joy — An unofficial parenting guide to raising successful humans

318. Reclaim Your Time: The Art of Being Present and Intentional, featuring Cassie Holmes

With all the things we have to do as parents and as adults, it seems like we never have enough time to stop and enjoy where we are. But the truth is that being fully present and engaged can actually transform how we experience time—when we focus on what we love, it brings joy into those moments and creates a ripple effect on every aspect of our lives.

Cassie Holmes, a professor at UCLA and a leading expert on time and happiness, shares how we can shift from merely managing our time to fully embracing it. How will you make the most of the time you have with your kids while they’re still kids?

313. Wee Wellness Wednesday: Reclaiming Rest and Focus

In our fast-paced world, it can be tricky to slow down and be intentional with our time, especially when it comes to rest. Our culture often equates busyness with success, and so we struggle to prioritize our well-being through rest and mindfulness. But we can find ways to include more rest through small intentional steps—and in doing so, we may find that our focus improves and we can better care for our families and actually find greater success.

276. Are you having fun yet?, featuring Catherine Price

As a parent, you have a lot on your plate—and sometimes you end up sacrificing self-care and any small things that bring you joy. But actually, fun is a feeling rather than an activity, and happiness is something you can choose.

Catherine Price is a science journalist and author who is passionate about helping people make positive changes in their lives and have more fun. She explains the three components of fun and why each one is so important to your well-being. So what would it take to rearrange your day to look for the pockets where you could create joy?

239. How to have a super fantastic day, featuring Keith Harrell

Sometimes you need to be reminded that YOU matter, and that the way you choose to face each day matters. You want to teach your kiddo how to filter through the noise of life and put themselves in circles that inspire and encourage them to grow—but the only way to do that is to model it through your own attitude. Motivational speaker Keith Harrell will fire you up as he explains that it’s up to you to create your own environments that fill you and foster positivity. How will you choose to approach each day?

238. Making space for peace, featuring Hal Elrod

What things in your life feel unfair and cause you to get worked up? We all have those triggers—and in those moments, it’s easy to feel powerless. But what if we shifted the narrative by changing our own reaction, instead of being angry at what can’t be changed? Author and speaker Hal Elrod explains that while we can’t always change our circumstances, we always have the power to choose how we respond, and that can change our entire experience of life. It is in those moments that we create space for more beautiful things to grow in us and in our kids.

237. There is so much more to come, a reflection on 3 years of PG-ish and why you should pursue your dreams!

As I reflect on this journey, I remember all the time spent to scheme, dream, curate, pivot, launch, fail, and keep going. I started this podcast after huge changes in my family life, and I knew I needed to challenge myself to find (and share) resources to grow myself as a person and a mama. I believe reflection is important to remember how far you’ve come, and how much more is still to come—and it’s the little victories that keep you going and need to be celebrated. So today I’m here to share that taking risks is worth it, celebrating small wins is important, and pursuing life and love whole-heartedly is what fills you and me.

233. Forget vitamins, go have some fun instead, featuring Catherine Price

What made you smile today?

If it’s tough to answer this, you’re not alone. We get overwhelmed with all the things of life—work, home, kids—that it’s easy to miss the small moments that would bring us joy.

Catherine Price is a science journalist and author who is passionate about helping people make positive changes in their lives. Surprisingly, her solution to stress, life, better parenting, and all the problems we face, is simple:

Have more fun.

Catherine explains why this matters, how it affects our health, and how it’s a choice we make rather than an experience. If you need more happiness in your life, you won’t want to miss this.

231. Don't regret your regrets, featuring Dan Pink

Do you find yourself sometimes blaming your current unhappiness and dissatisfaction on past choices? While that’s a common sentiment, regret can actually have a positive effect on your life. The trick is to find the gift in your regret, and learn from it as you move forward. Author Dan Pink has collected over 16,000 regrets from people around the globe, and today he shares the four core regrets we all face, and explains how to transform your regrets into a life you enjoy more.

230. Why you should think tiny, featuring BJ Fogg

Why is it so hard to create good habits? We think that if we can find enough motivation and discipline, we should be able to accomplish our goals. The problem? We think we have to go big or go home—and so we set ourselves up for failure.

B.J. Fogg, a behavior scientist at Stanford, explains why tiny habits are the key to changing your life. It comes down to creating triggers based on existing behaviors. We have the power to reprogram our brains one small positive step at a time—whether it’s doing daily push ups, or finding our calm in the midst of difficult parenting.

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228. From overwhelm to the life you love, an interview with K. Domiana Ndour

Even with a 4-month baby in her arms during our interview, K. Domiana Ndour emanates an authentic and grounding presence. She’s not only a wife and mom of three, but also a retired pro basketball player, two-time best-selling author, somatic healer, coach, international speaker, certified yoga instructor and educator. She’s on a mission to equip busy moms like you and me with the tools to self-heal and regulate emotions, all while breaking the cycle of burnout and overwhelm. This is definitely an episode you won’t want to miss!

221. Happiness is a choice, featuring Connie Podesta

As parents, there are so many things we want to teach our kids. We want them to be happy, but the truth is that we can’t teach that to them—we can only model it ourselves. Happiness begins with the parent. Today, award-winning author, speaker, and therapist Connie Podesta shares some truth about becoming a happy role model, and why (regardless of what is happening in our lives) happiness is a daily choice we have to make.

214. Raising resilient children, featuring William Stixrud

Parenting often feels like we’re carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. We focus more on the things we think we have to control, rather than the things that bring us joy.

Today is a continuation of last week’s episode about coaching our kids instead of controlling them. Dr. Bill Stixrud is a neuropsychologist whose take on adolescent brain development could have a significant shift on how you show up and help to support your child. He discusses how the sense of autonomy—not full control, but some amount of knowing that what you do matters—can actually raise the feelings of motivation, and create resilience and hope in both us and our kids.

207. The hardest part about change, featuring Dr Joe Dispenza

Dr. Joe Dispenza is a chiropractor with training in neuroscience, neuroplasticity, and epigenetics. He’s most interested in teaching others how to make measurable changes in their lives. With the amount of stress you’ve endured over the last two years (and probably more!), now is the time to leave it behind and try a new path to find a healthier, happier you.

Catch up on the latest episodes!

Have more fun.