164: Creating Space for Moms (and Dads) to Feel Like They Are in Control Again with Ariel Finlinson

Picture this: It's a typical day. You're lying in bed. Snoozing your alarm clock for the third time, your resolve to get to the gym weakening. You were interrupted again last night from a child that needed you. And as you awake the demands of the day, press on you. Lists appear in your mind what shopping needs to be done, which child has which appointment, the field trip that you volunteered to go on, the assignment at church you agreed to do, and so on and so on. You get out of bed already tired to go about your morning routine. But today, a genie appears and grants you a special wish for one day. You can do what you want to do. What would you decide? What would you do? Have you lost yourself? My friend and guest, Ariel Finlinson, years ago was in a situation where her husband and kids are going to be out of town for a few days. And she had an entire weekend to herself. She had no idea what she'd do with her time. That's the day she realized that she had somehow lost herself in motherhood. She had lost touch of herself, lost the relationship with herself in her busy and noble life of mothering. As you know, this podcast is dedicated to helping Christian couples get out of a rut in their sex life. Today's topic isn't sexy, per se, but it's really important and ties into developing a stronger sex life. The relationship with ourselves is crucial to our relationship with others. You can't give from an empty well, and you can't lift others to higher ground if you're not on higher ground yourself. Ariel recently received her master's degree in family life education. She's super fun, sharp. And the host at the Ladies Talking Love podcast. Today, we're going to talk about five ideas for mothers to reconnect with themselves in their life. Click here for Ariel's free download, "Find Yourself After Kids," that we mentioned in the episode. Take Care of Yourself and Your Relationship Something you can do to nourish yourself, get some rest, have fun and connect with your spouse in a deeper, profound way is to get away once in a while together. And there's no better way to do that than to attend our upcoming couples retreat in March. Registration is open and you won't want to miss it. During the retreat, we'll do a deep dive into your relationship and give you real practical tools to help you get out of a rut, do away with resentment and free yourself from the frustrations and limitations you currently face. You'll walk away from this retreat feeling rejuvenated with lots of hope in your relationship and just feeling great together again. And this retreat is also balanced with a lot of fun activities like ATVing in the desert or canyoneering near Zion national park. To make this an unforgettable weekend, sign up today!