Episodios

  • Interlude: Identity, Ego & the Mom Who’s Tired of Running on Autopilot

    Interlude: Identity, Ego & the Mom Who’s Tired of Running on Autopilot
    Dec 12 2025
    This special Interlude episode of Gracefully Unraveled takes a deeper look at identity, ego, and the invisible pressures modern mothers carry. Kelli breaks down these big ideas using a blend of psychology (Freud’s id/ego/superego), spiritual teaching (Ram Dass), and relatable humor.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, disconnected, or like you’re living life on autopilot, this episode helps you understand why—and how to reconnect with your truest self.Perfect for listeners interested in motherhood, personal growth, self-discovery, mental health, and spiritual development.Follow for new episodes every other week and bonus reflections in between.And, for more weekly inspiration, you can follow @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast on social media:🔗Facebook🔗Instagram<>"There we were, women in our thirties. Educated, married, mothers, women who have careers, who manage homes and oversee companies. And there we were, utterly resigned to lives that feel overly busy and pressurized, disconnected and exhausted." — Shauna Niequist, Present Over PerfectWelcome to this week’s episode of Gracefully Unraveled — and our very first Interlude. This series within the podcast is something a little different. Less story, more soul school. These are episodes where I pause our usual rhythm to dive deeper into the big ideas and concepts that inspire the regular episodes. And today, we'll be exploring the often-misunderstood words — identity and ego.These words are foundational to this podcast and how we navigate our experiences with motherhood. And while the teachings I share today won’t be exhaustive, my hope is to bring a variety of voices over time — offering both spiritual and psychological insights — so we can begin to trace the common threads of wisdom that stretch across science and tradition, helping us make sense of our own becoming.So let’s slow down and get curious — not just about the definitions, but about the deeper implications of how we see ourselves, and how we live.How many of you can relate to that quote from Shauna Niequist's book, Present Over Perfect? One day you wake up to find yourself crouched, balancing on one heel on top of a box (anyone else seen that TikTok challenge?), but in this version, you're holding a baby with your left arm, and typing on a laptop with your right — wondering, How the hell did I arrive here?We all have an unconscious mind that operates on autopilot. Sometimes it's helpful — like warning us to run from a bear. Or... wait, are you supposed to run from a bear? Or only certain bears?Nevermind, in the context of Niequist’s quote, we — especially as women — often find ourselves impulsively chasing ideals, meeting social norms, or even pushing back against them, only to pause one weekend and realize we don’t remember when or how we signed up for all of this. And while gazing out the window, coffee in hand, we think to ourselves, Why do I still feel so disconnected? And, what I am disconnected from anyway?Let’s begin with Sigmund Freud — the founder of psychoanalysis and a foundational figure in the world of psychology. Freud believed that the human psyche was composed of three core elements: the id, the ego, and the superego.The id represents primal urges and instincts. It operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification. At the start of life, he noted that id is the dominant force — impulsive and entirely unconscious — focused on seeking pleasure and avoiding pain--the driving energy beneath all our behavior. The superego is the internalization of societal, cultural, and parental values. It imposes guilt, ideals, and moral standards. And over time ego emerges to temper the instinctual needs of the id with the high expectations of the superego, all while navigating the demands of the external world.Freud once compared this dynamic to a horse and rider. The id is the horse — powerful, instinctual, wild. The ego is the rider — trying to steer the horse without getting thrown off. Freud saw identity as emerging from this tension — not something static, but rather something shaped and reshaped by inner forces and social interaction.But for many — including myself — this psychological map lacked depth. It left me thinking, okay, but where's the rest? And that's where spiritual teachers like Ram Dass step in to expand the terrain.Dass, once a Harvard psychologist himself, defined identity and ego as structures of mind that organize the universe around the illusion of separateness. The ego acts as a steering mechanism for a separate self, much like Freud’s “rider.” But where Freud emphasized managing impulses, Dass encouraged a conscious disidentification from the ego. He equated the ego with intellect — the head — and pointed to the heart as the seat of intuitive wisdom and unconditional love.The tension between head and heart, according to Dass, is where spiritual evolution occurs. We don’t destroy the ...
    Más Menos
    8 m
  • How Your Brain Shapes Your Reactions as a Mom (Ep.6)

    How Your Brain Shapes Your Reactions as a Mom (Ep.6)
    Dec 5 2025
    A bead spill in Target. A child pushing limits. A mom instantly flooded with embarrassment. Sound familiar?In this episode, we explore why these everyday moments hit us so hard — and what neuroscience, cultural expectations, and spirituality reveal about the emotional load mothers carry.We break down:🧠 How your brain predicts emotions before you choose them📊 What the Good Mother Myth is — and why it triggers instant shame💛 Why we feel watched, judged, and responsible for perfection✨ How to rewrite your reactions through identity in ChristIt’s a mix of relatable mom stories, practical insight, and spiritual grounding to help you shift from reactivity to presence.Motherhood isn’t about performing — it’s about transforming. Let’s unravel the pressure together.Thank you for listening! Please Subscribe, Rate and Review to help me reach more mommas!💖And, for more weekly inspiration, you can follow @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast on social media:🔗Facebook🔗Instagram<>I was in the store shopping recently when I overheard a mom tell her young child, “You want a toy, right? Then you have to behave.” And listen… as moms, how many of us have been there? Trying to convince — or let’s be honest, bribe — our kids to do the right thing.I have definitely been there. And, if you know anything about an Enneagram Eight… well, taking an Eight child shopping is a death match. Mine will clown and act out all over that store, subconsciously believing it’ll get him to the toy aisle faster. And when it instead results in a 'no, why would I reward you for this behavior', he acts shocked and turns to negotiation and applied guilt.But enough of my pity party; let’s get back to my role as mom observer.Sure enough, a few aisles later I end up in same vicinity as this mom again, but this time I hear a crinkle…a ripe...and then the unmistakable sound of what had to be a thousand tiny beads plinking off the cart and scattering across the floor. Followed by the mom’s desperate voice: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”Yep. That’s motherhood.I didn’t even have to see her to know exactly how she felt. Because as a mom, I felt it with her.“You’re listening to Gracefully Unraveled — a podcast about the honest, soulful, and sometimes edgy journey through motherhood. I’m your host, Kelli Lynch, and every other week I explore how this path reshapes us — not into someone new, but into a deeper awareness of who we are. Through reflection, spiritual wisdom, a little research, and just enough comedy to stay sane, we’ll navigate this messy, beautiful unraveling together.”Wouldn’t it be nice if we could reach a mental space where the bead grenade in aisle 12 actually made us laugh — instead of causing our whole body to tense up while our brain debates whether to scream or cry?Kids see hilarity in these moments. But we — the adults — instantly shift into embarrassment, fear, frustration, maybe even anger. Often before we’ve even stopped to ask:Did my child chew through the package or was it actually defective and an unavoidable accident?So where do these automatic reactions come from?Why are they so fast?And what do we do when we don’t like the mom we become in those moments?Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, author of How Emotions Are Made, explains that our brains have “multipurpose networks” for making all mental states like emotions, thoughts, perceptions, and memories - and these networks don’t react in real-time as much as they predict what's going to happen.According to scientific theory, she notes that our brain uses past experiences, and current sensory input to guess what’s happening and how we should respond.So when the beads hit the floor, your brain fires:loud noise →public setting →broken item →people watching →parent responsibility →“This is bad.”But, if we all trusted Shakespeare we'd know that there is nothing good or bad, only thinking makes it so. However, most of us aren’t quite that evolved. Yet.Dr. Barrett further explains that the brain does this because prediction is metabolically cheaper than waiting. Our brains are expensive organs that consume a significant portion of our metabolic budget — so it’s more efficient for them to guess in advance and then correct, rather than wait and react. And if we perceive something to match the brain’s prediction or we reject the evidence that suggests otherwise, the brain doesn’t bother evaluating it any further. It just runs with the guess, because that saves energy. In short: we don’t always see the world as it is… we see it as we believe it to be.When it comes to parenting, we don’t show up as blank slates.We carry:memories of our own parentscultural messages about what “good moms” should look likejudgement we’ve absorbed from TV, social media, and other momsour own insecurities about being “enough”All of this sits on standby, ready to inform the brain’s ...
    Más Menos
    11 m
  • The Mom-Friend Void: Why Motherhood Feels Lonely and How Faith & Science Explain It (Ep.5)

    The Mom-Friend Void: Why Motherhood Feels Lonely and How Faith & Science Explain It (Ep.5)
    Nov 21 2025
    Motherhood can feel lonely, overwhelming, and spiritually disorienting—so why does a show like Sweet Magnolias hit us so hard? In this episode, Kelli explores why moms long for community and how motherhood reshapes friendships, faith, and identity. With insights from psychology, neuroscience, and scripture, you’ll learn why connection is essential for mental health, why faith often gets harder (and more real) after kids, and how your longing for deeper relationships is actually a sign of spiritual growth—not failure. If you're craving sisterhood, support, or a renewal of faith, this episode is a gentle, hope-filled invitation back to yourself.Thank you for listening! Please Subscribe, Rate and Review to help me reach more mommas!💖And, for more weekly inspiration, you can follow @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast on social media:🔗Facebook🔗Instagram<>How many of you are fans of Sweet Magnolias, the Netflix series? If you’re like me, you probably watch that show with a quiet sense of longing — wishing that the town of Serenity were real. Because if it were, I’d have my bags packed, my kids buckled in the car, and Google maps set.But then the TV clicks off… and real life comes rushing back. The baskets of unfolded laundry. The half-solved math homework. And seasonally appropriate, the cooked pumpkin in the fridge I had every intention of baking with - 3 days ago. And perhaps like me you feel this pang — this subtle ache — because the world you just watched feels nothing like the world you’re standing in.Today we’re exploring that ache. That longing. That discontent that gets stirred up inside you.Because something about that community — the friendships, the faith, the family dynamics — hits a tender place in a mother’s heart. And maybe it’s not about wanting their lives… but about wondering why those things feel so rare in ours.If you’ve never watched the show, here’s the quick version: Sweet Magnolias is set in a small Southern town called Serenity. It follows the intertwined lives of three women navigating motherhood, careers, heartbreak, and faith — supported by a community that shows up, prays together, feeds each other, and holds one another upright.And as you listen today, I want you to give yourself permission: It’s okay to long for those things.Welcome back to Gracefully Unraveled — a podcast where we explore the sacred messiness of motherhood, identity and ego. I'm your host Kelli Lynch, and every other week I’ll be exploring how motherhood reshapes us — not into someone new, but into a deeper awareness of who we are. Through personal reflection, spiritual insight, a dash of data and whole lot of honesty- let’s unravel with intention and kindness together.The true hallmark of the Sweet Magnolia's show is the friendship shared between these 3 amazing women - but for some mommas, that sense of friendship, so tight it feels like sisterhood - seems like a distant past. so why do once-stable friendships seem to unravel after becoming a mom?Because, motherhood reorganizes more than your schedule — it reorganizes your identity. That includes your relationships. Research published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships shows that women often experience a significant contraction in social networks after childbirth, largely due to expectations that mothers prioritize home life over social connection. And this isolation is not accidental but also not fully intentional. What we accept as maternal instinct is often mixed with societal conditioning.And to complicate it further, friendships that once felt effortless, now require more energy, planning, childcare, and vulnerability then we feel equipped to manage. Some sociologists have actually referred to early motherhood as a period of role engulfment — when one identity eclipses others, sometimes unintentionally. And where that leaves a lot of mommas, is lonely - and according to popular researcher and author Brené Brown, loneliness and disconnection are the worst heartbreaks of all.Now I of course realize this may not be the experience for all. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 55% of women report having between one and four close friends, while 36% say they have five or more. But, I would wager to guess that the number would decrease if we added a "women with kids" filter - because the harsh reality is that if given a moment to breath - moms are more likely to prioritize self-care and sleep over socializing, and next thing you know - a bestie becomes a fond memory.Based on my own experience and what I've witnessed - despite connection being biologically crucial, many women quietly retreat into motherhood assuming that sacrifice was just part of the deal.But here's a truth bomb, friendship is a 2-way street. And sometimes variable personality styles can work against each other during transitions like marriage and motherhood. Things like introversion, avoidant tendencies or even ...
    Más Menos
    13 m
  • Grace Note | Is This Real? A Reflection on Beauty, Faith, and Wonder

    Grace Note | Is This Real? A Reflection on Beauty, Faith, and Wonder
    Nov 14 2025

    This Grace Note reflects on a simple sunset walk that turned into a moment of spiritual clarity. A sky filled with vibrant colors led to a deeper question: Why do we sometimes doubt real beauty — and even doubt God’s love — are they too good to be true?

    In this short episode, we explore the connection between wonder, faith, and the reminders God places in everyday life. If you’re a mother seeking encouragement, spiritual insight, or a peaceful moment with God, this reflection offers a reminder of His presence and the reality of His love.

    Perfect for listeners looking for motherhood inspiration, mindful parenting, or faith-based comfort in daily life.


    Thank you for listening. Please Subscribe, Rate and Review to help me reach more mommas!

    And, for more weekly inspiration, you can follow @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast on social media:

    🔗Facebook

    🔗Instagram


    <>

    While walking at sunset, the clouds were simply spectacular. There was this endless trail of puffy clouds—glowing pink, orange, and soft blue. Thinking back on it now, it looked like something out of a storybook, as if unicorns might leap from fold to fold, covered in sprinkles.

    But in all seriousness, As I moved closer with each step, I caught myself thinking, “This landscape is beautiful—like a painting.” Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “pretty as a picture.” And then my mind started to wander: Why do we even say that? Why, when we encounter something so naturally amazing, something effortlessly spectacular, do we describe it as if it measured up to a painting—something we create, rather than what simply is?

    We rarely look at a beautiful painting and say it’s “as pretty as real life.” It struck me: when we see something awe-inspiring, sometimes our minds doubt its reality. We think it’s too good to be true. I realized we do this with God, too. God’s love, His compassion, His redemptive power through Jesus—all can feel “too good to be true.” Sometimes, disbelief rises up, whispering that what’s most beautiful and transformative can’t possibly be real.

    So next time you find yourself gazing at a breathtaking sunrise, a winding river, or caught in a moment of true awe, let yourself meditate on this: the beauty that feels too amazing to be true was created by a God who seems too great to be true—but that doesn’t make either any less real.

    And that’s today’s Grace Note—a brief window into presence, awe, and the reminders God offers in everyday moments. May it call to mind the reality of wonder, and the even greater reality of His love.
    Más Menos
    2 m
  • The Bad Mom Myth: Rewriting Guilt with Grace (Ep. 4)

    The Bad Mom Myth: Rewriting Guilt with Grace (Ep. 4)
    Nov 5 2025
    Every mom has whispered the words “I am a bad mom” — but what if that thought could stop at “I am”? In this heartfelt episode, Kelli unpacks the hidden weight of today’s “blame the parents” psychology, which has many mothers walking a tightrope of guilt and unrealistic expectations. Through personal storytelling, data, and Scripture, she invites moms to reframe self-condemnation through faith. This episode reminds us that motherhood isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence, grace, and finding quiet in the storm.🎙️ Regular episodes every other week with bonus episodes in between.➕Be sure to Follow and Share with a mom friend!✨Enjoy a steady stream of inspirational messages on social channels. Search @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast or click links below!🔗YouTube🔗Facebook🔗Instagram<>I am a bad mom.How many times have you told yourself that? Personally, I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count. We live with this quiet fear that we’re somehow messing our kids up. I mean, if we spend time in therapy blaming our parents for how we turned out, certainly our kids will do the same—right? So we start cataloging every blow-up, every sarcastic response, every moment of emotional fatigue like it’s evidence in a trial against our motherhood.Take for example, the recent morning meltdown I experienced with my youngest son. This child has been dressing himself for years without any real conflict- well, with the exception of going from obsessed with jeans one year to only sweats the next displacing a lot of new pants. But, on this school day, I was really caught of guard. I was still coming down from disciplining his older brother, juggling packed lunches, and needing to get dressed for the day when he hollered that he didn't have a shirt to wear despite a likely fifteen being in his drawer. After stopping everything I was managing to go hold up every shirt option, we landed on the perfect solid-colored shirt. But he wasn't done. Next he asked me where a very specific sweatshirt was that he noted as having not seen in over a week. That’s when I lost it. "I can't help you," I finally said. The good news is we made it to school that day, a few minutes late, but we arrived visibly unscathed - but emotionally for me, not so much. Que the guilt spiral. On the drive home, I thought of all the ways I had failed him. What else could I have said to help him discern why the shirts were acceptable yesterday but not today. I was too tired and overwhelmed-it was simply my fault. I could have been more kind, less frustrated. And since my drive is longer than 5-minutes, it was plenty of time for my mom-mind to go entirely of the rails narrating the future impact of my bad parenting moment—he'll grow to hate me, he won’t go to college, he won’t get married, he’ll end up in therapy talking about his mom’s meltdowns. If bad parenting were like speeding tickets, my license would be revoked.It sounds dramatic, but that’s the mental gymnastics a lot of mothers are doing subconsciously. The invisible scorecard of guilt is real — and exhausting.---Welcome back to *Gracefully Unraveled*—a podcast where we explore the sacred messiness of motherhood, identity, and ego. I’m your host, Kelli Lynch, and every other week I share reflections, spiritual insight, a dash of data, and a whole lot of honesty to help us unravel—gracefully and intentionally—together.---News flash - We’re not imagining it. Research shows that over half of mothers, according to a 2023 Pew Research study—say they regularly feel like they’re not doing enough for their children. And the “blame the parents” culture doesn’t help. Popular psychology since the 1980s has overemphasized root causes in early childhood, so now, instead of healing, many of us are stuck in cycles of blame—of others and ourselves.Years ago, when I started writing a memoir, I thought it would bring me a sense of healing to address childhood trauma, to unravel its effect on my life and relationships. I fell into that trap of hope, that "I" could solve whatever was broken. However, more recently I was reflecting on whether I should pick it back up. And I remember hearing this quiet voice say: *“Are you looking for someone to blame?”* That stopped me. It made me wonder how often we reach for blame instead of grace. How often we dwell in what's been **done to us**, instead of rooting ourselves in what God **can do for us**--today.So now I want to flip the script because so much of the parenting dialogue out there today is pressurizing parents to the point of emotional destruction in my opinion. And, let's instead address the elephant in the room. Don’t children traumatize their parents too—or maybe, retraumatize them?Who’s looking out for the parents--mommas in particular?I imagine this like a classroom. Some of you are raising your hands high—eager to say, “It’s my responsibility." And, you have a moment...
    Más Menos
    12 m
  • Get In, Mama—Ego Won't Unravel Itself (Ep.3)

    Get In, Mama—Ego Won't Unravel Itself (Ep.3)
    Oct 21 2025
    Ever second-guess a silly choice because you worried what others might think? In this episode of Gracefully Unraveled, host Kelli Lynch reflects on a hilarious T-shirt moment that uncovers something much deeper—how ego, identity, and motherhood intertwine to shape who we believe we are. Kelli unpacks why moms often “brand” themselves to fit expectations, what Eckhart Tolle and Lao Tzu teach us about the false self, and how faith reveals a more authentic, grace-filled way to show up.Through honest storytelling, cultural insight, and spiritual reflection, this conversation explores ego’s quiet control and the freedom that comes from stepping outside curated expectations. Whether you’re a reflective mom, spiritual seeker, or just someone learning to laugh at life’s contradictions, this episode will inspire you to show up—unfiltered.🎙️ Regular episodes every other week with bonus episodes in between.➕Be sure to Follow and Share with a mom friend!✨Enjoy a steady stream of inspirational messages on social channels. Search @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast or click links below!🔗YouTube🔗Facebook🔗Instagram<>I was shopping on one of those popular discount websites for things I didn’t need when I came across a T-shirt that made me smile and audibly laugh. First thought? “I have to have this.” But while I added it to my cart immediately, it sat there for a full 24 hours while my brain ran through a tug-of-war over whether it was “appropriate” for a 40-something year old mom.So, for the sake of clarity, picture this — there’s an old-fashioned bike, the kind my grandma rode - with a basket on the front, and it’s being pedaled by a raccoon. In the basket rests a possum clutching the edges — and the caption reads “Get in loser, trouble won’t find itself.”For my left-brain friends, you might need to hop over to social later to fully appreciate the visual. But for my right-brain people, I hope you’re laughing. Seeing that shirt made me instantly think of my sister, being carefree and perhaps careless in our youth - and we'd probably do so now if left alone long enough.But my initial response was then followed by conditioned thinking. My nostalgia and good humor turned into a full-blown internal conversation. Would I actually wear that shirt in public? Would I be setting a bad example for my kids? Would other mom's make judgements about me and subsequently my parenting skills? Or...Maybe, I’m not actually that funny — and don’t belong in a shirt like that.Welcome back to Gracefully Unraveled — a podcast where we explore the sacred messiness of motherhood, identity and ego. I'm your host Kelli Lynch, and every other week I’ll be exploring how motherhood reshapes us — not into someone new, but into a deeper awareness of who we are. Through personal reflection, spiritual insight, a dash of data and whole lot of honesty- let’s unravel with intention and kindness together.Maybe you didn’t debate a possum shirt like I did. But have you ever laughed at a meme, maybe liked it, but stopped short of resharing it? Not because it wasn’t funny — but because you started to wonder what your followers might think. Whether it aligned with your role as a mom, a co-worker, a Christian even— whatever identity you were trying to protect in that moment? That little internal pause? That’s what we’re digging into today.I’ve spent most of my career in marketing and communications. So moments like this — analyzing the message against the target audience — feels familiar. In marketing, we call it audience segmentation: tailor your message to match the expectations of whoever’s receiving it.But when you do that in real life — over and over — the risk is, you start marketing a version of yourself that isn’t fully authentic.Even small things — like packing your kid’s lunch — can become a branding exercise. Should I drop in the Takis and Oreos because I’m super casual? Or do I go with baby cucumbers and an apple? If you're like me, you do both. Better to cover all the bases.It’s like post-childbirth, some invisible assistant moved in — quietly whispering, “Let’s run that through the brand guidelines before you proceed.”This, my friend, is your ego at work.One of my go-to modern spiritual teachers is Eckhart Tolle, and you’ll likely hear me refer to him many times over the course of my episodes. He defines ego as the part of the mind that tries to control your thinking and behavior. It’s a false sense of self built through identification with roles, appearance and beliefs -- to name a few. It consists of automatic thinking that is reactive and seeking value from the world.While research regarding the psychological impacts of motherhood on women is spotty, there is a powerful study that was published in 2013 in the Journal of Education, Culture and Society. It reported that unlike some other social roles, motherhood often demands a ...
    Más Menos
    9 m
  • Grace Note | Who Do You Think You Are? Reclaiming Faith Through Motherhood.

    Grace Note | Who Do You Think You Are? Reclaiming Faith Through Motherhood.
    Oct 14 2025

    🌿Welcome to a Grace Note episode—a brief, real-life reflection distinct from the regular, deep-dive conversations. Grace Notes offer quick inspiration for your spiritual journey through motherhood.

    💭Ever wonder if you’re qualified as a [fill in the blank]? In this episode, join me for an honest, real-time reflection on self-doubt and the subtle ways ego limits us. Inspired by spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle and Scripture, discover how embracing God’s calling means moving beyond insecurity and stepping into gifts of teaching and shepherding—even when we feel unworthy. Whether you’re a mother in the think of it, a mother-to-be, and a mother working through what you lived through -- questioning your own “enoughness,” this episode offers encouragement, and a gentle reminder to root yourself in divine truth, not the noise of self-doubt. Tune in for a real-life look at how holy consciousness changes everything.

    Thank you for listening. Please Subscribe, Rate and Review to help me reach more mommas!

    And, for more weekly inspiration, you can follow @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast on social media:

    🔗Facebook

    🔗Instagram


    Who do you think you are? Do you think you read enough…Know enough…or are well-versed enough to talk to people about topics as big as faith and identity…Are you really so skilled at mothering that other people should listen to you??

    The truth - everything in my body screams no.

    In that flurry, I stopped and whispered a silent prayer: “God, if you see something in me, help me see it too.” Something softened. I realized the doubts were not truth, just noise—the sort of noise ego makes when it senses movement beyond old limits.

    Here’s something that might surprise you, ego doesn’t always come in the form of seeming power and strength. According to Eckart Tolle, a modern spiritual teacher respected by many around the globe, he says that emotions like fear and anxiety arise as a result of ego...when it perceives a threat to its carefully constructed identity. So when I’m saying no, this is out of my comfort zone but God is saying yes - Well, I’m left asking who knows better...

    Proverbs 16:3 says, “commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

    So here we are - I’m starting a podcast that will explore faith and identity through the lens of motherhood… and you’re still listening to see if I’m going to say anything that’s actually worthwhile.

    So for the sake of this inaugural Grace Note and looking towards where our spiritual journeys intersect, let’s touch on Ephesians chapter 4, where Paul presents what is known as a fivefold ministry.

    Here we learn that the Holy Spirit has gifted each of us an ability to build up the body of Christ - apostle, prophet, evangelist, Shepherd and/or teacher - if you’re a mama listening to this, I hope you feel confident in claiming the teacher and/or Shepherd gifts. It’s OK if you don’t feel like your children are not responding to your teaching. I'll be honest, I feel rejected on regular basis when I attempt to open my mouth without their deliberate request for my engagement. And it's okay if you feel like you're not Shepherding your children to follow Jesus as good as the next Mom. I believe that every micro moment counts, — and for many (young and old), sharing God’s promises without pressure can be effective for both the one delivering — and receiving. I have come to realize that becoming a mom is an automatic opportunity to grow your gifts from God, if you are willing to deconstruct your ego so you can reconstruct your faith. Let’s work together to wake up that holy consciousness that lies within us all, so that our gifts are used to achieve good works.

    Thank you for listening to today’s Grace Note — a brief, real-life moment where deeper presence turned an ordinary experience into something meaningful. Grace Notes are my way of sharing how conscious awareness and spiritual attention can reveal unexpected insights in even the simplest parts of life, offering gentle reminders that every day holds the seeds of transformation.
    Más Menos
    4 m
  • Career, Motherhood & the Ego Tug-of-War (Ep.2)

    Career, Motherhood & the Ego Tug-of-War (Ep.2)
    Oct 7 2025
    What happens when motherhood collides with career? In this episode of Gracefully Unraveled, Kelli Lynch opens up about the emotional whiplash of returning to work after her first baby — and how ego wrapped itself around both her mothering and career identities.Through vulnerable storytelling, cultural data, and spiritual wisdom from Michael Todd and Richard Rohr, she explores how shame and ego shape our sense of worth, and how grace invites us to live beyond performance.If you’ve ever felt torn between the office and the nursery, this conversation is for you.🎧 Regular episodes every other week with bonus episodes in between. Please like and subscribe.👉Enjoy a steady stream of inspirational messages on social channels. Search @GracefullyUnraveledPodcast or click links below!🔗YouTube🔗Facebook🔗InstagramClick the share button to send this to a mom friend who can relate.<>When I went back to work after having my first son, it was emotionally excruciating. The twelve weeks I spent at home were filled with trials of skill — feeding, soothing, sleeping. But returning to work? That was a trial of emotion I could not have anticipated. I hadn’t realized how much of my identity had become tangled up in being a mother — and how ego had wrapped itself around that new role.The word "identity" comes from the Latin word identitas, which means "sameness" or "being the same." To identify is to make same. And now, I was ensnared in all the egoic constructs of motherhood — built from thoughts, beliefs, and expectations. What should motherhood look like? What should I look like in it?I knew society generally accepted working moms. And I loved my career in marketing and communications. But handing my baby to someone else for what felt like more waking hours than I had with him — that shook me.Welcome back to *Gracefully Unraveled* — a podcast where we explore the sacred messiness of motherhood, identity and ego. I'm your host Kelli Lynch, and every other week I’ll be exploring how motherhood reshapes us — not into someone new, but into a deeper awareness of who we are. Through personal reflection, spiritual insight, a dash of data and a whole lot of honesty - let’s unravel with intention and kindness together.Statistically, 55% of moms return to work after maternity leave. But only 70% of all U.S. women take any form of maternity leave. And of those who do, 26% return to work less than two months after giving birth. That’s not a recovery — that’s a sprint. In fact, 26.5% of new moms report their mental health as “fair” or “poor” in their first month back on the job.And let’s be honest — the broader culture still assumes that caregiving is women’s work. That expectation, paired with insufficient policies like lack of paid leave or affordable childcare, leaves most moms walking a tightrope between guilt and exhaustion. Some feel empowered in their return. Others feel fractured.I was somewhere in the middle — empowered but confused. That confusion followed me for years.There was even a season when I became a little too identified with my career. I stayed late, took on more, felt validated by doing well — only to be wrecked with guilt that I had so little time with my son before bed. And later, I learned just how deeply he had struggled — isolated and anxious in after-school care. The mom guilt didn’t shrink with time — it multiplied.In his book Damaged But Not Destroyed, Pastor Michael Todd offers a powerful lens for looking at our past without shame: the HOT method. He encourages us to be:- Humble enough to acknowledge the pain- Open to how it impacted us- Transparent about the ways it still shows upThat framework hit me hard. Because from that moment of returning to work, a lot of decisions I made around my first son snowballed into a giant coil of shame and regret. I can still rattle off everything I think I did wrong over the years.And because I didn't have the awareness (or let's be real, time nor patience) back then to process those emotions, they just festered and resurfaced as shame wrapped in an endless pursuit of perfection. That’s what ego does. It either defends or condemns. Either way, it traps us in illusion. But as Todd shares, the past doesn’t define us. It teaches us.Motherhood — in all its mess — teaches us how to dismantle the ego around our roles, identities, and expectations. Not by perfection, but by grace. We learn to see ourselves as God sees us — always growing, always beloved.Today, I have two boys and work part-time. I still enjoy strategic marketing — helping clients grow, telling and selling their value. But slowly, motherhood cannibalized my career identity. At first, that shift felt like a loss. But in hindsight, it was an invitation to look more closely.Because if I’m honest, part of the reason I began to so strongly identify with work in the first place was that I *needed* to be more than a mom. It wasn’t just ...
    Más Menos
    7 m