Welcome to the Successful Mama Podcast.

Thank you so much for being here! I'm your host, Shannon Carothers, wife, mama of two boys, who are now 5 and 7, and habit coach.

I wanted to start with a quick intro episode so that you can learn some things you might want to know before tuning in. In this episode, I'll be covering who this podcast is for, what to expect as a listener, who I am and a little of my story, where you can find me and connect, and how to support the free content I'm creating here.

Now obviously, the podcast is called Successful Mama, so our target audience is moms. If that's you, you're in the right place! If not, there will still be lots of great information shared that can benefit anyone, but just know that the majority of the content will be aimed at moms.

So that covers half the title... now on to the other half. I'm curious...What do you think of when you hear the word success? For most people, our brains go to money or power. Business suits, expensive vacation homes, maybe a yacht?

Those things can be successful for some people, but I want to look at it from a different perspective. Because to me, it's very obvious that success looks more than one way, especially when it comes to motherhood. There is no one-size fits all to what it means to live a successful life, and that's evident by looking at all the different kinds of people around us. What fills her doesn't necessarily fill you. So while a really nice home or a leading a corporation may seem like a super successful life, it isn't if that's not something you desire. On top of that, your definition of success can change, depending on the season of life you're in. So the only person that can define it, is you. I want to ask you, mama... what brings you joy? What kind of life do you want to live? What does success mean to you?

On this podcast, I'll bring you stories of moms who are living out their version of what it means to be successful. We'll cover topics like navigating foster care, starting a business, mastering couponing, or learning to be vulnerable and asking for help.... all while doing our best to mother well. We will have real and raw conversations, covering moms' journeys, their mistakes, and things they've learned along the way. I truly believe that our paths can look completely different, yet we can still learn from each other. So my goal is that by hearing their stories, you will be encouraged to step out of expectations and fears into YOUR version of success.

Episodes will generally last a little less than an hour; however, sometimes the conversations are so good that I don't want you to miss a thing, and it might go a little over.

Also you might've caught that I'm a habit coach, so I'll be bringing you shorter episodes where I share advice about living your life in an intentional way and building sustainable habits, even in the chaos that is motherhood. We'll cover science-y facts, but then, I'll break down why these matter specifically to you as a mother, and most importantly, how you can apply them to your life so that you can lean into your version of success.

So where does this knowledge come from? Let me give you the brief version of my story to let you know where it all began. I was a stay-at-home mom with two kids under 2. Although I was loving my babies and being a mom, I was constantly filled with anxiety, depression, anger, and shame. I did a great job of hiding it in our pictures though. Hello filter and posting my best life. "Don't worry about me. I've got this mom thing down." That was the face I wanted to present, but the truth was, I was falling apart. But for me, looking back now, I recognize that so much of this struggle came from long before my kids arrived in this world. At some point in adulthood, I started choosing everything easy. Whatever felt best in the moment. I stopped learning. I procrastinated more with household chores. And just like if you skip a day or two brushing your teeth, it's no big deal, but doing it for years... not recommended.

This was no different, and I was experiencing the negative effects of those bad choices and habits through all the years. I had a breakdown which involved holding my baby and ugly crying in my kitchen floor, surrounded by clutter and mess. And I decided that I had no idea how, but I wanted to change my life. I knew my capacity for change was very small, because I was literally drowning. But I decided if I could just do a little each day, eventually it would add up and I'd see the progress.

I became slightly obsessed with habits and why our brains do the things they do. I rekindled my love for learning, and 4 years later, I've listened to countless hours of podcasts and youtube videos, taken numerous online courses, and read almost 100 books on habits, psychology, personal growth, and similar topics.

I knew I couldn't be alone, and I started talking to other moms who told me they were struggling in many of the same ways. I started sharing what I had learned, and after lots of gentle nudges and a few big pushes, I finally jumped in and started my coaching business. I love working with moms and helping them define what matters most in their lives. What success is for them. And I always knew that since podcasts played such a key part in my story, I wanted to try to bring that to other moms too.

So where can you find me? I hang out mostly on Instagram @_shannoncarothers_. And the podcast handle is @successfulmamapodcast, so make sure you're following there for some extra fun behind the scenes and so you don't miss a thing. You can also check out the website, which is successfulmamapodcast.com, where you'll find things like show notes, links that we shared in episodes, and more info on me.

The last thing I wanted to cover was just how you can help as I share this content for free. I'm going to be honest with you... producing a podcast is a ton of work. And time. And money. I'm loving it so much, and thankfully I've had great support from family and friends, and while I'm on this, I need to take a second to shout out my amazing husband, Will, because without him, this wouldn't be a thing. He lets me go work and record when I need to, pushes and encourages me, and is my go-to for all things audio and equipment. This would NOT sound like it does without him. And I also need to shout out my incredible mother, Jamie and her husband, Scott for letting me set up a recording space in their home. Seriously. Thank you.

I say that, because so much has gone into this podcast, and I want everybody to know about it! Honestly though, if you can tap the share button on this (or any) episode and send to all your mama friends or in your stories (make sure to tag me if you do!). Or you can also just text a friend to tell her she should tune in. Getting the word out there is really the best way you can show support. It would mean so much if you would take an extra second to leave a review. I know. It's an extra step that takes a little more effort, but not much. I promise it doesn't take long. And it really helps, or I wouldn't ask.

So that's it, friend. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to tune in to the Successful Mama Podcast, where success looks more than one way, and it's up to you to define it.