There’s a habit I see over and over again, and it quietly robs people of their joy.

It sounds simple. We say things like, “I’m overwhelmed,” “I’m sad,” or “I’m frustrated.” And while those feelings may be true, when we label ourselves as one thing, we leave very little room for anything else to exist. We collapse into the emotion, and it can start to feel all-consuming, heavy, and hard to move.

But the truth is… you are never just one feeling.
You are dynamic. Layered. A whole experience made up of many parts.

There’s a simple shift that can change everything. Instead of saying, “I’m frustrated,” try, “Part of me feels frustrated.” Instead of “I feel undervalued,” try, “Part of me feels undervalued.” It may seem small, but it creates space. You’re no longer inside the feeling—you’re holding it.

I saw this play out in real time this morning. I was on the phone with my sister as she shared a situation with her boss. She felt frustrated and undervalued, and everything she said was valid. But you could feel how heavy it was becoming, like the emotion was taking over.

So I gently invited her to shift the language: “What if part of you feels frustrated… and part of you feels undervalued?”

She paused—and something changed.

The intensity softened. The conversation opened. Suddenly there was room for other truths. She found herself saying, “Part of me knows my manager is under pressure,” and “Part of me has appreciated her flexibility in the past.” Nothing was solved, but everything felt lighter. She wasn’t stuck anymore. She had space.

And that’s why this matters.

When we collapse into one feeling, we close.
And when we close, we cut ourselves off from joy.

Joy lives in the opening.
Not because everything is perfect—but because we’ve made space for more than one truth to exist.

This is a practice. A simple one. But powerful.

Below, I’ve included a short guided meditation and the Open Parts Practice PDF to help you build this habit in your daily life. These tools are here to support you in those moments when emotions feel overwhelming—so you can begin to hold them, instead of being held by them.

Because the goal isn’t to get rid of your feelings.
It’s to create enough space to move with them.

And that’s where joy begins.

In JOY…

Read more

When Your Mind Won’t Let You Breathe

There are moments when my mind feels like it has me in a chokehold.

This week was one of them.

Not just a little worry or overthinking, but that full-body, can’t-catch-your-breath kind of spiral where everything piles on at once. Finances, love, my life path. Every thought leading to another problem, another fear, another what if.

It felt like standing in front of a wall with no door.

I couldn’t see a way forward. I couldn’t feel possibility. And the harder I tried to think my way out, the deeper I went in. Everything started to feel heavy, as if my entire life were pressing down on me at once.

What I remembered, in the middle of it, is something we so easily forget when we’re in that state.

We lose access to clarity.

Not because the answers aren’t there, but because the version of us that can see them isn’t available when we’re caught in the spiral.

Overthinking tells us to keep going, to push harder, to figure it out.

But spiraling doesn’t lead to solutions. It just leads to more spiraling.

At some point this week, I caught myself. Not perfectly, but enough.

Enough to remember that you cannot receive clarity from chaos. You cannot access possibility from panic. You cannot find your way forward from the version of you that feels completely out of control.

That version of you doesn’t need answers.

She needs space. She needs to remember to breathe.

And sometimes, that’s where everything begins to shift.

This Week on the Podcast: Owning Aging after 45 with QueenAger Arielle Ford

Have you listened to this week’s podcast yet? This conversation might completely shift how you see this stage of your life.

We sat down with New York Times best selling author, Arielle Ford to talk about her concept of the “Queen Ager,” a woman over 45 who lives with freedom, curiosity, and a sense of adventure, but with the wisdom she has earned along the way.

What makes this episode so powerful is that it is not really about aging. It is about how you choose to feel in your life right now. Arielle shares how she stopped chasing happiness and started choosing something deeper, a sense of contentment that is not dependent on circumstances but available in any moment.

We also explore how curiosity fuels joy, why focusing on how you want to feel can change everything, and simple ways to come back to yourself when life pulls you off-center.

It is honest, insightful, and surprisingly freeing.

If you have been feeling stuck or questioning what is next, this is one to listen to.

The Joy Jolt

Live with The Joy Jolt: Featuring bestselling author Arielle Ford

Listen now

6 days ago · The Joy Jolt, Natalie Ledwell, and Arielle Ford

For Our Paid Subscribers: Inside Arielle’s Spiritual Toolbox

If you loved this week’s episode, the deeper conversation with Arielle Ford is where things get really personal and practical.

This is where Arielle opens up her spiritual toolkit and walks us through the exact practices she uses to stay grounded, open, and connected to love in her everyday life. From her powerful morning “love and gratitude” ritual to the simple ways she resets when she’s triggered, this is the part of the conversation where you’re not just inspired, you’re shown how.

We talk about what it actually looks like to be love, not just talk about it. How to handle difficult people without draining your energy. And one surprisingly effective exercise that will shift you out of self-criticism and back into self-compassion in minutes.

It is honest, a little unexpected, and incredibly useful.

If you’re ready to go deeper and start integrating this work into your own life, this conversation is waiting for you inside the paid community.

Come join us.

Subscribe now

The last time my ex and I broke up, I remember feeling a kind of clarity that almost surprised me.

I was angry. Clear. Certain.

I could see all the ways things weren’t working, and instead of questioning myself, I felt free. Even relieved. Being on my own felt grounding. Solid.

But this time is different.

This time, I feel everything.

I miss him more than I expected. Not in a dramatic way but in a quiet, steady ache that shows up in small moments. And what makes it harder is that I understand more now.

I can see clearly why things do not work between us. Not because either of us is wrong, but because there are pieces that simply do not fit.

There is no villain this time.

And without anger to hold onto, I have found myself in a place that feels unfamiliar and, if I am honest, unsettling.

At this moment, I do not feel like myself.

When You Feel Off, Start Here

If you are in this space too, where something feels off but you cannot quite name it, you do not need a full life overhaul.

You need small, grounding ways to reconnect.

And one of the most powerful things I have been using lately is a simple visualization that brings me back to myself when I feel scattered or untethered. Here is that visualization, along with four other surprisingly easy methods, regardless of how out of sorts you feel.

1. Do a body check-in before you do anything else

Before you analyze, fix, or spiral, pause.

Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach, and ask yourself

What do I feel in my body right now?

Not your thoughts. Your body.

Tight chest. Heavy shoulders. Restlessness. Numbness.

Then do one small thing to respond to that

Tight means take five slow breaths
Heavy means go for a ten-minute walk
Restless means shake your body out or stretch
Numb means take a warm shower or step outside barefoot

This pulls you out of your head and back into yourself quickly.

2. Recreate one tiny part of your old routine

When you do not feel like yourself, it is often because your normal rhythms have been disrupted.

Instead of trying to rebuild your whole life, bring back one familiar thing.

Something simple like your morning coffee ritual, a playlist you used to love, a weekly walk, or five minutes of journaling.

When you do this one thing, drop deeply into the moment. Notice what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell in that moment because that’s bringing you back to yourself.

You are not trying to go backwards. You are reminding your nervous system that you are still here.

Your joy matters.
Join the Joy Jolt community, go deeper into this conversation, and enjoy our free audio visualization to help you feel good right here, right now.

Read more

Like so many people, there is a part of my life that still holds a deep ache.

For me, it is my father. We are not speaking.

And even saying that carries weight. It brings up feelings of abandonment, loss, and disappointment that don’t just sit on the surface. They live deeper than that. This is what people call the father wound, and it is very real.

But this is not just my story.

You may share this wound. Or yours may look different. A mother wound. A betrayal. A loss. A moment that changed you. A season of your life that left a mark.

Whatever it is, you have felt it.

Because no one gets through this life untouched.

We all carry something.

I have spent years working on mine. Exploring it from different angles, through different modalities, with a real desire to understand it, to process it, to heal. And that work has mattered. It has helped me see more clearly. It has softened parts of me that once felt completely shut down.

But somewhere along the way, I started to notice something.

We talk a lot about trauma.

We talk about how much of it there is. We talk about how it shapes us. We talk about all the ways to heal it. Therapy. Somatic work. Breathwork. Spiritual practices. So many paths, all pointing toward healing.

But what we don’t talk about enough is this:

What is the point?

Why are we doing all of this work to heal our wounds?

The Answer I Keep Coming Back To

For me, it has become very simple.

Joy.

Not surface-level happiness. Not pretending things are fine when they are not. I mean the kind of joy that lives in your body. The kind that feels like ease. Like openness. Like being able to laugh without something inside you tightening at the same time.

There were moments, even after doing years of healing work, where I realized I was still carrying my pain as a kind of identity.

I knew my story. I could explain it. I could feel it.

But I wasn’t always letting myself move beyond it.

And that is where something shifted.

I began to understand that healing is not the destination.

It is the doorway.

The point of doing this work is not to become someone who has no wounds. The point is to become someone who is no longer defined by them. Someone who can still feel the tenderness of what happened and also allow and invite joy into your imperfect life fully, without holding back.

My relationship with my father is still what it is. That part has not magically resolved.

But my relationship with myself is changing.

I am learning how to hold both the sadness and the own that I am and desire to be a joy feeling being at the same time. I do not need my sadness to be anything different I just need to know it is there but it is not all that is there.

And that has been powerful.

Because it means my life does not stop at what hurt me.

It means I get to keep living. I get to keep choosing. I get to keep opening.

It means joy is oh so available to me. Just Open Yourself to the better feeling!!!

Don’t Get Stuck in Healing

This is something I see often, and I have lived it too.

We begin the work. We face the pain. We process, we understand, we uncover.

And then we stay there.

We stay in healing.

And I think part of the reason is that we have not clearly defined where we are going.

Healing is not the end point.

Joy is.

Healing is what allows you to access it.

So How Do You Move From Trauma Into Joy?

There are simple ways to begin shifting out of being defined by your pain and into being someone who can experience joy again.

Not perfectly. Not all at once.

But consistently.

Below are four patterns that have supported me deeply in that process and I know that they will provide you with relief and a new way of thinking about how to use your trauma as a doorway to living a life filled with more joy.

🔒 Paid Section: Continue reading to access the 4 practices that support healing and help you step into the experience of healing trauma and embodying joy.

Subscribe now

Read more

This past week, I turned 51.

And I spent my birthday doing something I truly love. I was speaking at a board retreat, leading a team through communication and connection. I love my work. Being in a room with people, helping them come together, helping them lead better. It fills me up. It gives me joy.

What made the trip even more meaningful was that my sister lives nearby, so I got to mix business with something personal. Time with her.

And we needed it.

My sister is going through a really difficult time. She is in the middle of a divorce, but it is not unfolding in a steady or supported way. It is hurtful. He just walked out, moved in with another woman and has left everything for her to carry. Zero support as she is managing…

The kids.
The house.
The mortgage.
The bills.
All of it.

And to make it even harder, towards the end of their marriage she put all the refinance money from thier home into his account and has not seen a single penny.

She is exhausted. Spiritually, financially, emotionally, physically.

As I sat with her, I had this deep awareness. There are so many people standing right where she is. In the middle of a life that feels overwhelming. Heavy. Like there is no clear way out.

After my speaking day, we drove back to her house. I could feel it immediately.

The weight.

Papers everywhere. Laundry. Toys. Books. Piles of things that had nowhere to go. It was not just clutter. It was everything she was holding showing up around her.

So I made a decision.

I spent my birthday and the three days after cleaning.

Sorting. Clearing. Throwing away. Donating.

Not to fix her life. But to create space.

Because sometimes the first step back to yourself is simply being able to breathe.

Our external world often mirrors our internal world. And when everything inside feels full, the outside starts to reflect that.

So if you are looking for a little more joy, start small.

Clean out one drawer.
Fill one bag to donate.

Joy literally means to Just Open Yourself.

At first, it felt overwhelming. Going through closets and drawers that had not been touched in years. Checking expiration dates on things that had quietly taken up space.

But then something shifted.

There was movement. Energy. Momentum.

Letting go created something new.

I saw it again when I worked with my nephew.

At first, he resisted. Completely. His room felt overwhelming. Clothes and clutter everywhere. Drawers that did not work. Shelves packed.

We started simple. We fixed his dresser so it could actually be used. We cleared the piles. We sorted what stayed, what went, and what mattered.

We created a small box for sentimental things so they were honored but not taking over his space.

And then everything changed.

His resistance turned into pride.

He organized his hockey trophies in a way that reflected who he is. He kept going. Cleaning out drawers. Taking ownership of his space.

That shift from overwhelm to pride was powerful to watch.

My sister’s life is still full. It is still hard. But now she has a bit more space and it feels life giving.

A little more room to breathe.
A little more light.

And that matters.

What I saw over those three days became very clear to me.

There is a simple way to begin again, even when life feels overwhelming.

You do not need to fix everything.

You just need to create a little space.

So here is my invitation to you.

Do one small thing today.

Open one drawer.
Clear one surface.
Fill one bag.

Do not overthink it. Do not try to organize your whole life.

Just begin.

Because when you create even a little space, something shifts.

You feel a bit lighter.
You feel a bit more in control.
You feel a small return of energy.

And that is the beginning.

That is your Joy Jolt.

I cannot give my sister joy.

And no one can give it to you either.

Joy is something you generate. Something you allow.

But what we can do is create openings.

Moments where you can take a deeper breath.
Moments where things feel just a little bit lighter.
Moments where you can see your life in a new way.

So if things feel heavy right now, do not try to solve it all.

Just open one small space.

And see what opens in you.

Share

Female Friendship Over 50

I feel so deeply grateful for my girlfriends.

Even in my relationship, my ex understood how important those friendships were. I never had to shrink or sacrifice that part of my life. And now, with more time, I get to lean into them even more. What a gift.

What’s surprised me most is how much richer, deeper, and more sustaining these friendships feel now.

In my 20s and 30s, I didn’t spend much time thinking about how I was showing up as a friend. I focused more on how others showed up for me. If I’m honest, I was tough. My standards were high, and not many people could meet them, which meant I didn’t have many truly close friendships.

Now I understand why.

That version of me was protecting herself. A quiet defense mechanism shaped by early loss, trying to avoid betrayal and protect against abandonment.

These days, everything has shifted.

I think less about what I’m getting and more about how I’m showing up. I pay attention to what my friends need in different seasons. I’m there when it matters. I don’t keep score. I don’t take things personally.

Because of that, my friendships have become something extraordinary.

My girlfriends are my soul family. They bring technicolor to my life. They are joy, laughter, truth, and deep support all wrapped into one.

And one of the brightest lights in that circle is Susan Patrick.

Together, we are committed to spreading that same joy outward, creating ripples that reach far beyond us.

If you’re craving deeper connection, more laughter, and more realness, subscribe and come play with us here at The Joy Jolt.

Subscribe now

This Week on the Podcast: Joy, Astrology + Taking Your Power Back with Rachel Lang

What if joy wasn’t something you had to chase… but something already written into you?

In this week’s conversation, Rachel Lang opens up a whole new way of thinking about joy, power, and possibility. We dive into how astrology isn’t just about predicting the future, but about understanding yourself on a deeper level and reclaiming your ability to feel good, even in uncertain times.

Rachel shares that joy is not random. It’s actually mapped in your chart, with specific planetary placements like Jupiter and Venus showing you exactly how to access more of it in your life. And here’s the real mic-drop moment: your ability to feel joy is directly connected to your power.

We also explore how past wounds, especially those rooted in childhood, can block joy and how those same pain points can become your greatest source of purpose and contribution. It’s not about bypassing the hard stuff. It’s about transforming it.

This episode is equal parts grounding and expansive. If you’ve been feeling the weight of the world lately or questioning how to stay uplifted amid chaos, this conversation will remind you that joy is not frivolous. It’s essential. It’s powerful. And it’s yours to choose.

Tune in and discover how to work with the energy around you so you can create a life that actually feels good.

The Joy Jolt

Live with The Joy Jolt: Enjoy with Astrologer Rachel Lang

Listen now

14 days ago · 2 likes · The Joy Jolt, Natalie Ledwell, and Rachel Lang

For Our Paid Subscribers: The Conversation Gets Real

If you thought the main episode was powerful, the deeper conversation is where things really open up.

Behind the scenes, we go beyond the surface and ask the question everyone is quietly wondering right now: what is actually going on in the world, energetically and astrologically, and how do we stay grounded in it?

Rachel Lang breaks down the major planetary shifts shaping this moment, from long-term cycles that only happen every few decades to the very real intensity building this year. We talk about global changes, personal turning points, and why this moment is not random. It is a reset.

But here’s the part that makes this conversation essential.

This is not about fear. It’s about power.

You’ll hear why the choices you make right now could ripple out for decades, why this is the time to start the thing you’ve been putting off, and how to build what we call your “emotional joy bunker” so you can stay steady, no matter what’s happening around you.

It’s honest. It’s expansive. And it might just change the way you see everything unfolding right now. If you’re ready for the deeper layer, this is your invitation to step inside.

Upgrade and join us.

The Joy Jolt

Deeper into Joy with Astrologer Rachel Lang: Live with The Joy Jolt

Listen now

14 days ago · 1 like · The Joy Jolt, Natalie Ledwell, and Rachel Lang

Share the Joy Jolt with a friend

JOY = Just Open Yourself

Is there someone in your life who could use a little more joy? Give them a jolt and share The Joy Jolt community with them today.

Share The Joy Jolt

Read more

What Loneliness Almost Made Me Do

I haven’t felt this in a long time… loneliness.

And I know I’m not the only one. So many midlife women feel lonely, even when life looks full on the outside. It’s one of the most searched questions right now, and this week, I understood why on a whole new level.

A few weeks ago, I made a big decision to end a six-year relationship. The kind of decision that doesn’t just change your heart, it rearranges your entire life. We had been living together, and I had rented out my condo, fully believing this next chapter would work.

It didn’t.

So for the past few weeks, I’ve been moving between the homes of generous friends, piecing together a new rhythm. Bella and I finally return home on Friday, and I can feel a sense of grounding coming back.

But then… my ex reached out.

And suddenly, everything stirred again.

Because here’s the truth I think many midlife women quietly carry: you can know something isn’t right for you, and still feel the ache of missing it. Our relationship was 95% good. But that 5%? It mattered. It was a dealbreaker.

Still, the loneliness crept in this week, making me question myself.

That’s the tricky part about loneliness in midlife. It doesn’t just feel like being alone; it can blur your clarity, soften your boundaries, and tempt you to return to what’s familiar rather than what’s right.

So I made a choice.

I didn’t stay in that space for long.

I leaned into the things that bring me back to myself. Exercise. Gratitude walks. Long conversations with girlfriends who reflect the truth back to me when I forget it.

And of course, pouring my energy into this space with Susie.

Because this is exactly why online communities for midlife women matter. We need places where we can be real, where we can wobble without falling apart, where we’re reminded of who we are when life feels uncertain.

If you’ve been feeling lonely lately, you’re not alone in that. Not even close.

And I’m so grateful you’re here with us, part of this growing Joy Jolt community, where we keep choosing joy together, even in the messy, in-between moments.

Joy Jolt Podcast Highlights

Have you heard last week’s podcast yet?

In this episode of The Joy Jolt, we are joined by Kristine Carlson, and we get real about what it actually looks like to navigate big life changes while you’re in the middle of them. Not after you’ve figured it all out. Not when everything is neatly wrapped up. But right in the messy, uncertain, “what am I doing with my life?” phase.

If you’re going through a breakup, a reinvention, or just feeling like life is shifting in ways you didn’t expect, this conversation will hit home.

We talk about the “jolts” we all experience. The moments that shake your world, your identity, your routines. And more importantly, how those jolts can become the exact thing that brings you back to yourself. You’ll hear honest insights on dealing with loneliness, sitting with uncomfortable emotions instead of numbing them, and finding your way back to joy in simple, everyday moments.

There’s also a refreshingly real conversation about relationships, communication, and learning how to share your space and your life without losing yourself in the process.

If you’ve been feeling a little off, a little lost, or like you’re in between chapters, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone and that there is a way back to joy, even from here.

Go give it a listen.

The Joy Jolt

Live with Kristine Carlson & The Joy Jolt

Listen now

a month ago · 4 likes · 2 comments · The Joy Jolt, Kristine Carlson, and Natalie Ledwell

Have you stepped into this week’s Deeper Conversation yet?

This one is different.

In our private episode with Kristine Carlson, we go beyond the surface and into something most women quietly carry - grief, fear, self-doubt, and the moment life asks you to become someone you’re not sure you’re ready to be.

She shares what it actually felt like to lose her husband overnight, to sit in the rawness of it, and then to slowly rise. Not by having it all together, but by saying yes anyway. Yes to fear. Yes to the unknown. Yes to life again.

And here’s the part that might stay with you…

There’s a moment where she reveals that when you fully feel what’s inside you instead of numbing it, something unexpected waits on the other side. Not just relief, but a kind of peace and aliveness that’s even deeper than joy.

This is the kind of conversation we create just for our Jolters.

Because it’s not just content. It’s transformation.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, wobbly, or quietly wondering, “Can I really do this?”… this episode will meet you there.

Come join us inside.

The Joy Jolt

The Joy Jolt: Deeper Conversation with Kristine Carlson

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app…

Listen now

a month ago · 2 likes · The Joy Jolt, Natalie Ledwell, and Kristine Carlson

What’s coming up next week

Join us LIVE this Tuesday at 10 am PST with Rachel Lang.

Rachel is an astrologer, transformational consultant, author, speaker, and policy advocate, and we’re diving into the question many of us have been quietly asking… what on earth is going on right now?

We’ll explore the current astrological landscape, what it might mean for you, and how to stay grounded and intentional no matter what the world throws your way.

Bring your curiosity. This is going to be a powerful conversation.

Share the Joy Jolt with a friend

JOY = Just Open Yourself

If this message spoke to you, pass it on.
Let’s keep opening… together.

Share

Share

No one told me that parenting, at its core, is a never-ending practice that requires you to learn how to let go. And if you learn how to let go well, you will experience more joy along the way.

Making peace with that inevitability is what allows me to own my joy in this process.

Now, before we go any further, letting go becomes easier when I anchor myself in this truth: out of the countless things I will inevitably have to let go of, there is one thing I never will. No matter what changes, no matter how life unfolds, I will always be their mother.

At the beginning, I had to let go of the idea of myself as a single person responsible only for me. Then I had to step aside and trust my body to do something extraordinary and grow a human. And just when I got used to holding every part of my baby inside of me, I had to let go.

She arrived as a whole human being, never mine to keep, only mine to love and gradually release.

In those early days, I didn’t think about parenting as letting go because those first months are all-consuming. Feeding around the clock, no sleep, no space. I was her everything. Until one day, she unlatched. She didn’t need me in the same way anymore, and that was the moment I began to realize that letting go was going to become my greatest practice.

I let go of breastfeeding. I let go of the second nap, which had felt like a lifeline at the time. I let go of the rhythms that once made life manageable. And then, I let go of naps altogether. Suddenly, she was awake, fully alive, curious, and growing. I loved carrying her against my body, but soon she needed me to let go and simply hold her hand as she learned to walk. And then, I had to let go of that too.

From that moment on, I found myself following behind, close enough to catch her, but far enough to let her try. That is the quiet shift of parenting. You move from holding, to hovering, to witnessing.

Some things you are happy to let go of, like diapers, midnight wake-ups, and preparing every single meal. But later, you realize even those moments held something sacred. And then comes another letting go, the ache of wishing you could go back, even for a moment. But you cannot, so you let go of that too and return to now, because parenting does not pause.

I had to let go of being her whole world the day she walked into preschool. I had to let go of controlling her environment as she began forming her own relationships. I had to let go when she said, “I do it, I self,” and learn to step back and I had to let go and watch.

There was a sweet stretch between eight and ten where everything felt lighter. We were connected, playful, and easy together. I was still cool, still safe, still wanted. Not needed, but deeply loved.

And I had to let go of that, it shifted again. I had to let go of being the center of her world. I had to let go of certainty, of confidence, of believing I knew what she needed. At twelve, parenting became something entirely new, humbling, uncertain, and deeply confronting. I had to let go of control over her schedule and learn to make space for her voice. I had to let go of being in charge and learn the skill of negotiation. I had to let go of being liked, and that one was hard.

I had to let go of ease and accept that this was the new terrain. I had to let go of my own past, my fears and patterns, and stop letting them shape how I showed up with her. I had to learn her, not parent from memory. And now, here we are at sixteen. It feels like we are finding a kind of rhythm again. Not the same as before, but something new. Something quieter and more spacious. She looks at me differently now, softer in moments, still distant at times, and I am still letting go.

I am letting go of the relationship I wish we had so I can fully be present to the one we actually have. I am letting go of wanting it to be easy. I am letting go of the waves of fear, frustration, and uncertainty that still rise. Because this stage is different. The reins are loosening, but neither of us is fully ready to release them. She is reaching toward independence, and I am learning how not to grip too tightly. Somewhere in that tension, we are both growing.

As I look ahead, I know there will always be more to let go of. Parenting is not about holding on. It is about loving deeply enough to release, again and again. Every time I loosen my grip, I am not giving something up. I am giving something forward. A steadiness. A sense of being loved. A quiet knowing that she is supported, even when I am not right beside her.

Parenting asks us to stretch our hearts in ways nothing else does. Not so we can hold tighter, but so we can open wider. So our children can carry that love with them as they step into their own lives. And this is where joy lives. Not in control, not in everything going the way we think it should, but in the opening.

Owning your joy in parenting is not about everything feeling good. It is about choosing to stay open. Open to who they are becoming. Open to who you are becoming alongside them. Open to the discomfort, the beauty, the uncertainty, and the growth.

JOY means Just Open Yourself.

Open your heart even when it feels easier to close. Open your hands even when you want to hold on. Open yourself to the reality of what is, instead of the pull of what was or what you wish it could be.

Because the real work is not just letting go. It is letting go with an open heart. And trusting that in that openness, for you and for them, there is more than enough.

Share

Get more from The Joy Jolt in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Read more

Subscribe now

When was the last time you were truly alone without noise? No TV playing in the background, no podcast in your ears, no scrolling or reading something just to fill the space. Just you, in silence.

For most people, that moment is rare. And if we are honest, it can even feel uncomfortable.

Somewhere along the way, we replaced stillness with constant input. We fill our mornings with content, our walks with audio, and our quiet moments with distraction. It feels productive. It feels like we are learning or staying informed. But what it is actually doing is drowning out the one voice we most need to hear, our own.

The reason you feel disconnected is not that you have lost yourself. It is because you cannot hear yourself.

We live in a world that is always talking at us. News, social media, endless opinions, and constant stimulation. Even when we are alone, we are rarely in silence. And without silence, there is no space. Without space, there is no connection.

Beneath all of that noise, there is a part of you that is always present. It is the observer of your thoughts, the calm awareness behind the mental chatter, the part of you that knows what feels true. Some people call it intuition. Some call it inner guidance. Some feel it as a connection to something greater. Whatever you call it, it is the truest version of who you are.

But you can only access it in stillness.

When you first begin to remove the noise, it may feel like the opposite of peaceful. Your mind might race. Thoughts may come flooding in. You might feel restless or distracted. Most people assume this means they are doing something wrong.

In reality, it means you are finally hearing what has been there all along.

If you stay with it, something begins to shift. The thoughts slow down. The intensity softens. And underneath it all, there is clarity. There is a sense of grounded awareness that feels steady and real.

This is where reconnection begins.

When you give yourself even a small amount of quiet time each day, you start to notice changes. You become more aware of your thoughts instead of being run by them. You begin to see your patterns more clearly. You feel less reactive and more intentional. You start to trust yourself again.

And perhaps most importantly, you begin to feel like yourself.

This does not require a complicated practice or hours of meditation. It can be simple. Ten to twenty minutes a day is enough to begin.

Sit, walk, or lie down. Do not play music. Do not listen to a guided meditation. Just be with your breath. Let your attention rest on the natural rhythm of breathing in and out. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back without judgment.

The goal is not to empty your mind or do it perfectly. The goal is to create space.

This is your daily reset. A moment where you step out of the noise and come back to yourself.

Because the disconnection you feel is not permanent. It is simply the result of too much input and not enough presence. And the moment you create space, even for a few minutes, you reconnect.

You begin to come home to yourself.

Just Open Yourself. It is within your joy where everything shifts.

Share

There’s a particular kind of heaviness that’s hard to explain. It’s not just your schedule or everything you personally have going on. It’s the world. The noise, the urgency, the constant stream of information telling you what matters, what’s wrong, and what to worry about next. It creates this subtle pressure to stay plugged in, to stay aware, to stay engaged. And most of us are absorbing it before we even get out of bed.

I didn’t fully realize how much this was affecting me until something quietly shifted.

Since spending more time here on Substack, I’ve noticed something unexpected. I’m spending less time on other social platforms. Not because I made a rule or tried to be more disciplined. It just happened naturally.

I don’t watch the news anymore, and I don’t even have a news app on my phone. What surprised me most is that I don’t feel disconnected. I actually feel better. Lighter. Clearer.

Because what I used to think of as staying informed was often just consuming someone else’s version of the world. Social media isn’t the news. It’s commentary. It’s emotion. It’s someone’s limited perspective, amplified over and over again. And my nervous system reacted to all of it as if it were urgent and personal.

I used to tell myself I was only going on social media for ten minutes. But it was always the first ten minutes of my day. Before I checked in with myself, before I chose how I wanted to feel, before I had a single original thought, I was already in someone else’s world.

That’s not a small habit. That’s a pattern.

Now something different is happening. I don’t always reach for my phone first thing. And when I do, I go somewhere that feels different. I open Substack.

Instead of being pulled into noise, I’m met with thoughtful reflections from real people. Honest experiences. Slower, more human conversations. And it feels grounding. Like I’ve stepped out of the chaos and into something real. More importantly, something that brings me back to myself.

That’s when it clicked. This is what a Joy Jolt is.

It’s not a big, dramatic life overhaul. It’s a pattern interrupt. A moment where you wake up from the constant pull of everything outside of you and come back to your center.

Because so many platforms are designed to keep you slightly off balance. Scrolling, reacting, comparing, consuming. A Joy Jolt breaks that pattern. It brings you back to your breath, your body, your own energy, your own perspective. It brings you back to joy.

If life feels heavy right now, you don’t need to fix everything. You don’t need a complete reset of your life. You just need a small one.

Start here. Before you reach for the world, come back to yourself.

That might look like sitting with your coffee for a minute and actually tasting it. It might be taking a breath before opening your phone. It could be choosing to read something that expands you, rather than something that tightens your chest. It could be noticing the urge to scroll and pausing instead of automatically following it.

These are small shifts, but they’re powerful. Because your attention is your energy. And where you place it, especially at the start of your day, shapes how you feel for the rest of it.

There’s something else I’ve realized through all of this. You don’t need to carry the weight of the world to be a good, aware, caring person. You don’t need to flood your mind with noise to prove that you’re paying attention. And you definitely don’t need to start your day feeling overwhelmed before it’s even begun.

You’re allowed to feel good. You’re allowed to protect your energy. You’re allowed to choose joy on purpose.

That’s what J.O.Y means to us. Just Open Yourself.

Not force. Not push. Not perform. Just open. Even slightly.

Because sometimes that’s all it takes to shift everything. A pause. A breath. A different choice. A small interruption in the pattern.

A Joy Jolt.

And suddenly, life doesn’t feel quite so heavy anymore.

Because it’s not just your life that feels heavy right now.
It’s everything.

The noise.
The pressure.
The headlines.
The expectations.
The constant pull on your attention, your energy, your nervous system.

And somewhere inside all of that…
you can feel yourself getting a little lost.

Not gone.
Not broken.
Just buried under the weight of it all.

This is your way back.

The Joy Jolt exists to help you reconnect to the one part of you the world can’t take away: your joy.

Not the forced, “everything is fine” kind.
The real kind.

The part of you that is still there underneath the noise.
The part of you that feels open, alive, grounded, and like yourself again.

Because we can’t control what’s happening out there…
but we can change how we experience it.

What we believe

The world creates pressure.
We create expansion.

You don’t need fixing.
You need reconnection.

And joy isn’t something you find out there.
It’s something you come back to again and again.

What you’ll experience here

We talk about the real things: the heaviness, the overwhelm, the “why do I feel like this when my life looks good?” moments.

But we don’t leave you there.

Every conversation, every post, every experience is designed to shift something inside you.

To help you:

• Regulate your nervous system

• Feel more empowered in your life

• Reconnect to yourself and other women

• and ultimately transform how you show up in the world

This is The Joy Jolt.

A return to:
Regulate • Empower • Connect • Transform

How to step into The Joy Jolt

Free
Start here.
Weekly podcast episodes and reflections to help you reset, shift your energy, and reconnect.

Paid $8/month or $80/year
Go deeper.
Everything in Free, plus:

• Subscriber-only posts

• Weekly live conversations

• Commenting + community chat access

• Deeper work around regulating, empowering, connecting, and transforming

Community - Founding Premium Membership
This is where the real shift happens.

Everything in Paid, plus:

• Live group coaching and hot seats

• Monthly women’s circles

• Direct access to us and each other

• A space to be seen, supported, and challenged

• Priority access + preferred pricing for retreats and experiences

This isn’t just content.
It’s connection.

The kind that actually changes how you feel and how you live.

Subscribe now

Our promise

We’re not here to fix your life.

We’re here to help you feel better inside it.

To remind you of the part of you that’s still there, steady, alive, and untouched by all the noise.

To give you a way to come back to yourself… again and again.

If you’ve been feeling the weight of it all…

This is your jolt.
This is your reset.
This is your way back.

Join us!

Most people think joy comes from what’s happening in their life.

It doesn’t.

Joy comes from the context you bring to your life.

So let’s define that.

Context is the energy you bring into any situation.
It’s the feeling underneath your experience.
It’s how life feels to you, moment to moment.

And whether you realize it or not…
you are interacting with context all day long.

But most people don’t think about it.

Because they’re focused on content.

What he said.
What she did.
That text. That meeting. That tone. That moment.

We get consumed by the events of our lives…
instead of paying attention to the energy we are bringing to those events.

But here’s the truth:

It’s not the content of your life that determines your experience.
It’s the context you bring to it.

The Moment That Stopped Me This Morning

My 14-year-old son reminded me of this today.

One of his best friend’s dads can be… hard.
Not always kind. Says things that could easily be taken the wrong way.

As a mom, I immediately went into protection mode.
“I’m going to say something to him.”

And my son said,
“No mom… I’m choosing not to hear him as mean.”

“I’m not going to let him rob me of my joy… because he didn’t give it to me.”

Pause.

Let that land.

That Is Ownership

In that moment, my son showed me something powerful:

You get to choose the context you live in.

That dad may be operating from stress, pain, or frustration.
(He’s going through a difficult divorce and major life changes.)

But my son understood something most adults forget:

• Someone else’s energy does not have to become your energy.

• Someone else’s context does not have to define yours.

He chose joy.
Not because of what was happening…
but in spite of it.

Where We Give Our Joy Away

If you’re waiting for people to:

• Speak kindly

• Respond the “right” way

• Treat you fairly

• See you, validate you, appreciate you

before you allow yourself to feel good…

You are giving your power away.

You are making your joy conditional.

And that means… it’s fragile.

I saw this in myself today.

As someone who cares deeply about others, I can overextend.
I can give… and then quietly expect something back.

And when I don’t get it?

I feel hurt.

But that’s not care.
That’s misplaced ownership of my own energy.

I wasn’t caring for myself.
I was leaking my energy… and calling it love.

The Shift: Joy as a Context

What my son reminded me is simple… and not always easy:

Joy is not something you get from life.
It’s something you bring to life.

You have to choose it.
Hold it.
Protect it.

Because no one else owns it.

A Simple Model for Owning Your Joy

If you want more joy in your life, start here:

1. Define Your Context

Ask yourself:
My context is: I am a loving, powerful, abundant woman.

Just 3 words. Define your context. Simply pick 3 worlds that define what you want to think or feel.

Joyful, Happy, Peaceful, Committed, Strong, Fun, Loving, Hungry, Bold, Awesome….

Choose it intentionally.

2. Notice the Content

When something happens
a comment, a tone, a moment

Pause and ask:
Am I reacting to the content… or choosing my context?

3. Separate the Two

Remind yourself:

This is what’s happening (content)
This is how I choose to feel about it (context)

Remind yourself who you are: “I am a loving, powerful, abundant woman.

They are not the same.

4. Reclaim Ownership

Say it clearly:

No one gets to rob me of my joy… because they didn’t give it to me.

5. Practice (This Is the Work)

This isn’t one decision.
It’s a daily practice.

Moment by moment.
Conversation by conversation.

Choosing your energy… again and again.

My Joy Jolt Today

I got a Joy Jolt this morning.

From my 14-year-old son.

A reminder that I am the owner, creator, and protector of my joy.

And that if I want more joy in my life…
I need to commit to living in that context first.

Not waiting for life to feel better.

Not waiting for people to behave differently.

But choosing it… right here, right now.

JOY JOLT!!

Don’t let anyone rob you of your joy.
Because it was never theirs to give in the first place.