When was the last time you felt genuinely excited about your future? In this special birthday week episode, we're breaking away from the heavier emotions we've been exploring to focus on something many busy moms have forgotten how to feel: anticipation and excitement for what's ahead.

If you've been going through the motions for so long that you can barely remember what lights you up, this episode is your permission slip to dream again. I understand that feeling of disconnection all too well—that moment when someone asks what you're looking forward to and your mind goes blank because you've been focused on everyone else's needs for so long.

✨ In this episode, you'll discover:

• How to reconnect with genuine excitement (even if it feels distant right now)
• A powerful journal prompt to channel messages from your future self
• Small, meaningful actions that align with the woman you're becoming
• How to identify and reclaim parts of yourself that got lost in the chaos of balancing it all

I guide you through four thoughtful prompts designed to help you spark joy and possibility, complete with examples for those who might feel so disconnected they're not sure where to begin.

1. When was the last time you felt a genuine sense of excitement about your future, and what sparked that feeling within you?
2. If your future self (who has found inner peace and fulfillment) could send you a message about what she's most grateful for, what would she say?
3. What small action could you take tomorrow that would align with the woman you're becoming rather than the patterns you've been trying to leave behind?
4. If your birthday wish this year was to reclaim one aspect of yourself that's lost in the chaos of motherhood and career, what would you wish for?

• Free Calm Mind Blueprint: My 5-day journaling challenge to go from overwhelm to inner peace, with daily prompts and voice guidance via private podcast. Click here to start: www.samanthapenkoff.com/calm-mind-podcast

This episode is perfect for the woman who's been so focused on managing everyone else's lives that she's forgotten to dream about her own. Give yourself these 5 minutes to remember who you are beyond your roles and responsibilities.

🎂 It's birthday week on the podcast, and I'm keeping things fun and lighthearted with a "Would You Rather" episode that dives into the impossible choices working moms face daily!

After dropping my son off at the airport for his trip with dad (a bittersweet moment every mom can relate to), I thought we could explore some thought-provoking dilemmas that highlight the juggling act of motherhood and working life. From choosing between uninterrupted work days versus peaceful homes, to deciding whether you'd rather have a personal chef or chauffeur, these questions reveal the trade-offs we make constantly.

Interact by participating

• on Instagram: https://www.intagram.com/samantha.s.says
• on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachsamanthahawley

But here's the important part: I share why you don't actually have to choose between career success and being present with your family. The working moms in my Peace and Confidence Collective are learning to excel at work with clarity and focus, then seamlessly transition to being fully present at home without feeling depleted.

• The mixed emotions of mom-alone time
• Work-life balance scenarios that will make you nod in recognition
• Daily dilemmas every working mom faces (laundry mountains vs. chaotic inboxes!)
• Embarrassing mom moments we all fear (and which I'd rather face)
• Fantasy parenting scenarios we all dream about (personal chef, anyone?)
• How to break free from impossible choices and have fulfillment in all areas

Come play along with me and DM your own answers on social media! This episode reminds us that while these scenarios highlight impossible juggling acts, you don't have to choose between loving your work and being present with your family.

• Instagram: @samantha.s.says
• Facebook: Samantha Hawley
• Peace & Confidence Collective: click here to apply & get no strings attached details!
• Calm Mind Blueprint: 5 day challenge to go from Overwhelm to Inner Peace in 2 mins/day - click here to start!

1:1 coaching: Now accepting applications, 3 spots open. Apply here.

Emotionally Empowered: The BEST (and maybe only) journaling membership on the internet that focuses on taking your big emotions & situations and transforming them into the clarity + direction you need to get what you want...combined with a 24/7 uplifting community. You receive journal prompt flows, journaling workshops and special 'Breakthrough Themes'. Access it all with a 7 day FREE trial!

Ever felt anger bubble up so intensely as a mom that it scared you? You're not alone. In this honest 5-minute journaling episode, I'm tackling the taboo topic that many mothers experience but few talk about: mom rage.

As women, we're often conditioned to suppress anger or feel intense guilt when we experience it—especially as mothers. But what if your anger is actually trying to tell you something important? What if processing it properly could lead to deeper connections with yourself and your family?

🔥 In this episode, we explore:

• The connection between your childhood experiences with anger and your current triggers
• How to identify what's really beneath your rage moments
• Practical ways to release anger energy without causing harm
• Repairing relationships after anger episodes

I walk you through a powerful 5-prompt journal flow that starts by examining your relationship with anger from childhood, then guides you through processing recent rage moments, uncovering unrealistic expectations, finding healthy release methods, and repairing connections with loved ones.

1. How were big emotions handled in your childhood home? Were you allowed to express anger growing up?
2. Think of a recent moment when you felt rage bubble up as a mom. What triggered it? How did you feel it in your body? What thoughts were you having?
3. What expectations are you putting on yourself? What judgments are you feeling or making? Are these things true?
4. How would you love to release your anger? (Get creative with this!)
5. Is there anyone you would like to repair your relationship with after an anger episode?

• Free Calm Mind Blueprint: My 5-day journaling challenge with daily prompts and voice guidance via private podcast. Start the challenge by clicking here.

Give yourself these five minutes to acknowledge your anger without judgment. This is your permission slip to process this powerful emotion in a healthy way that leads to greater peace and connection.

🎧 Is inner peace really possible when you're juggling a career and motherhood? In this "day in the life" episode, I get real about what it actually looks like to maintain calm during those chaotic morning routines and overwhelming mom moments - like when your kids just won't put on their shoes and you're already running late!

Forget the myth of "perfect balance" - I'm sharing how I navigate my own overwhelming moments as a single mom while still finding that elusive inner peace. (Yes, even when I'm muttering "oh my f***ing god" under my breath during stressful mornings!)

• Why "inner peace" isn't about eliminating frustration or floating through your day like a zen goddess
• The exact moment-by-moment breakdown of how I handled a challenging morning with my 4-year-old (without totally losing my cool)
• My practical 2-step method to regulate your nervous system in seconds during stressful moments
• Why affirmations won't actually make you calm (and what will)
• How to respond patiently instead of reacting emotionally when your kids push all your buttons

I'm getting vulnerable about those depleting moments we all experience as moms, while sharing actionable strategies to reclaim your calm even in the most overwhelming situations.

• Calm Mind Blueprint Experience - A free 5-day journaling challenge with daily prompts and voice guidance to help you go from overwhelm to inner peace in just 2-10 minutes a day

If you resonated with this episode, please take a screenshot, share it on social media, and tag me @samantha.s.says - or leave a review to help more overwhelmed working moms discover these strategies!

1:1 coaching: Now accepting applications, 3 spots open. Apply here.

Emotionally Empowered: The BEST (and maybe only) journaling membership on the internet that focuses on taking your big emotions & situations and transforming them into the clarity + direction you need to get what you want...combined with a 24/7 uplifting community. You receive journal prompt flows, journaling workshops and special 'Breakthrough Themes'. Access it all with a 7 day FREE trial!

Do you find yourself physically home but mentally still at work? As working moms, we often struggle with that daily transition between career woman and engaged parent.

In this powerful 10-minute journaling workshop, I'm sharing the exact prompts that help you finish your workday feeling impactful & fulfilled then transition home with the energy to truly connect with your family.

If you've ever found yourself cooking dinner while still mentally responding to work emails, or going through bedtime routines on autopilot, this episode is your permission slip to create intentional transitions that transform your evenings and weekends.

🔍 In this episode, you'll discover:

• The crucial difference between being "on" versus being truly present
• How to identify your specific emotional triggers during daily transitions
• Where to find hidden pockets of time for mini reset rituals
• Simple 10-30 second practices that instantly bring you back to the present moment
• Breathing techniques that switch you from work mode to home mode with renewed energy

I walk you through four strategic journal prompts that will help you recognize when you're performing versus when you're intentional, identify your emotional triggers, create space for yourself amidst the chaos, and develop personalized reset rituals that take just seconds but transform your entire experience.

Journal Prompts Included:

1. When are you "on" versus when are you present? (Performing vs. intentional)
2. What are your emotional triggers within daily transitions from work to home?
3. Where can you create small pockets of space for yourself throughout your day?
4. What mini reset rituals (10-30 seconds) can help you reconnect to yourself?

The beauty of these prompts is they're strategic and practical—far more effective than generic gratitude journaling when you're trying to navigate the complex emotions of work-life transitions.

Give yourself these ten minutes to transform how you move between the different roles in your life. This is your roadmap to finally being fully present at home, filled with energy instead of depleted, and truly enjoying your evenings and weekends with those you love most.

Ready to discover deeper emotional peace?

Download the free Calm Mind Blueprint: a guided 5-day experience that builds on today's practice. This transformative journaling framework includes daily voice guidance, targeted prompts, and community support to help you move from overwhelm to lasting inner peace.

Click here to download your free Blueprint and continue your journey to emotional freedom: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/calm-mind-pod

Ways to work with Samantha:

1:1 coaching: Now accepting applications, 3 spots open. Apply here.

Are you constantly running from place to place feeling frantic and overwhelmed? In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Gauthier, life coach and host of the Overwhelmed Working Woman podcast, who helps busy, overwhelmed working women find peace and efficiency.

Michelle shares how she went from living in mom guilt and constant frenzy to creating a more intentional, peaceful life. She introduces us to her game-changing "to-don't list" concept - a powerful tool that eliminates decision fatigue and creates more space in your day.

🔍 In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why creating a "to-don't list" might be MORE important than your to-do list
• How to identify what areas of your life "suck" and should be eliminated or changed
• Why setting boundaries around others' opinions can transform your peace of mind
• How to create true white space in your calendar (and actually keep it open!)

Michelle shares her journey from a 20-year corporate career to becoming a life coach for overwhelmed women, and how she broke free from the frenzy to create a more peaceful life as a single mom of two. Her practical approach to eliminating overwhelm will leave you feeling inspired to make immediate changes to your own hectic schedule.

Whether you're a working mom stretched thin or anyone feeling overwhelmed by life's demands, this episode offers tangible strategies to create more space, peace and intentionality in your day-to-day life.

• Michelle's podcast: Overwhelmed Working Woman
• Michelle's Overwhelm Quiz: Take the quiz
• Calm Mind Blueprint: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/calm-mind-podcast

Ways to work with Samantha:

1:1 coaching: Now accepting applications, 4 spots open. Apply here.

Emotionally Empowered: The BEST (and maybe only) journaling membership on the internet that focuses on taking your big emotions & situations and transforming them into the clarity + direction you need to get what you want...combined with a 24/7 uplifting community. You receive journal prompt flows, journaling workshops and special 'Breakthrough Themes'. Access it all with a 7 day FREE trial!

Are you tired of being told to (or feeling like you should) "just be grateful" when life feels overwhelming? In this powerful 5-minute journaling episode, I'm challenging the culture of forced gratitude that keeps so many ambitious moms stuck in cycles of denial and disconnection.

If you've ever caught yourself saying "I should be grateful for my job" or "I should be grateful for my family" while secretly feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or unfulfilled—this episode is for you. I believe it's time to stop masking what you truly feel with gratitude statements that keep you from addressing what's really going on.

🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why traditional gratitude journaling might be keeping you stuck
• How to honor the difficult parts of your life instead of glossing over them
• A powerful 3-prompt journal flow to reconnect with what truly matters
• My quick guided visualization technique that builds genuine self-trust

I walk you through each prompt step-by-step, complete with a calming breathwork exercise to help you integrate these insights and trust that everything you desire is already within you—you just need to clear away the distractions and expectations.

1. What feels hard for you right now and what's really shitty about it?
2. What is this telling you that is important to you?
3. What are you already doing to work towards that important thing, or what could you start doing?

• Free Calm Mind Blueprint: My 5-day journaling challenge with daily prompts and voice guidance via private podcast: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/calm-mind-podcast
• 1:1 Coaching: Currently accepting applications for 4 open spots: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/assessments/2148353310

Take these few minutes for yourself to break free from the "gratitude trap" and reconnect with your inner wisdom. You don't need to hide behind gratitude—you can acknowledge what's hard AND create the life you truly want.

Ever feel like you're failing at either work OR motherhood... or dropping the ball at both? Like no matter how hard you try, you can never get the elusive "balance" thing right? 💫

In this eye-opening episode, I'm challenging the traditional concept of "balance" and sharing why it's setting ambitious moms up for failure. As a single working mom myself, I don't have perfect balance—but I've discovered something FAR MORE valuable: inner peace that follows me wherever I go.

In this episode, I break down:

• Why traditional "balance" is a myth that's making you feel like you're constantly failing
• The harmful belief that balance means being 100% present for everyone all the time
• My personal journey to finding peace whether work, motherhood, or self-care takes priority
• A powerful visualization exercise to help you define what peace (not balance) looks like for YOU
• One simple action step you can implement TODAY to start feeling more peaceful immediately

The truth? Sometimes work demands more from you. Sometimes your family needs to be your priority. And sometimes (yes, really!) YOU need to come first. The magic happens when you can flow between these priorities with peace instead of guilt.

Key insights:

1. Inner peace isn't about having everything perfectly balanced—it's about being fully present and at peace with wherever you are in the moment
2. You don't need to quit your job, start a business, or make drastic life changes to find this peace and flexibility
3. Small, intentional shifts can transform how you experience your existing life

Resources Mentioned:

• FREE Calm Mind Blueprint - 5 days of 2-minute journaling to take you from overwhelm to inner peace (includes access to my private podcast!)
• Apply for my limited-time 6-week intensive to create your personalized work-mom-life integration plan: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/assessments/2148452751

I hope you feel a sense of relief letting "balance" off the hook and embracing inner peace instead. Subscribe to the podcast for more tips on enjoying your everyday life without sacrificing what matters most!