My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

Momsanity Ep. 6 + Friday Stuff

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Amy and I just released episode 6 of the Momsanity Podcast, and you guys, I know I say this about every episode, but the honest and vulnerable conversation in this one is just too good.

A little behind the scenes info…up until this episode, we were going into each recording session pretty scripted (me especially). However, this time around, we took the bullet point approach, and I have to say, I think it worked out really well. This definitely sounded way more conversational than past episodes.

Anyways, I highly recommend all my ambitious mama (which I know is all of you) tune in because Amy and I share a lot of our own insights and ideas on how to bring our motherhood journey and our ambition into harmony.

The key here is to remember that there’s no right or wrong answer. Your ambition will ebb and flow based on the season of motherhood you’re in, and that’s a beautiful thing. Think of your ambition as a dial that you turn up or down depending on the day, month, or year…not as an on/off switch.

And remember, we’re in this with you!

Friday Stuff

Instead of sharing a random list of things from the week, I think I’ll just catch y’all up on where I am right now. A lot has happened since the last time I posted.

First of all…WE MOVED! Everything went really well. The movers were good. I hired someone to help me unpack, and she was awesome. The kids have adjusted well.

Vishnu and I are just still…very tired! It’s not like we moved and now we have a few weeks to settle in. We literally hit the ground running in terms of moving and then keeping on with our regularly scheduled program. Like hasn’t paused or slowed down in the slightest, which is a little different from our past moves where it was either just the two of us or we had one little kid who didn’t have real school or activities.

But still, life is good, and I’m so very thankful for it all. We’ll catch up on sleep…eventually…in like 20 years!

Speaking of Kaiden’s activities, we signed him up for swim lessons because the boy loves water and is very overconfident, which scares us! He’s going to do private lessons for a couple of months and then transition to semi-private. Vishnu and I really see this as a life skill that he (and eventually Mila) has to master. And now that we live in Georgia, it’s pool season 9 months out of the year.

He’s also still doing Tae-Kwan-Do, which I think is helping with focus and discipline. We’ll see where it takes us. He’s also got tennis as an after school sport once a week at school. It’s more of an introduction to see if he likes it and is interested in learning more. We shall see! I keep reminding myself that he’s 5. He’s got the rest of his life to figure out his strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc. Right now, his biggest focus should be on being a kid!

Speaking of being a kid…guess where we’re headed this weekend…DISNEY WORLD!

We’re going with two other families for four nights. We’re doing two parks – Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom…and I CAN’T FREAKING WAIT! Kaiden LOVED Disney on Ice, so I can’t even imagine how much he’s going to love actual Disney World. My friend Monica went a week or so ago, and she warned that it’s super overstimulating now, so definitely keeping that in mind.

I’ll share a whole Disney post with what we did, where we ate, and any tips/tricks we come up with!

When I sit back and think about it, October is a big month for us! My sister’s birthday, Vishnu’s birthday, my BIL’s birthday, Halloween, Disney (this year), apple picking…ANNNNNDDD my baby girl’s (1st) birthday!

We’re doing a small celebration with family and close friends at the house. Keeping it very low key for many reasons. Should be fun!

And one other big thing is happening this month – Mila starts daycare! I don’t think my heart is ready, even though my mind and a tiny bit of sanity is! I cry just thinking about it but tell myself that everything’s going to be ok. One day at a time!

With that, have a wonderful Friday and weekend!

Momsanity Ep. 5 + Friday Stuff

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Happy happy Friday, y’all!

If I drop off this space for the next week or so, please know it’s because we’re MOVING on Tuesday! AHH! So much to look forward to and so much overwhelm at the moment. I just keep telling myself that in a few weeks time we’ll be settled in our new home and routine. Just gotta get to that point!

Momsanity Ep. 5 and December Event

Before I jump into Friday stuff, I want to share a little bit about the Momsanity Podcast episode that went live on Wednesday.

Momsanity

In this episode, Amy and I talk about the mental load, which we believe is the hardest part of being a mom. And I have so many mom friends who say the same. It’s the weight of ALL the stuff…not just your own but everyone else’s too. While there may not be a way release it completely, there are certainly a few things we can do to shift the weight. If you feel this weight on your shoulders on a day-to-day basis, I highly recommend tuning in to this specific episode.

Speaking of Momsanity, Amy and I are also in planning mode for our first free event on December 8th. In fact, we brainstormed on Tuesday night exactly how we see it unfolding, and it’s going to be SO FUN! If you want to be one of the first to know about this event and all other things Momsanity, please sign up here!

Ok, on to Friday stuff…

Dr. Becky – Good Inside Membership + Book

Those who know me well know that once I’m obsessed with something I can’t shut up about it. And that is 100% the case when it comes to Dr. Becky and her Good Inside Membership (and IG page and podcast). I joined last week and have already watched two workshops. And honestly (very honestly), I’m blown away by her approach, perspective, tips, strategies, etc. It’s been a game changer with Kaiden already, especially because I do believe he’s what Dr. Becky calls a Deeply Feeling Kid (DFK). If you’re going to invest in any parenting platform, I’d say this is an amazing one. Not only is her material amazing, but her community is also super supportive, vulnerable and honest. I’m so in love with this resource!

I also bought Dr. Becky’s book – Good Inside after listening to her on Glennon Doyle’s podcast. I haven’t started it yet but plan to dig in next week after the move! Can’t wait to share more.

Backstreet Boys

After listening to Disney soundtracks on repeat whenever we’re driving somewhere (which is all the time), I decided enough is enough and I played Backstreet Boys. Lucky for me, Kaiden let me listen to a few songs before strongly requesting Tangled. Ha!

Speaking of Backstreet Boys, are you team BSB or team N’Sync? I loved both growing up, but BSB wins by a slight margin for sure! The songs/lyrics are just too good!

Nighttime Routine

Y’all! When we’re settled in the new house, my wake up time will be 4:30 am on the dot if I want to workout, shower, etc. Kaiden will need to start waking up at 6 (as will Vishnu) and Mila at 6:30. Woo wee! It’s going to be interesting but doable.

I really need to solidify a nighttime routine for myself. While I can wake up at 4:30 after going to bed at 10 pm…I’m a freaking zombie during the day. And that’s not helpful at all.

I need to be in bed, eyes closed by 9:30 (I’m a 7 hour of sleep a night kind of person). Right now, I average 10 pm as a bedtime, but I have to find ways to get to sleep sooner.

Vishnu and I are done cleaning the kitchen by 8:00-8:15, which means I have a good 45 minute to an hour to relax and do whatever I need/want before heading into some kind of routine. One that includes skincare and reading for sure. Will keep y’all posted on this!

Boundaries

I’ve been thinking a lot about boundaries lately, and specifically how to state them in a kind way.

In a conversation with my mom earlier this week, I shared a boundary with her in a calm, loving way, and she called me later to tell me how much she appreciated the way I delivered that particular message.

That just got me thinking about how in order to honor other people, we need to honor ourselves first. We need to think about things from a calm/kind/loving perspective in order to deliver a message that carries that same kind of emphasis.

I’ll share more on my thoughts around this again soon, but it’s just something that’s been on my mind lately…

With that, I hope you have a great Friday and weekend!

Five on a Friday

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It’s been a week, y’all! A good week but a tiring one. That’s mostly due to the fact that I got the latest Covid vaccine and the flu shot on Monday. I didn’t end up feeling horrible or anything like that…just worn out. Butttt…glad to be protected!

In other news, Kaiden’s going on his very first field trip today! I’m so excited for him to have all of the experiences I loved as a kid. I can’t wait to see him after school and hear all about it, or whatever I can get out of him at least!

Now, on to my five on a Friday…

ONE – The Book of Joy

I LOVE this book so much! It’s a simple read in many ways, but it’s also so profound. The way the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu break down the concept of joy is honestly…fun to read. If you’re looking for a non-fiction book that makes you think, feel, laugh, all while making you feel more connected to your fellow human beings, this one is for you.

TWO – The One You’re With

In terms of fiction books, this one was a favorite of mine. I honestly can’t pinpoint exactly why, but it just sat well with me if you know what I mean. The characters, the plot, the twists…all of it came together in a way that just made sense. Again, highly recommend this one too!

THREE – Charades for Kid

Kaiden got this game for his birthday, and he played for the first time when my BIL/SIL visited a few weeks ago. EVERYONE, Kaiden + adults in the house, LOVED it. It made us laugh, forced us to be silly and creative, and made time fly! This is also a great game for kids who need to move. Sometimes, I find that the games/activities where K has to sit for a while don’t capture his attention as much. In that sense, this game is perfect for him. Get it, have fun with your family, and thank me later.

FOUR – 100 piece puzzles

Kaiden got a really cool 64 piece puzzle for his birthday that he completed recently. After seeing him working on it, I bought this 3 pack of 100 piece puzzles for an added challenge. It’s also true that I love puzzles, so this is a fun activity for us to do together. For us, puzzles are challenging and engage our problem solving, and they’re also calming and fun.

FIVE – Kaiden’s profound thought

The other morning, Kaiden and I were brushing his teeth, and I said, “Ok K, after we’re done here, let’s head downstairs to eat breakfast and do your homework (he didn’t finish it the night before).” In retort, he said, “Mommy, I can’t do both at once. I need to do one at a time.”

That hit me hard because, even though I know I shouldn’t, I’m a big multitasker. Kaiden is a lot like me in some ways, but this is one way he definitely isn’t. He’s more intentional and slower. And while he’s still working on his ability to focus (especially on homework), he is able to focus on one thing at a time. It’s annoying sometimes when you want him to move along, but it’s something I deeply admire about him.

So profound and he doesn’t even know it!

That’s all I’ve got today! I hope you have a great Friday and weekend.

5 on a Friday

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Happy Friday from our new place in Atlanta! We’re here and settling in. It’s been a little under two weeks since we’ve moved in, and I’m happy to report that things are slowly coming together

I thought I’d share 5 random but relevant things today as they pertain to our life right now.

  1. Transitions are very very hard for kids. I obviously knew this going in to our move, but man, the way Kaiden has been adjusting took me by surprise. He’s the sweetest, gentlest boy ever, but his emotions have been all over the place lately. Again, totally 100% understandable, but you never know what will set him off. I’m hoping our new home, routine, etc. start to feel more natural to him in a couple of weeks (because that’s when daddy goes to work and mama will have to do a lot of the routine on her own!).
  2. I’m not going to lie and pretend that K was the only one experiencing heightened emotions. I was right there with him, especially when we just moved in and everything was everywhere. I had to stop, take a deep breath, and talk to Vishnu about how I was feeling because it was causing me to feel super overwhelmed. Thinking about the baby and all that we need to do to prepare for her arrival is already a lot, but add on 40+ boxes and crap everywhere, and I thought I was going to lose my mind. Thankfully, my husband knows me well and said all the right things to calm me down.
  3. Speaking of my husband, he’s truly a rock star. He’s been working day and night to make this place livable and homey. I LOVE HIM!
  4. In non-moving related news, we LOVE our Peloton bike. Both Vishnu and I have been using it over the past couple of weeks, and while it’s definitely an investment, we’re so glad we made it. Definitely makes working out super fun…our legs hate us immediately afterwards, but they’ll thank us later!
  5. I’m going to be reunited with my sister (and BIL) after a whole month! This is huge for me/us because I used to see them at least once a week. They’re also moving to Atlanta but are currently in a transition state because the home they purchased is still being built. They’ve also been traveling a little this month, so they’re not quite back yet, but they’re here until Monday. And I’m so glad we’ll get to see them a bit this weekend! Kaiden is also super excited to see his masi and masa!

Ok, that’s all I have for now. I hope y’all have an awesome Friday and weekend!

Friday Stuff [#11]

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Happy Friday! For us it’s a bittersweet one because today’s Kaiden’s last day at his school. The school he’s been at since he was six months old. To say I’m feeling all the feels today is a big fat understatement. But deep breaths and looking ahead to creating new memories in Atlanta is getting me through.

The next time I check in on here, we’ll be in Atlanta. Craziness! So. Many. Emotions.

Enough of that, let’s get to this week’s Friday stuff…

Butter Chicken

I’ve shared this recipe on here before, but I need to share again because my husband raves when I make it. Thank you, My Heart Beets, for this amazing recipe!

Ever Chicago

Vishnu, my sister, my BIL, and I dined at Ever this week! You guys, it’s not a cheap meal (to say the least) but it’s definitely one that make any celebration worth remembering. If you’re in Chicago, have some extra $$$, and are celebrating something big, I highly recommend making a reservation. I’ll be sharing more about our experience in a post next week.

Fellowship graduation

Yesterday was Vishnu’s Fellowship graduation dinner. As much as I can’t believe in our time in Chicago is up, I can’t believe Vishnu’s training journey is coming to an end in about 15 days. At various points in the past 10 years, I felt like it would never end…ha! More than anything, I’m just SO proud of Vishnu and his perseverance. It hasn’t been easy at all, but the bumpy road to this point was well worth it. On to that attending life!

People We Meet on Vacation

People We Meet on Vacation is a book I highly recommend reading this summer! It filled my heart with so much happiness. I shared a review on my IG page as well. Get this book! You won’t regret it.

Well, that’s all from me this week! I hope you have a wonderful Friday and weekend. Enjoy!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links.  Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Friday Stuff [#10]

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Hellooooo Friday! I’ve said this before, but I don’t like being the kind of person who only looks forward to weekends (as easy as that can be!). That being said, I am looking forward to this weekend because we’re celebrating Father’s Day early since we fly out next Sunday (can you believe it?!). There will be brunch, gifts, and family time! I can’t wait.

Other than that, I plan to continue my decluttering efforts. My goal is to donate/giveaway/throw away stuff in Chicago, so we don’t have to sort through it all and go through the same process in Atlanta. Wish me luck!

With that, let’s talk about some Friday stuff…

Reflection time

I attended a leadership session with an HBS professor this week who talked about the importance of including ample reflection time in our days – to ask questions, to think through what went well, what could have gone better, etc. He was talking about this from a work perspective, but this is beneficial to everyone. It’s about giving our brains some time to catch up with our bodies. Otherwise, it’s all about running from here to there, putting out fires, etc.

After hearing him speak, I definitely want to build in more time for intentional reflection. I’m thinking journaling would work well for me, but like he said, you need to make this a habit that works for you. Whatever it looks like, just get it done!

Ilia

Ilia isn’t a new brand, but it’s new to me! I just bought the Skin Serum foundation (shade Catalina SF7) after consulting with a few beauty bloggers and reading reviews. I’ve used it 5-6 times now, and I LOVE it! It doesn’t have that heavy foundation feel despite giving medium coverage, and it’s so easy to apply with your fingertips. The most impressive thing is that I wore it out on HOT days (for 3-4 hours each), and it didn’t budge or leave streaks on my face. I’m a fan!

I want to try the Super Serum Skin Tint (I did the color match via the website and was told to get shade Morgan ST11.5) as well, but I’m going to wait until later in the year. I don’t need it right now, so it feels like an unnecessary purchase, but once baby is here, I’m going to need a simplified morning routine, and I can definitely see this product being part of that. Have you tried this? If yes, let me know you’re thoughts!

Professional Troublemaker

I’m currently reading Professional Troublemaker by Luvie Ajayi Jones, and I freaking love it so far (a little under half way through). It’s the kick in the pants we will need to go out there, speak our truths, and be awesome. I think her writing style is perfectly matched to the message she’s trying to deliver. Love love love!

Good reads

Chrissy Teigen’s fall from grace – I knew there was some controversy around CT in May of this yea but honestly hadn’t looked into it too much. I used to love how direct, unabashed, honest she is, but some of the stuff she’s directed at people in the past definitely crosses a line. I don’t care what your intentions are. When you say things like that, you have to know the impact is going to be pretty bad. Would love to hear your thoughts!

12 Products to Use for Glowing, Summer Skin Without Foundation – More product recs for glowy summer skin! And the Ilia Skin Tint is on this list!

With that, I hope you have an awesome Friday and weekend ahead!

Friday Stuff [#9]

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The weeks are really flying by around here. I can’t believe we only have two full weekends left in Chicago…and just as the weather is getting better too!

I had a master list of places I wanted to visit, people I wanted to see, restaurants I wanted to eat at, etc. all before we move, and I’m pretty sure I lost that list a while a go. Instead of fretting about all of that, I’m just going to try and enjoy the moments as they come. We’ll be back here in no time to visit is what I keep telling myself.

We do have a couple of fun dinners/events over the next two weeks – Gaijin with my sister, Ever with Vishnu, my sister, and my BIL, and Vishnu’s fellowship graduation dinner. Looking forward to each and every one!

Anyways, enough about the move. Let’s talk about some super random Friday stuff…

Morning routines

We used to have a pretty solid morning routine and were able to to get out the door in under an hour from the time K woke up to the time he walked into school. But now? Now it’s kind of messy. We get through most of what we need to – changing clothes, breakfast…and then everything breaks apart. He wants to stay and play, he doesn’t want to brush his teeth, he wants to draw his teacher a picture, etc. I’m not sure what happened but I’m sure my stress of meetings, calls, and work doesn’t help.

I’m telling myself it’s a phase because most things seem to be with kids, so hopefully he stops with the full on tears at some point.

I swear…it’s the minute he hears ‘no’ and his world falls apart. It’s all age appropriate, I get that, but man…it’s hard to communicate with an emotional child, especially once the tears start.

I do think that by working on my emotions during his emotional moments will help. Vishnu and I talked about a few things earlier this week that I need to just put in place and try. Wish me luck!

Meditation

I’ve written about meditation a few times before, and to be honest, my ‘practice,’ if we can call it that, has never stuck. I think I put too much pressure on myself, and I put it off until the end of the day when I’m super tired and just want to go to bed.

This time around, there’s no pressure, but a real desire to give it a try. I’m trying to get 10 minutes in for the next 30 days in a row. Just me, my timer, and my deep breaths (and a lot of unwanted thoughts as of right now!). We’ll see, I’ll share more later because I do seem to be more motivated this time around…let’s see if that sticks!

Pregnancy wardrobe

When I was pregnant with K, I was going into the office quite a bit. So I decided to buy a few neutral pieces (pregnancy jeans, black pants, and a few tops) and rent everything else from Le Tote. Great choice for that time!

This time around, I’m working from home 100% of the time, so I don’t feel justified in renting clothes. BUT, at the same time, I’m going to be super pregnant while living through the Georgia heat, so my current winter wardrobe won’t suffice the way it has in Chicago (so far!).

I’m trying not to go overboard because…two and through if you know what I mean! Essentially I’ve invested in a couple of more tops, 4-5 dresses and a pair of jean shorts. I figure if I need more, it’s all within a fingers tap…hopefully it’s enough to get me to the finish line.

What are your pregnancy wardrobe must haves? Any favorite places to shop?

Good reads

The Best Beach Reads for Summer – So many are headed to the beach this summer, and you can’t go without a book in hand. This is a great list for anyone who’s looking for a good book or two!

3 Lies They Tell You in School That Hurt You in Business – LOVED this!

Naomi Osaka Shows That Prioritizing Yourself Over A Job Is Still A Radical Act – Didn’t think about Naomi Osaka’s decision in this way, but it’s so true. Nothing is worth our health and sanity! Great read.

Happy Friday! I’m solo parenting most of the weekend since Vishnu’s on call Friday-Monday (last shifts!). We have a few playdates/meet ups and a birthday party on the agenda. Wish me luck!

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