Start Scared

Feeling overwhelmed by all the things on your plate? You’re not alone, friend.

Today I’m chatting with Andrea Liebross, business and life coach, speaker, and author of She Thinks Big. Andrea helps high-achieving women entrepreneurs stop thinking small and start creating extraordinary results with the right systems and mindset.

In this episode, we talk about why it’s so important to delegate (instead of trying to...

This weekend in South Texas, I was struck with a sudden wave of gratitude. For the land. For the sun. For the fresh air and good food. For friends who are more like family. For the kind of community where makeup doesn’t matter, kids are loved like your own, and conversations fill your soul.

In this episode, I share a story from our time dove hunting at a friend’s ranch and how it reminded me that gratitude can shift everyt...

This week’s episode is short, sweet, and straight from my heart. I wasn’t feeling inspired to record today, and maybe that’s exactly why this message matters.

In this episode, I share a moment from the other day when someone asked me, “What do you do now that you’re not teaching?” and I froze. I explain how that question left me feeling less than, and how it ties into the bigger reminder we all need:

💛 You have p...

As a Christian, I wrestle with grief, shock, and the fear over how the death of Charlie Kirk could deepen political divisions. But I also hold onto hope: hope that tragedy might awaken compassion, that anger might be transformed, that we might lean into our shared humanity.

Together, we’ll explore what we can do: turning off the 24-hour news cycle, stepping away from social media for a bit, engaging in conversations with ...

This week, I’m sharing a powerful experience from visiting our daughter at Tarleton State University and attending Timber Ridge Church with her and her friends. Watching young adults worship Jesus so boldly reminded me of my own college years and how different my story was.

The message that morning centered on how Jesus multiplies our gifts, and Romans 12:7-8 deeply connected to my heart and what I’m studying in Bible stud...

I used to love The Biggest Loser. I thought it was motivational, inspiring, and fascinating. But after watching the Netflix documentary, my perspective completely changed. I realized how extreme the diets and exercise were, and how harmful the messaging about people and weight really was.

In this episode, I share my honest thoughts, what I learned, and why it’s okay to change your mind about things you once loved. Growth ...

Today, I’m sharing something that I’m doing just for me. After years of teaching and now as a mom to a child with ADHD and big emotions, I’ve always been fascinated by the brain, especially how trauma and ADHD affect kids.

Since I’m not working right now, I decided to use this season to grow my knowledge in a way that lights me up.

In this quick episode, I talk about why I enrolled in a trauma-informed practice co...

In this powerful episode, Dr. Jenifer Price (aka Dr. Jen)—therapist, speaker, and proud boy mom—joins me to talk about the deep connection between a mother’s mental health and a child’s emotional intelligence.

She opens up about how personal loss led to a journey of self-rediscovery and shares practical mental health hacks for busy moms and their kids. If you’ve ever felt guilty for prioritizing yourself, this conversatio...

Today’s episode is a real-time reflection, straight from the yoga mat to the mic. After taking a heated barre and yoga class, I found myself in an emotional moment connecting with younger Chrysty, the version of me who never felt like she had permission to try unless she could be perfect.

I share what it looked like to give her (and myself) permission to be a beginner, to fall, to laugh, to try new things without needing t...

If you're a routine loving, checklist-making, control craving mama then this one's for you. 🙋‍♀️

In today’s episode, I’m sharing how I’ve been learning to loosen my grip on perfection, let go of the pressure to have it all figured out, and find more freedom in the messy middle. I talk about how I used to be ultra-rigid with structure (hi, Enneagram 6 👋), how burnout forced me to re-evaluate, and how saying yes ...

In this short episode, I am sharing a bit about a recent girls’ weekend getaway! It was only 30ish hours, but it reminded me how important it is to reconnect with myself, my friends, and the woman I am outside of motherhood.

If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to plan that getaway or dinner, consider this your nudge: Put it on the calendar, even if it’s just for a day, because you matter too, mama. 💛

THA...

Today on Start Scared, I’m joined by Kadi Dutton—SAHM of two littles and co-owner of EveryLove, a company helping couples take their sex life from surviving to thriving.

We’re diving deep into what it’s like to feel more “mom” than “woman,” how postpartum changed the way Kadi and her husband approached marriage, and why prioritizing intimacy is a game-changer even when life feels overwhelming.

This episode is raw,...

In this short episode, I share how you can help make a difference for families affected by recent flooding in my community.

100% of the proceeds from my guided journal, Rediscover You: 30 Days of Scripture & Affirmations for Mamas, will be donated to Hill Country Community Ministries, a local nonprofit providing vital flood relief and clean-up support in Western Williamson and Northwest Travis counties.

To mak...

Today, I am sharing my heart after a week heavy with loss, tragedy, and tough family decisions. From honoring a dear friend gone too soon, to grieving with fellow Texans after devastating floods, to facing the fragile season of caring for an aging loved one... Life is so precious.

If your heart feels heavy too, you’re not alone. Text me anytime at 855-849-0997 — I would love to pray for you or just hold space for whatever ...

In today’s episode of Start Scared, we’re chatting with Kelsey Cook—certified teacher, mama of four, and the powerhouse behind Learning with Kelsey, a subscription box service that helps parents engage their young children in hands-on, meaningful learning at home.

Kelsey shares the story of how she transitioned from the classroom to entrepreneurship, juggling the challenges of motherhood and growing a business that now ser...

This episode is such a special treat — I handed over the mic to my favorite guest ever: Bruce!

You all showed up with some fun and hilarious questions when I asked you to ask us anything on Instagram and Facebook. Bruce and I dove in and talked about:

✨ Bruce’s favorite thing about me — cue the tears 🥹
✨ What I’m most proud of and what Bruce’s proudest moment is too
✨ And what we both absolutely LOVE abou...

Father’s Day is a mix of emotions for me — deep grief for the dad I miss so much, and endless gratitude for the incredible dad my kids have in Frank.

In this short episode, I’m sharing my heart about holding space for both loss and love on Father’s Day — and a gentle reminder that whatever you feel today, you’re not alone.

THANK YOU TO THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR ~
📖 REDISCOVER YOU is a 30-day guided journal designed...

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by lifestyle writer, editor, and 3-time published author Rachelle Bergstein. Rachelle is a 43-year-old mom to a 9-year-old son, a Brooklyn-based creative, and a breast cancer survivor.

She gets real about what it was like to raise a young child while navigating a life-threatening diagnosis, and how her perspective on motherhood, identity, and ambition has shifted through it all.

In August, my mom welcomed a foreign exchange student from Germany into her home—and from day one, he became part of ours, too.

We’ve shared beach days in Port O’Connor, a family vacation to Mexico, and even taught him how to drive (shoutout to Frank for being the brave teacher!). My 10-year-old son absolutely adores him, and saying goodbye is going to be so hard.

Today, he joins me on the podcast before flying b...