After Hours With Amanda

Latest Episodes:

The Box of Limitations We Build | After Hours With Amanda Season 4 - Ep. 6 Apr 24, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about parenting, projection, activities, milestones, and the way we can accidentally box our tiny people into who they used to be. From cheerleading tryouts to learning differences to realizing I had missed how much one of my girls had grown, this one is about stretching kids without pressuring them, letting them change, and remembering that their timeline is not about us. And honestly, it is for us too. You are allowed to be more than one thing. You are allowed to change your mind.

00:00 Audio Only, But Still Here
00:39 Speaking From Personal Experience
01:39 Cheerleading and Tiny People
02:15 Parenting Projection
02:33 When We Box Kids In
03:16 Milestones Are Different for Every Child
04:37 Comparing Siblings
05:16 Peer Pressure at Amusement Parks
07:29 You Are Allowed to Grow and Change
09:01 Kids Changing Their Interests
10:31 Protecting Them From Disappointment
11:26 Learning Differences and Parent Teacher Conferences
13:04 Stretching Without Pressuring
14:33 Running Their Own Race
15:28 Your Season Was Not Today
16:30 Boxing Ourselves In Too
18:08 When Mom Identity Gets Too Heavy
20:03 Your Best Is Enough This Week
21:40 You Are More Than One Thing
24:51 Do Not Hold People Hostage to Old Versions
26:28 Adults Change Too
28:30 Tiny People Need Choices
30:22 Winning, Losing, and Building Character
31:56 Seeing the Growth You Missed
32:44 Just Because It Is Uncomfortable
33:37 If No One Has Told You Lately

The Bear Hunt of Grief | After Hours With Amanda Season 4 - Ep. 5 Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about grief, losing my mom, Mother’s Day, and the moment my body basically said, babe, we cannot keep moving around this anymore. This year, my mom’s birthday hit differently, and I realized my grief has changed because I have changed. I talk about nervous system exhaustion, motherhood, mental load, self care that does not always look cute, and learning to honor what grief needs now. If you are grieving something or someone and your old way of coping is not working anymore, you are not alone in that.

00:00 Jumping Right In
00:21 The Intro Music Is a Bop
03:42 Cheer Coach Meeting and Tiny People
07:13 Born in the 1900s Stanley Stickers
08:02 My Mom Was Not on Vacation
09:32 My Mom, Codependency, and Generational Healing
13:04 I Moved Around the Grief
15:02 Scheduling Time to Cry
16:25 When My Body Shut Down
17:59 The Responsibility of Motherhood
19:03 The Nervous System of It All
20:09 Self Care Looks Different Now
23:01 My Grief Has Changed Because I Have Changed
24:30 I Could Not Grieve Like My 20s Anymore
27:37 Learning Not to Set People Up for Disappointment
31:03 Grief, Mother’s Day, and Changing Needs
34:38 You Are Not Meant to Be Cirque du Soleil
36:59 We Had to Stop Stepping Around It
39:10 If No One Has Told You Lately

From Hurt Girl to Girls Girl | After Hours With Amanda Season 4 - Ep. 4 Apr 10, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about raising girls’ girls, kindness with boundaries, jealousy, comparison, and the way insecurity can make us act like people we do not even like. I share why I was not always a girls’ girl, what younger me had to unlearn, and why I want my tiny queens to know that someone else’s compliment is not their criticism. This one is for the moms raising tiny humans, the women healing old friendship wounds, and anyone learning that kindness is not weakness.

00:00 Back in the Closet
01:15 One Bar Left to Give
01:43 Going Live Again
02:16 The Under Eye Filler Comment
04:46 Showing Up Anyway
05:38 Mr. Coffee Sent the Machine
07:09 My Mom’s Birthday Week
08:01 The Girls’ Girl Video
10:14 I Was Not Always a Girls’ Girl
12:02 Exposing Younger Amanda
14:37 Tearing Someone Down to Feel Chosen
16:31 Healing the Hurt
18:38 Feelings Are Not the Boss of Behavior
19:17 Preparing Girls for the World
21:25 Kindness With Boundaries
24:07 The Pollyanna Jam Example
28:40 Their Encouragement Is Not Your Discouragement
30:18 Not Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
34:28 What Being a Girls’ Girl Means
37:18 Jealousy, Growth, and God’s Timing
41:30 Kindness Is Not Weakness
43:30 You Can Change the Sheets
45:52 Yesterday You Is Not the Whole Story
47:27 If No One Has Told You Lately

Grieving Someone You Lost Twice | After Hours With Amanda Season 4 - Ep. 3 Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m sharing about my brother Adam, grief, addiction, and the complicated pain of loving someone while also needing boundaries. This one is tender, personal, and heavy, because grief after addiction does not fit into a neat little box. I talk about mourning someone while they are still alive, protecting memories that feel too precious for everyone to hold, and learning that grief is not linear. If you have loved someone through addiction or lost someone in a complicated way, I hope this feels gentle and honest.

00:00 Welcome and Why This Feels Nervous
02:19 What Grief Does and Does Not Feel Like
03:41 Adam’s Story and Losing Him in 2019
06:04 How Addiction Started
08:06 Watching Addiction Change a Sibling
10:36 Loving an Addict Is Complicated
13:35 Grieving Someone Before They Die
16:54 You Can Change Your Story
18:16 Shame, Faith, and Addiction
21:05 Motherhood and Seeing Every Person as Someone’s Baby
24:15 Grieving While They Are Still Alive
27:03 The Life I Imagined for Him
30:11 Loving Someone in Addiction Is Hard
33:09 Dopesick and Grief Triggers
35:24 Protecting the Snow Globe of a Memory
40:20 Bringing Addiction Into the Light
43:14 Grief Is Not Linear
47:55 Finding Safe People for Grief
50:27 Holding Hope and Boundaries
52:30 If No One Has Told You Lately

No One Wins When You’re Keeping Score | After Hours With Amanda Season 4 - Ep. 2 Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about marriage, communication, household labor, and the sneaky little scoreboard that can show up when we are tired, overwhelmed, and not saying what we actually need. I share what I’ve learned in my own relationship with Blake, including the tap in method, why social media can feed resentment, and how asking “what do you mean by that?” has helped us slow down before everything turns into a whole thing. This is not relationship advice from a pedestal. It is a long voicemail from someone still learning how to communicate, not condemn.

00:00 Getting Comfy and Welcome Back
00:46 I Got the Cheer Coach Position
01:51 The Besties Picked Relationships
02:31 Don’t Hear What I’m Not Saying
03:16 Will Blake Come on the Podcast?
05:15 Marrying the Person and the Family
06:32 People Get More Pronounced With Age
08:56 What Makes Marriage Hard?
11:01 Stop Expecting Someone to Change
12:07 Almost Not Walking Down the Aisle
13:52 Household Labor Is a Loaded Question
16:20 The Danger of Keeping Score
18:00 The Tap In Method
20:05 Social Media Can Feed Resentment
23:25 The Stair Meltdown and Therapy
24:14 Communicate, Don’t Condemn
27:14 Keep Getting to Know Your Partner
30:17 Listening to Your Partner’s World
34:59 What Do You Mean By That?
37:05 Put a Pin in the Argument
38:38 Pluck a Weed, Don’t Grow a Root
40:14 How We Tap Out and Tap In
43:15 Cheap Dates and Real Connection
45:18 Your Partner Was Once a Tiny Person
47:08 Relationships Are the Best Kind of Work
49:30 If You Have Not Heard This Lately

The Text Thread Heard Round the World | After Hours With Amanda Season 4 - Ep. 1 Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m finally sitting back down with y’all and talking about why the podcast paused, what judgment and comparison did to my heart, and why I’m choosing to come back anyway. This one is about ordinary life, social media consumption, grief, motherhood, therapy, boundaries, and the kind of steady season that can feel boring until you realize the house is not on fire anymore. If your normal life has started to feel small next to everyone else’s, I hope this feels like a reminder that you are not behind. You are in your chapter.

00:00 Welcome Back to the Podcast
01:06 Why the Podcast Paused
02:43 What This Season Will Hold
04:15 Saying Dreams Out Loud
05:22 Purpose, Pain, and Still Being Here
07:01 Finding Joy in the Ordinary
08:16 When Life Changes Overnight
10:30 Social Media and Community
12:03 Gratitude Without Toxic Positivity
13:18 What We Choose to Consume
14:41 When Comparison Becomes the Dictator
16:15 Other People’s Opinions
18:10 Coming Back in the Most Me Way
19:29 You Are in Your Chapter
20:45 When the House Is Not on Fire
22:26 Existing Is Extraordinary
24:10 Relationships, Gifts, and Expectations
26:14 Raising Tiny Kind Humans
28:34 What Is Coming This Season
29:32 Ordinary and Normal Can Be the Goal

The Purpose in the Pain | After Hours With Amanda Season 3 - Ep. 11 Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about pain, self worth, surgery recovery, friendship, therapy, faith, and what happens when life strips away the version of you who can perform, produce, help, and hold everything together. This is not medical advice, just lived experience from a year that changed me. I talk about chronic pain, the anniversary feeling around last year’s anal fissure, little Amanda, Hoover people, food and fiber, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the belief I am trying to unlearn: that I am only worthy when I am useful. You are allowed to be loved at 0 percent.

00:00 Back Again and Working on Consistency
00:32 A Special Episode About Pain
01:30 Surgery, Healing, and Being Honest
02:39 The Sound That Finally Fit
03:30 Sharing Health Without Overwhelming People
04:23 Turning 37 and Finding the Real Me
05:19 The Anniversary of Pain
06:57 Pain and the People Who Show Up
08:29 When You Stop Reaching First
09:40 Pain as a Catalyst
11:22 Feelings Are Indicators, Not Dictators
12:21 Food, Fiber, and Body Changes
16:24 What Surgery Brought Up
17:43 The Let Them Theory and the Fire
19:24 Little Amanda and the Apple Core
22:26 Going Internal Instead of Blaming
23:30 Self Worth Tied to Achievement
25:58 What Pain Taught Me to Notice
29:30 You Do Not Have to Niche Yourself
30:06 Losing My Mom and Brother
31:49 When the Friendship Circle Gets Smaller
34:41 Standing in Your Own Fire
36:00 Chronic Pain Warriors
36:18 Sitting With the Younger Part of Me
38:25 Talking Back to the Trigger
39:27 Someone Will Always Have a Version of You
40:21 The Message for Whoever Needs It
41:35 Your Pain Is Valid
42:11 Loved at 0 Percent

The Day Disneyland Called | After Hours With Amanda Season 3 - Ep. 10 Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m sharing the story of the day Disneyland called. This is not just about a Disney Junior event or a brand opportunity. It is about inner child healing, grief, motherhood, dreams, and why Disneyland has always felt like home to me. I talk about the phone call, the Winnie the Pooh table, the Disney Junior Playdate, my tiny queens, my mom and brother Adam, and why this felt like a hug for little Amanda. If you have a soul dream that feels hard to explain, come sit with me for a bit.

00:00 Welcome Back and Disneyland Joy
00:46 The Year My Inner Child Dreams Collided With Work
02:04 Why Disneyland Was the Biggest Dream
03:15 The Snow Globe and Childhood Disney Memories
04:13 Main Street, Family Stories, and Pixie Dust
05:12 When I Learned Disney Worked With Creators
06:22 Why This Was More Than a Brand Opportunity
08:13 The Call From My Manager
12:41 Making the Trip Work in Real Life
14:06 Getting the Disney Junior Event Details
15:43 Arriving at the Hojo
18:06 Lanyards, Scavenger Hunts, and Very Important Pixie Energy
19:00 The Winnie the Pooh Table
21:08 Disney Junior, Doc McStuffins, and the Dance Floor
22:35 The Disney Junior Parade
23:33 Animation Academy and Alice’s Bakery
24:37 Disneyland as a Family Memory
28:26 Sharing Disneyland With My Tiny Queens
29:49 A Hug for Little Amanda
31:57 Winks From Heaven and Winnie the Pooh
34:18 You Never Know Whose Heart You Are Touching
35:26 Do Not Give Up on Your Soul Dream
38:06 One Day the Fairy Godmother Calls
39:12 A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
40:05 Thank You for Dreaming With Me
41:07 Final Encouragement

The Glass Slipper Was Always Yours | After Hours With Amanda Season 3 - Ep. 9 Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about imposter syndrome, Cinderella, the glass slipper, motherhood, identity, and why you do not have to force yourself into someone else’s version of success. We get into back to school prep, becoming a room mom, content creation pressure, changing my college major five times, negative self talk, faith, tiny queens, and why Cinderella was always Cinderella, with or without the dress. If you have been doubting yourself or trying to fit into a life that does not feel like yours, come sit with me for a bit. The glass slipper was always yours.

00:00 Back on Video and Out of the Closet
01:27 Back to School Brain Prep
02:10 Resetting the Alarm Clock
03:17 School Supplies and Overwhelm
04:17 Becoming a Room Mom
05:09 Imposter Syndrome and Cinderella
06:44 The Cinderella Story Revisited
08:14 The Dress Was Not the Point
09:38 Only Cinderella Fit the Shoe
10:02 Social Media and Feeling Like an Imposter
12:03 Everyone Has a Glass Slipper
14:13 When People Try to Steal Your Shoe
16:03 The Imprint You Leave
17:25 When Your Inner Voice Gets Cruel
18:37 Gus Gus and the Key
19:56 The Slipper Was Always With Her
21:22 You Had It All Along
23:31 The Shoe Analogy Continues
24:21 Trying to Fit Someone Else’s Life
27:09 Trying New Shoes Without Losing Yourself
28:18 Motherhood and the Mold I Tried to Fit
30:17 You Can Be More Than One Version
32:03 Communicating With My Tiny Queens
34:01 There Is Only One of You
35:03 The Pumpkin Was Just the Ride
36:10 Things Do Not Make Us Who We Are
37:15 Why Cinderella Still Matters
38:09 Do Not Lock Yourself Away
39:33 Changing Majors and Choosing Your Own Path
40:35 Final Encouragement

You Are Not Meant to Referee Everything | After Hours With Amanda Season 3 - Ep. 8 Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back to the all new After Hours With Amanda. In this episode, I’m catching up on life, health, fiber, therapy, fall pressure, tiny queens, and the tools I’m learning for emotional regulation and control. We talk about redirecting instead of refereeing, witnessing and walking away when something no longer serves you, not letting someone else’s projection become your reflection, and what Inside Out teaches us about sitting with people in their feelings. If you are heading into a busy season and trying not to carry everything, come sit with me for a bit.

00:00 Welcome to the All New After Hours With Amanda
00:50 Back to School and Summer Sunset
01:41 Swim Season, Therapy, and Catching Up
02:52 Making Time for What Matters
03:49 Health Update, Fiber, and Food Responsibility
06:09 Why I Do Not Do Resolutions
07:09 Scientists of Life
07:53 Heading Into Fall Pressure
09:11 Therapy, Control, and the Illusion of Plans
10:03 Redirect Instead of Referee
12:19 Your Kids Are Not You
14:18 Teaching Problem Solving Without Refereeing
15:17 When Red Flags Keep Showing Up
16:23 Stress, Control, and Holding Too Tight
18:35 Holiday Triggers and Protecting Your Peace
20:10 Not Holding People Accountable for Someone Else
23:10 Projection Is Not Your Reflection
25:45 Cheap Seats Do Not Get a Front Row
26:27 Holding Their Mad With Them
28:16 Witness, Walk Away, and Redirect
29:01 Inside Out and Sitting With Emotion
30:48 Scientists of Life Together
31:13 Final Encouragement

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