Mindful Mama | Inspiration To Thrive Not Just Survive

Hunter talks to Sharon Salzberg about Lovingkindness & Mindfulness for Real Happiness. From an early childhood filled with fear, uncertainty, and trauma, Sharon Salzberg found that the teachings of the Buddha normalized her suffering and gave her a path to liberation. She has followed that path to become one of the most preeminent teachers of mindfulness in the world through her writings, talks, and retreats. In this episode, Sharon shares insights into meditation and lovingkindness practice in her down-to-earth, relatable way that provides true insight. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. The engine for insight is mindfulness 2. Lovingkindness practice is an antidote to fear 3. The core of meditation and lovingkindness practice is to shift how we’re relating to our own experience Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches

Hunter talks to Annaka Harris about Teaching Kids Mindfulness. What does one do when fascinated about the nature of experience itself? If you are my podcast guest, Annaka Harris, you write a children’s book, teach mindfulness to children, and write about this mystery of the universe for adults in her latest book, Conscious. Hear how she began her own mindfulness practice, how it relates to parenting her children, and get a taste of the mystery of consciousness. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Best practices for sharing the power of mindfulness with kids 2. It’s okay to say “I don’t know” to our children and can in fact be beneficial 3. Getting curious about our experience can relieve suffering Annaka Harris is the author of CONSCIOUS. She is the author of the children's book I Wonder, a collaborator on the Mindful Games Activity Cards, by Susan Kaiser Greenland. She is a consultant for science writers and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the Inner Kids organization. Website: annakaharris.c

Girls are socialized to avoid risk and failure, while boys are expected and rewarded for taking risks and being brave. This leads to a world full of women who are paralyzed by perfectionism, unable to take steps outside our comfort zones, tamping down our dreams. In this episode, I talk to Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code and author of Brave Not Perfect, about how to cultivate our bravery. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. We can get confused between things that we’re good at and things we like. 2. Our fears of girls getting hurt can lead them to limit themselves later on. 3. We need to slow down and give kids time to figure things out themselves. Reshma Saujani is the author of the international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect and the New York Times Bestseller Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World. She is the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, the international nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology while teaching girls confidence and bravery throu

Hunter talks to Mary Laura Philpott about From Striving for Perfect to Honestly Authentic. Mary Laura Philpott thought she’d cracked the code: always make the right choice, and you’ll always be happy. But her relentless mom life and to-do list didn’t bring her contentment, it brought anxiety. In this conversation we talk about how holding herself to the “perfect” standard left her struggling and how she, bit-by-bit, moved herself to a place of better balance and authenticity. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. There is no way to parent perfectly. 2. Doing the “right” things according to our culture doesn’t necessarily lead to happiness. 3. Change is always possible. Indeed, it’s the only thing we can count on. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives

Hunter talks about How To Be Present With Your Child. On this podcast, Dr. Dan Siegel said that the #1 best thing that a parent can do for their child is to be present. So what does that mean? And how do we do that? In this solo episode I share four simple steps to practice being present with your child. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Far more than toys or lessons, your child needs YOU with less tension and more ease. 2. Presence soothes your child, helping him feel seen, heard, and accepted. 3. Mindfulness can be practiced in everyday life Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide, and is the creator of the Mindful Parenting course. Downloa

Hunter talks to Anne Cushman about Motherhood as a Spiritual Practice. Parenthood tests us in ways that we never anticipated, making it like a spiritual practice for unprecedented growth and change. Today’s guest, author and meditation teacher Anne Cushman experienced love and loss that deepened her experience of motherhood, teaching her to be fully present for all of it. She tells us that we don’t get to pick and choose what we’re present for. If we want to be present for those precious, joyful moments, we have to take in the difficulties too. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. We never know what is going to happen. Loving someone is an inherently risky thing to do. 2. Spiritual practices ask you to test yourself in extreme situations. 3. Don’t make any assumptions about your child. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coa

Hunter talks to Darcy Lockman about Equality At Home. Do you feel like the drudge work of raising a family and running a household defaults to you—the woman in the relationship? Even though dads are more involved than they used to be, the distribution of labor is far from fair. Darcy Lockman, clinical psychologist and author of All the Rage: mothers, fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership, gives us a comprehensive view of how gender role ideas are hurting mothers' mental health, physical health, sex life, relationships with our partners, and more. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Women do 7 more hours of unpaid work than men per week 2. This adversely affects women’s mental health, physical health, and our relationship with our partner 3. Men often don’t even see how their wives are doing more Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama

Hunter talks to Lisa Hendrickson-Jack about How To Feel Balanced Hormonally. Do you know much about your period and your hormonal cycle? I’ve been learning more recently and… wow! In this episode of the podcast I talk to Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, a Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. In her new book The Fifth Vital Sign, Lisa debunks the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Hormonal birth control has downsides to be aware of 2. Understanding our cycles can help us balance emotionally 3. When is the best time to have sex. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, author of The Fifth Vital Sign, Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conce

Hunter talks to Oren Sofer about My Silent Retreat. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. It takes time for our bodies and minds to “detox” from our distracted lives. 2. We are often doing (checking the phone, checking of the list, eating) to avoid just being with what is. 3. Along with feeling more can come equanimity—the capacity to hold what arises without being thrown of one’s feet. Oren Jay Sofer teaches mindfulness, meditation and Nonviolent Communication in both secular and Buddhist contexts. He’s the author of the book Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, a practical guidebook for having more effective, satisfying conversations. I recently went on my first-ever, seven-day silent Lovingkindness meditation retreat with the Insight Meditation Society. Not only was there no talking (which can be hard for a podcaster!), but also no reading, no writing, and no contact with the outside world for seven days. What was it like? In this special episode Oren Sofer, teacher

Hunter talks to Gail Silver about How To Help Kids Who Worry. When it came time for her friends to arrive at her birthday party, Bea started to worry and the “what if’s” just kept piling up. That’s the basis for the new picture book by Gail Silver, Mindful Bea and the Worry Tree, which helps kids who worry through the power of story and the tools of mindfulness. In our conversation, Gail shares what she wishes she had done when her kids were younger and how to help kids who worry. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. 4.4 million kids in the US have been diagnosed with worrying and anxiety 2. How to help kids who worry 3. Institute mindfulness practices and digital breaks when your kids are young Gail is an award-winning children's book author and freelance writer, Founder and Director of Yoga Child and Founder and Director of The School Mindfulness Project. Website http://www.gailsilver.com Social Media Links https://twitter.com/GailPSilver https://www.facebook.com/AnhsAnger/ https://www.instagram

Hunter talks to Alicia about How To Enforce Rules Mindfully. What do you do when you have a child who is pushing the boundaries? How do you enforce the rules mindfully? This is what I talked about with Alicia, a nurse and mom of three. She says, “We go at it and bump heads. His personality is much different from his older brother who is a rule follower.” Listen as we talk about how to handle her five-year old pushing the boundaries. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. How you talk is just as important as what you say 2. How to respond to yourself when you lose it matters 3. Treat your child as if they are your friend’s kid Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught t

Hunter talks to Cara Bradley about How To Be Fully Alive. Do you remember the last time you felt fully alive? My guest, Cara Bradley, describes this state as, “open, clear, bright, content.” This is, in fact, our natural state just underneath the busyness of our lives. This state of feeling fully alive makes us better parents, workers, and friends—and we can cultivate this in our daily lives. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. It’s important to remember what we felt like as kids 2. Our attention gets duller because we become preoccupied with performing 3. We can design our lives around flow and become more fully alive Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught thous

Hunter talks to Iyanla Vanzant about Mothering Ourselves. What does it mean “to mother?” How do we mother ourselves? In this very special podcast episode, I talk to Iyanla Vanzant, Oprah’s life coach and best-selling author dedicated to the growth and evolution of human consciousness. Iyanla’s name means “great mother,” and in this conversation, we talk about ways that we can access the deeper spiritual nature of what it means to be a mother. Do not miss this episode! Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. To mother is to nourish, nurture, teach, and to beautify 2. Before we can learn to mother ourselves, we must get to “I matter” 3. Accept what comes to you in the day, at night, you can give it back with forgiveness   Iyanla Vanzant is the host and Executive Producer of OWN’s acclaimed and award-winning series, “Iyanla: Fix My Life.” She is one of the country’s most celebrated writers, public speakers, and among the most influential, socially engaged, and acclaimed spiritual life coaches of our tim

Hunter talks to Carla Naumburg about Real World Self-Compassion. Maybe it’s the American narrative around “tough love,” or maybe it’s our authoritarian upbringing, but regardless the source, we are really good at being really hard on ourselves! In this episode, author and parent coach Carla Naumburg and I share the antidote: self-compassion. It’s a kind of love that can be learned, and will help you become a more patient, calmer parent. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Our brains are good at berating ourselves when something goes wrong 2. Harsh inner criticism makes it MORE likely that we’ll repeat the unskillful behavior 3. How to share self-compassion with our kids Find out more about Carla Naumburg - her books, Parenting In the Present Moment and Ready, Set, Breathe, more of her writing, and how to work with her at CarlaNaumburg.com. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS

Hunter talks to Eliza Kingsford about Kids' Healthy Eating & Body Image. A huge number of kids today are hooked on processed foods and it has an impact on their systems and their body image. How does this happen? We’re all overstimulated and suffering from comparison overload. How do we help our children and ourselves deal with the challenges of distorted body image and eating healthfully? Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. We’re not fueling our bodies in a loving and compassionate way. 2. When kids are hooked on hyper-palatable foods, it’s neurologically harder for them to make good decisions. 3. How to give kids autonomy in eating, while helping them pay attention to fullness cues. Our guest today is Eliza Kingsford, a licensed Psychotherapist and founder of Empowered Wellness, a company providing sustainable solutions for creating food freedom and a better body image. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you li

Hunter talks to Mike Domitrz about Let's Talk About Sex. Mike Domitrz is founder and Executive Director of The DATE SAFE Project, the nation’s leading organization for creating healthier dating environments and raising awareness on issues surrounding sexual assault. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Parents are one of the greatest violators of children’s healthy boundaries. 2. What NOT to say when talking to your child about dating. 3. The conversation you most fear is the one you most need to have. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide, and is the creator of the Mindful Parenting course. Download the audio training, Mindfulness For Moms (T

Hunter talks to Jessica Lahey about The Gift of Failure. It feels like we’re under pressure from the world to have everything go as well for our kids as possible. We want them to “succeed,” so we direct them on what to do and how to do …everything! What’s the problem with this? Jessica Lahey, teacher and author of “The Gift of Failure,” explains how this parenting style actually undermines kids success and autonomy. This episode is chock full of tips on how to communicate with our kids and with their teachers! Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Highly directive parenting styles undermine children’s learning 2. Extrinsic motivators (reward and punishment) are “a disaster” 3. Kids should be “owning” their homework Jessica Lahey is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. She teaches high school English and writing in a drug rehab for adolescents. Website: www.jessicalahey.com Social Media Links: http

Hunter talks to Anna Seewald about Help Children Master Their Emotions. Children need to master their emotions. How can we, as parents, create emotional safety for them to express their feelings without fear? How can we listen to their feelings, validate, show empathy and help kids to feel empowered to solve their own problems? Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Coaching our children through dealing with their emotions may be the #1 best way to help them in life. 2. Why detachment and not taking things so personally can change everything 3. Children have 6 basic emotional needs that we need to look out for. Anna Seewald is the founder of Authentic Parenting. She is a speaker, author, podcaster and a parent educator. The Authentic Parenting Conference is a one day event that brings together conscious moms and dads who want to raise emotionally healthy children. It’s on Saturday, May 18, 2019 held at picaresque Rutgers University Inn & Conference Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The main focu

Hunter talks to Lauren Golden about Create Work-Life Balance. It feels like women are being pulled between two polarizing points. First, we’re told to “lean in” and put our all our energy into work to get ahead. Then, we’re guilted for not being the perfect stay-at-home mom with Pinterest-board worthy crafts. Where’s the middle path? In this episode, I talk to Lauren Golden, author and leader of The Free Mama Movement about the elusive work-life balance and what a third path might look like. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Balance: the whole idea isn’t perfection, it’s to not fall over 2. Busy is a choice and we have to take ownership over our choices 3. We can have it all, but we have to stop trying to do it all Lauren Golden, leader of The Free Mama Movement and #1 International Bestselling Author, is on a mission to ensure no mother ever has to choose between family and finances. Check out thefreemamamovement.com for more information. Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving

Hunter talks about How To Reclaim Your Time. Are you in “time poverty”? Chances are, yes. Everywhere I look I see people rushing and stressed. We all want more hours in the day. Sometimes it’s the wealthiest families who have the least time. It’s time to fight back against the culture of “busy.” In this episode I give you 8 tips for reclaiming your time and your life. Some big takeaways from this episode include: 1. Women have far less leisure time than men, and it affects our lives for the worse 2. Saying “No” means say “yes” to more ease, less stress 3. We can make our time our most valuable resource Fan of the Mindful Mama Podcast? Support it by leaving a quick review -----> Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher (or wherever you listen!) ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches overstressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide, and is the cr