Happy holidays HERself listeners. We know many people are busy with their friends and families this week. So we are throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes that we know is going to meet many of you with so much solidarity. Janelle Teves is one of those women who when you talk to her you instantly feel better. Not only does she know and respect that we are juggling a lot but she reminds us that we are doing an amazing job.

Jeanelle Teves, is the Chief Commercial Officer of Bugaboo. She is also a speaker, a wife, and a mom of two kids; ages three and six. Jeanelle is crushing it in corporate America and has a stay at home partner. We cover both of these topics in our interview and we touch on confidence. Jeanelle shares how she built her own and how she fully embodies it.

We know lots of our listeners have times in their lives where they contemplate a career move. Maybe you’ve thought about leaving your job all together and being a full-time stay at home parent? Jeanelle shares how she knows when it is time to make a change. She also manages a fully remote team and knows that for moms who are working from home, it can be easy to blur the lines between professional and mom. She shares her tips on how to set some boundaries both at home and with your work place.

In Jeanelle’s family, she is the breadwinner and her husband is the full-time stay at home working parent. Jeanelle talks to us about how they came to this decision as a family and what she does to support her husband in finding time for himself outside of all the household work he puts in.

Finally, we know that a lot of women can struggle with confidence at times. If this has been you, tune in to hear how Jeanelle is so unapologetic about her successes and the tips she has on how you yourself can grow in this area.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow Jeanelle on Instagram - @jeanelleteves

Follow Jeanelle on LinkedIn

Let’s connect!

HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast

MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer

MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

This week, we’re getting honest about something we know so many of you are feeling too: the mental load of the holiday season. Even as two high-functioning women in very different ways, this stretch of the year has us struggling. Between the busy season in our industry—podcasting, affiliate links, end-of-year pushes—and the nonstop holiday commitments, we’ve both been feeling behind and overwhelmed. And if you’re there too, we want you to know: you’re not alone.

We walk through the real mental load moms carry right now—coordinating gift lists, keeping track of school dress-up days, navigating volunteer asks, and trying to make everything magical on top of everyday life. So we talk about giving yourself grace, slowing down, and putting the load on paper so you can actually see what you’re carrying.

We also dive into how differently we each cope. Amy checks in with herself more intentionally this time of year, especially because being overwhelmed means little comments from others can sting more than usual. Abby talks about being a natural ruminator—and how bringing things up with safe people, sooner rather than later, can bring so much peace of mind.

Family dynamics during the holidays can get complicated, too. Amy shares the powerful reminder that she can’t control how other people experience the holiday. And if anxiety is creeping in, communicating that with the people closest to you can make all the difference.

We also share how we balance two totally different approaches to managing the mental load. Abby swears by writing everything down. Amy has always found the idea overwhelming… but she’s giving it a try. And Abby walks through how to take that practice a step further once it’s all out of your head and on paper. A big takeaway for both of us? Choose one thing and complete it from start to finish. The more we multitask, the more scattered we feel. Slowing down and focusing on a single task has been grounding for us both.

Toward the end, we highlight some incredibly helpful tips from our friend Kate Borsato of @theperinatalcollective (linked below). This community has walked alongside us for almost six years now, and we hope today’s episode helps you feel supported, understood, and a little lighter during such a busy season.

You’re doing your best—and that’s enough.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

JONES: https://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/

LMNT: Free Sample Pack with purchase: drinkLMNT.com/HERSELF

The Perinatal Collective on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theperinatalcollective/

Let’s connect!

HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast

MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer

MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

We’ve had Eli Weinstein on the podcast before (episode 182), where we focused on the postpartum period. Today, we’re talking about the next phase of parenthood—one that brings its own growing pains, relationship shifts, and a whole new set of expectations.

In his new book, Eli introduces the “holy trinity” of relationships: expectations, perception, and reality. He walks us through how easy it is for these three to get misaligned. One example almost every parent can relate to: when one partner works from home, the expectation is that more will get done around the house. When it doesn’t happen, the perception becomes that the partner is lazy, when the reality is that no one ever clearly set the expectation in the first place.

If you’ve been here for a bit, you know about Amy and Drew’s weekly meetings. Amy is honest—she doesn’t always look forward to them—but they’ve drastically improved clarity around roles and tasks. If you’re trying to bring something like this into your own relationship, Eli shares one simple 15-minute daily practice that can soften resistance and rebuild connection.

We also get into a feeling many of us have had at some point: “Why does my spouse feel like another child I have to remind all the time?” Eli normalizes the frustration. Giving your partner direction—even if it seems obvious—is better than simmering in resentment later. Think of it as a reset: just like teaching a child how to walk, sometimes our partners have never been taught certain systems, and clarity is an act of kindness.

Eli also breaks down his “import and export” lists. This framework helps families intentionally remove what no longer serves them while protecting what does. And of course, gratitude comes up—Eli shares why small, frequent expressions of appreciation might be the most powerful shift you can make in your marriage.

Eli closes the conversation with a grounding reminder: every couple is navigating this same transition. You are not alone. It’s never too late to reset, reconnect, and focus on your relationship with more compassion and clarity.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

VUORI: 20% off first purchase at: http://vuoriclothing.com/herself

Listen to episode #182 - Eli Weinstein with a Male’s Perspective on Partnership After Kids and Sharing the Mental Load: https://www.herselfpodcast.com/listen/eliweinsteinmentalload

Pre-order his new book "From I Do to We Do" AND get a free workbook: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com/book

Eli’s Website: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com/

The Dude Therapist Podcast: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com/podcast

Follow Eli on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliweinstein_lcsw/

Let’s connect!

HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast

MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer

MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen