Someday Is Here

This Mother’s Day feels different.Living far from my mom for the first time, not having all of my kids under my roof, and sitting with the quiet that comes with that.A reflection on how motherhood changes over time, what it means to let go, and learning how to hold both grief and gratitude in the same space.Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, in whatever way this day finds you.

It started as a joke… that managing your health feels a little like Pokémon Go, except instead of collecting creatures, you’re collecting doctors.But underneath that is something real.In this episode, I talk about the emotional weight of living in a body that requires constant attention, and the parts no one really prepares you for.

I recently took BART into Oakland for the first time to take my California Law and Ethics exam. For some people, that might sound like a normal errand. For me, it was a huge anxiety moment. Public transportation, tunnels, not being in control, the noise, the movement — all of it felt like too much.In this episode, I’m talking about what it means to do something scared. Not perfectly. Not calmly. Not because anxiety disappeared. But because sometimes healing looks like taking the next step while your nervous system is still screaming.

Sometimes you know something is there, you can feel it, but you don’t quite have the words for it yet.This episode is about that space.The in-between. The unfinished. And choosing to show up before everything is clear.I’ll come back to the conversation around parenting adult children when I have a clearer understanding of what I’m trying to say.

What does it actually look like to grow together over time… not perfectly, not easily, but honestly?After sharing reflections about each of our kids in recent episodes, it felt incomplete not to also include the person who has walked beside me through every version of me. The one who has seen the growth, the hard seasons, the questions, and all the in-between moments that don’t always make it into a story.In this episode, Sean joins me for a real, unscripted conversation about how relationships evolve, what we’ve learned the hard way, and what it means to keep choosing each other as life keeps changing.We talk about emotional differences, communication, learning to approach challenges as a team, and how growth often happens slowly, through everyday moments that don’t always look significant at the time.This isn’t about having the right answers. It’s about being willing to keep showing up.If you’ve ever wondered how relationships change as people grow, or what it looks like to build something steady over time, this conversation is for you.

Today I’m reading a letter I wrote about one of my children — a quiet, steady presence who rarely asks for much, yet gives so much in the way they show up for the people they love.Some people move through the world without needing attention.They notice more than they say.They try not to be a burden.They take care of things quietly.They show love through consistency rather than words.And sometimes… those people need to hear that they are allowed to take up space too.This letter reflects on what it means to be dependable, thoughtful, observant, and deeply caring — and the ways those strengths can also lead someone to believe they should ask for less, need less, or stay small.If you have ever felt more comfortable supporting others than asking for support yourself…If you have ever worried about being “too much” or costing too much…If you have ever tried to make life easier for everyone around you…this episode might feel familiar.Sometimes the people who ask for the least reassurance are the ones who deserve to hear it most.You are not a burden.You are not in the way.You are allowed to need.You are allowed to want.You are allowed to take up space.Thank you for being here for this one.

This episode is personal. And I think it's going to feel familiar.There is a weight that most moms carry that has no name and no job title. It doesn't show up on a resume. Nobody gives you credit for it. And most of the time nobody even sees it.It is the constant background hum of responsibility that never fully turns off. The sense that everyone's safety and wellbeing is on you. That if something goes wrong it's your fault. That if you're not on it — it doesn't get done.In this episode I'm talking honestly about the invisible emotional weight we carry as moms. The worry, the managing, the remembering, the caretaking, the being held to a standard nobody else in the house is held to. And how all of it connects to something I've been writing about in my book Just Unfinished.This one is for the mom who is tired in a way that sleep can't fix.🎙️ Someday Is Here — the place where we get real, embrace being imperfect, and show up anyway.I am a licensed therapist but this podcast is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you are struggling please reach out to a licensed professional in your area.

A Personal Reflection on Anxiety, Helplessness, and Loving Someone Through the Hard Things This episode is raw and it's recent.My child just had surgery. And from the moment we walked through those hospital doors I was reminded of one of the hardest parts of being a parent — your whole job is to protect them. And sometimes you have no control at all.In this episode I'm talking about what it really feels like to sit in a hospital waiting room while someone you love is in surgery. The anxiety. The helplessness. The operating room texts you hold your breath waiting for. The moment the doctor comes out and the news is more complicated than you expected. And leaving the hospital feeling exactly like you did the first time you ever brought them home — terrified and full of love.This one is for every parent who has ever loved someone so much that their pain becomes yours.🎙️ Someday Is Here — the place where we get real, embrace being imperfect, and show up anyway.

This episode is for the ones who feel everything deeply.The ones whose joy is big and whose disappointment is equally big. The ones who notice who is being left out. The ones who make room at the table. The ones who care so much it sometimes feels exhausting just to move through the world.This is a personal reflection- a letter of sorts - for anyone who has ever been told their emotions are too much. That their sensitivity is a weakness. That they need to become smaller to be accepted.It is not too much. It is not weakness. It is exactly who you are meant to be.🎙️ Someday Is Here — the place where we get real, embrace being imperfect, and show up anyway.

This episode is different. I'm not here to teach you anything today. I'm just here to be honest with you about something I've been quietly working on for a long time — and what it felt like to finally finish it.In this episode I'm sharing the story behind my book, how it came to be, what it cost me to write it, and why I almost didn't. I'm also revealing the title for the very first time.This book is for the woman who has spent years putting everyone else first and has forgotten what it feels like to want something just for herself. It's for the mom who loves her children fiercely and still sometimes wonders who she is outside of that role. It's for the person who has survived things they never talk about and carried them quietly for way too long. It's for anyone who has ever thought — I should be further along by now. I've missed my window. Maybe it's just too late for me.It is not too late. You are not behind. You are just unfinished.I cannot wait to share this with you.

In this episode I share my personal experience going through EMDR therapy as a client. As a therapist I’ve used this approach with others, but sitting on the other side of the chair gave me a completely different perspective.I talk about what surprised me, how intense the process can feel, and how my nervous system seemed ready to finally release things it had been holding for a long time.If you’ve ever wondered what EMDR feels like, or if you’re in therapy yourself and sometimes feel overwhelmed or exhausted after sessions, I hope this conversation reminds you that you’re not alone.

In this episode, I’m sharing a very honest, off-the-cuff reflection.I took a short break from the podcast and social media while focusing on some important priorities—catching up on medical care after our move, completing continuing education hours in California, and continuing to build my Ohio private practice. Stepping back was part of honoring my values this year, especially around rest, health, and self-care.What this episode really centers on, though, is a conversation I recently had with one of my children that stayed with me. We talked about mental health, emotional expression, and how our coping patterns can be shaped by what we model—often without realizing it.I reflect on:how children notice far more than we thinkwhat it means to hear hard feedback without defensivenessthe importance of accountability, repair, and growth in relationshipshow internalizing emotions can be a protective nervous system responselearning to sit with feelings instead of pushing through them aloneThis episode is shared from my perspective as a parent, therapist, and human, not to tell anyone else’s story, but to reflect on my own patterns and growth. My hope is that it reminds you that perfection isn’t the goal—connection and repair are.We also touch on vulnerability and why it’s essential for real connection, drawing inspiration from the work of Brené Brown and others who remind us that being open with the right people is not weakness—it’s courage.If this episode resonates with you, or if it feels like something someone you care about might need, you’re welcome to share it.Most of all, I hope it reminds you:You don’t have to carry everything alone.You’re allowed to rest.And you’re allowed to grow, even when it’s uncomfortable.Take care of yourself, and I’ll see you in the next episode.

This episode is personal, but not singular.It’s for the ones who are quiet, observant, and steady.The helpers. The ones who love deeply without needing attention.I reflect on someone who has shaped me profoundly, the lessons they’ve taught me about unconditional love, and the humility that comes with realizing where we didn’t always get it right.If you learned early how to be steady in an unsteady world, this episode is for you.You were never meant to carry everything alone.

There are moments when the world feels upside down—when you’re seeing things with your own eyes, but being told not to trust what you’re noticing. And over time, that kind of disconnect doesn’t just feel stressful—it can make you question yourself.In this episode, Michelle talks honestly about what it feels like to live in sustained uncertainty, how collective stress shows up in the nervous system, and why feeling angry, overwhelmed, or exhausted right now doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.This is not an episode about fixing things or forcing calm.It’s about naming what’s happening, understanding your body’s response, and offering yourself a little more compassion in a genuinely hard moment.If you’ve been wondering, “Why do I feel like this?” — this conversation is for you.In this episode:Why feeling dysregulated right now makes senseThe impact of being told not to trust your own experienceRegulation without bypassing anger or fearWhat it means to care deeply and still need restA reminder that you don’t have to carry everything today

This is a short reminder for anyone who feels pressure to have everything figured out right now.In this mini episode, I talk about unfinished thoughts, unfinished decisions, and unfinished seasons — and why unfinished doesn’t mean wrong, lazy, or avoidant.Sometimes it simply means not yet.You don’t have to resolve every feeling today.You don’t have to finish every thought.And you don’t owe anyone clarity before you’re ready.If this episode feels like permission, take it.

I had planned to record something different today, and I made the choice not to. Not because I didn’t have thoughts or feelings - but because timing matters.In this episode, I talk about the pressure to process everything instantly, especially in a world shaped by social media, and why this season of my life looks quieter, more thoughtful, and less reactive.This is a reflection on discernment, privacy, midlife growth, and choosing values over performative reactions.You don’t owe anyone an immediate response. And waiting doesn’t mean nothing is happening - often, it means something important is.

In this short mini episode, I’m offering a gentle reset for anyone whose nervous system has been feeling tired, on edge, or stuck in survival mode.If life has gotten quieter but your body hasn’t caught up yet, you’re not doing anything wrong. Survival mode doesn’t always turn off just because circumstances change.In this episode, we explore:Why calm can feel unfamiliar after long periods of stressA simple question to help your body feel saferSmall, realistic ways to support your nervous systemLetting safety - not productivity - be the goalThis isn’t about fixing yourself.It’s about listening more closely.If all you do today is offer yourself a little more kindness, that’s enough.

There are seasons where nothing is technically wrong — no crisis, no emergency — and yet everything still feels heavy.In this episode, I talk honestly about that in-between space: when life looks stable from the outside, but your nervous system hasn’t caught up yet. When you’ve survived big transitions, lived in survival mode for years, and now your body feels like it’s still waiting for the other shoe to drop.We talk about:Why unacknowledged stress doesn’t disappearHow survival mode shapes our nervous systemsLetting “good enough” be enoughRest versus productivityNaming what you’re carrying without needing to fix itIf you’ve been functioning, showing up, and doing the things — but still feel tired, tender, or overwhelmed — this episode is for you.You’re not behind.You’re not weak.And you don’t have to justify your exhaustion to deserve care.

This is a shorter episode for a Friday — and for a week that has felt like a lot.There’s been so much happening in our country, and even if you’re not directly impacted, your nervous system is still taking it in. If you’ve felt more anxious, more tired, more irritable, or just a little off — you’re not broken. You’re responding to uncertainty.In this mini episode, I normalize why so many of us are feeling dysregulated right now and share a couple of simple, gentle tools you can use to help your body settle — without forcing calm or pretending everything is okay.This isn’t about fixing the world.It’s about taking care of yourself in the moment you’re in.In this episode:Why uncertainty impacts the nervous systemWhat dysregulation can look like in everyday lifeA simple orienting exercise to bring your body back to the presentA breathing technique to help calm your systemPermission to rest without having it all figured outTake what you need. Leave the rest.I’ll see you next week.

In this episode, I’m showing up without a plan — and without pretending I’ve reached some finished place.I talk honestly about what it feels like to still be in the middle: not dramatically changed, not fully resolved, but still choosing to participate in my life. I share what hasn’t shifted yet, what I’m gently working on, and why small, everyday choices matter more than big breakthroughs.This episode isn’t about having answers.It’s about staying present while you’re still figuring things out.If you’ve been in the same place for a while and wondering if you’re behind — this one’s for you.What we talk about:The pressure to feel “transformed” after starting something newWhy the middle often lasts longer than we expectSmall, intentional changes that support mental healthShowing up without pretending you have it all figured outWhy “still here” is something worth honoringYou’re not behind.You’re still here.And that absolutely counts.

As I stepped into the new year, I realized I didn’t want to rush into goals, pressure, or fixing myself.This past year asked more of me than I expected — grief, change, survival, and profound shifts in who I am and how I want to live. Instead of starting this year with resolutions, I’m choosing a different approach: letting values be my compass instead of goals.In this episode, I’m also sharing an honest shift in how I’m approaching this podcast. After fourteen carefully scripted episodes, I realized I was holding back in the name of getting it “right.” Moving forward, this space will be less about perfection and more about being real — walking through life together instead of talking from a distance.We talk about:Why the start of a new year can feel emotionally complexHow our nervous systems don’t reset just because the calendar changesWhy survival was sometimes the goal last year — and why that’s okayChoosing values over goals as a gentler, more sustainable way to liveThe values I’m holding onto this year: presence, integrity, connection, self-trust, and careLetting go of perfectionism and choosing alignment insteadIf you’re entering this year feeling tired, tender, unsure, or behind — you’re not. You’re human. And you’re not alone.This year doesn’t have to be big or impressive.One honest day at a time is enough.What is one value you want to hold onto this year — not perfectly, but intentionally?

If today feels quiet, heavy, or tender, this episode is for you.You don’t have to figure out the year today.Just for today, self-care is enough.A longer New Year reflection episode will be available Monday.

This episode is a deeply personal end-of-year reflection.This year began with loss, carried fear, required courage, and changed me forever. From losing my grandmother, to moving across the country, to navigating a new season of parenting and identity—this was one of the hardest years of my life.But it didn’t break me.It helped heal me.This episode is about honoring the year you actually lived—and the version of yourself it shaped.

There’s a moment that comes after everyone leaves — when the house gets quiet and your body hasn’t quite caught up yet.In this episode, I’m sharing what that transition feels like for me: the silence, the emotional shift, and the in-between space we don’t talk about enough.This isn’t about having answers or making meaning yet.It’s about letting the moment matter — exactly as it is.If you’re standing in a quiet place right now, you’re not alone.

Everyone is still here — and yet, part of me is already bracing for the quiet.In this short episode, I’m sharing what it feels like to prepare for a goodbye that hasn’t happened yet. The joy of having family home, the ache of knowing it’s temporary, and the tension between wanting to stay present and wanting to protect your heart.This isn’t about rushing through the moment or numbing what’s coming.It’s about letting joy and grief exist side by side — and staying anyway.If you’re loving something you know won’t last forever, this one’s for you.

Christmas has a way of bringing everything to the surface — joy, nostalgia, pride, grief, and the quiet ache of change.In this episode, I’m talking about what the holidays feel like when you’re parenting adult children. When traditions shift, roles change, and you realize you’re no longer in the same chapter you once were.This is an episode about:staying present instead of chasing keepsakes of the pastletting go without losing connectionhonoring the grief that comes with growthlearning how to love your adult children for who they are nowand finding meaning in a holiday that looks different than it used toIf this season feels tender, quieter, or unfamiliar, you’re not doing it wrong.You’re just growing.🎄 Merry Christmas, and thank you for being here.

The holiday week can be full of love — and full of pressure.In this mini episode, I’m sharing simple, grounding tools to help you take care of yourself during the holidays. These are small practices you can use in real time when emotions run high, schedules get busy, or family dynamics feel heavy.This episode includes:quick nervous-system resetsboundary-setting without guiltways to step away when things feel overwhelmingpermission to rest and slow downreminders that you don’t have to do it allIf you’re heading into the holidays carrying a lot, this episode is here to support you.

Marriage doesn’t stay the same — because you don’t stay the same.In this episode, Michelle and Sean reflect honestly on what they wish they had known about communication in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. From becoming parents as teenagers and navigating survival mode, to the heavy responsibility of their 30s, and finally learning how to communicate with honesty, safety, and intention in their 40s.They talk about:Growing up fast and learning communication the hard wayHow silence and assumptions create distanceWhy overwhelm is often mistaken for disconnectionWhat it really means to “work on a marriage”Why marriage is always a choice — and why it should never hurtThe difference between rebuilding a healthy relationship and staying in an unsafe onePractical tools couples can use in any season of lifeThis episode is for anyone who has ever wondered:“Is it supposed to be this hard?”“Are we broken — or just overwhelmed?”“Can communication actually get better over time?”Wherever you are in your relationship, you’re not alone — and you’re not behind.

There comes a moment in life when you realize you don’t quite recognize yourself anymore.Not because something is wrong — but because something is changing.In this episode, Michelle shares a deeply personal story about losing her job, experiencing an identity collapse, navigating a traumatic season, and ultimately making the decision to uproot her life and start over across the country.This isn’t a story about hitting rock bottom.It’s about what happens after — when the old version of you no longer fits, the new version hasn’t fully arrived, and you’re left standing in the uncomfortable, unfamiliar middle.If you’ve ever felt disoriented during change, lonely in growth, or unsure of who you’re becoming, this episode will help you feel seen, understood, and less alone.Michelle also offers gentle tools and reflections to help you navigate seasons of identity transition with compassion and clarity.This episode is for anyone who feels like they’re losing themselves — and discovering something new at the same time.#SomedayIsHerePodcast#StartingOver#LifeTransitions#IdentityShift#PersonalGrowth#HealingJourney#Becoming#WomenInTransition#MidlifeGrowth#FindingYourself

This is a short, gentle reminder for anyone who has been carrying more than they can hold.If you’ve been tired, overwhelmed, or doing everything for everyone, this mini-episode is your invitation to take one breath, set one thing down, and remember you’re allowed to rest.You don’t have to do it all alone.Not today.Not this weekend.Not anymore.

The night I finally said, “I can’t do this anymore,” didn’t look dramatic. It was quiet. Exhausted. Honest. And it was the moment everything in my life began to shift.In this episode, I share the story of what led me to that breaking point — the years of carrying everything, the patterns I inherited, the pressure of being a teen mom, the emotional load of the pandemic, and the identity I lost along the way.And I share what happened when someone I loved didn’t tell me to push through…but instead sat down, listened, and believed me.If you’ve ever felt like you have to hold it all together…if you’ve been the strong one, the responsible one, the yes-to-everything one…if you’ve been tired in ways you don’t have words for…This episode is for you.I also offer gentle practices and grounding reminders for anyone who’s carrying too much right now.You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to ask for help. You’re allowed to matter too.

In today’s episode, Sean joins me for a conversation we’ve been shaped by our entire lives — grief, love, family, and the versions of ourselves we’ve become through loss.We talk about losing our dads young, the unexpected waves of grief that show up years later, and how we’ve learned to hold space for one another through every season of change.You’ll also hear practical tools to help you navigate your own grief: gentle rituals, anchor moments, writing letters, and allowing yourself to be seen — even when it feels vulnerable.Sean shares what it was like grieving as a young man in a world that teaches boys to “be strong,” and how letting someone witness your grief can lighten what you’ve been carrying.If you’re missing someone today… we hope this conversation makes you feel less alone, more understood, and part of a community that doesn’t rush healing.Your grief is not a burden. Your feelings are allowed. Love is still moving in you.Question for Listeners:Is there someone you’re missing right now? What’s one memory of them you carry with you?

In this episode of Someday Is Here, Michelle opens up about the side of the holiday season that doesn’t get talked about enough — the grief, the pressure, the shifting family dynamics, the empty chairs at the table, and the loneliness that so many people silently carry this time of year.From feeling the absence of loved ones, to navigating complicated family relationships, to missing the simplicity of childhood Christmas mornings, Michelle shares her own experiences and the tender truth that the holidays can be both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.In This Episode:• Why the idea of a “perfect holiday” doesn’t exist• How grief shows up during the holidays in unexpected ways• Parenting older kids and missing the magic of the early years• When family dynamics change — and you no longer feel at home• Holiday loneliness, disconnection, and feeling misunderstood• Giving yourself permission to create new traditions that work for your family• Holding both joy and sadness at the same timeIf this season feels tender, complicated, or heavier than usual, you’re not alone — and there is nothing wrong with you. The holidays don’t have to be perfect. They just have to be honest.Thank you for being here for another episode of Someday Is Here.

Episode 3 — How Marriage Changes When You ChangeIn this episode of Someday Is Here, Michelle opens up about one of the most honest and tender parts of long-term love: how marriage shifts when you start to grow. From healing old wounds, to finding your voice, to no longer shrinking to keep the peace, she shares the messy, beautiful reality of what happens inside a relationship when you become a new version of yourself.Michelle talks about the seasons in her own marriage — especially the moments that weren’t pretty — and why personal growth can feel destabilizing even in good relationships. She explores the difference between outgrowing old patterns and outgrowing your partner, and why the strongest marriages are the ones that reinvent themselves over time.In This Episode:• Why marriage changes when you start growing• How personal evolution can feel threatening — even in loving relationships• What really happened in Michelle and Sean’s early marriage• Why old roles and patterns stop working as you heal• The truth about “choosing each other” in different seasons• How to tell the difference between growth and disconnection• Why recalibration is a normal—and healthy—part of long-term loveKey Takeaways:• Growth doesn’t break a marriage — it transforms it• You are allowed to evolve, and your relationship is allowed to evolve too• Friction doesn’t mean failure — it often means recalibration• Healthy marriages reinvent themselves again and again• You don’t need to shrink to stay connectedIf your marriage feels different because you’re growing, you’re not broken — you’re becoming.Connect:TikTok: @Michelle.SomedayIsHereWebsite: somedayisherecoaching.comYouTube: @somedayisherecoaching

In today’s episode, we explore a kind of grief that doesn’t get casseroles or sympathy cards — the quiet, invisible grief that shows up when you start over in your life, your location, your marriage, your career, or even inside yourself.This episode is for anyone in a season of rebuilding.Anyone becoming someone new.Anyone holding both joy and sadness as they try to find their footing again.We talk about:the grief of leaving the version of yourself you used to bethe loss of familiar routines, support systems, and easethe emotional cost of growth and why it feels like lossthe “in-between” season where nothing feels stable yetwhy joy doesn’t cancel grief — and why both can exist togetherYou’re not wrong for feeling what you feel.You’re not behind.You’re not failing.You’re becoming — and the middle of becoming is tender, sacred work.If this episode resonates, share it with someone who might need to hear that starting over can feel like grief… and that they’re not alone.starting over, grief in change, emotional growth, rebuilding your life, healing journey, midlife change, grief and joy, becoming yourself, life transitions, moving across the country, relationship changes, personal growth podcast, Someday Is Here

n this first episode of Someday Is Here, Michelle opens up about the emotional reality of starting over in midlife — from leaving Ohio to rebuilding a life, community, and sense of belonging in California. She explores the grief and gratitude that come with big life transitions, the loneliness hidden inside “new beginnings,” and why she finally decided to stop waiting for the perfect time to start this podcast.In This Episode:• What starting over really feels like• The emotional impact of moving across the country• Grief + gratitude existing at the same time• What this season taught Michelle about identity and belonging• Why clarity comes from movement, not perfection• The heart behind creating this podcastKey Takeaways:• Starting over is not failure — it’s courage• You don’t need everything figured out to begin• Your story comes with you, and that’s a strength• You are allowed to choose a life that feels good to you• “Someday” isn’t in the future — it’s nowQuote from the Episode:"I truly believe that someday isn’t a dream you chase.It’s a reality you choose, a moment you step into, even when your voice shakes."If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need it today.Thank you for being here for the beginning of Someday Is Here.Connect:TikTok: @Michelle.SomedayIsHereWebsite: Somedayisherecoaching.comYouTube: @somedayisherecoaching