Sorta Awesome

As all Awesomes know, sometimes the parts of life that bring us the most joy can also bring the most heartache, and that's definitely true of all things parenting. Today, our Sorta Awesome Stories summer series continues when Super Star Awesome Frances Nojd sits down with Meg to share her story of encountering an unexpected diagnosis for her son while she was pregnant with him. Hear Frances tell about the moment that she and her husband first received the news of her son's cleft lip and palate, how she processed this unexpected new chapter in the life of their family, and how moments of awesome kept popping up to encourage her along the way, All of that plus a spiritual mindfulness app and a powerful new book release in Awesome of the Week! SHOW NOTES: PrayAsYouGo app Light from Distant Stars, Shawn Smucker Article: Cleft lip and cleft palate in babies Article: Cleft lip and palate Jack's New Smile: Having a baby with cleft lip and palate Cuddles for Clefts Operation Smile You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitte

There are few things more un-awesome in life than wanting to make new friends but not knowing where to start. Today we continue our Sorta Awesome summer stories series, and Meg sits down to talk with Awesome Anna Hithersay who shares her own story of realizing she didn't have the deep friendship connections that she longed for in life. Tune in to hear Anna share the three myths she had believed about friendship and the practical ways she built friendships that have lasted for years. All of that plus some riveting romance and another lightweight makeup recommendation in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: ThirdLove: Go to thirdlove.com/AWESOME to find your perfect-fitting bra and get 15% off your first purchase Rothys: Go to rothys.com/awesome to check out the latest styles Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome sponsors! SHOW NOTES: Post Party Podcast Meg’s AoTW: Nudies Tinted Blur Anna’s AoTW: FLOW (GRIP Book 1) GRIP STILL (Grip Book 3) You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Find A

There's a good chance you aren't getting enough of this in your life, but the good news is, it's free and this is the perfect time of year to get more of it! This week's episode continues the Sorta Awesome Stories summer series with Super Star Awesome Ali Beatty who sits down with Meg to talk about how incredibly important it is that we spend time outside and in nature. Ali lives that camp life year 'round, and she's an enthusiastic naturalist who wants to tell you how awesome it is to get outdoors and get more out of life. All of that plus a powerful treatment for your body and a binge-worthy nostalgia-filled podcast in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Upper Room: Go to upperroom.org/welcome to enjoy your free 30 day trial BetaBrand: Visit betabrand.com/awesome to get 20% off your Dress Pant Yoga Pants Wander Beauty: Get 20% off your purchase at wanderbeauty.com/AWESOME Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome sponsors! SHOW NOTES: Meg’s AoTW: American Girls Podcast Ali’s AoTW: Gaiam Restore Deep

Today we are kicking off a brand new series for Summer 2019, and it is going to be AWESOME! All summer long, we'll be tuning in to the stories of the Awesomes - what they've learned in life and what they want to tell you to make YOUR life more awesome! To kick off this series, we get to hear from a very active, very awesome member of our Awesome community: Colleen Cook. Listen to hear how Colleen's career has taken not just a few unexpected pivots, and don't miss her advice on how to make the most of opportunities to change. (Plus, not just a little Enneagram talk thrown in, too!) THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Lola: Go to mylola.com and enter code awesome40 at checkout for 40% off your subscription Fabletics: Get two leggings for $24 by using the link fabletics.com/AWESOME Upper Room: Go to upperroom.org/welcome to enjoy your free 30 day trial BetaBrand: Visit betabrand.com/awesome to get 20% off your Dress Pant Yoga Pants Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome sponsors! SHOW NOTES: House Plant Hobbyists on Faceb

Pop the cork and raise a glass, Awesomes! We are celebrating our 200th episode this week! Meg is joined by long-time co-hosts Kelly Gordon and Rebekah Hoffer, and the three of them are inviting you to discover and celebrate your hidden strengths this week. These are the things that we do well but we might try to keep small or don't even realize that we are rocking. Tune in to get inspired to really and truly bring YOUR Awesome to the world! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: LinkedIn: Go to linkedin.com/AWESOME and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Terms and conditions apply. Kopari: Go to kopari.com/awesome and see how you can save $5 off your first order Legacy Box: Go to legacybox.com/AWESOME to get 40% off your first order OPENFIT: Get a 30 Day FREE trial membership when you text AWESOME to 303030. Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome sponsors! SHOW NOTES: Salted caramel oatmeal cookies The Popcast with Knox and Jamie Ep 26 The truth about anxiety Fenty Ma'Damn (meg's favorite red!) Spirit-Led Paren

Feeling stuck in a rut when it comes to your makeup bag? We get it! And we think this week's episode will motivate and inspire you to have a little fun without breaking the bank! Meg is joined by her sister Emily to talk about one of their favorite topics - beauty products. They both challenged each other to try three new products that they knew the other had been reluctant to try. There's a twist! Everything had to come from the aisles of the drugstore. Tune in to hear the results which cover everything from bold lips to suffocating nails! All of that plus the most buzz-worthy Netflix binge and nostalgia for the Lone Star State in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Fabletics: Get two leggings for $24 by using the link fabletics.com/AWESOME Upper Room: Go to upperroom.org/welcome to enjoy your free 30 day trial ThirdLove: Go to thirdlove.com/AWESOME to find your perfect-fitting bra and get 15% off your first purchase ButcherBox: 100% grass-fed or grass-finished beef, free range organic chicken,

Awesomes! Get excited! Today's episode features an Awesome who really knows how to bring warm wisdom and practical advice to every challenge of parenting. You all have been asking to hear Karen McVey on the show for years, and this week, she's here to answer questions about parenting from newborns to young adults! From baby sleep and schedules to screen time for kids to the big transition to parenting young adults, Karen has done it all and her relationship with her husband and children is thriving. She's here to share her advice with YOU! Tune in for all of that plus a showstopper dessert and a new Trader Joe's favorite in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Upper Room: Go to upperroom.org/welcome to enjoy your free 30 day trial BetaBrand: Visit betabrand.com/awesome to get 20% off your Dress Pant Yoga Pants Wander Beauty: Get 20% off your purchase at wanderbeauty.com/AWESOME FabFitFun: Use code SORTAAWESOME to get $10 off your first box at fabfitfun.com Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome spo

Is planning a kid's birthday party a fun for you, or is it a big drag? This week, Rebekah joins Meg to talk about all the awesome ways to make a birthday party creative, fun, and affordable! Check out Rebekah's many cost-cutting ideas, and Meg shares ways to do birthday parties out of the house that won't break the bank. All of that plus their favorite birthday party themes and best gift ideas for little kids to teenagers! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Lola: Go to mylola.com and enter code awesome40 at checkout for 40% off your subscription Fabletics: Get two leggings for $24 by using the link fabletics.com/AWESOME Bombas: Save 20% by visiting bombas.com/awesome and enter the offer AWESOME in the checkout code space OpenFit: Get 30 day free trial membership by texting AWESOME to 303030 Rothys: Go to rothys.com/awesome to check out the latest styles Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome sponsors! SHOW NOTES: Ballz (smartphone game) Amazon Essentials Women's T-Shirt Unusual Birthdays: Smiley Face Soda Pop Wedding

Awesome Heather Chollar knows that you don't have to be the life of the party to host one! Tune in to the last Extra Awesome episode for this season to hear Meg and Heather talk about why hospitality is so important for all people - extroverts and introverts alike! - and take notes as Heather shares her surefire ways to host a gathering that is low-stress, deep in connections, and lots of fun! You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram You can find Heather in the Sorta Awesome Hangout Group! Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram, and @sortaawesomepod on Twitter! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

IT'S HERE! Our seasonal top ten lists always guarantee a pocketful of all the most awesome things to look forward to in the months ahead, and today, Meg and Kelly have put together the Top Ten List for Summer 2019! Tune in to hear about the trends to keep an eye on, the books to grab now for poolside reading, the ultimate in summer pajamas, and so much more! Happy summer, Awesomes!! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: LinkedIn: Go to linkedin.com/AWESOME and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Terms and conditions apply. Kopari: Go to kopari.com/awesome and see how you can save $5 off your first order BetaBrand: Visit betabrand.com/awesome to get 20% off your Dress Pant Yoga Pants Thank you to all of our Sorta Awesome sponsors! SHOW NOTES: Greek Chicken Kebabs (note: Kelly doesn't recommend the mint feta sauce - but try it if you want) Lemon Pine Nut Rice Running from COPS TOP TEN LIST: KELLY 1.Aukey outdoor Bluetooth speaker Bonus: Check out these Awesome-generated playlists on Spotify Summer Vibes:

When it comes to food, eating, and body size, most of us have more questions than answers. What would happen if I stopped restricting certain kinds of foods? Can I trust my body to tell me the truth about what I need to feel satisfied and full? What if I want to both love my body AND lose weight for health reasons? Thankfully, Awesomes Know How to find advice and direction on these topics, and in today's Extra Awesome, Meg is joined by certified health coach and podcast host Christine Brandt of We Feel Super Nourished! Tune in to hear some encouraging feedback and powerful wisdom from Christine who is ready to accompany you on your journey to long-term, sustainable nutrition! SHOW NOTES: Intuitive Eating We Feel Super Nourished podcast We Feel Super Nourished series on body positivity parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 We Feel Super Nourished Ep. 14 A Nourishing Vocabulary Lesson You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram You can find Christine on her website and Instagram Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show note

Awesomes! Get excited! Time management and productivity guru Laura Vanderkam is BACK at Sorta Awesome! Today, she and Meg sit down to talk about how we can best clarify our priorities, how to stop letting the expectations of others get in the way of what we want to accomplish in life, and how to create a priority-centered approach to how we choose to spend our time. All of that plus a very cool app for the outdoors and yummy street food in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Fabletics: Get two leggings for $24 when you sign up as a VIP at fabletics.com/AWESOME ThirdLove: Go to thirdlove.com/AWESOME to find your perfect-fitting bra and get 15% off your first purchase ButcherBox: 100% grass-fed or grass-finished beef, free range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork delivered right to your door! Go to butcherbox.com/sortaawesome or use code SORTAAWESOME at check-out for $20 off of your first box and free 2 pounds of Alaskan Sockeye Salmon! Care/of: For 30% off your first month of personalized

Is it possible that this moment in our culture is the best possible time to be raising a boy? According to today's guest, it definitely is! Tune in to hear Meg talk to Dr. Michael Reichert, a psychologist and author whose new book How To Raise a Boy: the power of connection to raise good men confronts conventional wisdom about the ways we raise boys and how we need a total shift in thinking when it comes to boys, men, masculinity, and relationships. Find How to Raise a Boy on Amazon or wherever you shop for books. You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram, and @sortaawesomepod on Twitter! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Awesomes! Are you ready to take your Enneagram learning to the next level? Maybe you've finally discovered what Enneagram Number you are, but now what? Have no fear because Awesomes Know How to let the Enneagram guide them to new levels of personal growth. This week, Meg is joined by writer, podcaster, and Enneagram teacher Havilah Siegmann of The Transformation Collaborative and Little Faith podcast. Together, they answer your questions about the Enneagram including why discovering your instinctual subtype is important and how to actually do the work of the Enneagram! All of that plus a surprising approach to helping kids through difficult phases and an affordable skin care tutorial in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Upper Room: Go to Upperroom.org/welcome to enjoy your free 30 day trial BetaBrand: Visit betabrand.com/awesome to get 20% off your Dress Pant Yoga Pants Wander Beauty: Get 20% off your purchase at wanderbeauty.com/AWESOME Bombas: Save 20% by visiting bombas.com/awesome and enter

Let's talk about stress, Awesomes. Dealing with stressors - both big and small - are a part of life, but sometimes we find ourselves trapped in a stress cycle which, over time, leads to being burned out. This week, Kelly joins Meg to talk about a life-changing book they read from Emily and Amelia Nagoski called Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. This episode is a must-listen if you want to find ways to teach your body how to recover from stress so that you can get back into an awesome groove. All of that plus two binge-worthy podcasts in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Lola: Go to mylola.com and enter code awesome40 at checkout for 40% off your subscription Fabletics: Get two leggings for $24 by using the link fabletics.com/AWESOME Legacy Box: Go to legacybox.com/AWESOME to get 40% off your first order Grove: For a FREE 60-day VIP membership and a bonus gift when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more, check out Grove at Grove.co/AWESOME Madison Reed: Gorgeous hair color

Being an introverted mother can be exhausting, but there are many ways it's also a unique gift to your family and to the world. In this Extra Awesome episode, Meg is joined by author Jamie C. Martin whose new book Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy provides encouragement, understanding, and inspiration for introverted moms everywhere! Don't forget to leave a review for Sorta Awesome in Apple Podcasts! Grove: New customers get a FREE spring cleaning set in exclusive Mrs. Meyer's spring sets with a $20 order at Grove.co/awesome Pre-order Jamie's book and don't miss the pre-order bonuses! Find Jamie on her blog, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram, and @sortaawesomepod on Twitter! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

It has become something of a tradition at Sorta Awesome that on Easter weekend, we get vulnerable in trusting to you our thoughts on our spiritual lives. In this episode, Rebekah shares for the first time her story of faith which includes growing up Mennonite, being plunged into grief over the pain of others as well as her own story of miscarriage, and ultimately finding peace with God even in the midst of painful seasons. You don't want to miss Rebekah's story! And of course, we bring you some light-hearted recommendations including comedy on Netflix and curly girl updates in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: LinkedIn: Go to linkedin.com/AWESOME and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Terms and conditions apply. Kopari: Go to kopari.com/awesome and see how you can save $5 off your first order Hers: Get your first month of anti-aging formula from Hers for $10 off while supplies last (and subject to donor approval). See website for full details. Go to ForHers.com/awesome Spotify Prem

True crime is having a MOMENT, Awesomes, and it has been for a few years now! But for those of us who are Highly Sensitive People, it's easy to feel left out of this cultural conversation because some true crime stories are just too disturbing to tune into. However, Meg's sister Emily is back at Sorta Awesome to share her obsessive love for all things true crime in a way that even sensitive types like Meg can appreciate. Tune in to hear them discuss all of Emily's favorite true crime resources, plus she's prepared three mysterious missing person cases for us to ponder - all while being sensitive to our sensitivities! All of that plus a dupe for a cult favorite concealer and freshen up your car for spring in Awesome of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: European Wax Center: Learn more at axthepinktax.com Madison Reed: Get awesome the awesome home hair color kit you will love at Madison-Reed.com use code AWESOME or SORTAAWESOME Beach Body: Get a free trial membership when you text AWESOME to 303030. Fabletics

Welcome back to Sorta Awesome Dacey, Meg's fourteen year old daughter. In this episode in the Extra Awesome series, Dacey explains for us what the teenage crowd means when they talk about "aesthetic," why Discord is the best messaging platform, and how she feels about starting high school in just a few months. What advice do you have for Dacey as she starts this new chapter in her life? Share your awesome advice on our social media so we can pass it on to her! Plant Mom starter pack Art Mom #arthoe: the teens who kickstarted a feminist art movement Everything you need to know about Discord You can find Meg on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram, and @sortaawesomepod on Twitter! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Get ready, Awesomes! In this GROWN-UPS ONLY episode of Sorta Awesome, we are taking on a topic we've never covered before, but it's a topic that plays a big role in all of our lives: SEX. This week, Meg is joined by Caitlin Doemner, co-author of the book Sex Every Day, a book she wrote with her husband Michael to help couples everywhere discover how an active sex life can bring greater confidence and fulfillment in every area of our lives. Tune in to hear Caitlin's inspiring advice for overcoming the three big obstacles many women face when it comes to having better sex more often, as well as what it means to expand our ideas about how we define sex. All of this plus so much more, and they share their Awesomes of the Week! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: European Wax Center: Learn more at axthepinktax.com Care/of: For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, go to takecareof.com and enter promo code AWESOME50 Green Chef: For $50 off your first box of Green Chef, go to GreenChef.us/SORTAAWESOM