WORK SMARTER.

We do things differently here. If you reject the status quo of motherhood, if you're a parent that doesn't need any more "hustle" advice, or you want to be around people rethinking work and parenthood, get on our private newsletter list.

Don’t Forget About This When Doing Your Year-End Review

,

If you ever feel like the work you are doing in your business isn’t “enough,” or you feel down, like you haven’t accomplished enough, first: I see you, I hear you. I’ve felt the same way so often. Here’s why it can seem like business is so slow, and how to widen the lens to account for all the things (ALL THE THINGS) you really do.

Mantras for Birth (and Life)

, , ,

This year, I’ve been playing around with more mantras and affirmations, or words of encouragement that I repeat to myself. By consciously choosing the words we use, I think we can gently encourage ourselves in new directions. I share some of my more personal mantras I’ve been mulling on as I go into the tender space of welcoming a new person into our lives, on the precipice of giving birth again. 

The Learning Curve

,

The first time I tried to navigate a stroller into a coffee shop, I was at the wrong coffee shop. I say that because the coffee shop had a step in front of it, and everyone looked like they thought I was evil to have a stroller with me. Also, I had no idea what I was doing. Needless to say, it didn’t go that well.

Morning Routines — Episode #066

,

There is a lot of noise on the interwebs around creating the perfect morning routine. But here’s the thing about being a parent: There is no such thing as ‘routine.’ The demands placed on you by the tiny human in your life are ever-changing, and every morning looks vastly different from the one before.

Turning Inwards: Vulnerability

, , ,

Two things happened to remind me that my body is changing, yet again, and I’m tilting into the third trimester: First, on an innocuous Thursday, as I was stepping out of the shower, I failed to lift my food up high enough to step over the bath edge. My foot caught in the shower curtain, a tangle of filmy plastic sheeting and soap suds, and I ripped a hole in our shower curtain. Then, on a walk in the woods with a friend, I went down. Pregnancy, for me, has brought with it a heightened sense of vulnerability and fear, especially in the last trimester.

Why Listening Well Is More Important Than Giving Advice

, ,

It’s fun to brainstorm, to be clever, to solve things. There’s a smattering of satisfaction associated with this—at least for me—because it feels good to solve things. It feels so good, in fact, that I notice sometimes I interrupt, break in, or try to solve something before we’ve even gotten to the root of the question. In our lives, it’s easy to jump right in and propose solutions before we even understand the scope of what’s happening. The trouble is, how do we know that our advice is what really needs to be said? Here’s how and why to listen, instead.

What Is a Mastermind and Should You Join One?

, ,

One of the hard parts of being an entrepreneur is the psychological weight of being the key decision-maker. Every decision and metric depends on you. Figuring out how to organize your time, stay accountable, and make everything happen without losing your mind is a real challenge. I don’t say this lightly: Not having people to talk to and bounce ideas around with can be one of the hardest parts of starting your own business. For that reason, many entrepreneurs I know turn to mastermind accountability groups to help them stay focused and successful. But what exactly is a mastermind and why are they so important? Here’s what they are, how they’re structured, and how it works.

Differences Of Opinions — #058

,

Put two people in a room together for any length of time, and you’re going to encounter differences of opinion. Engage in any partnership—business, personal or parent-child—and differing experiences will eventually manifest a misalignment of wants and needs. So how can we meet in the middle?

Connection, Friendship and Kindred Spirits — Episode #054

,

If you’re busy with work, busy with your kids, busy with life—it can be tough to prioritize friendship. Today, we’re sharing the two scripts I’ve designed for reestablishing friendships. I explain why it’s important to ask for specific advice and approach the practice with sincerity.

Within Your Control: An Exercise — Episode #048

,

Feeling like we can’t control the outcomes can often leave us stranded, without motivation or, not surprisingly, angry. How can we reframe those goals to reflect the things we can control? And make peace with the fact that we did everything we could, even if it doesn’t work out?

All the Single Ladies — Episode #042

,

As women have experienced an ‘expansion of options’ in terms of marriage and family, there are a growing number of single ladies. Less than 50% of American women are married and women are increasingly opting to have children outside of marriage. Where will this increasing age of change lead us in the future?

Core Value #9 | You Have Access to Sixth Gear

, ,

Most of us have a sixth gear we don’t know about. We’re all capable of far more than we can imagine. At Startup Pregnant, we believe in the power of human potential, both individual and collective. Parenting often teaches us that we have a previously-unknown-to-us “fifth gear,” and then when faced with a challenge, maybe even a sixth gear we can tap into.

Core Value #8 | Feelings Matter

, ,

Here at Startup Pregnant, we believe in the call for a greater emotional dexterity. We believe that it’s important for each of us to experience our emotions. Not just experience them, but feel them, name them, and work with the entire range of emotions that we’re given. To us, this means that you’re allowed to be your whole self. All of you is welcome here.

Why We’re Bad at Predicting How Parenthood Feels

, ,

Often we choose not to do something because of how we think we’ll feel about it. But it turns out we’re not that great at understanding how something will actually feel—because we can’t account for how we, ourselves, will change in the process. Today we interview father of three kids under four, Mathias Jakobsen, the founder of Think Clearly, about his journey into parenting.

Things I’d Go Back and Tell My 24-Year Old Self

,

I turn 34 this month, and I thought I’d go back and list all the things I wish my 24-year old self would have known. On the list? Take all the adventures you can. When in doubt, pick something, and then learn from the choosing. Stop trying to be perfect and well-liked, because that is certainly a fool’s errand. And I give my past self advice about money, sex, feminism, and trying to pick the “right” career.

JOIN THOUSANDS OF PARENTS  
WHO WANT TO RETHINK “HOW IT’S ALWAYS BEEN”

Transformative conversations at the heart of working, parenting, and better living. Sign up to join us.