Are you ready for some deep-thinking?!?! :)    DeDe and Chelsea are coming at you with some self-reflecting questions in this week’s new episode.     After her family’s recent vacation, Chelsea couldn’t stop thinking about the beauty and inspiration she found at Walden Pond in Concord, MA.  In this episode she talks about the beauty of quiet, and finding a place (or a time!) to recharge, reflect and be inspired.   DeDe then leads a conversation on happiness, and how to ask yourself what your baseline happiness “temperature” is.  When life gets hard, what can we do to get that baseline back up to the perfect temperature?     Come listen in, and feel free to share this episode with friends!    Episode Links - “Where’s Your Walden?” by The Walden Woods Project - “How to (Still) Be Happy” on Science Rules! with Bill Nye

Optimistically Overwhelmed

101: Where's your Walden?

100 episodes!  100?!?!  DeDe and Chelsea are celebrating BIG on this milestone episode with ….. (drum roll) …. a surprise guest!!!   Join DeDe, Chelsea (and their guest) as they recount some of their favorite “beauties” from the last 99 episodes.     The ladies agree that they feel so blessed to have this platform to share positive, uplifting, and inspiring messages with their tribe.  It’s been one heck of a journey, and has stretched them WAY out of their comfort zones.   THANK YOU to you amazing listeners for your incredible support!   Please join them on this fun episode (which, as always, has lots of laughing and lots of tears)!

100: Celebrating 100 Episodes!!!!

DeDe finally joined the “40 club” a few weeks ago and the ladies decided to do a fun/unique episode about what they learned in their 30’s.  They laughed, they cried, and they reminisced about the beautiful and the hard (and everything in-between).    DeDe & Chelsea each shared & discussed some (of the many!) lessons they learned … and they hope that no matter what decade YOU are in that you can learn, relate to, laugh, or cry with them!

99: What We Learned in our 30's

The ladies are excited to share their latest “beauties” on this week’s new episode.  As life “picks up” and as they are trying to remember how to “juggle the juggle,” DeDe and Chelsea are still looking for inspiration and optimism to share with this tribe.    After watching her soccer kids play defense Chelsea talks about the vital role of a defender when it comes to sports, and when it comes to our families.  Although defenders rarely get the glory, their incredible efforts determine the outcome of the “games.”   DeDe opens up about an exciting opportunity from years ago that she let pass by, and that she often regrets missing out on.  But after watching the recent “LulaRich” documentary she shares how glad she was she did what was right for her and reminds us that we can’t be ALL the things.   Episode Links - Amber Robin instagram: AmberRobinStands - Amber Robin Podcast: Latter-day Families STAND Podcast - "LulaRich" documentary on Amazon Prime

98: You Can't Be ALL Things

After a week away DeDe and Chelsea are SO excited to be back on their microphones and sharing their latest “beauties.”     Chelsea is here to tell you that no matter what the “weather” we can always “B.Y.O.S” (or Bring Your Own Sunshine!).  After hearing that phrase on her workout (thanks Robin!) she couldn’t get it out of her mind, and it helped her (more than once) change her day around.  You don’t have to wait for the sun to be shining (or your life to be better) to have a great day!   DeDe then reminds us of the amazing lessons we can all learn from a classic princess … Cinderella.  And that even though we have the right to complain with the unknown or hard times we face, we should still hope and have faith that everything will be okay. 

97: B.Y.O.S

September 9th marks nine years since Chelsea’s oldest sister, Claudine, passed away.  Last year they released a special episode (Episode 59) where they interviewed Claudine’s husband & oldest son, and invited their listeners to join them in providing small acts of service on Claudine’s behalf to #MakeItAClaudineDay.     This year DeDe & Chelsea are so honored to share another “Make it a Claudine Day” episode.  This time they had the privilege of sitting down and interviewing Brooke, Claudine’s daughter-in-law that she never met.  Not only will the listeners be touched by Brooke’s unique perspective of joining a family after they suffered such a loss, but they will also love Brooke’s sweet and beautiful heart as she shares experiences that connect her to Claudine.   The ladies also loved discussing Brooke’s incredible photography business, the hard work that goes into creating a business like that, and her business name that has a sweet nod to Claudine.  (“Claud Nine Photography”)   Please come and listen in to this special episode … and share with friends!  The world could certainly use some Claudine joy & light.   Episode links: Claud Nine Photography website, and Instagram Optimistically Overwhelmed, Episode 59 (Sep 4, 2020): "Make it a Claudine Day"

96: Meet Brooke ("Make it a Claudine Day" 2021)

DeDe & Chelsea do a check in on their “Basics+Balance” this week before they get to the latest results of their “beauty hunting!”     The ladies know how a shift in perspective can change your whole day, and DeDe’s beauty focuses on pointing out what went right in her day (and in her family’s day).   Chelsea shares her thoughts on having inner critics, and what she learned from the Disney movie “Luca” about the power that comes from NAMING that inner critic.

95: Silenzio Bruno!

The ladies are back for another new episode!  Join DeDe and Chelsea as they discuss their latest “beauties.”     Many of us have heavy hearts as we watch so many in our world hurting right now, and Chelsea discusses how she wants to handle the helpless feelings that the news brings.   DeDe leads an interesting discussion about the 4 roles that are in every great story, and how we get to choose which of those roles/characters we can play in OUR lives.   Episode Links - “Are You A Hero, Victim, Villain or Guide?” with Donald Miller 

94: Feel Helpless? Just Help One

“Hey Look Ma, [we] made it!!!”  DeDe & Chelsea survived the summer and are kicking off the new school year with this latest episode.  The ladies catch up and share their excitement at sending their kids off to school, and each discuss their families’ Back-to-School “themes.”     While the ladies picked these themes in hopes of inspiring, encouraging, and guiding their kids … they also work as personal reminders to THEM, and they hope that their tribe will feel the same!   Episode links - “Everything is Figureoutable: My Oprah Supersoul Session” by Marie Forleo  - “Everything is Figureoutable” book by Marie Forleo

93: Everything is Figureoutable

On today’s new episode DeDe & Chelsea begin with a re-cap of their time on Catalina Island with a group of 100 teenage girls!  (Spoiler alert: They survived … and it was awesome!)   Chelsea then shares a continuation of her beauty from last episode (about resilience), and focuses more on how to help the YOUTH today become more resilient and prepared to face challenges.  She explains what a “cobra effect” is and lists some tips we can all use to build that all-so-important resilience in our kids.     DeDe’s beauty is an *actual* physical beauty she saw at camp, and she relates how that beautiful moment she witnessed reminder her that the impossible is possible.  She goes on to recount some lessons she learned at camp and the importance of the moments that reconnect us with ourselves.     Episode notes: "Resilience - Spiritual Armor for Today’s Youth" by Elder Lynn G. Robbins "Building Resilience: Eight Tips for Parents" by Wendy Ulrich and Lyle Burrup "Resilience guide for parents and teachers" by the American Psychological Association

92: Look for the Deer Running Through the Waves

DeDe & Chelsea are checking in on the “tribe” with this brand new episode!  They hope everyone is enjoying their summer - with lots of family, sun and fun!   Raise your hand if you ever think, “there is not enough TIME!”  During this episode DeDe discusses how she is trying to make friends with “time,” and shares how easy it is to blame time … when the real problem might be what we are DOING with our time.   Chelsea shares one powerful lesson she learned from her cancer battle, and how important it is to build up the “virtue of resilience” in our lives.  She discusses how resilience is the immune system of the human spirit, and the importance of strengthening that immune system in order to withstand other trials coming our way.    Episode Links: Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life by Eric Greitens

91: The Virtue of Resilience

DeDe and Chelsea have their latest “beauties” all ready to share with you on this new episode!  Come listen in and be inspired.   Chelsea has been dying to introduce their listeners to the concept of being a “Lazy Genius” (from Kendra Adachi’s best-selling book, “The Lazy Genius Way.”)   She describes her “beauty” as being a more tangible follow up to “judging your juggle” (from Episode 88) and shares ways she has implemented some of the principles Kendra teaches about being a “genius about things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t.”     On this episode DeDe tells the listeners she felt like she was on the “struggle bus” for the first few weeks of summer.  She then shares a beautiful thought about holding on and safeguarding the “non-negotiables” in her life … no matter how hard it can be, and how that gave her purpose and strength.     Episode Links - Lazy Genius website - Lazy Genius podcast - Lazy Genius instagram

90: Hold Fast to Your Non-Negotiables

DeDe & Chelsea have summer on-the-brain as they share their beauties on this new episode.  Both ladies agree that (for a lot of reasons) this summer already feels “different” … it’s not the shut-down summer of COVID 2020, and it’s not like summers of past years.  But, they are both ready to tackle this summer head-on.   Chelsea shares a beauty that she is using to give her permission to “decline what doesn’t align” with what her goals and wishes are for her family this summer.  Part of that is saying “no” to some good opportunities, and part of that is reminding herself of the blessings that came from a slow summer last year.   DeDe compares her upcoming summer to being in “Jurassic Park!” :)  She also shares the best ways to “outrun a dinosaur” (or in her case … survive summer!)  Our listeners will want to hear these great reminders - no matter what your summer is looking like.   Come and listen in!!!  We love our tribe and welcome any feedback and comments.

89: Welcome to Jurassic Park!

DeDe and Chelsea are back from a small hiatus and are bringing some “beauties” your way!  Before they get into those beauties they check in on their BASICS + BALANCE. Are you in a transition right now as summer starts?  It’s a great time to re-evaluate yourself!   On this episode DeDe relates some wonderful lessons we can learn from whales, and reminds us that everything WHALE be okay.  Chelsea shares a juggling metaphor she heard, and encourages us to prioritize the glass balls we are juggling over the plastic balls that are okay to drop.

88: Judge Your Juggle

DeDe and Chelsea have an exciting “catch up” to share with their listeners, and then get right into their “beauties” for the week.    Chelsea explains how she tries to preserve and “bottle up” the small wins, and how that especially helps during the hard times.    DeDe reminds us that we are all “contagious”... our attitude, our body language, and more.    Episode Links: Drops of Awesome by Kathryn Thompson Ted Talk: "You Are Contagious" by Vanessa Van Edwards

87: You are Contagious

Let's face it, "adulting" is hard. Whether you are a single, independent woman, married with kids or anything in between, the daily juggle can be pretty overwhelming! When quitting is not an option, what is a woman to do? How do we find joy in the juggle? How do we stay optimistic in an overwhelming world? It's simple, find your tribe. DeDe and Jamie have been friends since they were in braces and even though they are living two polar opposite lives, they can belly laugh, cry and encourage each other all the same. So, if you can relate, need some perspective and are simply interested in hearing real women share their stories, we invite you to sit down and share with us.

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Optimistically Overwhelmed

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