Episodes
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After nearly a year away, Your Mom™ is back with a special reunion episode with Ashley and Lisa.
Why the break? Well, life happened. Ashley started a new job and realized she was spending more time talking about being a mom on a podcast than actually being a mom IRL. Now that her kids are 8 and 6, she figures she’s done what she can do in terms of mothering (kidding...mostly).
The catch-up is real: Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo got married (Lisa’s wedding dance moves were so elite they made The Today Show), Luke McCaffrey played in the NFC championship his rookie season with the Commanders, and the McCaffrey clan is gearing up for another wedding next month for Lisa’s oldest son, Max.
But maybe the biggest news of all? Lisa is officially entering her Grandmother Era.
Yep, you may have heard that Christian and Olivia are expecting their first child. Lisa shares the hilarious and heartwarming story of how she found out. Plus, we dive into what advice she’s giving Christian as he steps into dad mode, potential baby names, and whether Lisa might accidentally spill the beans on the baby’s gender (tune in to see how she handles that question).
And just when you think it can’t get any better...Lisa’s mom Betty (aka Big Mama), makes a surprise guest appearance with some timeless wisdom on what it’s really like to become a grandma.
To all the moms out there, we are wishing you a very Happy Mother’s Day. We also know this day means something different for everyone. So whether you’re celebrating, missing someone, or holding hope for a dream not yet realized, we’re with you and sending love to all of you on this journey.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
As always, thanks for being here: Got thoughts, questions, or grandma name suggestions for Lisa? Drop us a line at [email protected].
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Full disclosure: this Your Story episode with Elizabeth Kendig is our longest of the season, and we could have easily chatted for another hour and a half.
It makes sense that we cover a lot of ground because Elizabeth is majorly multifaceted. She identifies as a hippie disguised in J. Crew, dedicated to “taking the weird out of the woo.” Her investment in spirituality and healing is deeply personal: even while ticking all the so-called boxes of success and carving out a flourishing career as a content creator, beauty blogger, and skincare founder, Elizabeth struggled with depression and a stubborn auto-immune disease. This started her on a “self-help bender” that led to the launch of Healers Podcast and connected her with Spiritual Advisor Monica Lawson, with whom she co-authored Chase You, “a field guide to connecting with the Other Side to find more purpose and peace.”
Whether you’re a spirituality skeptic like Betsy or a faith-filled Catholic like Ashley, this eye-opening conversation with Elizabeth has something uniquely for you.
For example, what do popcorn, peaches, and butterflies have in common? Other than being great names for hamsters, they’re also signs that now carry special significance to Ashley, Betsy, and Elizabeth. And after recording this episode, they’ve all started receiving each other’s signs…cue the goose bumps.
Elizabeth and Ashley met via a tree of extended sister-in-laws, so they affectionately refer to themselves as “Sister-in-Loves”. We’re confident you’ll finish this conversation feeling like an extended member of the family too.
Speaking of conversations with friends, Elizabeth recently launched a creative venture with her good friend and fellow editor Kate Rogers: Les Femmes Quotidienne (Français pour “Women of the Day”) is a substack with advice and recommendations on everything from establishing boundaries to whipping up the perfect potato salad. Think of it as tips and tricks from your chicest bff.
As always, you can watch this episode and find bonus content on our YouTube channel.
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This episode is the season finale of Your Story. While we aren't exactly sure what next season will bring, we know we'll be back in some form because these conversations and this community fills our cup in a way nothing else does. Thanks as always for listening. We couldn’t (and wouldn’t want to) do this without you.
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Missing episodes?
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We “soft-wrapped” Season 2 of YourMom the best way we know how: in robes, answering your burning questions.
As usual, you guys really brought it: topics include Christian’s NFL Madden 25 cover (which Lisa definitely did not bet on in Vegas), what Ashley will most miss from her Pac-12 travels, punctuation etiquette; and of course, all things *wedding*, from Lisa’s dress drama to her planned Dirty Dancing choreography with Greg Van Roten. Plus, Lisa finally embraced her inner-influencer and revealed the secret to her glowy skin: Jones Road Miracle Balm; turns out, Ashley is also a devoted fan. Once again we’re open to sponsorships, collabs, free samples, etc…
Thanks, as always, for listening and laughing with us this season. It’s not goodbye, it’s just see you at Your Mom's post-wedding debrief.
And keep an eye out for the final Your Story episode of the season with the incomparable Elizabeth Kending, dropping soon!
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Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel.
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May 23 is Ashley and her husband Chris’s nine year wedding anniversary, so it’s only fitting that she celebrate with…her wedding planner, Katie Webb Brundige. As we enter wedding season, Katie is here to offer some clutch insider advice for brides, guests, and mother-in-laws (*cough* Lisa *cough*).
We also delve into Katie’s passion for the special needs community. In addition to running her events planning company Intertwined Events, she’s also the co-founder of RAD (Rising Above Disabilities) Camp, which offers programs and camps for adults and children with developmental disabilities. Katie also shares her journey to adopt two remarkable special needs sons: five-year-old Alex, who has Autism and Prader-Willi Syndrome and two-year-old Riley, who has Down Syndrome.
Katie lives in a world of love, compassion, and unstoppable energy. While we suspect she has more hours in the day than the average human, it’s probably just that she has a larger-than-average sized heart. Simply put, she is straight up magic.
And after this episode, we're convinced a podcast with your wedding planner should be the traditional nine year anniversary gift.
Thanks as always for listening, and Happy Anniversary Ashley and Katie Chris!
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We’re halfway through what teachers and parents know to be “the thousand days of May”, a month of end-of-year celebrations, sports tournaments, field trips, dance recitals, and…the burnout that comes along with it.
Amid their hectic schedules, Ashley, Chantal, and Betsy found time this week to sit down and interview their family members: Ashley’s daughter, who just turned five; Chantal’s nine-year-old son and 11 and 14-year-old daughters; and Betsy’s husband. This is an exercise close to Ashley’s heart; she’s been on a year-long journey to sit down and record conversations with her immediate and extended family. In fact, she’s even starting a company based on this very concept (more to come on that soon!).
While Chantal and Betsy were initially hesitant to set aside the time (see above, re: the thousand days of May), they were both pleasantly surprised by how easy and impactful it ended up being. In the midst of to-do lists and daily tasks, we rarely sit down solely with the intention of learning something new about our loved ones.
Ashley has always believed in the power of preserving stories, and a recent experience only reaffirmed her conviction. A few weeks ago, Ashley’s father suffered from a stroke. While he’s now out of the hospital and recovering, there were a few hours where Ashley wasn’t sure if she’d ever speak to him again. In addition to her feelings of shock and grief, she felt a deep peace that she could only attribute to the fact that nothing has been left unsaid between the two of them.
So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to sit down and interview your loved ones, it’s here. We’ve even got a few starter questions ready for you:
What is your favorite book?
How would you describe yourself?
What was the best gift you ever received?
What was the best gift you’ve ever given someone else?
Describe a perfect day. Where would you go, who would be there,what would you do?
What is the best quality in a friend?
What is important to you right now? (or who is important to you right now)
What do you think you are good at?
What is one of your favorite memories of us together?
How do you think we are alike? How are we different?
Is there a question you want to ask me?
What do you wish I understood? (And maybe…what do you wish I understood better about you?)
If you had a crystal ball that could tell you anything about your future, what would you want to
know?
Thanks as always for listening. Good luck with the final 500 days of May :)
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We’re thrilled to celebrate Mother’s Day with the inimitable Molly McGrath and her incredible mom, Deb!
Molly currently serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN/ABC Saturday college football games, as well as college basketball. She is also the devoted mom of Ray (3) and Pierce (1). Molly went into labor with Ray the night of the 2021 National Championship. Since then she has covered three National Championships, including one while eight months pregnant with Pierce. One of her proudest moments was finding out that she was nominated for a Sports Emmy while nursing Pierce at just two weeks old.
Ashley and Molly are connected not only as sports broadcasters and moms, but also as Boston College alums (Go Eagles!). During her time at BC, Molly created the student reporter role and received the “Athletic Director’s Award for Academic Excellence.” According to Lisa, Ashley won the “Best Bar Hopping Award”, which is basically just as impressive.
Meanwhile, Lisa and Molly bonded over the shared struggles and joys of being a #boymom. And though this interview was their first official meeting, tune in to hear why Lisa had her eye on Molly for many years.
Just when we thought we couldn’t cram any more love into this episode, Molly’s mom Deb joined us as a surprise guest. Deb is a retired cardiac nurse and former head of her department at San Francisco General. She currently volunteers for Hospice and cares for Molly’s father, who is terminally ill with lung cancer. She is, in Molly’s words, “a saint.” No one could hold back the tears as Molly and Deb shared their mutual love and admiration for each other. We don’t pick favorite episodes, but if we did, this one would be up there…
On behalf of all of us at YourMom, Happy Mother’s Day love to all the moms and mother-figures out there making the world a better place. We love you.
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We also know for many people, Mother’s Day weekend can be a painful time. In honor of anyone facing and grieving the loss of their own mom, we recorded an episode last year with Yogi Roth to pay tribute to his late mother, Devorah Channah Roth. We hope you can find comfort in Yogi’s story and Devo’s lasting memory.
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Back in October, Ashley came across a Medium story written in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks: “To Be A Jew” by Rachel Wegner.
As Ashley read the first line–“I believe in the power of stories to bring people together, to build bridges and to create connection”–she stopped in her tracks. She had jotted down almost the exact same words during a previous conversation with our executive producer Betsy Bloom. The universe was sending a powerful message: reach out to Rachel to see if she would share her story on the pod. Long story, short: she generously agreed, and we are thrilled to now share it with you.
The Jewish holiday of Passover– which commemorates the Israelites' freedom from slavery in Egypt– begins at sundown on Monday, April 22nd and ends the evening of Tuesday, April 30th. It is a time of reflection and celebration, an opportunity to be together in community to acknowledge an ancient, complicated history and lift each other up with unrelenting hope for a future where all people are fully free.
In this episode, we explore Rachel's personal struggle with modern-day othering and her internal quest for freedom while also rejoicing in the moments that bring her light and keep her hope for a future of true togetherness alive.
We hope this episode inspires you to build your own bridges of connection, be they across the table or across the aisle. Chag Sameach!
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About Rachel Wegner:
"I am an educator and school leader with over 20 years of experience teaching and leading in schools. I believe education is freedom and it is the key to the Jewish concept of "tikkun olam" - repairing the world. When we know, love and serve students fully, we create the next generation of learners, leaders and listeners who believe in their abilities and have the skills to create change. I am passionate about equity work and it is at the center of what I do, what I believe in and what I have come to see as the most important work there is. I believe dialogue founded on trust, intentionality and vulnerability has the power to rebuild dysfunctional systems and structures so everyone has an opportunity to live their most meaningful life."
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Fresh off her last on-air broadcast with the Pac-12 network, Ashley Adamson sits down with leadership coach Chantal Below and executive producer Betsy Bloom to process the sweet sorrow of “necessary endings.”
In our early years, endings are honored with graduations, diplomas, and yearbooks. But, as we get older and lose these rituals, it becomes harder to identify the “right” time to make a change or say goodbye. And, as Chantal points out, maybe there isn’t a “right” or “wrong” time, just choices and consequences.
And, what about those endings we don’t see coming: the last time we see a loved one before they die, the last time we eat at our favorite restaurant, the last time we tuck our kids into bed? How can we acknowledge the finales that conclude without fanfare?
Endings always leave us with more questions than answers. In the end, our most important lesson came from a children’s book: the power of embracing “maybe”. How fitting, then, that Ashley signed off from her final broadcast with this quote from Bruce Springsteen: “Maybe everything that dies, someday comes back."
You can subscribe for more episodes wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Questions, comments or feedback? Email: [email protected].
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Ashley, Lisa and Hot Betsy recap the past month, including the highs and lows of the Super Bowl, exciting NFL combine results for Luke (or as Ashley’s daughter Cora now refers to him, Luke Skywalker), ongoing wedding plans (if you have any mother-son wedding dance suggestions, drop us a line), and the injustice of half-empty toothpaste tubes and faulty washing machines (any brands out there that want to set the record straight, feel free to sponsor the pod).
Come for the football scoop and stay for Lisa processing the fall-out from her viral moment.
Thanks as always for listening, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!
Questions, comments or feedback? And do you think Lisa should wear beige jorts to Christian's wedding reception? Email: [email protected].
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The day after the Super Bowl, Chantal Below’s son was so devastated by the 49ers' loss that he requested to stay home from school. Chantal, who admittedly doesn’t care much about sports, was mystified by his utter desolation. This got us thinking: what is it about team sports that inspires such extreme emotions? Where’s the line between loyal fan and zealous fanatic?
In an attempt to answer these questions, we dive into the deep end of fan psychology: the intersection of sports and religion, the gender dynamics of emotional repression, and the toxicity of sideline critics. We question why certain “fans” spew negative comments on social media after a tough loss and others set cars on fire after a momentous victory.
We also celebrate the inspiring side of fandom: the community it creates, the resilience it engenders, and the respect it promotes for the players putting their bodies and souls on the line. As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Ashley shares how watching football kept her connected to her dad during a tough time in her life. As a mom and wife of avid athletes, Chantal acknowledges the magic in the madness of youth sports. And, as a longtime Buffalo Bills fan, our executive producer Betsy Bloom offers an ode to Bills mafia’s enduring loyalty even in the most trying times
So, whether your mental health hinges on a win or you watch sports for the snacks, we hope you’re a fan of this episode. Stay tuned next week for our SuperBowl recap with Lisa, who undeniably earned the right to skip school the next day.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Questions, comments, feedback? We love hearing from you, drop us a line [email protected]. And as always, thanks for listening!
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About Chantal Below:
Chantal moved from the US to England in third grade. As an expat, she promptly began saying biscuit instead of cookie and spelling color with a ‘u’ in order to fit in. She never developed a love of cricket, but did develop a fascination with humanity, unconsciously examining how different cultures and beliefs expand or limit our choices.
After graduating from Georgetown University, she started her career as a 4th grade teacher with Teach For America, hoping to expand choices for too-often marginalized children in low-income schools. She loved the energy of the kids and the vibrancy of the community, but no one really wanted her teaching long division.
Since then, she’s been exploring the many dimensions of the human condition while avoiding math. She worked for years in the education non-profit world leading teams and developing leadership development programs. Then, she ventured out on her own and started Redcliff Coaching, Inc. She also attempts to parent three kids who are curious, compassionate, hysterical, and only vaguely pay attention to her advice. She lives in Oakland, CA.
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“If we can have some real talk here, this is what I want to say.” So begins our conversation with Pac-12 Sports Broadcaster Tammy Blackburn, who is living with stage four metastatic breast cancer.
In this episode, Tammy illuminates the reality of living with cancer, especially the parts we tend to overlook or consider impolite to discuss: She delves into the physical pain of treatment and then emotional pain of losing control of her body. She calls out the commercialization and sexualization of the breast cancer awareness movement. And, she shares the moment she learned she would never be able to have children.
Listening to Tammy is like taking a masterclass in grace and honesty. Rather than running from reality, she has channeled her diagnosis into action, raising awareness and funds to combat this deadly disease. She loves fiercely and is fiercely loved in return (stick around until the end of the episode for first-hand testimony).
While this episode tackled heavy topics, we ended it feeling lighter. In addition to real talk about death and sacrifice, we also discussed the power of play and the necessity of balancing seriousness with silliness.
So, grab a hula hoop and some headphones and settle in for an inspiring hour with the inimitable Tammy Blackburn.
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Find us on Instagram and YouTube.
We love you all, and as always, thanks for being here.
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We’re still processing the Super Bowl, but in the meantime, we wanted to share an awesome conversation from Radio Row last week in Las Vegas.
Ashley had the chance to sit down with her longtime friend Christina Mack for a conversation that touched on everything from the health benefits of team sports to letting go of “mom guilt” to the power of female friendships.
Christina is the Chief Science Officer at global healthcare company IQVIA, and a lead sports science researcher for the NFL and NBA, or as Ashley often explains it, “she has a badass job.”
A highly respected voice in the professional sports industry, she frequently presents to owners on injuries, concussions, and the safety of the game. She’s also an advocate for women in STEM, a mom of three awesome kids, and a superlative scavenger-hunt-maker.
This may be one of our shorter episodes, but it’s chock full of incredible insights about being a parent, a professional, and a friend.
Thanks as always for listening, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! And a reminder you can watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Questions, comments or feedback? Email: [email protected].
See you next week!
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In case you hadn't heard, Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers are Super Bowl bound. We thought the occasion called for a mailbag episode, and the Faithful delivered.
This week we recap the highs (Christian’s record-breaking touchdowns) and lows (Lisa balling in the bathroom during half-time) of Sunday’s nail-biter NFC Championship Game against the Lions. Speaking of emotional rollercoasters, we got a little misty listening to Lisa discuss Christian’s journey to the Super Bowl and her excitement to have the whole McCaffrey family together to support him.
Your mailbag questions never disappoint, but these might have been the best yet. We cover everything from Lisa and Olivia’s game day outfits to the origin story of the iconic McCaffrey pyramid to that viral sunbathing video (if you haven’t seen it yet, you’re welcome). And while we learned that Lisa’s mom, AKA Big Momma, will not be making the trip to Vegas, she will be hosting a Super Bowl rager in Miami.
And if you’re in Vegas next week and see Ashley and Lisa celebrating Lisa’s birthday at Thunder Down Under, no you didn’t…
Go Niners!
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Watch this this episode on our YouTube page.
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"They say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name on Earth for the last time.”
January 23rd, 2024 marks the six year anniversary of when a beautiful and brilliant young woman named Ella Thomas died by suicide. Last year, Ella's mother Martha Thomas joined Ashley and Lisa for an unforgettable conversation about love, loss and the incredible light her daughter brought to the world in the midst of her own darkness. Today we are revisiting some of that powerful interview as a way to help keep Ella’s name and memory alive.
You'll laugh as you hear Lisa McCaffrey describe how her friendship with Martha began on a recruiting trip for their sons at Stanford. You'll be inspired when you find out how Martha, her husband Chris, and their son Solomon channeled their grief into a higher purpose, as they work tirelessly to ensure no family has to suffer the pain and loss of losing a child to suicide.
To learn more about the critical work the Thomas family is doing around suicide prevention and mental health, please visit thedefensiveline.org. And if you or anyone you know is in crisis, text the word home to 741741.
We continue to hold the Thomas family and all those who are grieving a loved one in our hearts.
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Our brains love a binary: extraordinary vs. ordinary, good vs. bad, motivation vs. laziness, beauty vs. brokenness. But, real life is rarely cut and dry. What do we lose in our attempt to have it all? What might we gain if we ditched the dichotomies?
Join Ashley Adamson and Chantal Below in their effort to live in the messy middle, to celebrate our scars, to acknowledge the blessings of a skinned knee, and to adopt some side character energy in 2024.
Like most things worth doing, embracing “both/and” thinking ain’t easy. It encourages us to put our problems into perspective. It challenges our core beliefs about success and satisfaction. It asks us to pay attention to ourselves and those around us.
And yet, this practice also allows us to release the pressure valve and reject the pursuit of perfection. It reminds us that, in the wise words of the great Jess Sims, “You are allowed to be a work in progress and a masterpiece at the same damn time.”
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About the hosts:
Chantal Below moved from the US to England in third grade. She never developed a love of cricket, but did develop a fascination with humanity, unconsciously examining how different cultures and beliefs expand or limit our choices.
After graduating from Georgetown University, she started her career as a 4th grade teacher with Teach For America, hoping to expand choices for too-often marginalized children in low-income schools. She loved the energy of the kids and the vibrancy of the community, but no one really wanted her teaching long division.
Since then, she’s been exploring the many dimensions of the human condition while avoiding math. She worked for years in the education non-profit world leading teams and developing leadership development programs. Then, she ventured out on her own and started Redcliff Coaching, Inc. She supports leaders in all industries - with clients at Google, Homeless Prenatal Program, and to get out of their own way and live and lead in the way they most want.
She also attempts to parent three kids who are curious, compassionate, hysterical, and only vaguely pay attention to her advice. She lives in Oakland, CA.
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Ashley Adamson is an Emmy-award winning storyteller and lead host for the Pac-12 Network. Honored by Cynopsis as a “Game Changing On-Air Talent”, her biggest achievement to date was being crowned the arm wrestling champion in third grade.
A native of Denver, CO, she earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Boston College followed by a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University.
Adamson lives in San Francisco with her very handsome husband and two young children. In 2022, she started the Your Mom™ podcast with Lisa McCaffrey to honor and celebrate the beautiful, messy randomness of motherhood. She dreams of one day becoming a professional karaoke singer in the Florida Keys.
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New year, new mailbag!
Your Mom™ made it another year, and we’re kicking it off by answering your burning questions.
Topics include the imaginary matchup of Ed’s 1994 Super Bowl champion 49ers vs. Christian’s 2024 Super Bowl contending 49ers, McCaffrey wedding planning updates (featuring Lisa’s continued determination to sit down, shut up, and wear beige), instilling confidence in kids, and manifesting YourMom’s dream guests.
If like us, you struggle with New Year’s blues, we hope this episode provides a balm, or at least a welcome distraction from your holiday hangovers.
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You can watch this episode on our YouTube channel!
Please subscribe wherever you listen and drop us a line with any questions or comments - [email protected] - we love to hear from you!
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Tis’ the season for…mixed emotions
We’re trying to be present, while rushing to buy all the presents.
We’re treasuring moments of togetherness, while wishing for just.one.minute of alone time.
And we’re looking forward to a new year, while reflecting on the regrets of the past.
In today’s episode Ashley Adamson and Chantal Below delve into the pangs of regret and sadness that tend to surface this time of year. Rather than packing them away with the ugly ornaments, Chantal encourages us to hold space for uncomfortable feelings: “We have a tendency to lean into joy and skim over the negative emotions: resentment, regret, sadness, shame, embarrassment. And yet they live in us if we don’t let them live through us.”
Chantal’s superpower lies in her ability to reframe narratives that don’t serve us. In this instance, she encourages us to consider the upside of regret. How might regret be an opportunity for reflection? How might we grant compassion to our former selves, who were often doing the best they could with the decisions they had?
Amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, take 45 minutes for yourself to listen to this inspiring conversation. You won’t regret it.
If you’re interested in delving deeper, here are the awesome resources we mentioned in the episode:
Brené Brown with Dan Pink on the power of regret George Saunders on regretting failures of kindnessMichael Lewis on knowing his late daughter felt his love (around 01:02:00)Michael Lewis’s interview with Ashley’s sister-in-law Diane AdamsonWishing you a peaceful, bustling, joyful, contemplative, frivolous, and fulfilling holiday season!
Pro tip: it’s not too late to buy your mom something other than a robe.
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More about Chantal Below: Chantal moved from the US to England in third grade. She never developed a love of cricket, but did develop a fascination with humanity, unconsciously examining how different cultures and beliefs expand or limit our choices.
After graduating from Georgetown University, she started her career as a 4th grade teacher with Teach For America, hoping to expand choices for too-often marginalized children in low-income schools. She loved the energy of the kids and the vibrancy of the community, but no one really wanted her teaching long division.
Since then, she’s been exploring the many dimensions of the human condition while avoiding math. She worked for years in the education non-profit world leading teams and developing leadership development programs. Then, she ventured out on her own and started Redcliff Coaching, Inc. She supports leaders in all industries - with clients at Google, Homeless Prenatal Program, and to get out of their own way and live and lead in the way they most want.
She also attempts to parent three kids who are curious, compassionate, hysterical, and only vaguely pay attention to her advice. She lives in Oakland, CA.
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Our first guest for season two is YourMom™’s biggest fan: Kate Rooney, a sports anchor for KRON4 in San Francisco and mom of two adorable kiddos: Harlow and Brady.
Kate and Ashley forged a tight bond over a decade ago during the launch of the Pac-12 Network. While Kate’s sports broadcasting career might have begun because of a hiring mix-up (full story on the pod), she’s proven that she’s a formidable talent in the field. As the host of the weekly 49ers show, “The Red and Gold Zone,” she frequently interviews Christian and was able to confirm Lisa’s allegation that he is, in fact, “a huge nerd.”
Brimming with humor and heart, our conversation with Kate touches on a wide range of topics, from the fellowship of women in the sports industry to breast-pumping in the Niners’ media room to the best karaoke song for any occasion. Come for the football scoop and stay for Kate’s Bing Crosby inspired rendition of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Thanks as always for listening, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!
Questions, comments or feedback? Email: [email protected].
You can watch this episode on YouTube by clicking here.
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More on Kate Rooney:
A San Francisco native, Kate holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Boston Conservatory of Music and a MA in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California. Before starting at KRON4, she worked for a variety of outlets including Pac-12 Network, Comcast Hometown Network, and Spectrum Sports Network. She is a karaoke savant.
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We’re thrilled to introduce you to our executive producer, Betsy Bloom. Everyone agrees that Betsy Bloom has a name made for showbiz, so it’s only natural that she join us in front of the mic in addition to her work behind the scenes.
While Ashley and Betsy first met via their husbands (Ashley’s husband’s Chris is best friends with Betsy’s husband Mac), they quickly forged their own love affair. Ashley recalls first falling in love with Betsy when she heard Betsy recite her vows on her wedding day; while Ashley wasn’t the intended recipient of the vows, Betsy is glad they landed with such a receptive listener.
As Ashley began to brainstorm starting a storytelling company, she found herself wanting to talk through the idea with Betsy. Meanwhile, Betsy was struggling with post-pandemic teacher burnout and looking for a different creative outlet. When Ashley called to discuss working together, Betsy interpreted it as a sign from above and jumped at the opportunity. The two have been collaborating and swapping stories ever since.
Join Betsy and Ashley as they discuss the cathartic power of storytelling, interactions with online trolls, and what teachers wish parents understood about kids. Stick around until the end to hear their contingency plan should their husbands decide to run off together.
Thanks as always for listening, please rate and subscribe wherever you listen and if you'd like to watch this episode on YouTube please click here.
As always, please send any comments or feedback to [email protected].
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More about Betsy Bloom:
As an only child with an active imagination, Betsy spent much of her time reading and inventing stories. In middle school, she was an inaugural member of the club “Spin-A-Storytellers”, and she still has the t-shirt to prove it. Her love of language continued through her time at Colgate University, where she earned a B.A, and after graduating, Betsy worked in book publishing, where she engaged with literature in a new way, working directly with authors (meeting Judy Blume remains a career highlight).
Betsy left publishing to earn a Masters in Literature from Middlebury’s Bread Loaf College of English, where she spent four summers studying stories, writing essays, and consuming obscene amounts of Vermont cheddar; she also met her husband through the program.
While earning her degree, Betsy made a career transition into teaching English; seven years later, it remains her most challenging and rewarding professional experience to date. Betsy and her husband reside in Buffalo NY, (Go Bills) where they are currently renovating a hundred-year-old home, binging The Great British Bake Off, and testing the area’s best wings.
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