I’ve Got You Mama

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
Have you ever walked away from a conversation with someone you love wondering how the two of you could have experienced the exact same interaction so differently?
You know what you said. They know what they heard. And somehow, those can feel like two completely different things.
Relationships are complicated because none of us enters them as a blank slate. We bring our history, beliefs, insecurities, expectations, sensitivities, and past experiences with that person. And they bring all of theirs too.
So when something happens between us, we're rarely responding only to what happened. We're also responding to what we think it means.
What actually happened?
What are you making it mean? I
s an old hurt or insecurity influencing how this moment feels?
Are you assuming you know what the other person is thinking? Or is there a real pattern in the relationship that needs to be addressed?
In this episode, we're looking at three parts of every relationship: what I bring, what you bring, and what actually happens between us.
Understanding those pieces can help us separate facts from interpretations, recognize the loops we sometimes create with each other, and approach our relationships with a little more curiosity.
You don't need to dismiss what you're feeling or convince yourself that everything is fine. Sometimes there really is something happening in a relationship that deserves your attention. This is simply an invitation to slow things down enough to better understand what you're responding to.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast — a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
Resources Mentioned
There are no formal resources mentioned in this episode.
(Any links, programs, or tools referenced will always be listed here for clarity.)
Connect + What’s Next
If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to:
subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes
share this conversation with a friend who might need this message right now
Next week on the podcast, we’ll be talking about the invisible expectations (or “manuals”) we have for the people in our lives, and what happens when someone breaks a rule they didn’t even know existed.
Whenever you’re ready, press play.
I’m really glad you’re here.
And I’ve got you, mama.

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
Have you ever walked away from a conversation and wished you could have a do-over?
Maybe you were more impatient than you meant to be. You got defensive. You shut down. Or you said something that sounded very different coming out of your mouth than it did in your head.
We all have moments when we don't show up in our relationships the way we wish we had. The question isn't whether we'll ever get it wrong. It's what we do next.
Can we recognize when there's been a disconnect and find our way back? Can we take responsibility for our part without immediately explaining or defending it? Can we apologize without turning our mistake into evidence that we're a terrible wife, mom, friend, or human being? And when someone we love reaches toward us (even a little awkwardly) can we recognize their attempt to repair?
In this episode, we're talking about the power of repair: what it looks like in marriage, parenting, friendships, and the other relationships that matter to us. We'll talk about repairing in the middle of a difficult conversation, coming back after things have gone sideways, giving an apology that actually takes responsibility, and learning to care about our impact even when our intentions were good.
Because healthy relationships aren't relationships where no one ever gets hurt, defensive, frustrated, or misunderstood. They're relationships where there is room to recognize what happened, own what belongs to us, and keep finding our way back to each other.
You don't have to get every interaction right. There can be grace for being human and another opportunity to try again.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
Resources Mentioned
John & Julie Gottman -  Their research and work on relationships, conflict, and repair helped shape many of the ideas discussed in this episode.
Harriet Lerner - Her work on apologies, defensiveness, and taking responsibility also informed this conversation.
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss future episodes
share this conversation with a friend who might need this message right now
Next week on the podcast, we'll be talking about:Why relationships can feel so complicated and how what we each bring into a relationship shapes what happens between us.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And I've got you, mama.

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
Have you ever walked away from a conversation wondering, How did we even get there? Maybe something small was said, you reacted, they reacted to your reaction, and suddenly the conversation became much bigger than whatever started it.
So much can be happening underneath those moments. What actually happened, and what story did your brain immediately tell you about it? Did something touch a tender place or “raw spot” that made your reaction feel bigger than the moment itself? Are you and someone you love getting caught in the same familiar pattern over and over again? And what might change if, instead of being certain you know what the other person meant, you became curious enough to ask, What else could be true?
In this episode, we’re talking about the difference between reacting and relating, and how creating even a little space between what happens and what we do next can change the way we show up in our relationships.
We’ll talk about separating facts from the stories we tell ourselves, recognizing emotional triggers and raw spots, noticing the relationship loops we can get caught in, and coming back to the power of the pause when we feel ourselves getting activated.
You won’t catch your reaction every time. None of us will. But the more familiar you become with your own stories, triggers, and patterns, the sooner you can begin to notice what’s happening and choose how you want to respond.
This episode is part of the I’ve Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
Resources Mentioned
Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson, including her work around emotional “raw spots” and the negative interaction cycles we can get caught in with the people closest to us.
Episode 5 of the I’ve Got You Mama podcast: The Power of the Pause
Connect + What’s Next
If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to:
subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes
share this conversation with a friend who might need this message right now
Next week on the podcast, we’ll be talking about the power of repair - what we can do when there’s been hurt, misunderstanding, or disconnection in our relationships and how we find our way back.
Whenever you’re ready, press play.
I’m really glad you’re here.
And I’ve got you, mama.

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
What does love look like after 10, 20, or almost 30 years together?
This past weekend, my husband and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary. And as I thought about all those years - raising six kids, homeschooling, navigating careers and businesses, moving, changing, dreaming, struggling, and growing - I realized how differently I understand marriage now than I did when we first said “I do.”
Not because we’ve figured it all out. We definitely haven’t. But living that much life beside another person teaches you some things about love that you simply couldn’t have understood at the beginning.
What does it really mean to keep choosing each other when life gets busy or hard?
Are you loving the person in front of you, or quietly wishing they would become someone different?
Do you know what makes your spouse feel loved and have you actually told them what you need?
When conflict shows up, can you get curious about what might be underneath it instead of immediately deciding who is right?
And somewhere between the schedules, responsibilities, kids, work, and endless logistics of building a life together… are you still having fun?
In this episode, I’m sharing seven things my husband and I have learned over 28 years of marriage: about choosing your relationship, allowing each other to grow, communicating what you need, getting curious about conflict, protecting your friendship, and letting love change as you change.
One of my favorite realizations is that long-term love doesn’t have to look like new love. It has something new love simply can’t have yet: thousands of ordinary Tuesdays, dreams you’ve celebrated together, disappointments you’ve survived, arguments you’ve repaired, and years of witnessing each other become different versions of yourselves.
Maybe a strong marriage isn’t one where you never drift or struggle. Maybe it’s one where you keep learning how to find your way back to each other.
If you’re in a season where your marriage feels more like managing a household than enjoying the person you married, or you’re simply wondering what it looks like to keep growing together as the years pass, this conversation is for you.
This episode is part of the I’ve Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
Connect + What’s Next
If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to:
subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes
share this conversation with a friend who might need this message right now
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to keep diving deeper into relationships — including reacting vs. relating and how emotional maturity changes our relationships, the power of repair after conflict, and how to love the people in our lives without trying to fix or change them.
Whenever you’re ready, press play.
I’m really glad you’re here.
And I’ve got you, mama.

Hey mama,
Have you ever reached this point in the year and quietly started acting like the year is basically over?
Maybe you had plans in January that haven't happened yet. Maybe life got busy, priorities shifted, or some unexpected "life was life-ing" moments took your attention somewhere else. Or maybe there are things you still really want, but you've been telling yourself you'll get to them when life settles down, when you have more time, or maybe when January rolls around again.
But there are still nearly five months left in the year and that's a meaningful amount of life.
In this episode, we're talking about what could change if you gave the next 90 days some intentional attention - not by overhauling your entire life, but by choosing what matters most right now.
What's already working in your life that you want to keep? What isn't working quite as well? What have you been saying you want to do but keep postponing? Is there a goal you still genuinely want, or are you holding onto it simply because you decided months ago that you "should" do it? And if you could make meaningful progress in just one area before the end of the year, what would make the biggest difference in your life?
I'm also sharing a little of what I've been learning through my own physical reinvention experiment including how quickly my desire to feel stronger, healthier, and more energetic turned into trackers, protocols, research, and a plan for practically everything.
Eventually, I had to ask a much better question: Of everything I could work on, what actually matters most right now?
Because meaningful progress doesn't require optimizing every part of your life at once. Your plan needs room for your actual life - busy weeks, unexpected changes, people who need you, Wednesday afternoons when you don't have nearly as much energy as imaginary-you thought you would.
Sustainable change leaves room for margin, small wins, and the momentum that comes from realizing, Hey, I'm actually doing this.
So what could be different by November if you simply chose one doorway and started there?
You don't need to have the rest of your life figured out. You don't need a perfect plan. And you definitely don't need to wait until January.
There is still time to create something, change something, learn something, repair something, or finally begin something that matters to you.
Five months is a meaningful amount of life. Don't write it off before you've lived it.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast  - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
Resources Mentioned
Joyful Reinvention / Free Call with MariaIf you're not quite sure what you want next or you know what you want but feel stuck figuring out how to move toward it, I would love to talk with you.
We'll look at where you are, where you'd like to go, and what kind of support could help you move forward with more clarity and intention.Free Joy Mini Session
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss future episodes
share this conversation with a friend who might need this message right now
Next week on the podcast: I'm celebrating 28 years of marriage and sharing some of the relationship lessons I've learned along the way - about choosing each other, navigating hard seasons, communicating what we need, and how love changes as we grow together.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And I've got you, mama.

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
Have you ever found yourself thinking, "I just want to feel more peaceful," or "I wish I could be more confident"?
Most of us have. We long for more joy, hope, courage, and peace. But sometimes we wait for those feelings to arrive before we begin living differently.
What if we've had it backwards?
What if the life you're building today is quietly shaping the emotions you'll experience tomorrow? What if peace grows through the rhythms you create? What if courage is built one brave step at a time? And what if joy isn't something you have to chase, but something you become available for when you slow down long enough to notice it?
In this final episode of our emotions series, we're exploring a hopeful truth: while we can't control our emotions, we have far more influence than we often realize.
Through our values, our habits, our relationships, and the small choices we make every day, we can cultivate the conditions where emotions like hope, gratitude, courage, peace, and joy have room to grow.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
In This Episode
In today's episode, we'll explore:
Why we have more influence over our emotional lives than we often realize
The difference between controlling emotions and cultivating them
How your daily habits quietly shape your emotional landscape
Why action often comes before motivation, confidence, and courage
The role your values play as a compass when emotions feel uncertain
Practical ways to cultivate more joy, peace, gratitude, hope, and courage
Why consistency matters more than perfection
How ordinary moments become the foundation of an intentional life
The powerful relationship between emotional maturity and intentional living
Why your emotions are faithful messengers and your values are your compass
Resources Mentioned
This episode concludes the 4-part emotions series:
Episode 28: The Message in the Feeling
Episode 29: Learning the Language of Your Emotions
Episode 30: Why We Run From Our Emotions (and How to Stop)
Episode 31: Building the Life You Want, One Emotion at a Time
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.
Leave a review to help more women discover the show.
Share this series with a friend who could use a little more hope and a lot more self-compassion.
Next week on the podcast...
We're beginning a brand-new series on midlife reinvention, starting with how to intentionally build a life that reflects who you're becoming, not just who you've always been.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And...I've got you, mama.

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
Have you ever caught yourself scrolling without really thinking about it? Or reorganizing a drawer instead of having the conversation you know you need to have? Maybe you've stayed busy all day only to realize you never actually checked in with how you were feeling?
Most of us don't intentionally avoid our emotions. We simply get really good at distracting ourselves from them.
But what if procrastination isn't always about discipline?
What if busyness isn't always productivity?
What if that extra snack, another episode, or one more thing on your to-do list is helping you avoid something that feels uncomfortable beneath the surface?
And what might change if, instead of asking, "What's wrong with me?" you asked, "What am I trying not to feel?"
In this episode, we're exploring why our brains naturally resist uncomfortable emotions, how that resistance quietly shapes our choices, and why making room for difficult feelings actually expands our capacity for resilience, connection, and joy.
You don't have to become someone who enjoys discomfort. You simply have to trust that you're capable of moving through it.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
In This Episode
In today's episode, we'll explore:
Why procrastination is often about avoiding a feeling, not a task
How your brain is wired to protect you from discomfort
The subtle ways we "buffer" our emotions through busyness, scrolling, food, or productivity
Why avoiding difficult emotions can keep us from living fully
The difference between emotional awareness and emotional overwhelm
Understanding the difference between "clean pain" and "dirty pain"
Why emotions are valid but don't have to make your decisions
How emotional resilience grows through practice
A simple three-question exercise to help you stop running from uncomfortable emotions
Resources Mentioned
Episode 28: The Message in the Feeling with Carla Green
Episode 29: Learning the Language of Your Emotions
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss future episodes.
Leave a review!! It helps more women discover the show.
Share this episode with a friend who has been carrying more than she lets on.
Next week on the podcast...
We'll wrap up our four-part emotions series by exploring how we can intentionally cultivate emotions like hope, courage, gratitude, and peace - not by pretending hard emotions don't exist, but by learning how to build the emotional life we want.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And... I've got you, mama.

A Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
If someone asked you how you were feeling right now, what would you say?
If you're like most of us, it might be something like, "I'm stressed," "I'm overwhelmed," or simply, "I'm fine."
But what if those words are only scratching the surface?
What if "stressed" is actually covering disappointment, grief, loneliness, uncertainty, or resentment?
And what if learning to name those emotions more accurately could change the way you respond to them?
How often do you pause long enough to notice what's happening inside of you? And what might change if, instead of criticizing yourself for how you feel, you became curious about it?
In this episode, we're beginning to learn a new language - the language of our emotions. Emotional intelligence isn't something you're born with. It's a skill you can learn. And when you become better at recognizing and understanding your emotions, you become better equipped to lead yourself with wisdom, compassion, and intention.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
In This Episode
In today's episode, we'll explore:
What emotional intelligence really is and why it's a skill anyone can develop
Dr. Marc Brackett's RULER framework for understanding emotions
How expanding your emotional vocabulary leads to greater clarity
How to use the Feeling Wheel to identify what you're really feeling
The Mood Meter and how energy and pleasantness shape emotional awareness
A simple one-minute emotional check-in you can use every day
The power of replacing self-criticism with curiosity
How emotional awareness helps you live with greater intention
Resources Mentioned
Episode 28: The Message in the Feeling with Carla Green
Dr. Marc Brackett's RULER Framework
Recognizing emotions
Understanding emotions
Labeling emotions
Expressing emotions
Regulating emotions
The Feeling Wheel (Inspired by the Feelings Wheel created by Gloria Willcox.)
The Mood Meter (developed by Dr. Marc Brackett and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence)
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes.
Leave a review!! It helps more women discover the show.
Share this episode with someone who could use a little more compassion for herself today.
Next week on the podcast...
We'll continue our emotions series by exploring why we resist our emotions, the subtle ways we avoid discomfort, and how learning to stay with difficult feelings can lead to greater resilience, freedom, and joy.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And... I've got you, mama.

Letter to the Listener
Hey mama,
Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I shouldn't feel this way?" Or maybe you've gotten so good at staying busy, taking care of everyone else, or pushing through that you've almost forgotten how to check in with yourself.
What if those emotions you've been trying so hard to avoid aren't actually the problem? What if they're trying to tell you something important?
In today's conversation, my dear friend and fellow coach Carla Green shares a perspective that completely changed the way I think about emotions.
Instead of seeing them as obstacles to overcome, what if we began treating them as messengers? What if frustration, sadness, anxiety, or even overwhelm were invitations to become more curious instead of more critical?
How might your relationships change if you stopped trying to fix every feeling and simply listened for what it was trying to teach you? And what would it feel like to trust yourself enough to know you can experience difficult emotions without being overwhelmed by them?
This conversation isn't about becoming more emotional. It's about becoming more aware. Because when we learn to understand our emotions instead of fear them, we begin to understand ourselves more deeply, and that's where lasting growth begins.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast - a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
 
In This Episode
In this conversation, Carla and I discuss:
Why emotions are not problems to solve but messengers worth listening to
How many of us were taught to suppress emotions instead of understand them
Why emotional awareness is a skill that can be learned
Simple ways to reconnect with your emotions without feeling overwhelmed
The importance of curiosity over self-judgment
How to tell the difference between resistance and genuine guidance
Why healing isn't a destination but an ongoing process
Building emotional resilience instead of emotional avoidance
Resources Mentioned
She Rises (multi-author book)
Carla Green is the author of Chapter 3: "The Message in the Feeling."
Her chapter also includes a free guided audio to help you begin processing emotions.
Follow Carla Green Coaching on Instagram for more encouragement and emotional wellness resources. @CarlaGreen.Coaching
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss future episodes.
Leave a review—it helps more women discover the show.
Share this episode with a friend who needs the reminder that her emotions aren't something to fear.
Next week on the podcast:
We'll continue our emotions series as we explore Emotional Intelligence—what it really is, why it matters, and practical tools like the Feeling Wheel, Mood Meter, and RULER framework to help you better understand and navigate your emotional life.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And I've got you, mama.

Hey mama,
Have you ever wondered if you'll ever feel like yourself again after a loss? Maybe you're grieving someone you love. Maybe you're grieving a relationship, a dream that didn't come true, a season of life that's ended, or simply the life you thought you'd have. Have you found yourself wondering why it still hurts? Or questioning whether you're grieving the "right" way? Have you felt pressure to move on when your heart simply isn't ready?
If so, I hope this conversation feels like a deep breath.
Today I'm joined by my friend Margo Fordonski, a Certified Master Life Coach, Certified Grief Educator, and bereaved mother who shares one of the most hope-filled perspectives on grief I've ever heard. Together, we talk about why grief isn't something we move on from—it's something we learn to carry. We explore how healing isn't about forgetting or leaving someone behind, but about growing a life that's big enough to hold both grief and joy.
My hope is that you'll walk away knowing there isn't a timeline you have to follow, there isn't a "right" way to grieve, and there is nothing wrong with your heart if it still aches. Joy doesn't erase grief, and grief doesn't eliminate the possibility of joy. They can exist together.
This episode is part of the I've Got You Mama podcast—a show for moms and women who want to care for their whole self, live with intention, and find joy without pressure or burnout.
In This Episode We Talk About:
Why grief isn't linear—and why that's completely normal
The difference between surviving grief and growing through it
How joy and grief can coexist
Why there is no timeline for healing
The powerful "growing around grief" analogy
Creating moments of peace through intentional self-care
Finding meaning after profound loss
Building resilience while honoring the people and dreams you love
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Margo Frodonsky
Website: margofordonski.com
Free Guide: margofordonski.com/freeguide
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margofordonski_lifecoach/
Facebook: facebook.com/margofordonskilifecoach
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/margo-fordonski-033b27a6
Connect + What's Next
If this episode resonated, I'd love for you to:
Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss future episodes.
Share this conversation with a friend who might need this message right now.
Leave a rating or review—it helps more women discover these conversations.
Next week on the podcast: We're continuing our resilience series by exploring emotions and how learning to feel them—rather than fear them—can become one of our greatest sources of resilience.
Whenever you're ready, press play.
I'm really glad you're here.
And I've got you, mama.