Unimaginable Wellness For New Moms Who Are Founders, Entrepreneurs, Creators Melissa Llarena

Do you often experience mom guilt? What if you can't take the kids trick-or-treating? How can we redefine guilt? In this candid conversation between two NYC moms who are deep in the trenches, you'll discover what it truly takes to juggle it all and maintain your sanity as a working mom who adores her kids but also recognizes the importance of self-care.
Be ready to reinvent motherhood and entrepreneurship and buckle up for a whirlwind chat with the phenomenal Bethany Braun Silva, a celebrated on-air parenting, entertainment, and lifestyle expert. As we juggle the challenges of raising kids and businesses, we dive into poignant discussions about Halloween guilt, how to maximize newfound mom capabilities, and the gems within Bethany's enlightening book, "Like a Mother: Banished Guilt, Blaze Your Trail and Break the Rules to Create a Life You Love".
This episode is proudly sponsored by Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Harnessing Every Mom's Superpower For Maximum Impact – My forthcoming book, slated for release in October 2023. I wholeheartedly believe that every mom possesses a fertile imagination, which is her ultimate superpower. Once you tap into it, you'll unlock the potential to make the impact and income you deserve! 
Sign up on www.fertileideas.com today to join my virtual launch party and snag the Kindle version of the book for only 99 cents on Halloween - yes, October 31 at 10 am EST! You’ll find the answers you seek if you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions:
Why do I want more? What about my big ideas? When do I get to play? Where can I find the energy? Who else is going for it and getting it done? How can I stay relevant and keep growing? What if I don’t want to wait until my kids are grown? It’s filled with self-reflected questions, hilarious stories, and podcast examples of the use of a fertile imagination.
Get on the waitlist – www.fertileideas.com today. Side note: if you do want a great sofrito recipe DM me on Instagram @melissallarena just try the word FERTILE and I’ll respond.
About Bethany
Bethany Braun-Silva is an on-air parenting, entertainment, and lifestyle expert and the host of "The Breakdown With Bethany" podcast and web show on Mom.com. She is the former editor of Parenting.com and frequently writes about the latest and greatest gear for parents and kids as well as health, women's lifestyle, pop culture, home, and food topics. Her work has also appeared in People, Real Simple, Shape, and Parents. She is the author of the book, "Like a Mother: Banish Guilt, Blaze Your Trail, and Break the Rules to Create a Life You Love." 
In a world obsessed with traditional definitions of success, Bethany challenges us to redefine what achievement looks like in our personal lives and careers. That’s why it's essential to challenge societal norms and carve our own path. It’s time to tap into the power of community, let go of mom guilt, and use it as a tool for empowerment.
In this episode, you will hear these ideas expressed:
What’s the backstory to writing the Like a Mother book as a busy working mom? How can we rethink mom guilt?  Motherhood expectations and rewriting the rules to reduce our mental bandwidth concerns How to let go of mom guilt around not doing Halloween or the holidays like other moms – what if you can’t take the kids trick-or-treating or what if creating magic during the holidays is a tall order? Ways to bubble wrap your sanity over the weekend and all those school breaks – what does Bethany do as a mom to two young kids?  How specifically to create boundaries with your kid(s) and why that’s important; hear for the Mission Impossible strategy Looking for your own village? Where is it for us moms and our own needs? Are there ways to duplicate yourself as a mom and not feel guilty about it? Maximizing newfound mom capabilities to create a fulfilling life Addressing the impact of imposter syndrome on personal and professional growth The importa

Hi there, please let me know if this episode resonates with you. Send me a DM @melissallarena on Instagram and say YES: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/
 
Welcome to episode 196, have you ever felt anxious about taking your kids to a supermarket or Target? If the answer is yes then you have got to tune into this week’s guest Amber Trueblood the author of the best-selling book THE UNFLUSTERED MOM. She has four boys of her own and several credentials including being a licensed marriage and family therapist. In her book, she shows readers how to find a healthy alternative to dealing with mom-fears. Without raising their cortisol levels—that is, literally living in a space of ease and flow —the tools in this book will help moms create positive physiological shifts, better emotional awareness, hormonal balance, and the ability to set realistic boundaries. More about Amber below.

This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower for Creating Maximum Impact – my book 👀 that is launching on October 31 🎃! You can shop it on Amazon in Kindle format at 99 cents! If you want me to send you a calendar reminder then send me an Instagram DM @melissallarena - just type FERTILE or email me melissa@melissallarena.com
About Amber Trueblood
Amber Trueblood, MBA, is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), best-selling author, speaker, and mother of four sons. She has over 25 years of experience in mental health, and co-founded The M.E.C.A. Project to help teens and young adults thrive Mentally and Emotionally through Conscious Awareness. Amber has been featured in People, Oprah Magazine, CNN, Motherhood Maternity, Good Day LA, CBS8, FOX5, KTLA5, and many more.
In this episode, you will hear these ideas expressed:
What is an anxiety style? If you are anxious then tune in for on-the-go and longer term tips How can you increase the odds of a calm trip out the door with kids? Get a sneak peek into Unflustered Mom the book by Amber! Love, fighter, visionary, executive, and dynamo - which are you? Real talk between two moms with “spicy” high energy kids What are some ways you can hone a zen store-shopping experience with your kids? Might there be a positive use of anxiety? Tune in Mothering and staying calm throughs chaos SHARE this episode with a mom founder, entrepreneur, or creator who frequently shops with her kids at Target or any other overwhelmingly big store!
Similar Episodes:
https://www.melissallarena.com/the-backstory-to-being-published-in-fast-fall-women-edited-by-gina-barreca-my-book-preface-episode-195/ https://www.melissallarena.com/you-can-learn-how-to-play-again-try-this-moms-episode-147/ Supporting Resources:
www.ambertrueblood.com www.flourishquiz.com officialambertrueblood Subscribe and Review:
Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. I’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms.
About Fertile Imagination – www.fertileideas.com - coming out October 31, 2023!
Fertile Ideas Website: 
www.fertileideas.com
You can be a great mom without giving up, shrinking, or hiding your dreams. There’s flexibility in how you pursue anything—your role, your lifestyle, and your personal and professional goals. The limitations on your dreams are waiting to be shattered. It’s time to see and seize what’s beyond your gaze. Let’s bridge your childhood daydreams with your grown-up realities. Imagine skipping with your kids along any path—you, surpassing your milestones while your kids are reaching theirs. There’s only one superpower versatile enough to stretch your

In this episode, I’ll reveal the backstory of my participation in Fast Fall Women. But first, what was I thinking? I went from no one knowing about my experiences being raised by a mom with manic depression – to today, the world being able to hear one of my most vulnerable moments for $18.95. 
Here’s the truth: Today marks a milestone for me as a published author in a book that features these writing goddesses: Amy Tan, Jane Smiley, Caroline Leavitt, Bobbie Ann Mason, Honor Moore, Darien Hsu Gee, Ilene Beckerman, Lynn Peril as well as new writers like myself. It’s a big deal and this is why you should tune into today’s episode especially if you’ve ever wanted to tell your story (or feel scared to). 
Imagine harnessing the whimsical power of your childhood imagination and translating it into the real world as a mompreneur. That's the journey I've been on, and in this episode, I share the heart and soul of it all. Listen in as I explore how motherhood can transform your relationship with your imagination and how you can navigate through the ups and downs of life using this powerful tool. 
In today’s episode, you will also hear the backstory to Fertile Imagination: my own book coming out on October 31, 2023. Prefaces tend to be overlooked but mine left an impression on other moms who are looking for more bubble wrap to protect their sanity, so I figured I’d share it with you. It took courage to tell this story, and I hope it resonates with you, giving you the strength to face your own high stakes and standards.
Let’s connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/. Send me a “hi” DM on Instagram letting me know you caught this week’s episode. I’d love to know who is listening.
In this episode, you will hear these ideas expressed:
What does it feel like to be published? How did Melissa pitch her story, Imagine It Forward? Why Melissa wrote the book, Fertile Imagination When imagination can come in handy: Harnessing the power of childhood imagination in motherhood and entrepreneurship Is imagining too big possible? What it takes to write a book for two years without losing hope… Growing up with a single mom with manic depression Relying on imagination as a child  How imagination helps navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and motherhood The journey of writing a book, how the vision sustained through massive life changes, and the reawakening of imagination SHARE this episode with a mom founder, entrepreneur, or creator who wants to pursue bigger dreams for herself and needs a guide with on-the-ground experience.
Similar episodes:
https://www.melissallarena.com/what-gina-barreca-has-to-say-about-feminism-humor-and-power-episode-119/ 
https://www.melissallarena.com/you-can-learn-how-to-play-again-try-this-moms-episode-147/ 
Supporting Resources:
Fertile Imagination Waitlist: https://www.melissallarena.com/waitlist/ 
Fast Fallen Women: https://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fallen-Women-Essays-NonFiction/dp/1954907788/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=fast+fallen+women&qid=1693938711&sprefix=fast+falln%2Caps%2C237&sr=8-3 
Subscribe and Review
Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet. 
I’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms. 
This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination A Guide for Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower for Maximum Impact  – available for purchase on October 31, 2023!
Get on the waitlist - www.melissallarena.com/waitlist today.
My debut non-fiction book for moms like you!
Fertile Imagination is the jet engine you need to go after what you really, really want.
You don’t have to giv

Let’s connect on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/
Send me a “hi” DM on Insta letting me know you caught this week’s episode. I’d love to know who is listening.
Welcome to episode 194. Do you have a great business idea stuck in your head? What if getting it out of your head would put $30K in your pocket? Why would anyone procrastinate on executing such an idea? Meet Carin today’s live coaching session participant.  This is her situation and yet she has been procrastinating launching her $30K idea. Does this sound familiar? The conversation started with this $30K challenge yet as is often the case for moms in business specifically there is often more going on in the background that is affecting our sanity. So what might be the root cause of Carin’s hesitation to release her idea into the world and just stating selling it? 
Tune in to find out! 
You’ll hear how  through candid and brutally honest coaching questions I uncovered that her procrastinating the launch of this idea was just a symptom of something much bigger: she is actually a hesitant to let go of her old life ( she’s in the middle of an incomplete divorce). So it turns out, the issue is not really the offer, the credentials, or the details of binging her offer to the world. Sound familiar? Tune in. if this episode resonates with you as a mom in business then sign-up for a free break-through session with me. This is the link for my calendar: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/
Carin Cooper is a coach who helps women who are agonizing about their jobs and leaving their kids how to create income from home. She has worked hard on deprogramming herself from feeling like she is not enough. She has worked on her money story and hired a mentor who has a framework for creating a new coaching offer. You will hear how self-aware Carin is regarding the world of coaching. Use this coaching session, to see if the areas of your own life where you might require a therapist instead of a coach. 
I’m sharing this conversation because the truth is that not every business challenge can be fixed on the surface. No number of affirmations, marketing funnel hacks, or shifts in money stories are going to change you when you are in the middle of a personal life tragedy like a divorce. So consider this episode a good gauge of where a coach’s expertise may be insufficient.
In this episode, you will hear these ideas expressed:

●      How to know when procrastinating is just a symptom vs. the real issue in business stagnation
●      Accepting change vs. resisting it; what can this look like for moms with a lot on their minds
●      Signs that you are avoiding a bigger emotional issue by investing in temporary business fixes
●      The fear of big life changes and getting back up
●      Investing in coaching vs. when you might need to invest in therapy
●      What questions might you need to answer to get to the bottom of your procrastinating?
●      How to address pain beyond the surface when coaches are not helping
●      What it sounds like when coaching is not the answer
SHARE this episode with a mom founder, entrepreneur, or creator who is procrastinating launching a new offer.
Similar episodes:
https://www.melissallarena.com/carolines-path-from-law-to-art-embracing-art-amid-societal-pressures-episode-191/
https://www.melissallarena.com/serin-is-not-writing-her-memoir-due-to-a-fear-of-judgment-episode-193/
https://www.melissallarena.com/you-can-learn-how-to-play-again-try-this-moms-episode-147/
Supporting Resources:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caren.s.cooper?mibextid=D4KYlr

Subscribe and Review
Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet.  
I’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple

DM me to talk about the fear of judgment. Is it real to you too? https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/
Have you ever felt trapped within your own survival story? This week, we walk through this very journey with Serin, a mother and author who finds herself entangled in the chains of her past. As we traverse the winding path of her life, we uncover the deep-seated fears that have held her back from achieving her full potential as a mom and writer. Diving into the heart of her narrative, we delve into the impact of early childhood trauma and explore the powerful role of self-sabotage in Serin's life. Together, we shed light on the tangible tools and lessons that can aid her quest for progress and growth.
This is a live coaching session where I coach Serin, an author with one daughter who is holding on to an old story that is getting in the way of writing her book, a memoir. Sound familiar?  She has done a lot of work to fight that story of survival but she still finds herself using it as the reason why she is not earning at her full potential nor making progress in writing her memoir. A lot came up related to early childhood trauma, which I have to say is often behind self-sabotage, impostor syndrome, and playing very small. Will Serin hold on tightly to her story or will she let it go after 40 years?  Time to find out – and if this episode resonates with your situation as a mom in business then sign up for a free breakthrough session with me: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/ 
This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower For Maximum Impact – My book that will be available on October 2023. I believe that every mom has a fertile imagination. It’s your superpower. You can learn how to use it and once you do it is then that you can create the impact and income you know you should be earning! 
My book is for a mom who says YES to this question: Could you use a second jet engine to go on a playful journey to deliver on your dreams?
It’s filled with self-reflected questions, hilarious stories, and podcast examples of the use of a fertile imagination.
Get on the waitlist - www.melissallarena.com/waitlist today!
About Serin
Serin was a Fortune 500 business executive who launched over 25 well-known brands, some are household names. Twelve years ago, she moved to Boulder, Colorado, and discovered her spiritual gifts as a medium and intuitive healer. When she’s not healing, she’s a mama to a budding young artist and a wife to a sculptor. Today, Serin teaches people to harness their instincts and to be truly at home with themselves. Her belief: the world is more beautiful when we can be who we want to be. Her best-selling book, U Empath You, helps women tap into their inner wisdom and learn how to manage their energy for the better.
Let Serin's story inspire you to break free from the chains of your past and harness the power within you to create and share your unique narrative. Remember, your journey toward healing, progress, and empowerment is a significant one, not just for you, but for future generations as well. So, stay resilient, keep writing, and continue creating. Your story matters.
In this episode, you will hear these ideas expressed:
How to let go of a trauma story? Is it possible or is it like an irreparable mold? Self-compassion can be the answer to changing a story Imagine this: If you let go of a story then who could you be? The fear of dropping a story that’s no longer serving you Using what you as a mom would tell your kids for yourself is one coaching approach displayed Is there a way to push yourself to write and can you give yourself the certainty that you are safe enough to write the truth? Mother-daughter dynamics and what if your mom was a narcissist  What are new strategies for overriding your story so that you can write? Navigating being judged for your work and how to trust yourself enough to know how to handle i

Let's DM: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/
Welcome to episode 192, this is a live coaching session where I coach Sandrine a web designer who is struggling with imposter syndrome. She was spending a lot of time creating social media assets when we spoke yet her former clients all came from referrals – is she going to meet her income goal this month or is that use of her time really a clue that she is procrastinating due to imposter syndrome? Time to find out and if this episode resonates with your situation as a mom in business then sign-up for a free break-through session with me. The link is in the show notes: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/
 
This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower For Maximum Impact – My book that will be available on October 2023. I believe that every mom has a fertile imagination. It’s your superpower. You can learn how to use it and once you do it is then that you can create the impact and income you know you should be earning!

My book is for a mom who says YES to this question: Could you use a second jet engine to go on a playful journey to deliver on your dreams?
 
It’s filled with self-reflected questions, hilarious stories, and podcast examples of the use of a fertile imagination.
 
Get on the waitlist - www.melissallarena.com/waitlist today.
 
About Sandrine

Sandrine is a Showit Web Designer who craft websites that demand to be noticed for unapologetic creatives and brands looking to stand above the crowd. She started her web design business years ago after discovering her healthy obsession for design, strategy, and getting that brand color palate. Sandrine feels like she's livin’ the good life and she want to help others fall in love with their business all over again. And to show them just how easy a website building process can be (their words not hers).
 
In this episode, you will hear these ideas expressed:

●      How to get out of your head and not focus on other people’s work
●      Am I good enough? Am I credible enough? We discussed both
●      What clues are there that you might be held back by impostor syndrome?
●      How do you know if your prices are too low?
●      Is research sometimes a way to procrastinate? Is this a clue of impostor syndrome
●      What might you need to believe to ask for referrals or help in your own business? See Sandrine's answers/
●      What else might you focus on that distinguishes you in your field….to feel less insecure about your skills?
●      A flavor of Melissa's sales coaching for solopreneurs who are the face of their business is on display during this LIVE coaching session
●      Writing your own definition of success – have you?
●      What would it take for you to overcome your imposter syndrome? Book a call with Melissa to find out.
●      How can you be comfortable doing things that are uncomfortable?
 
 
SHARE this episode with a mom founder, entrepreneur, or creator who is stuck and
not really going for impact and income in her business that you know she deserves
because of impostor syndrome.
 
Similar episodes:
https://www.melissallarena.com/carolines-path-from-law-to-art-embracing-art-amid-societal-pressures-episode-191/
https://www.melissallarena.com/you-can-learn-how-to-play-again-try-this-moms-episode-147/
Supporting Resources:
· Your Website
https://sandrinesdesignco.com/
· Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/sandrinesdesignco/
 Subscribe and Review
Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet.
I’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick