You're listening to the Vibrant Happy Women Podcast.

I'm Dr. Jen Ridey, and on this episode, I'm going to tell you the story of a decision I made that changed everything in my life.

Stay tuned.

Hi, I'm Jen Ridey, and this podcast is for women who want to feel more vibrant, happy, aligned, and alive. You'll gain the emotional,

physical, and spiritual tools you need to get your sparkle back and ensure that depression,

anxiety, and struggle don't rule your life. Welcome to the Vibrant Happy Women Podcast.

All right, my friends, I want to tell you a story, a story of pre-life coach Jen. She was very

different than the Jen I am today. Very different, shockingly different. Sometimes I wake up and

think, wow, I can't believe I used to be that unhappy. So let me tell you this story. Where do I start this

story? Well, long ago, I earned a PhD in human development and family studies. And that was great.

You know, hooray, a PhD. And then I proceeded to become a stay-at-home mom. Also equally great, right?

It's important to help raise the next generation well. Now, I tried to

take everything I learned in my PhD in human development and apply it to my kids. I firmly believed I was

going to be an amazing mom. And I was to some extent, but sometimes too amazing. What do I mean? I tried too hard. I did too much.

I planned elaborate birthday parties. I once made a sponge bob cake that was so well created that

my kids see the picture of it now and say, why don't you create cakes like that anymore, Mom?

I said that took me hours. I don't think I want to spend that much time on a cake anymore.

I did so much. I baked bread every week. Sometimes I baked six loaves of bread a week for my family.

Talk about overachiever. Well, you know where this is going. I completely burned myself out. Now, that would be a story in and of itself, except that I have a unique family situation,

in my opinion, and that is because my husband has an interesting background, and it feels to me like he struggles to relate on an

emotional level. He has a bit of a trauma history with how he was raised. I suspect he's a bit

further on the autism spectrum than the rest of us. And that made for a very difficult marriage,

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