for leaving a review are here:

How to leave a rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad

1. On your iOS mobile device, launch Apple's Podcast app.
2. Tap the Search tab in the lower right corner of the screen.
3. Enter the name of the podcast you want to rate or review. ...
4. Tap the Reviews tab, then tap “Write a Review” at the bottom of the screen.

 

Acknowledgments:

A big THANK YOU to our “patrons” for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

Herve Clermont
Samantha Arsenault
Vickie Giambra
Casey O'Roarty of Joyful Courage
Kathie Moehlig or TransFamily Support Services
Anne Ferguson of MamaFuel
On the Move and etsuko Kubo
Kate Amoo-Gottfried
Nicole Lee
Olivia Parr-Rud
"Vince" of the While Black Podcast
Sara Brannin-Mooser
Lindsay Pera
Julie Castro Abrams
Alexia Vernon
Brooke Markevicius
Democracy Clothing
Michael Skolnik
Helgi Maki
Kari Azuma
Tamara Sobomehin
Katie Krimitsos
Carrie Caulfield Arick
Rachel Rosen
Chandra Brooks
Jen Simon
Monisha Vasa
Celia Ward-Wallace
Vanessa Couto
Desiree Adaway
Rachel Steinman
Katie Hanus
Denise Barreto 
Sage B. Hobbs 
Samantha Nolan-Smith
Jody Smith
Emily Cretella
Collette Flanagan
Titilayo Tinubu Ali 
Carly Magnus Hurt
Lizzy Russinko 
Suzanne Brown
Mara Berns Langer
Mallory Schlabach 
Katharine Earhart
Jessica Kupferman
Jen Jenkins Dohner
Genese Harris
Tonya Rineer
Liane Louie-Badua
Cristin Downs 
Erin Kendall 
Niko Osoteo 
Erik Newton 
Claire Fry
Divya Silbermann
Rachel Winter
Caren and Debbie Lieberman
Cameron Miranda
Fran and David Lieberman
Debbie and Alan Goore
The Sustainable Living Podcast
Samantha Arsenault
Attica Locke

Support the Podcast

If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Four of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

If you would like to “dedicate” an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at [email protected]

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Mother's Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/