Dear Mom Me

How do we not lose our full self during motherhood? Dana Matis has an idea! As the co-owner and co-founder of Dan Won Fitness, Dana focuses on bringing safe and specific workouts to mothers. In this episode, we find out her why and what drives her passion to bring the joy of fitness to many.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Should moms rule the world? Yes, they should. In this episode, we talk to Andrea Hunnley. We dive into her motherhood journey and what has motivated throughout her career journey to being a civil servant. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Is the only thing constant change? Join Meggie Dials and I while we talk through navigating motherhood and how chapters of motherhood shift through the seasons of life. It started with talking about navigating career and motherhood but we talk through so much more. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Dear Mom Me is BACK.It is time to re-launch this platform and bring all of the Dear Mom Me conversations back. Who knows what the future of Dear Mom Me will look like but this is the re-launch. So hang out with us while we figure it all out.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Does anyone have a playbook on what it is like to be a new mom? I think the answer to that question is, no. Which is why I am going to be taking a little break for a few months to figure out what being a mom looks like to me. So....BRB.Hang out with me on this last episode before I take a little break. Oh and happy one year anniversary to Dear Mom Me! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you thought about freezing your eggs or embryos? Mallory has. In this episode I hang out with Mallory to break down her story. Mallory and her husband decided to go through the process of freezing embryos. Why? They weren’t ready to have kids just yet but they know they wanted to in the future. For many women there are pressures of getting older, putting your career first, living the city life- Mallory gets real with us about those pressures and what impacted her decisions. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What is Lindsay’s Story? In this episode I hang out with Linsday to really hear her story about her path to motherhood. Lets just say it was not straight forward- not only were she and her husband impacted by male infertility it was at the height of Covid. Lindsay holds nothing back as she gives us a real look into what her journey was and what they are navigating now. Oh and she wants everyone to go VOTE! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What is that makes every woman unique? Their own story. In this episode we will introduce our next mini-series- Her Story. This series will dive into what makes every woman unique which is their own path to motherhood or not motherhood. On those journeys, everyone also makes decisions that take their stories in different directions. So hang out with us while we explore these amazing stories. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What did you take away from the Relationships mini series? In this episode we talk about my takeaways on the Relationship Mini Series from exploring relationships with key people in your life, yourself, and more. I loved digging into this series and exploring new topics such as fatherhood and male infertility and diving deep with my own mom. Hang out with me while we recap! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you ever had to modify your movement to best fit your life? Maybe you have an injury, are traveling for work or are just growing a baby. Well, hang out with us as we talk to Joey Madrazo, owner and founder of FitCulture, about how movement can add in an extra layer of purpose to our day and life. How movement can build community, shape futures and help create a better you. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Is a fatherhood journey the same as a motherhood journey? In this episode I speak to James Kaikis about his fatherhood experience. From having a daughter at a younger age and doing everything possible to be in his daughter's life to now where he and his wife have experienced their own fertility struggles. We talk about what the early years looked like, what his experience with infertility was, and what the key relationships are that helped him navigate through his journey. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you ever had to reimagine or redefine relationships in your life to prepare for the future?In this episode we speak with Carlisha about just that. Redefining key relationships and learning more about herself to prepare herself for the future. For her- the future was motherhood. She focused on the relationship she has with her mother and her health. But we dive into more than just those topics- we hit on her relationship with work, pregnancy and postpartum, and how her and her husband approach parenthood.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you ever heard your mothers motherhood story? In this episode I speak with my mom about her experience and her journey to motherhood. It's fascinating to hear the differences and similarities across generations when it comes to miscarriages, pregnancy, postpartum, working, really everything. Hang out with us while we walk through her journey and the relationships that have helped her along the way. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What is it about relationships that are so important to us? When I think about relationships, I think about just more than a person to person but also the relationships we have with yourself and things in your life. In this mini series we break down the importance of relationships through stories. Hang out with me while I introduce our next Dear Mom Me mini series. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What did you take away from The Feel Good Mini Series?In this episode we talk about my takeaways on the Feel Good Mini Series from the realization that everyone has their own way to feel good and the fact that three of the areas that make me feel good are a lot deeper than I actually thought. Also I give an update on where I have been on my motherhood journey. Hang out with me while we recap! Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

How do you carve out time to focus on yourself while balancing all of the other demands of motherhood? We talk about just that in our episode today. Our guest, Nikki, dives into why it has been so important for her to remember to focus on herself during her journey. Hang out with us while we dive into her overall motherhood journey which starts at 19 when she is diagnosed with PCOS.  Hitting on postpartum, being a toddler mom, and also what it's like to focus on herself through every step of the way. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you ever wondered what it is about music that makes us feel so good? In this episode we talk to Jasmin French aka DJ French Connxtn to dive into what it is about music that makes us feel so good. Jasmin brings up a great point in our conversation though- music doesn’t just make us feel good. It makes us feel every emotion- we gravitate to music when we are sad or angry too. We talk about more than just music though- we talk about Jasmin's journey to becoming a DJ and her why behind it. Touching on the importance of understanding your why and the intentions behind what we do. Hang out with us while we talk about music, intentions and finding your why. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Why does getting your hair done make you feel so good? In this episode we talk to Jacey, hair stylist, about what it is about getting your hair done that makes us feel so good. Like other episodes in this series I thought it was going to be a surface level conversation but Jacey took us deep, quickly. She dove into how the feeling of getting your hair done doesn't start at looking in the mirror. It is the entire experience, sitting in the chair and talking about your life, the feeling of touch when getting your hair washed and more. Also Jacey talks about what brought her into this profession- her mom.Hang out with us while we talk about all the things around getting your hair done. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you thought about the difference between a the heterosexual vs homosexual journey to parenthood? The layers of extra decisions, costs, and complexities? In this episode we talk to Bri about her journey to motherhood. Bri is a lesbian and her journey has had its ups and downs, it brought both IUI and IVF cycles- failure and success. She also talks to us about the things that heterosexual couples do not have to think about when planning for a family and the costs and mental burdens that can bring. We also dive into what exercise, nutrition, and body image issues can mean during the motherhood journey. Hang out with us while we talk to Bri about her journey and experience- what she has done to help her feel good throughout this journey. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What is it about fashion, style, and retail therapy that makes us feel so good? In this episode we talk to Immanuel, a style star, about what it is about fashion and style that make us feel good. The power that style and fashion holds on who we are and what we can become. Honestly, before we aired I wanted to talk through how good retail therapy makes me feel and to try and understand why. I found out wh, deeper than I originally thought. Immanuel opened my eyes to the fact that it isn’t the act of shopping or buying something that makes me feel good. It is what that item does to us and what it can provide us. Hang out with us while we dig deep around the topics of fashion, style and retail therapy. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you had to give up something on your journey to motherhood? Sacrifice can be big or small.In this episode we talk with Julia about her journey to motherhood. A journey that has given her the opportunity to make difficult decisions. We all have to make decisions along our journey; some of those are bigger than others. Julia's story walks us through the balance of personal and professional achievement which has led to the decision of sacrifice. Hang out with us while we talk about the act of giving something up on the journey to motherhood and how Julia focused on feeling good along the way. All in the name of becoming a mom. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What does it mean to do things that make us feel good? What makes you feel good? When I say feel good- I mean what brings you joy, makes you feel happy, or an ounce of positivity when things are not going your way. In this mini series we break that down by diving into a few of the things that make me feel good - such as getting my hair done, retail therapy, and music. Also, we will hear stories from a few women at different points on their motherhood journey and what has helped them feel good.But first- hang out with me while I introduce this mini series, where the idea came from, and read a dear mom me letter. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Navigating the same journey doesn't always mean the same experience. So what does it mean?In this episode I talk with Sylvester, my husband, about his experience with navigating the journey we have been on. Understanding what it has been like for him and how he has found balance through it all. Talking through what we do individually and together to feel good through the ups and downs. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

New year, new me? Nope. Not here. In this episode we say goodbye and thank you to 2023 and hello, you’ve made it to 2024. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

What did we hear from this first mini series? Where is Steph at in her motherhood journey?In this episode answer all of that. Hang out with us as we break down what we heard in the first mini series, Finding Balance and what our host, Steph, took from the episodes. Also find out where Steph is at in her motherhood journey. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Is the idea of balance real or is it just a myth?In this episode we talk to Jess and her time navigating through the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes for her daughter. Motherhood is not just hard starting but throughout your entire journey life will throw you curveballs and it will not be easy. She brings up the question- is balance even real? And makes a pretty good argument. Hang out with us while we talk about navigating through very difficult times when life throws you curveballs and how Jessica approached the idea of balance.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Interested in acupuncture? Don’t know where to start? In this episode I speak with Lori Sherlock who is nationally board certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. We speak about the benefits of acupuncture, what even is acupuncture and why we seem to see it on every fertility blog as something you “must do”. Hang out with us while we break down acupuncture and try to understand what value acupuncture brings to each individual. She talks about tips to get the most out of your sessions and a few other things she has learned through her own acupuncture and Chinese medicine journey.  Spoiler- feel your feelings all the way through.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Have you struggled with or struggling with anxiety? In this episode we talk to Madie about her experience with anxiety and the influence it had on her journey to motherhood. She breaks down where some of her anxiety came from and what it has looked like for her to manage it and find her own balance. Hang out with us while we talk about how anxiety impacts relationships and major decisions, like becoming a mother. And how Madie uses tools like exercise, protecting her energy, and vocalizing what is going on in her head to help her find balance through her anxiety. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Do you think you cannot do yoga because you are not flexible enough? In this Episode we talk Erin Polley- mom, yoga teacher & host of Selfcare1000, to debunk that myth as we dive into the benefits of a yoga and meditation practice. Two key tools that we can use to help bring balance into our day to day. But those are not the only tools Erin discusses that are easy tools we can tap into quickly to help us step out of flight or fight and be more present. Erin’s motherhood journey is tightly aligned with her finding the power of yoga, meditation and self care. Hang out with us while we talk about the benefits of yoga, meditation and breathwork . And how Erin works with others daily and herself to use these tools to find balance and practice selfcare. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Struggling to find the tools to help you find balance through your fertility journey? In this episode we talk to Dani and unpack the many layers of an entire fertility journey and all of the tools it can take to help find balance through the ups and downs. The emphasis of this episode started with the concept of writing letters and how it can come full circle in helping through the postpartum piece of a motherhood journey. It quickly expanded to so much more. Hang out with us while we talk about the power of writing letters, leaning on support groups and how important setting boundaries can be. And how Dani found her balance to show up for herself and those around her during her fertility journey. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Balance: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.How do we find our own balance through our motherhood journeys? Emotions run high as we start with Steph's first letter to her future mom self and touch on our first topic. Finding Balance.  In this mini series we are going to hear from experts in the field of yoga and acupuncture. And hear from three women all  at different stages of their motherhood journey. Answering the question of what balance looks like for each of them. We will hear about tools that they use to find balance and how some of us simply don’t have it all figured out. Hang out with as we unpack what it looks like to find balance. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

Everyone has their own journey to motherhood and everyone's look different. So here is Steph’s story up to where she is now on her journey. Where it literally all began. Tune in while Steph gives a high level recount of what brought her here today. Through fertility struggles, health diagnosis and much more. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com. 

You’ve made it and you’re listening to Dear Mom Me. A podcast about a journey to motherhood told through my letters to future mom me and a complete look at navigating all of life along the way.I’m Steph, your host as I have been navigating my own motherhood journey- I have started to write letters to my future mom self and I have decided its about time we start talking about the full journey we are on as women- not just the motherhood piece. Which is why I have started Dear Mom Me, a podcast that will broaden the conversation leaving nothing off the table.Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to Dear Mom Me and follow us on Instagram (@dear_mom_me) and at dearmom-me.com.