Stop Letting Others Steal Your Joy

In this episode, Megan shares a realization many of us experience:

Sometimes nothing actually goes wrong… but our mood changes anyway.

Not because someone took our joy — but because we unknowingly handed it to them.

Most of the time, they weren’t even trying to take it.

How We Give Away Our Joy

It often happens in the space between action and reaction.

• Waiting for a reply
• Replaying conversations
• Reading into tone or silence
• Making up stories to fill missing information
• Letting one opinion outweigh many positives
• Measuring support or lack of support

One small outside input can cancel an entire day — if we allow it to.

Why Our Brain Does This

Humans naturally want:

• Approval
• Fairness
• Understanding
• Closure

So our mind tries to solve the discomfort by analyzing and predicting.

But instead of helping, it:

• Pulls us into the past
• Pushes us into the future
• Keeps us from the present moment

And that costs us joy.

The Real Loss

When we stay stuck in that mental loop:

• Family moments feel muted
• Wins feel smaller
• Peace feels temporary

We miss what’s happening right in front of us.

Sometimes others move on in seconds — while we carry the moment for hours.

A Helpful Shift

Not every reaction needs interpretation.

You can allow people to be who they are without giving their behavior control over your day.

Remember:

• Not every silence means something
• Not every opinion deserves weight
• Understanding everything isn’t required to enjoy life

A Better Question to Ask

Instead of asking:

Why did they do that?

Ask:

Do I want to carry this?

You can: Notice it Acknowledge it Release it

Returning to the Present

Joy comes back when attention comes back.

Be where your feet are.

Peace often comes from deciding not to keep thinking about it.

You don’t have to solve every relationship moment to enjoy your day.

Closing Thought

Not every thought deserves your time. Not every reaction deserves your joy.

Protect your attention — and you protect your life.

Community Over Competition (But Only If It’s Real)

In this episode, Megan talks about one of her favorite business values: community over competition — and why it only works when it’s genuine.

Supporting other business owners has led to friendships, growth, referrals, and opportunities throughout her career. But lately, she’s noticed something important:

Community has become a phrase… instead of a behavior.

What Real Community Looks Like

True community isn’t just networking — it’s relationship.

It includes:

• Sharing knowledge
• Encouraging during slow seasons
• Helping shift perspective
• Referring inquiries that aren’t the right fit
• Supporting others without immediate return
• Making business feel less isolating

Sometimes the best service you can provide a client is:

Not booking them — and connecting them with someone better suited.

That builds trust, not competition.

When “Community” Becomes Marketing

The phrase gets misused when it becomes one-sided.

Warning signs:

• Only asking for help
• Taking information but never giving back
• Showing up only when needing something
• Wanting access instead of relationship
• Treating people like resources

Community cannot exist if it only flows one direction.

Mutual Benefit Matters

Healthy relationships aren’t perfectly even — they’re reciprocal over time.

You don’t keep score daily. But both people invest.

The real question becomes:

How can we both grow from this?

Not:

What can I get from you?

A Practical Example

Megan offers complimentary mini branding sessions to small business owners during slower months.

They receive:

• Photos and video
• A sample of working together

She receives:

• Portfolio content
• Promotion opportunities
• A chance to build relationships

That’s community — a win-win, not a transaction.

Why One-Sided Community Fails

When imbalance continues:

• Resentment grows
• Boundaries disappear
• Generosity becomes burnout

But when it’s real:

• Trust grows
• Collaboration happens naturally
• Opportunities expand

Choosing Your Circle

Community doesn’t mean including everyone.

It means investing intentionally.

Not every relationship aligns — and that’s okay.

Focus on people who:

• Show up
• Reciprocate over time
• Value relationship over access

Closing Thought

Community over competition still matters — maybe more than ever.

But it works only when practiced, not posted.

Community isn’t proven by what we say about each other. It’s proven by how we show up for each other.

The Work No One Sees Is The Work That Matters

In this episode, Megan reflects on watching her kids play sports and noticing something familiar:

They love the game. They want the win. They want the scoreboard moment.

But they don’t always want practice.

And honestly — adults aren’t much different.

We want success… without repetition, patience, or discipline.

Yet the parts we try to skip are the very parts that make success meaningful.

The Outcome vs The Process

We love:

• The win
• The growth
• The recognition
• The visible results

We resist:

• Practice
• Repetition
• Consistency
• Waiting

But success without effort fades fast.

When there is no cost, there is little satisfaction.

Why “Going Viral” Isn’t The Goal

Quick results don’t create lasting success.

A viral moment without continued effort disappears.

Sustainable growth comes from what most people avoid:

The unsexy work

• Emails
• Editing
• Planning
• Blogging
• SEO
• Systems
• Posting consistently when no one reacts

Often nothing happens immediately. And right before progress compounds… it feels pointless.

Why We Avoid The Work

The effort feels:

• Boring
• Unnoticed
• Unrewarded
• Slow

There’s no instant feedback or recognition.

But enjoyment doesn’t come before effort.

It comes after commitment.

Where Real Confidence Comes From

Confidence isn’t built from big moments.

It comes from keeping promises to yourself.

• Doing what you said you would do
• Showing up repeatedly
• Finishing what you planned

The reward becomes:

• Self-trust
• Pride
• Less anxiety
• Calm confidence

And that feeling lasts longer than the win itself.

Loving The Game Means Loving Practice

Kids want to love the game. Adults want to love success.

But success is mostly ordinary days repeated over and over again.

The people who enjoy winning the most are the ones who showed up when no one was watching.

The Instant Gratification Problem

Modern life teaches us to expect quick rewards:

• Social media likes
• Gaming wins
• Hacks and shortcuts

But real life requires sustained effort.

When we skip the work, we also skip the joy.

Closing Thought

Don’t chase fake wins.

The work you do when no one sees you is what makes success actually feel good.

Put in the effort — not just for the result, but because the effort is what creates the meaning.

The Retreat I Didn’t Plan (And Why It Matters)

In this episode, Megan talks about something she didn’t do this year — her usual beginning-of-year retreat — and how missing it revealed just how important intentional time away really is.

Because sometimes you don’t realize what anchors you… until you skip it.

What the Retreat Normally Does

Every year in Quarter 1, Megan schedules intentional time away to:

• Zoom out from daily responsibilities
• Clarify yearly and quarterly goals
• Create systems
• Plan content and direction
• Make decisions proactively instead of reactively

It isn’t about luxury. It’s about focus.

And a retreat doesn’t have to be a big trip.

It can be:

• A weekend away
• A full day alone
• Even a few protected hours

The purpose: thinking time

What Happened This Year

January looked different:

• Kids home more
• Routine off
• No shooting
• No retreat

And the result?

Feeling scattered instead of anchored.

Not because work wasn’t happening — but because clarity hadn’t been created yet.

Why Retreats Matter

Without stepping away, you stay inside constant motion:

Laundry Kids Messages Tasks Decisions

You stay reactive.

But intentional time allows you to be proactive.

Even changing one system can:

• Reduce decisions
• Save time
• Increase freedom
• Improve family life
• Improve business flow

The Big Lesson

Missing the January retreat didn’t ruin the year.

It just changed the timing.

Instead of:

“I missed my chance.”

The better question is:

“What’s the next best thing I can do?”

The Power of the Next Best Thing

You don’t throw away a goal because the timing changed.

You adjust.

You can still:

• Schedule the hours
• Plan the weekend
• Create clarity
• Realign direction

Progress doesn’t depend on perfect timing. It depends on taking the next available step.

Action Step

When this episode ends:

Look at your calendar.

Schedule intentional thinking time — however that works for your life.

Because clarity doesn’t appear during motion. It appears during pause.

Closing Thought

You’re never behind. You just need the next intentional step.

Motivation Is Not a Strategy

In this episode, Megan shares a major mindset shift that changed both her life and her business:

She stopped waiting to feel motivated.

Because motivation feels powerful — but it’s unreliable. And when motivation controls your actions, your progress becomes inconsistent.

The Problem With Motivation

We often believe successful people are simply more motivated.

So we wait to:

• Feel inspired
• Have more time
• Be in the right mood
• Let life calm down

But motivation is an emotion — not a plan.

It depends on:

• Sleep
• Stress
• Weather
• Kids
• Energy
• Life circumstances

Perfect conditions rarely exist.

So we stay stuck.

The Big Realization

Motivation doesn’t create action.

Action creates motivation.

You don’t feel motivated → then act You act → then feel motivated

Example: You never want to go to the gym before going But after you go, you’re glad you did And that feeling motivates the next action

Until the next morning… when motivation disappears again.

Why Waiting Keeps You Inconsistent

When motivation leads:

• Work gets delayed
• Routines never stick
• To-do lists pile up
• Progress resets constantly

You keep thinking:

“I’ll start when…”

But life replaces old problems with new ones.

What Actually Works: Systems

The biggest change came from removing negotiation.

Instead of deciding daily: You pre-decide once.

A system means: You don’t decide whether You only decide how today

Examples of Systems

Business Systems

• Set posting days for social media
• Weekly newsletter schedule
• Defined workflow from inquiry → booking
• Editing routines after sessions

Personal Systems

• Drop kids off → drive straight to the gym
• Gratitude practice each morning
• Chores happen after school
• Family rules already decided

These remove decision fatigue.

What Is Decision Fatigue?

You make hundreds of decisions daily.

Every extra choice drains mental energy.

Systems remove:

• Internal negotiation
• Overthinking
• Emotional resistance

And replace it with: Automatic action

Why Systems Reduce Stress

Systems create:

• Less mental load
• Less guilt
• Less starting over
• More predictability

For business owners: Clients trust consistency.

For families: Kids trust clear expectations.

Flexibility Without Quitting

Systems don’t require perfection.

They allow adjustment.

You don’t ask:

Am I doing it?

You ask:

How am I doing it today?

Even during chaotic seasons — caregiving, weather, busy schedules — small effort still counts.

Identity Matters

Systems protect identity on hard weeks:

You remain:

• Someone who shows up
• Someone who cares about health
• Someone who runs a business consistently

Even when effort is smaller.

The Truth

You don’t need:

• A new planner
• A new year
• More inspiration

You need: One small repeatable action

Motivation might start something. Systems carry it for years.

Closing Thought

Stop waiting to feel like it.

Progress comes from repetition — not emotion.

Stop Waiting for Validation

In today’s episode, Megan talks about something many business owners quietly struggle with:

Not confusion. Not lack of ideas.

Waiting for permission.

We often run decisions — even small daily ones — past an imaginary audience before acting.

What to post. What to offer. What to say yes or no to. How to spend time.

And without realizing it… we delay action while searching for approval.

What Waiting for Validation Looks Like

• Checking reactions before deciding
• Asking multiple people hoping for the same answer
• Measuring worth by engagement
• Delaying action until someone agrees
• Feeling confident alone — then doubting after opinions

The problem isn’t asking for advice.

The problem is outsourcing the final decision.

Why We Seek Validation

We think it gives us:

• Certainty
• Reassurance
• Protection from regret
• Shared responsibility
• Less personal failure

Validation feels like confidence.

But really…

You’re borrowing certainty instead of building it.

What It Creates

Relying on outside approval leads to:

In business

• Slow decisions
• Constant pivots
• Messaging changes
• Confused audience
• Inconsistent direction

In life

• Less self-trust
• Second-guessing
• Starting over repeatedly
• Mental exhaustion

The more opinions you collect, the harder it becomes to hear your own.

What Real Confidence Actually Is

Confidence is NOT knowing the perfect answer.

It is:

• Deciding
• Adjusting later
• Taking responsibility for the outcome

You build it by:

• Making small decisions
• Acting before consensus
• Learning through experience

Every situation is unique — experience teaches you what advice never can.

Confidence = trusting you can handle the result

A Better Way to Use Advice

We still need people.

But instead of asking:

“What should I do?”

Ask:

“What might I be missing?”

Advice should inform your decision — not make it for you.

The Truth About Doubt

You don’t eliminate doubt.

You shorten the distance between doubt and action.

Confidence grows when:

• Decisions happen faster
• Action comes sooner
• Validation becomes unnecessary

Closing Thought

The moment you stop waiting for agreement is usually the moment you start moving forward.

So today — move without permission.

In this episode, Megan talks about a realization she had after a slower January season — how comfort can feel good in the moment, but often delays clarity, growth, and confidence.

We often think peace should come before action. But most of the time… peace actually shows up after the decision.

The January Feeling

Winter made it easy to stay comfortable:

• Staying in pajamas
• Avoiding routines
• Not making decisions
• Waiting to start
• Choosing rest over action

Some of that rest was needed — but it also revealed something important:

Comfort didn’t create peace. It just delayed movement.

Comfort vs Peace

Comfort is:

• Familiar
• Predictable
• Low effort
• Avoidance disguised as patience
• Temporary relief

Examples:

• Staying in a routine that no longer fits
• Avoiding hard conversations
• Not choosing yet
• Researching instead of starting
• Keeping options open
• Scrolling instead of acting

Comfort removes pressure today But often creates anxiety tomorrow

What Staying Comfortable Costs You

Not dramatic losses — slow ones.

You slowly lose:

• Growth
• Clarity
• Confidence
• Momentum
• Self-trust

You don’t crash… You just gradually stop moving.

Discomfort Is Often The Start of Peace

Discomfort looks like:

• Setting boundaries
• Making the decision
• Starting before ready
• Saying no
• Consistent routines
• Hard conversations

At first it brings:

• Doubt
• Tension
• Awkwardness

But action gives something comfort never does:

Information.

Once you move:

• You gain facts
• You gain clarity
• You can adjust
• You build confidence

The Big Shift

We wait to feel peaceful before acting.

But usually:

Peace follows alignment and action — not avoidance.

Comfort feels calm because:

• Nothing changes
• Nothing is challenged
• Nothing is decided

But that’s not peace. That’s postponement.

A Better Question to Ask

Instead of:

“Does this feel comfortable?”

Ask:

“Will this bring me peace later?”

This changes:

• Parenting decisions
• Business decisions
• Life decisions

Because often we don’t want peace… We want relief.

And the fastest path to relief is usually the thing we’re avoiding.

Closing Thought

Comfort keeps today easy. Peace makes tomorrow lighter.

So ask yourself:

Are you staying comfortable to avoid something hard — when that hard thing is exactly what will give you peace later?

🎙️ Episode Title: The Next Right Things

Episode Description: Do you ever find yourself stuck—replaying a mistake, sitting in guilt, or continuing a pattern simply because it feels comfortable? In this first episode of 2026, Megan shares the phrase that’s helping her move forward when life feels heavy: The next right thing.

Instead of striving for perfection or getting trapped in regret, this episode invites you to pause, breathe, and ask one simple question that can shift everything. Whether you’re navigating parenting struggles, business mistakes, financial slip-ups, or just feeling behind, this episode is a reminder that progress doesn’t come from fixing everything at once—it comes from taking the next step forward.

This conversation is gentle, honest, and meant to meet you exactly where you are.

✨ In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why we stay stuck in problems instead of moving forward
• How comfort can keep us repeating the same patterns
• What “The Next Right Thing” actually means in everyday life
• Letting go of guilt after mistakes—especially in parenting and business
• Why you don’t need a perfect plan to make progress
• How small, intentional steps can change the direction of your year

🧠 A Few Moments That May Hit Home:

• “We can’t go back—but we often sit in that space too long.”
• “The goal isn’t perfection. It’s forward motion.”
• “The next right thing after a mistake is learning—not spiraling.”

💛 Take This With You:

You don’t have to fix everything today. You don’t have to be perfect to move forward. All you need is the next right thing.

Sometimes that’s apologizing. Sometimes it’s resting. Sometimes it’s showing up again tomorrow.

🎧 Listen If You’re:

• Feeling stuck or behind as the new year begins
• Struggling with guilt after a mistake
• Trying to balance parenting, business, and personal growth
• Looking for a gentle, realistic way to move forward