We talk candidly about seasonal sadness and how short days, cold temps, and holiday stress can drain energy and mood. We share practical tools—light therapy, short workouts, smart supplements, and real support—to help you feel steadier through winter.

• why darkness and routine changes trigger low mood
• red light therapy benefits and device quality basics
• full spectrum “SAD” lights for morning wakefulness
• simple, short movement that boosts serotonin and dopamine
• start-now habit stacking to build momentum before January
• magnesium glycinate and 5‑HTP as supportive options
• feeling emotions, naming triggers, and reflecting on root causes
• counseling, EMDR, and tapping to process grief and trauma
• modeling mental health care for kids and breaking patterns

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We dig into how to cut sick days short with rest, simple food shifts, smart supplements, and real-world routines that fit family life. We also clear up winter health myths, from “the cold gives you a cold” to the lure of the late-night second wind.

• honoring immune signals with rest and isolation
• easy nutrition wins with soups, broths and teas
• mindful fasting during fevers while staying hydrated
• early supplements that shorten colds and are kid friendly
• daily preventatives including vitamin D, C, zinc and elderberry
• practical hygiene with handwashing and saline nasal sprays
• stress supports like ashwagandha and better sleep routines
• kid bedtimes for hormone and immune health
• sugar and stress season reframe and alcohol awareness
• fresh air benefits and debunking cold weather myths
• avoiding the second wind and choosing recovery

If this episode spoke to you, please follow the podcast and leave us a quick review. It helps other moms find our community and feel supported too. And if you have a friend who could use a little encouragement, share this episode with her.

We trade the pressure to perform for a season defined by presence, generosity, and mental health. From budget-friendly traditions to kid-led giving and real delegation, we map out a calmer path between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• rising costs and the weight of expectations
• simple gift frameworks that limit clutter
• teaching generosity through donating and drives
• replacing comparison with connection
• low-cost experiences kids actually remember
• stay-home days and mental health resets
• delegation, lists, and early planning
• including yourself on the wish list

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We unpack how motherhood reshapes friendships, from drifting apart to finding “built-in” community in schools, sports, and faith groups. We share practical ways to meet aligned moms, keep pre-kid friendships alive, and release the guilt that comes with changing seasons.

• identity shifts that follow becoming a mom
• kids as connectors and why proximity matters
• mourning old dynamics without self blame
• finding community through school, sports and faith
• practical ideas for early postpartum connection
• balancing friends with and without children
• simple routines that make time for adult friendship
• gratitude for evolving seasons and steady effort

If this episode spoke to you, please follow the podcast and leave a quick review. It helps other moms like you find our community and feel supported too. And if you have a friend who could use a little encouragement, share this episode with her.

We explore how marriage shifts when kids arrive, from mental load and the default parent dynamic to finding time and energy to stay close as partners. We share simple, low-cost ways to reconnect, use love languages, and keep conversations from becoming kid logistics.

• how roles shift and the default parent emerges
• the mental load behind activities, clothes, and schedules
• moving from household managers back to partners
• low-lift date ideas and novelty to spark connection
• prompts and card decks for better conversations
• sharing tasks with clear ownership and systems
• using love languages to make care land
• planning future goals to restore a shared horizon

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We share practical ways to reset after work, ask for help at home, and protect presence with your kids without chasing perfection. From five minute buffers to purpose driven no’s, we trade guilt for grace and build calmer evenings that actually fit real life.

• seasons that tip the balance and how to plan support
• commute and driveway decompression rituals that work
• naming overwhelm and modeling emotional literacy for kids
• using five minute resets to reduce reactivity
• scheduling downtime and finishing work mentally before pickup
• choosing presence over a sprawling to do list
• saying no to extras to protect energy and family time
• simple boundaries for phones, chores, and evening flow
• purpose filters for commitments and future seasons

If this episode spoke to you, please follow the podcast and leave us a quick review
It helps other moms find our community and feel supported too
And if you have a friend who could use a little encouragement, share this episode with her
Thank you for listening, and remember, you are doing an amazing job

We talk honestly about finding identity beyond the role of mom, from newborn survival mode to the strange quiet of school-aged independence. Practical habits, honest stories, and small rituals show how to let go of guilt and model balance for our kids.

• early motherhood overwhelm and lack of brain space
• first baby anxiety versus later-baby confidence
• reclaiming small daily rituals that feel human
• transitions when kids start school and time opens up
• reviving old passions like cooking, reading, swimming
• handling default-parent dynamics and mental load
• naming guilt, sharing load with partners, setting boundaries
• modeling autonomy and balance for children
• simple, realistic self-care ideas for different seasons

If this episode spoke to you, please follow the podcast and leave a quick review
It helps other moms like you find our community and feel supported too
And if you have a friend who could use a little encouragement, share this episode with her

In this episode we discuss the overwhelm that can occur during this time of the year and how to support you during this time.

Recipes discussed in the episode:

https://happyhealthymama.com/homemade-elderberry-syrup-recipe.html

https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/gluten-free-banana-muffins/