You’ve reached The Mrs. Beside – a movement dedicated to the wives standing BESIDE their spouse. Your spouse may be either pursuing or elevating their dream but the reality is, that career of choice pulls them away more often than not leaving you/me/us to handle the rest. Some days are easy. Some are flat out H-A-R-D.
Nobody in the world understands that better than I do.

So welcome to our very own common ground. A safe space to listen and be heard. To laugh. To cry. To heal. And a soft place to land. But more importantly, to remind you just how important YOU are. To challenge you to put yourself BACK on your ‘To-Do’ list. To let you know that I see you. It’s hard work – a thankless job. But you are the glue! You keep it alllll together. What you accomplish in a day is downright amazing. You, my friend, work everyday miracles.

From full time jobs, last minute dry cleaning, kid pick up, drop off, grocery shopping, planning, bills, budgeting, chauffeuring, cooking, exercising, eating (somewhat) right, not smoking crack, play dates and an expected chandelier swing from time to time….whew girl. I know you tied. And I am too! I S S A L O T!

The Mrs. Beside – in title alone – isn’t to simplify or tie our identity to our marital status or to define us by what our spouses do. It’s quite the opposite. In fact, it’s to celebrate and put some RESPECT back on our names. So pick up that crown girl. Shake that dust loose and step into your rightful place.

THIS. IS. ABOUT. AND. FOR. YOU. Finallllllllllllllllly!

SHOW NOTES

Needing to Rediscover Yourself  EP #1

Jamia Ponder is a wife and mother of three, and she’s getting real with herself.  When Jamia was asked “who” she is and what she is most proud of without involving anyone else...she drew a blank. That’s a problem. Join Jamia on her journey as she peels back the layers to re-discover who she is without all the other roles she has.

It’s time to find that thing that is burning inside you! 

What we’re talking about

• Who Jamia Is To Everyone Else
• The Journey To Med School Graduation
• A Moment Of Realization

Who Jamia Is To Everyone Else

Jamia is a wife to a recent medical school graduate. Mother to three amazing children. She is also a friend, lover, cook, chauffeur, house cleaner, laundry aficionado, and keeper of all the things when it comes to running her family’s household. Each day multiple hats are worn, with many of them happening in the very same moment. Sound familiar?

The Journey To Med School Graduation

Jamia and her husband have been together for 14 years, and married for 9. He had a longing desire to go to medical school for the first 9 years they were together. When he was finally admitted in 2016, it took flipping their life on it’s proverbial head to make it work, but they were committed to his ultimate goal of becoming a doctor. No matter the cost.

A Moment Of Realization

Jamia was asked, “who are you, and what are you most proud of that doesn’t involve anyone else?”. When she drew a blank, she knew she was in deep, really deep. It was time to claw her way out to rediscover who she is under all the hats she wears for everyone else. It was time to peel back each layer until she found her true self again. Tune in this season to find out what it was that caused Jamia to come to the realization that she was stuck and needed help.

Who are you, and what are you most proud of that doesn’t involve anyone else?

LINKS MENTIONED

The Mrs. Beside Facebook Page

The Mrs. Beside Instagram

The Mrs. Beside Pinterest

The Mrs. Beside YouTube Channel

 TIMESTAMPS

• 4:42 - 5:01 (19 sec JP) But before you answer...That’s a problem.
• 6:11 - 6:22 (11 sec JP) I wanted something for me...figuring out who am I
• 7:05 - 7:42 (37 sec JP) All of the things we typically...I had to push past my fear.
• 8:40 - 8:58 (18 sec JP) We’re pushing our kids...those who He calls, He qualifies.

QUOTES

1. Find that thing that is burning within you. Reignite your passion. Whatever gets you to some place of centered-ness.
2. What are you giving back to yourself?
3. There is something that each of us are called and created to do. There is a burning passion within each and everyone of us.
   

SHOW NOTES

#2 Rediscover and Prioritize Yourself As A Woman

Jamia Ponder is THE Mrs. Beside and is taking us on her journey of rediscovering herself after becoming a wife and mother of 3. Today is all about honoring you...who you are without the filters, being yourself, and knowing you’re worthy. Jamia is sharing her tips on prioritizing yourself and how to discover who you are after you’ve become a wife and mother. 

It’s time to think about you and finding a few things that spark joy in your life!

What we’re talking about

• Are You Filtering Who You Are?
• Being Your Own Advocate
• Thriving In the Face of Stress

Are You Filtering Who You Are?

Have you ever met someone in real life that you only knew online? Did they look the same as their profile picture? Or were they unrecognizable? How many filters (makeup, hair color, setting, job, children) have they put between you and them to allow you to only see what they want you to see? None of these filters is wrong, per se, but they hide who the true person is. Jamia shares how she surprised one online friend by actually matching her online photo!

Being Your Own Advocate

Whew, girl! This one is a tough one for a lot of women. Jamia explores what it is to be your own advocate, that it’s ok to be unavailable for others, and that you need to put the “out of office” sign up. Being your own advocate is necessary because no one will advocate for you like you will. You need that downtime for you to explore who you are, what you are made of, what your desires are, and what makes you feel fulfilled.

Thriving In the Face of Stress

By peeling back those layers and getting to know yourself, you will not only know what you need to do to set boundaries and advocate for yourself, but also put yourself in a position to thrive. We discuss how you are worthy of prioritizing yourself and allowing yourself to breathe.

What boundaries can you set to allow yourself to thrive?

LINKS MENTIONED

The Mrs. Beside Facebook Page

The Mrs. Beside Instagram

The Mrs. Beside Pinterest

The Mrs. Beside YouTube Channel

 TIMESTAMPS

• 2:20 - 2:39 (19 sec JP) Set that out of office...nobody can stick up for you like you can.
• 2:55 - 3:19 (24 sec JP) One of the many things I feel like...maybe we don’t know who we are.
• 7:39 - 7:59 (20 sec JP) It’s ok to have a voice...it’s going to look different for everybody.

QUOTES

1. We’ll all become better people. And if we’re better people, then we can be better wives. If we’re better wives, we can be better moms. The trickling effect is endless. - JP
2. Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde
3. So, how do you be yourself, if you don’t know who yourself is? - JP
4. Children are not a burden. They just add a layer of complexity. - JP