After Hours With Amanda

Grab your iced coffee and sit with me for a few minutes, because this one is for anyone who feels behind. I’m talking about the comparison trap, Paige’s little watermelon plant, and what happens when we start comparing our roots to someone else’s tree. This episode is about motherhood, dreams, faith, waiting, and remembering that just because something is taking longer does not mean it is not happening. Maybe the quiet season still counts. Maybe the roots are growing. Maybe the life we prayed for is already happening right here. 00:00 Keep Showing Up00:30 Casual Summer Energy03:00 Summer Feels Like Possibility05:00 Waiting on the Thing You Want06:03 Paige’s Watermelon Plant07:16 Life Is Not Instant09:56 Beautiful Things Take Time10:59 The Comparison Trap13:31 Maybe You’re in the Roots18:34 What Dream Are You Carrying?20:32 Growth Is Not a Race22:20 Don’t Miss the Life You Prayed For

Transcribed - Published: 15 June 2026

Season six is here, and I’m catching you up on life, summer, middle school survival, my solo Disney day, and the very real feeling of not being where I thought I would be by this point in the year. This episode is about the mid year reset we do not always know we need. I’m talking about changing directions, showing up without waiting for motivation, letting go of shame, and remembering that not being where you want to be does not mean you are behind. Maybe you are not failing. Maybe you are still becoming. 00:00 This Is Your 30 Minutes00:55 Welcome to Season Six01:42 Surviving Middle School and Summer03:01 A New Recording Space04:45 My Solo Disney Day05:44 When Your Plans Don’t Happen07:27 June as a Mirror08:35 You’re Not Behind09:58 One Day or Day One12:38 Changing Directions Isn’t Quitting14:12 The Pressure to Know Your Path16:28 Stop Worshiping the Result19:49 Enjoying the Process22:41 The Middle Is Not the Ending24:20 Showing Up Without a Perfect Plan26:06 Still Becoming

Transcribed - Published: 8 June 2026

In this episode, I’m talking about anxiety, timing, dream chasing, and the coffee line analogy that changed how I see waiting. Just because someone else gets the dream before you does not mean yours is not coming. The only way you do not get your coffee is if you get out of line.I’m also sharing about health anxiety, mammograms, meditation, glimmers of gratitude, keeping promises to myself, advocating for my body, and learning that authenticity starts with being honest with myself.This one is for anyone who feels behind, scared, or tired of waiting. Stay in line, boo. 00:00 Surprise, I Missed This 00:19 Finding the Rhythm Again 01:37 Tiny People Are Still the Priority 01:54 Troop Beverly Hills and Disneyland Updates 03:36 Classes, Mammograms, and Health Check Ins 04:36 Timing, Anxiety, and Dream Chasing 05:57 Becoming Before Reaching the Goal 07:38 The Coffee Line Analogy 09:12 Glimmers of Gratitude While You Wait 10:39 Anxiety, Scripture, and Being Present 11:34 Health Anxiety Before a Mammogram 13:01 Life Can Change in an Instant 15:11 Becoming Ready for the Dream 16:10 Finding the Fear Under the Trigger 17:53 Authenticity Starts With Yourself 20:36 Meditation and Listening to My Body 23:35 I Used to Think I Had to Prove Myself 26:36 Stop Proving, Start Showing Up 27:34 Keeping Promises Builds Self Trust 30:18 Learning What Works for My Body 32:42 Other People’s Opinions and Anxiety 35:24 What Anxiety and Dreams Have in Common 36:08 The Thought Is a Passenger, Not the Driver 37:51 Information Is Not Intimacy 40:18 Advocating for Myself 42:08 Being Bold Enough to Trust Yourself 43:17 The Journey Is the Becoming 45:19 Showing Up for Yourself Means Saying No 47:14 Focus on Becoming, Not Just Arriving

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2026

In this episode, I’m talking about the sweetest Disney Pandora surprise, why the Tiana charm felt like a hug from my mom and big J, and how those little glimmers can remind us to keep going when life does not look how we pictured it.Then we get into marriage, miscommunication, keeping score, serving each other when we are both tired, and what it really means to date your spouse like you are still learning them. I’m not speaking as an expert. I’m just sharing what I’m learning in real time with Blake, life, grief, dreams, and all the tiny chaos in between. 00:00 We Took a Week Off 01:00 Laguna Beach and a Little Disclaimer 02:29 The Pandora Surprise 08:25 Looking for the Princess Charms 10:42 Why Tiana Means So Much 14:26 Snail Mail From a Princess 15:18 The Charm That Felt Like a Hug 17:45 Keep Going When You Feel Behind 20:16 You Are Right Where You Need to Be 21:46 When the Emotional Board Turns Back On 25:10 Marriage, Miscommunication, and No Judgment 26:59 Date Your Spouse Like You’re Still Learning Them 29:34 Giving All Day and Keeping Score 33:41 Coming Back With a Servant’s Heart 41:28 Learning Each Other Again 45:05 The Heart Posture of Repair 48:09 The Boxes We Keep Unpacking 51:03 Glimmers, Prayer, and Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2026

In this episode, I’m talking about why our tiny humans are not our mini mes, even when they look like us, sound like us, or remind us of ourselves. This one is about parenting without projecting, seeing their hearts before assuming their intent, and remembering that behavior is often communication, not just a power struggle.I’m also getting into terrible twos, big feelings, labels, inner child moments, asking better questions, and learning to let my tiny queens grow beyond the version of them I thought I knew.Come sit with me for this one. It might call us out a little, but lovingly.00:00 Three for Three, Baby 00:44 Blind Boxes and Little Joys 02:12 Disneyland, Coffee, and Life Catch Up 04:02 This One Might Call Us Out 09:35 The Comment That Started It 11:19 Why Mini Me Bothers Me 13:04 When We Project Our Story Onto Kids 15:10 Listening Before Assuming 19:05 Stop Boxing Tiny Humans In 20:06 The Terrible Twos Reframe 23:20 Behavior Is Communication 26:38 Letting Them Grow Beyond Our Version 29:34 Questions That Help You Know Them 34:54 Empathy for Them and Yourself 41:44 Making Room for Their Hearts

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2026

In this episode, I’m talking about a morning where I messed up as a mom, said something that wounded, and realized I could not just wait until the end of the day to repair it. So I used my lunch break, pulled one of the tiny queens out of school, apologized, got Chick fil A, opened blind boxes, and learned something I do not want to forget.This one is about parenting mistakes, repair, preteen emotions, presence, progress, and why our kids do not need perfect parents. They need parents who keep showing up and trying again.00:00 Episode Two of 52 01:01 Inside Out Is Too Real Right Now 02:00 Whole Foods Smoothie Drama 02:40 I Messed Up This Morning 04:28 When a Sting Becomes a Wound 06:07 Pulling Her Out to Repair 07:08 Progress and Presence Over Perfection 08:02 Showing Up With Urgency 10:19 What Pursuit Feels Like in Relationships 11:41 Preteen Emotions and the Control Board 14:35 I Do Not Know What I Am Doing 16:04 Staying Present When They Push Away 18:10 Distance Creates the Wedge 19:05 Body Image, Food, and Outside Noise 20:38 Learning What Hat They Need Me to Wear 22:26 Chick fil A, Pop Mart, and Baby Molly 25:24 Progress and Presence Beat Perfection 26:39 When They Need You the Most 28:19 Becoming the Matlock of Emotions 30:18 Foxhole People and Showing Up 31:06 Not Every Seat Needs to Be Filled 34:19 Podcast Dreams and 2026 Energy 35:13 Progress, Presence, and Marriage Too 36:11 You Are Doing Really Good

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2026

In this episode, I’m talking about fixing your crown, saying dreams out loud, and realizing that sometimes I am the one knocking my own crown off. We’re getting into joyful choices, self confidence, walking, meditation, health PTSD, motherhood, Disney dreams, The Courage to Be Disliked, and why keeping small promises to yourself can rebuild trust in yourself.This is also the episode where I admit I recorded an entire podcast with no sound, talk about lice season, book a Disney cruise, and declare that 2026 is our year. Delulu is the solulu, bestie.00:00 Recording on My Phone in 2026 00:58 The Episode With No Sound 02:21 Lice Season and the Stigma Needs to Go 04:12 Reading The Courage to Be Disliked 07:41 Fix Your Crown, Girl 08:05 New Year Pressure and Joyful Choices 09:16 I’m a Walker Now 12:36 Why Am I Dissing Myself? 13:39 Meditation, Health PTSD, and Regulating 16:21 Owning It Without Overexplaining 17:31 Saying the Big Dreams Out Loud 19:21 Pixar Studios and Disney Podcast Dreams 23:14 Why I’m Careful About Guests 24:27 Tell Me Your Big Dreams 25:00 We Booked a Disney Cruise 27:01 The Call Is Coming From Inside the House 28:12 Keeping Promises to Yourself 33:14 A Podcast Episode Every Week 35:14 Stop Taking Your Own Crown Off 38:37 2026 Is Our Year 40:31 Waiting for the Email 41:12 You Are Needed Exactly As You Are

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2026

In this episode, I’m talking about health anxiety, holiday pressure, missed opportunities, Disney dreams, and the measuring stick we sometimes use without realizing it. You know, the one that says, “I wish homework was my biggest problem,” or turns someone else’s hard day into a comparison contest.This one is about parenting tiny humans, listening without keeping score, validating feelings, and remembering that someone else’s hard thing is still hard, even if yours looks bigger from the outside.I am not here as an expert. I am here as a mom and human still learning right alongside you.00:00 The Sweatshirt I’m Afraid to Stain 00:47 When Certain Situations Make Anxiety Louder 02:25 Health PTSD, Grief, and Naming What’s Scary 04:15 Selling Sunset, Kids Meals, and Life Catch Up 05:26 Disney Plans, TikTok Live, and Figuring It Out 06:45 Disney Destiny and Dreaming About a Cruise 08:50 Disney Studios, Big Goals, and Getting Sick 10:56 Canceling a Disney World Invite 12:04 Give Yourself Five Minutes to Be Disappointed 13:28 Thank God That Wasn’t Mine 15:39 Holiday Pressure and Joyful Choices 17:45 Tiny Queens, Guests, and Wanting to Be a Mom 19:06 Feeling Like You’re Not Doing Enough 23:19 The Measuring Stick We Use With Kids 26:17 Why Kids’ Problems Are Still Real Problems 28:08 Meltdowns, Distress, and Missing Tools 30:08 Listening Without Making It About Me 32:56 How Keeping Score Shuts Down Communication 35:41 Support Each Other Instead of Competing 37:06 The Goal for More Consistent Episodes 39:15 Adam, Belonging, and Making People Feel Seen 40:20 Tiny Humans, Inner Children, and Repair 42:51 You Cannot Miss What Is Planned for You

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2025

In this episode, I’m sitting on my closet floor after a very full week and talking through a realization that stopped me in my tracks: sometimes we do not make ourselves small because someone else is being negative. Sometimes we make ourselves small because we keep choosing everyone else, even when we love doing it. I’m talking about motherhood, marriage, anxiety, asking for help, taking up space, and why the oxygen mask is not just so we can help everybody else. It is so we can breathe too. If you have been showing up for everyone but yourself, come sit with me for this one. 00:00 Surprise, We’re Doing an Episode00:47 Friday, Baby Jesus, and Imperfect Progress02:17 Life Update: Cheer, School, and Denim and Diamonds04:11 Tiny Queens and Student Council Inauguration05:20 Acid Reflux, Alo Jackets, and Disney Holiday Hopes07:35 Almost Getting a Dog08:04 Missing the Footsie Pajama Stage09:16 Continuing the Dreamer and Sidekick Conversation10:26 The Gift of Being a Constant Friend12:21 Taking Up Space14:24 Marriage, Partnership, and Switching Roles16:50 Movement, Anxiety, and Needing Time for Myself19:16 Choosing Others Until You Disappear22:14 The Cape, the Outfit, and Being Loud Again24:15 Skipping Lunch to Create Peace at Home26:11 The Oxygen Mask Is for You Too32:17 Don’t Let Yourself Make You Small34:53 Letting People Help You37:25 Why Asking for Help Feels So Hard38:36 Closet Floor Wrap Up

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2025

In this episode, I’m sharing the very emotional story of taking the tiny queens to Disney World for World Princess Week, and why the message of “create your own world” hit me so deeply. This one is about Disney magic, motherhood, dreams, sidekicks, grief, gratitude, disappointment, and the reminder that we are not meant to do life in isolation. If you have been feeling discouraged, unseen, or like your dream is taking the long way around, come sit with me. I hope this feels like a little pixie dust for your heart today. 00:00 Why I Have Tried to Record This 30 Times02:18 I Took the Tiny Queens to Disney World03:09 Red Eye Flights and BoardWalk Magic05:35 The Pajamas That Brought My Family With Me07:10 Princess Products, Legos, and Sidekick Magic09:23 Animal Kingdom, Pixie Dust, and Starlight Tears12:10 Create Your Own World Is More Than Disney13:07 The Privilege of Being Their Sidekick15:17 Your Sidekick Might Not Be Who You Expected17:20 Parenting Means Preparing Them to Fly20:24 Sidekicks in the Trenches of Growth22:11 Tiana, Disappointment, and Digging Deeper27:19 Your Dream Might Look Different30:11 When the Door Does Not Open Yet38:12 You Are Needed Exactly As You Are

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2025

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m catching up on life, Disney World, Nat Geo, the toaster saga, working mom rhythms, and some very exciting Florida news with the tiny queens. Then we get into the heart of it: is your communication actually conveying your message? I talk about a parenting moment that reminded me intent and impact are not always the same, why volume matters, and how I’m trying to build communication for the relationship I want with my girls long term. Start with love. Seek understanding. Do not lose the plot in your passion.00:00 Showing Up However We Can 01:18 Life Updates and the Toaster Saga 04:13 Gummies, Tahoe, and Catching Up 06:15 Disney World Was Its Own Girl 09:01 Nat Geo, Animal Kingdom, and Big Dreams 12:19 Florida News With the Tiny Queens 16:02 Starlight, Girls Trip, and Work Logistics 18:28 Podcast Consistency and YouTube Plans 20:12 Is Your Communication Conveying Your Message? 22:29 Building Communication for the Future 25:37 When the Message Gets Missed 28:07 Intent, Impact, and Volume 32:34 Start With Love, Seek Understanding 34:36 Parenting, Partnership, and New Tools 38:00 Never Give Up on Yourself or Your Dreams

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2025

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about dreams, comparison, Disney, going back to work, content creation, grief, and learning not to discount the chapters just because I have not reached the title of the book yet. I share what it felt like to attend a Disney event in LA, why that weekend felt like a wink from my mom, and how I realized I have been living pieces of dreams I used to have. If you are in the middle of your own story, I hope this reminds you that the chapter still counts.00:00 Truly After Hours Tonight 00:20 Rainbow Connection and My Mom 02:05 I Forgot the Cheer Party 03:25 Controlling the Controllable 05:19 The Disney Event Was Bigger Than I Realized 07:20 TGI Fridays, CVS, and Forgotten Underwear 09:38 Seeing the F1 Car 11:46 Walking Into the Event With Zero Chill 13:19 Disney Store, Sweatshirts, and Pop Ups 16:37 Taco Bell and Late Night Editing 17:15 The Dream Inside the Journey 19:05 The Book Title and the Chapters 20:28 Busyness, Trauma, and Strengths 23:31 Savoring the Wins on the Way 25:16 There Is No Story Without the Prequel 28:15 The Michael Kors Bag and My Mom 32:24 Living in a Dream I Used to Have 35:37 Do Not Compare Your Chapter 37:00 We Cannot Do It All 38:10 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m back on the closet floor talking about self worth, validation, motherhood, friendship, dating, and why you should not have to beg someone to pick you. I share some life updates about heading back to work, working mom content, and then we get into the way we sometimes feel like we have to prove our choices are worthy. From motherhood discourse online to a very younger Amanda high school story, this one is about knowing your value without pleading your case to be chosen.00:00 Back on the Closet Floor 00:46 The Episode That Recorded Nothing 01:31 Chicken Pot Pie and Late Night Recording 03:19 The Coffee Trick That Backfired 04:16 Heading Back to Work 05:09 Work Clothes and Working Mom Content 06:21 You Should Not Have to Beg Someone to Pick You 07:20 Friendship, Dating, and Tiny Queens 08:09 The Motherhood Conversation Online 09:16 Proving the Worthiness of Your Choice 10:35 Younger Amanda and Wanting to Be Seen 12:47 The High School Pick Me Story 17:47 When Validation Turns Into a Pattern 19:35 Not Every Opinion Needs Your Defense 22:29 Motherhood, Joy, and the In Between 24:02 Teaching Girls to Question Authority 27:51 Your Experience Is Still Valid 30:32 You Can Defend Your Honor and Walk Away 34:22 Stop Begging for Agreement 36:33 You Are Worth More Than Convincing 37:42 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about decision making, changing your mind, regret, college choices, parenting, self worth, and why I do not think there is always one perfect “right decision.” I share about glamor shots, leaving my management company, learning to trust myself again, and the old belief that if you made your bed, you have to lie in it forever. But you do not. You made the best choice you could with the information you had then. You are allowed to grow, pivot, apologize, change, and step into who you are becoming. 00:00 Welcome to the Coffee Chat 00:39 Water, Weather, and Life Updates 01:00 Glamor Shots Had Me in a Chokehold 03:08 Stepping Into My Purpose at the Mall 04:43 Leaving My Management Company 05:23 Handling My Own Email Again 07:33 How People Make You Feel Matters 09:22 There Is No Right Decision 10:07 College, Tiny Humans, and Big Choices 11:41 You Made Your Bed, Now Lie in It 14:10 Step Into the Light of Who You Are Becoming 15:33 Doing the Best With the Information You Had 17:39 Why Decisions Feel So Heavy 19:08 Watching My Girls Make Choices 20:35 When People Hold You to an Old Version 23:22 The Same Song Forever 24:00 Friendships Can Change Too 25:32 Taking Time Before a Decision 27:23 Does This Align With Who I Want to Be? 30:14 Choosing College Without Everyone Else’s Opinion 31:27 Do Not Let Fear Paralyze You 32:11 Do Not Let Yourself Be Typecast 34:01 Making Decisions Without Knowing the Result 37:40 You Are Allowed to Grow and Pivot 39:03 Choosing Integrity Over the Easy Yes 40:03 Throw the Paper Towel and See If It Sticks 41:00 Do Not Carry the Backpack of Guilt 42:46 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about a Disneyland trip that went completely sideways, disappointment, timing, comparison, faith, and the reminder I keep coming back to: you do not want to arrive early. I share what it felt like to watch the tiny queens get sick on a trip I had planned and saved for, how hard it is to hold gratitude and sadness at the same time, and why I still believe nothing is wasted. If something feels delayed, disappointing, or not how you planned it, this is for you.00:00 Back After a Traumatic Disneyland Trip 01:09 January, Birthdays, and Cheer Nationals 02:11 When the Tiny Queens Got Sick 03:26 Why the Trip Felt So Devastating 05:14 Disney Outfits With Meaning 06:25 Getting Back to the Podcast 07:47 Everything Has a Time 09:08 Pace Yourself 10:11 Nothing Is Ever Wasted 12:22 How Loss Changed My Life 13:30 Feeling Irrelevant Online 16:06 It Is Not Your Time Yet 17:14 The Airport Timing Analogy 20:25 Why I Did Not Go to Azusa Right Away 22:57 The Disneyland Weekend That Changed Everything 25:29 You Do Not Want to Leave Early 26:32 Comparison and the Wrong Plane 29:05 Finding Joy in a Hard Trip 31:02 Everyone Is Carrying Something 32:43 It Is a Bad Moment, Not a Bad Day 33:23 Disappointment Can Direct You 35:03 What Is Coming Next 36:03 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about toddlers, teenagers, the terrible twos, threenagers, and why I think we need to stop labeling tiny people before we actually understand them. This one starts with Christmas break chaos and the Olympic sport of getting school program seats, then moves into parenting, emotional regulation, meltdowns, food preferences, repair, and seeing hard moments as discovery instead of deficit. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by a stage your child is in, I hope this feels like permission to pause, breathe, and look again.00:00 Last Day Before Christmas Break 00:25 The Christmas Program Seat Olympics 02:31 Christmas Break and No Cheer 03:13 North Pole Visitors Took Over 04:10 Every Other Week Podcast Rhythm 04:30 Running Away From Comparison 06:05 Why We Need to Talk About Toddlers 06:49 Terrible Twos and Threenagers 08:38 The Street Example Parents Always Use 10:17 The Target Meltdown 11:55 Adults Still Get Disappointed Too 12:57 Stop Setting a Negative Tone 14:25 Deficit or Discovery? 16:06 Teenagers Get Labeled Too 17:15 I Hope You Have a Daughter Like You 20:12 What Labels Make Us Miss 20:34 The Corn Story 23:03 Running Away Is Communication 24:06 Parents Can Change Their Minds 26:31 Stop Labeling the Age Group 29:38 What I Would Say About Throwing Toys 31:03 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop 33:17 A More Compassionate Way to Parent 36:05 Choices, Magic, and Starting Over 36:53 Deficit to Discovery 40:33 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m back, baby, and we are talking about holiday Hoovers, boundaries, self criticism, and three Bob Goff reminders I could not keep to myself. This one is for the besties heading into December already bracing for comments, family dynamics, joy stealers, or the internal voice that keeps beating them up. You are not a piñata. Some people think they are being helpful. And somewhere, someone else may be praying for different rain, but that does not make your prayer less important.00:00 We Are Back, Baby 00:40 Why I Let the Podcast Fall Through the Cracks 01:28 Wicked, Lego, and the Little Shelf Update 02:25 Bob Goff and the Holiday Hoover Conversation 03:43 Christmas Movies, True Crime, and Memes 04:40 Instagram Subscription and Cameo Updates 06:19 Disneyland, Nationals, and Holiday Plans 06:47 What Is a Hoover? 08:08 Being Okay When Not Everyone Likes You 09:27 They Don’t Know They Have Horns 12:10 Boundaries When You Still Have to Interact 13:39 In One Ear, Keep What You Need 16:15 Stop Hitting Yourself 21:43 When Other People Treat You Like a Piñata 23:40 The Bride, the Farmer, and the Rain 25:38 When Someone Undervalues Your Gift 29:05 Praying for a Different Kind of Rain 31:09 Three Reminders for December 32:33 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 4 December 2024

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m doing a bestie Q&A about motherhood, routines, Disney, eating disorder recovery, marriage after kids, self regulation, and parenting tiny humans without making everything a power struggle. I talk about waking up early, prepping for back to school, letting kids say no, dinner battles, adjusting from one kid to two, and why no one knows what they are doing, but you know your tiny person. This one gets tender in places, especially around food, grief, fear, and recovery, so take care of yourself while listening. 00:00 Late Night Q&A Energy 01:11 Lying to Myself About Tomorrow 02:13 Do We Need an Intro Post? 03:42 Disney Bounding and Budget Girlies 05:33 Tips for Waking Up Early 09:01 How I Met My Bestie Cindy 10:59 Would I Move to Another State or Country? 12:07 Mr. Coffee Machine and Quick Questions 15:21 My Favorite Motherhood Mantra 17:43 Pros and Sacrifices of Being a Parent 24:35 Back to School Routine Prep 28:08 Avoiding an Eating Disorder Relapse 31:57 Parenting Differently Than I Was Raised 37:24 My Biggest Fears as a Mom 39:31 Dinner Battles and Tiny People 42:30 Did Our Relationship Change After Kids? 46:10 What Got Me Into Disney? 48:08 Self Regulating When Everyone Is Melting Down 51:15 Favorite Worship Songs Right Now 52:07 Adjusting From One Kid to Two 55:06 The Goodness of God This Week 56:20 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2024

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about therapy, inner child healing, inner teen conflict, small habits, and what it has looked like to start rewiring my brain one tiny choice at a time. We also catch up on D23, Disney, cheer season, summer rhythms, and an upcoming surgery, but the heart of this one is learning that structure is not always a prison. Sometimes it is care. If you have ever felt stuck between who you want to become and the old patterns that keep pulling you back, this is a soft place to land.00:00 Weeks in a Row Is Basically a Habit 00:22 I Got Invited to D23 03:56 Surgery, Disney, and Life Updates 05:20 Cheer Season and Summer Rhythms 08:16 Doing the Work in Therapy 09:13 Mantras Are Not Enough Without Tiny Choices 10:12 The Inner Conflict I Have Been Feeling 11:51 Inner Child and Inner Teen Conflict 13:23 Small Habits and Actually Enjoying Your Life 14:13 My Morning Routine Right Now 18:27 When an Optimal Day Feels Peaceful 19:30 Why Structure Can Feel Like Rebellion 21:25 I Get To, Not I Have To 23:04 Structure Is Not a Prison 24:27 Caring for Myself in the Present 26:06 Stop Calling Yourself the Hot Mess Express 27:17 When Pain Forces a New Pattern 30:31 You Are Safe Now 32:20 It Might Not Be Who I Am Yet 34:05 You Are Not the People Who Hurt You 36:04 Choosing One Small Loving Thing 38:25 Learning to Live Harmoniously Inside 40:20 Changing the Way We Talk to Ourselves 41:19 Why My Insides Were in Conflict 42:25 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about rejection, slow seasons, faith, boundaries, work changes, and the reminder I keep coming back to: no means new opportunity. I share what it has felt like to be in a season where things are shifting, content creation is slower, relationships are changing, and therapy is helping me learn that being strong is not the same as being brave. Sometimes the brave thing is saying no, blocking the number, circling the wagons, and trusting that the path is being cleared even when it feels confusing.00:00 Welcome to the New Shelf Corner 01:00 Thank You for Being Here 02:07 When Life Feels Uprooted 03:08 Sharing Without Owning Everyone’s Reaction 04:16 A Season of Cinching 06:12 When Work Gets Slow 07:08 Scarcity Mindset and Closed Doors 09:28 When the Plan Changes 12:04 A Path Being Cleared 13:29 No Means New Opportunity 14:46 Relationships Have Seasons 16:25 Strong Is Not the Same as Brave 20:18 Growing Into a New Season 23:05 When Slow Feels Like Something Is Being Taken 26:33 Your Yes Is Coming 29:17 Saying No So a Better Yes Can Come 34:40 You Are Not Alone in the Waiting 36:39 Being Brave Enough to Block 38:56 JOMO and Circling the Wagons 40:31 Slow Growth Is Still Growth 41:48 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 19 July 2024

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about social media comparison, consumerism, aesthetic identity, and why your real life was never meant to be judged by someone else’s curated video. We start with Savannah Bananas, margaritas, and a date night that did not need to be fancy to be perfect, then we get into car kits, lip gloss, doom scrolling, content creation, and editing your environment. If you have ever looked up from your phone and felt worse about your home, your body, your people, or your life, this one is for you. You are not an aesthetic. You are a kaleidoscope.00:00 Welcome to the Other Side of My Room 00:38 Savannah Bananas Date Night 02:23 Hot Dogs, Margaritas, and Living on the Edge 04:17 Why the Lawn Seats Were Perfect 08:18 Sports, Tiny Humans, and New Paths 09:35 Technical Issues and Showing Up Anyway 12:04 You Are Not an Aesthetic 13:00 Consumerism and Filling a Void 13:54 Car Kits and Comparing Your Life 15:11 Being Yourself in Different Settings 17:19 Kids, Social Media, and Lifetime Effects 19:07 Want Versus Need 20:16 The Instagram Comparison Spiral 22:12 Doom Scrolling Still Feeds You 23:20 Trad Wife Content and Planned Reality 26:58 Gratitude and Editing Your Environment 28:39 Looking Up From Your Phone 31:44 When Did Hand Sanitizer Become Your Value? 35:29 Who Am I Buying This For? 38:36 Aesthetic Became Identity 43:25 You Are a Person, Not a Trend 46:22 Treat Your Phone Like a Tool 47:13 Why I Keep Showing Up 49:11 If No One Has Told You Lately

Transcribed - Published: 10 May 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 13 September 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 30 August 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 23 August 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 16 August 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about time passing, feeling behind, dreams, motherhood, Disneyland, grief, and the version of me who once could not see how the story would unfold. I read from the journal I started when I was pregnant with London, back when I was working retail and aching to be home with her, and I talk about why Disneyland feels like coming home to my mom, Adam, and younger me. If you feel stuck, scared, or like everyone else got the map except you, this is your reminder that time is passing, but it is not leaving you behind.00:00 Sixteen Days Until Disneyland 01:11 Jeans, Socks, and Parent Jokes 02:54 The Disney Trip Plot Begins 05:39 No Means Not Yet 06:55 Page Joins the Disney Campaign 09:06 Sometimes I Do Not Want to Grow Up 11:39 We Are Going to Disneyland 12:18 Why Disneyland Feels Like Home 13:50 Grief, Cremation, and Having No Place to Visit 15:08 Main Street Memories 16:09 Disney and the Younger Parts of Me 17:31 My Simple Goal Journal 18:37 Reading My Pregnancy Journal 25:45 Missing My Mom While Becoming a Mom 27:10 Time Passing and Working Retail 30:15 Wanting London to Know Me 31:48 Watching the Game When You Know Who Wins 33:27 The Page Turned Six Months Later 34:11 Coming Home Full Time 36:44 The Pressure We Put on Tiny Things 38:04 Time Can Work for You Too 39:38 You Do Not Have to Have the Whole Plan 44:30 Time Is Not Leaving You Behind 45:23 Learning Is Not Getting Everything Right 46:20 It Is All Happening for You 48:27 Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about dreams, self worth, purpose in pain, and what it means to be refined, not broken. This is a long voicemail about the new podcast sign, dream journals, the Macy’s Day Parade, Disneyland, chronic pain, tiny queens growing up, Whitney Houston, and learning to kick other people’s voices out of your head. I’m not pretending hard seasons are easy, but I do believe future you may look back and say, “Look at us. We made it.” If your inner voice has been loud or your dream feels far away, sit with me for a bit.00:00 Welcome Back and the New Sign 00:23 Academy Awards and Dreams 01:31 Life Does Not End at 40 02:09 Loving the Process 03:04 Dream Journals and Big Goals 04:02 Disneyland, Dissociation, and Looking Ahead 05:12 Changing Your Mind Is Allowed 07:41 Change Means Growth 08:17 Pain, Fire, and the Uncut Diamond 10:42 Testing, Faith, and Proving It to Yourself 12:04 There Is Purpose in Your Pain 13:32 Bitterness Does Not Heal You 14:09 Empathy After Physical Pain 16:11 You Are Stronger Than You Think 17:40 Whitney Houston and the Greatest Love 18:41 Who Is Living in Your Head? 19:16 Boundaries Are Not Always Simple 20:42 The Village Can Be One Person 22:41 Learning to Love Yourself 23:16 Getting to Know Your Kids Again 25:33 Getting to Know Yourself Again 27:25 The Last First Tooth 30:21 Raising Them to Leave You 32:27 Getting to Know Yourself in Every Stage 34:13 The Diamond Analogy 35:43 Your Best, Hottest Version 36:17 Ten Years Ago Amanda 38:01 The Hard Season Can Still Refine You 39:09 Sing Whitney in the Car 40:49 Shine Light on the Dream 41:55 Planning the Week and Fighting the Inner Voice 43:19 You Are Being Refined 44:02 Calling Out the Lies in Your Head 46:40 Becoming the Future You 47:26 Creating a Safe Space 48:27 Big Dreams for the Podcast 50:33 You Are a Diamond 51:35 One Day, a Live Tour 52:02 Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 15 March 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about comparison, content creation, women judging women, motherhood, childfree conversations, working moms, stay at home moms, and what we teach our tiny queens when we tear each other down. This is a long voicemail about fake nails, ASMR rage, Comparison Katie, Julie Jealousy, losing my job in 2020, falling into content creation, and why someone else’s life does not have to threaten the value of yours. If comparison has been loud lately, come sit with me for a bit. We are doing our best.00:00 Rerecording the Lost Episode 00:33 Is Life Better After 30? 01:12 Video Podcast Anxiety 01:28 Fake Nails and Hyperfixation 03:25 Harvest Snaps and ASMR Rage 04:11 Comparison Katie Shows Up 05:02 Content Creation and Job Loss 06:27 Brand Deals, Auditions, and ROI 08:35 Metrics, Money, and Feeling Behind 09:04 Julie Jealousy and Emotional Regulation 10:12 More Is Caught Than Taught 10:36 DINK Life and Tiny Humans 11:39 The Viral Friday Night Video 13:13 Women Judging Women 14:30 Working Moms and Stay At Home Moms 15:27 The TikTok Stitch 16:01 What You Put In Your Brain Matters 17:25 Choosing Not to Engage 20:26 Losing My Job and Finding This Community 21:11 Mom Culture Fighting Itself 22:03 Moms Helping Moms 23:15 Sharing the Hard Without Scaring People 24:25 You Do Not Have to Want Kids 26:19 Making Each Other’s Lives Better 28:09 Stop Measuring Women’s Worth 28:59 There Is a Right Way to Treat People 29:47 The Transcript Cuts Off

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about the illusion of control, the routines that make us feel safe, and what happens when life changes enough that the old systems do not fit the same way. This is a long voicemail about overbooking myself, somatic therapy, emotional hijacking, Starbucks rituals, food routines, In N Out Mondays, motherhood, faith, and learning that structure can support us without becoming the measure of whether we are okay. If your habits have shifted, your body feels different, or you are trying to hold everything together because you love your people, sit with me for a bit.00:00 An Unintended Episode 00:32 Overbooking Myself Again 01:23 Teacher Features and Mini Golf 02:18 Valentine’s Parties and Garden Class 03:17 Thriving on Chaos 04:01 Somatic Therapy and Inside Out 06:11 When One Emotion Hijacks Everything 07:20 When the Body Holds the Feeling 08:00 Journaling Feels Too Honest 09:15 Reporting Versus Really Feeling 10:38 Family Photos and Full Circle Moments 14:32 Swim, Schedules, and Being Voluntold 15:16 The Illusion of Control 16:33 The Starbucks Ritual 20:31 When the Old Systems Break Down 22:19 Trying Decaf and Feeling Anxiety Rise 25:30 What If This Is Not My Jam Anymore? 26:16 Strawberries, Structure, and Flexibility 28:11 Habits Are Helpful Until They Hijack You 30:49 In N Out Mondays and Holding On 33:08 Faith When Everything Falls Apart 34:38 Control, Birth, and Sacred Moments 36:10 When Systems Become the Bar 37:19 Learning to Slow Down 38:10 Control Can Come From Love 40:24 Shaking Up the Systems 42:10 Parenting the Younger Parts of Me 43:27 Pivoting Without Calling It Failure 44:26 Valentine’s Day and Being Loved

Transcribed - Published: 16 February 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about restriction versus restraint in parenting, food, iPads, friendships, exercise, marriage, and the way I treat myself. This is not advice. It is me learning out loud about raising tiny humans who can build judgment, confidence, and trust instead of just hearing “no” at every turn. We get into sugar, screens, peer pressure, food fear after surgery, getting back to movement for mental health, and the joy of hearing my tiny queen call me out when I needed it. If you are trying to parent without making everything all or nothing, sit with me for a bit.00:00 Still Figuring Out the Video Podcast 00:23 Delilah Radio Energy and Mic Noises 01:08 Bodily Functions and Being Real 02:11 Getting Back in the Gym 04:23 Starting a New Kind of Therapy 06:02 Living Again After Surgery 06:28 Catching the Good Old Days 08:07 Past Me, Present Me, Future Me 08:51 Avatar, Toy Story, and Disney Tangents 10:35 Parenting an Almost Ten Year Old 11:18 Friends, Restriction, and Control 13:07 Restriction Versus Restraint 16:16 Teaching Safety Instead of Just Saying No 17:05 iPads, Sugar, and Building Judgment 21:16 Why Peer Pressure Gets Tricky 24:06 Parenting Is Not a Group Project 26:07 Restriction Versus Restraint With Myself 30:43 Marriage Is Not All or Nothing 33:23 Tools for Friendships and Toxic Relationships 35:31 I Trust Your Judgment 37:01 Conversations With My Tiny Queen 40:16 Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about people over productivity and the way we measure ourselves and each other by what gets done, what gets missed, and which balls get dropped. After months of pain and recovery, I started thinking about how quickly we take things personally instead of asking what might be going on. This is a long voicemail about motherhood, friendship, mental health, hot lunch, tiny queens, boundaries, empathy, and remembering that we are all more than our checkboxes. If you have felt behind, quiet, overwhelmed, or not enough, sit with me for a bit.00:00 Trying a New Video Podcast Setup 00:44 Mall Walker Energy and Sephora Chaos 02:46 Welcome to After Hours With Amanda 03:28 Feeling the Love After Last Week 04:08 Starting Somatic Therapy 04:35 Why Do I Go on the Defense? 06:21 The Stress of “Can We Talk?” 07:03 Where My Value Comes From 08:34 When the Balls Start Dropping 10:23 Asking What Happened First 12:24 Seeing Our Tiny People More Clearly 13:38 Why Are They Dropping the Ball? 16:10 Chronic Pain and People Over Productivity 18:28 Noticing When Someone Seems Off 21:00 When a Tiny Queen Finally Says the Week Was Hard 23:21 The Village Does Not Have to Be Large 25:07 When People Show Up in the Dark 26:17 Boundaries, Peace, and Collaboration 30:25 Hot Lunch and Letting Go of Mom Rules 33:43 Asking Why Before Moving On 36:03 The Frozen Lake Analogy 38:00 Mental Health Should Not Be Whispered About 41:24 You Are More Than Your Productivity 43:05 Do Something Kind for Someone Else 45:04 People Over Productivity 46:10 Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 1 February 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m sharing where I have been for the last four months. This is my personal medical story, not medical advice, about an anal fissure, chronic pain, health anxiety, food fear, advocating for myself, and finally being believed. It is vulnerable, chaotic, and yes, somehow includes the phrase “Botox for my butthole.” I talk about pain, surgery, motherhood, faith, asking for help, and what it felt like to have life stop long enough for me to see how much control I was trying to carry. If you are in something life altering, I hope you feel less alone here.00:00 Filming the Podcast and Feeling Awkward 01:36 Welcome Back After Four Months 02:18 Trigger Warnings and Why I’m Sharing 03:35 When I Thought It Was Hemorrhoids 04:49 Years of GI Issues and Bathroom Shame 07:19 Suppositories, Burning, and Things Getting Worse 08:26 The Night the Pain Took Over 11:51 Getting Diagnosed With an Anal Fissure 14:53 Creams, Pain, and No Clear Answers 17:15 Fiber Counting and Food Fear 20:14 The 50/50 Phone Call 23:24 Spasms, Baths, and Losing Weight 26:22 The Light Leaving My Eyes 28:02 Disneyland in Survival Mode 35:13 The Appointment I Thought Would Fix Everything 36:11 A Triggering Medical Exam 40:14 Needing a Female Surgeon 44:10 Fighting Insurance and Feeling Unheard 50:18 Advocating for Myself Like I Would for My Girls 52:42 Finally Getting the Appointment 55:01 Being Believed Without Explaining Everything 56:14 Surgery, Botox, and Finally No Pain 01:02:25 Why Validation Matters 01:03:30 Faith, Anger, and Feeling Deserted 01:04:34 Motherhood, Control, and Missing Christmas Programs 01:08:09 Finding Joy in the Small Things 01:09:20 Water, Fiber, and Food Exposure 01:11:27 Life Altering, Not Life Threatening 01:12:45 Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2023

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about parenting, trust, emotional safety, and the tiny everyday moments that decide whether our kids feel safe coming to us later. It starts with Christmas decorating and a broken ornament, but really, it becomes a conversation about communication beating condemnation, trust breaking in tiny fractures, and wanting to be the lighthouse my girls can come back to. This is not me saying I get it right every time. I mess up too. But I’m learning that if I want my tiny humans to trust me when life gets bigger, it starts with how I meet them now.00:00 Two for Two and Taking the Small Wins 00:36 Disneyland Countdown Joy 01:14 Let’s Talk Hemorrhoids, Because Besties 04:12 Christmas Decor Before Thanksgiving 06:18 Halloween, Allergies, and Early Christmas Vibes 07:39 Amazon Storefronts and Life Updates 09:22 Christmas Decor and Holiday Campaigns 10:08 Building Trust With Tiny Humans 11:19 The Windshield Crack Analogy 12:45 Ornament Stories and Family Memories 14:00 The Broken Ornament Moment 16:05 Meeting Mistakes With Safety 17:32 I Want You to Talk to Me Later 19:22 Trust, Acceptance, Love, and Empathy 20:55 The Lighthouse and the Dock 23:33 Teaching Through Our Own Mistakes 26:15 Forced Apologies and Internal Repair 28:19 Teens, Power Struggles, and Communication 33:35 Trust in Marriage and Owning Impact 36:16 Relationship Building, Not Control 38:29 Teaching Emotions as Superpowers 42:23 It Is Never Too Late to Rebuild Trust 47:00 Communication Beats Condemnation 49:17 Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2022

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m back with a long voicemail between friends about the holiday season, mom guilt, gift giving, social media comparison, and the pressure to do all the things. I love the cozy magic of the holidays, but I also know how quickly it can turn into a checklist. This is me reminding myself that sometimes giving less means giving more, and the memories that stay with us are often made in the being, not just the doing. If the holidays feel heavy, exciting, lonely, or overwhelming, you can sit here with me for a bit.00:00 Welcome Back, Friend 01:41 A Long Voicemail Between Friends 02:08 The Bathrobe Story 05:00 Heading Into the Holidays 06:02 Gift Giving and Social Media Comparison 07:43 What Tiny People Really Want 08:49 Sometimes Giving Less Means Giving More 10:35 Giving Without Expecting 11:48 The Hickory Farms Christmas Story 15:06 Being, Not Just Doing 16:20 Bedtime Books and Mom Guilt 18:15 Breathe In Good, Breathe Out Night 19:21 The Holiday Checklist Trap 20:45 When the Holidays Feel Lonely 22:20 Giving Your Time and Presence 23:23 Watching for the Small Moments 25:20 Holiday Activities, Money, and Pressure 28:32 Choosing Where You Want to Be 31:31 Avoiding the Holiday Haze 31:56 Grief, Memory, and What Stays 35:28 You Are Not Alone Here

Transcribed - Published: 26 October 2022

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about clean plates, forced apologies, food, body cues, empathy, and the tiny ways we teach kids to trust or ignore themselves. This is not me telling anyone how to parent. It is me thinking out loud about what happens when we focus more on the performance of gratitude, manners, or obedience than the internal tools our kids are building. From dinner tables to apologies to gift reactions, I’m asking what it looks like to raise tiny humans who can listen to their bodies, say no politely, repair with empathy, and trust themselves as they grow. 00:00 Sleepytime Tea and a Late Night Hello02:15 Forts, Toy Story, and Tiny Humans04:26 The Almost New York Trip07:03 Phantom, Les Mis, and Big Questions10:39 What This Podcast Really Is12:24 The Clean Plate Problem16:16 Forced Apologies and Real Empathy18:42 Walking Kids Through Repair20:38 Teaching Kids to Listen to Their Bodies23:33 Food Rules, Dessert, and Boundaries26:34 Trusting Intuition Beyond the Dinner Table29:19 Teaching Kids to Say No Politely31:17 When Kids Learn to Perform33:10 Cruise Control Parenting37:09 Gift Reactions and Gratitude40:35 Food for Thought and Final Encouragement

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2022

Hey friend. In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m taking a deep breath with you and talking through a tender week. I share why I took time off social media, how grief and addiction memories around my brother Adam came back up, and why I’m reminding myself that mental health is not a finish line. We also get into therapy, body image, old family patterns, Dopesick, motherhood, and the ache of wanting every human to feel seen, loved, and needed. This is not expert advice. It is just a very honest, very human check-in from someone still becoming. 00:00 Hey Friend, Let’s Take a Breath02:37 Remembering to Actually Breathe04:59 Why I Took a Week Off07:02 Why This Podcast Feels Safe07:53 Body Image, My Mom, and Old Patterns12:39 When Our Wounds Start Bleeding14:31 Working Out, Therapy, and Mental Health16:02 Adam, Addiction, and Being Triggered23:30 Watching Dopesick Hit Too Close27:31 Mental Health Is Not a Finish Line31:15 Be Careful What You Consume32:36 Can We Celebrate Going Back to Therapy?34:34 Sharing Adam’s Story38:51 The Gift of Unconditional Love40:34 This Is a Safe Place42:31 We’re All Different, and That’s Okay45:25 You Are Loved, Valued, and Needed

Transcribed - Published: 5 July 2022

TW: In this episode, I broadly touch on sensitive subjects so I wanted to give you a heads up. So many of you have requested a dating episode speaking specifically to my dating life and experience and as always I wanted to be honest with you.  Substance Abuse Hotline- 1-800-662-4357National Suicide Prevention Hotline- 1-800-273-8255National Sexual Abuse Hotline- 1-800-656-4673 National Domestic Violence Hotline- 1-800-799-7233 In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m sharing the dating story y’all have been asking for, but not as advice. This is a vulnerable look at toxic relationship patterns, gaslighting, boundaries, and what happens when chaos becomes your baseline for love. I talk about wanting to feel seen, ignoring red flags, mistaking attention for care, and slowly learning that peace is not boring and love should not make you feel less than. If you have ever played the highlight reel to convince yourself something “wasn’t that bad,” this one is for you. 00:00 Coke, Gas Tanks, and Chaos06:16 Why I’m Sharing My Dating Story08:49 Wanting to Feel Seen12:21 Gaslighting, Lies, and the Promise Ring14:28 When Chaos Becomes Your Baseline21:29 The Tarzan Swing Into Another Relationship28:23 When One Green Flag Felt Like Everything35:02 Addiction, Boundaries, and Feeling Responsible38:10 The Hole No Relationship Could Fill40:12 Disneyland, Blake, and Faith That Felt Safe42:41 Why I Used to Create Conflict48:10 You Deserve More Than Just Good Enough

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2022

This week, I’m talking about achievement culture, parenting pressure, and the way we can accidentally make our tiny humans’ milestones, grades, emotions, and behavior about us. From swim week and school decisions to pacifiers, homework, gentle parenting, hugs before correction, and the phrase “fair means you get your needs met,” this episode is about separating our kids’ growth from our own self worth. I’m sharing what I’m learning in real time as a mom who is doing her best, trying to disrupt before I erupt, and remembering that our children are whole people, not reflections of our performance. 00:00 Thursday Night Podcast Vibes00:29 Welcome to the Coffee Chat01:40 Swim Week and Tired Kids04:36 Getting Ready for My Mental Health06:20 Achievement Culture07:15 Choosing a Different School Path09:45 The Pacifier Question12:18 What Do I Actually Care About?13:37 Achievement Starts in Pregnancy16:32 Milestones Are Not a Report Card18:33 Gentle Parenting and Identity23:34 Homework After a Full Day26:25 Why I Started This Podcast29:26 You Might Just Not Fit That Job31:33 Your Achievements Are Not Your Identity37:00 Tiny Triggers and Looking Inward38:47 Disrupt Before You Erupt42:03 Why I Offer a Hug First45:04 Fair Means Needs Are Met46:58 Stop Tying Worth to Achievement49:49 You Are Good Enough

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2022

This week, I’m talking about what it feels like to be a mom, wife, friend, and human who does not always know what she is doing. From protecting my kids’ privacy to making uncertain parenting decisions, advocating for my tiny humans, and learning not to go straight into defense mode, this episode is about being certainly uncertain. I’m sharing the six words that have helped me in relationships, parenting, and conflict: “What do you mean by that?” If you feel unsure, overwhelmed, or like everyone else got the manual, come sit with me. We’re doing our best and giving God the rest. 00:00 Second Week in a Row01:24 The Podcast Intro Goal02:12 Protecting My Kids’ Privacy03:29 Topics Y’all Asked For04:42 I’m Not an Authority05:32 Feeling Ill Equipped as a Parent07:05 The Identities We Step Into09:23 Learning Means Making Mistakes10:35 Making Big Decisions for Tiny Humans18:38 Giving Yourself Grace to Change Your Mind19:05 Advocating for Corey20:28 The Finger Scale for Big Feelings22:28 Who Made the Rule?23:19 The One Thing I’m Certain Of25:21 Why We Go on Defense27:19 Asking Before Reacting31:50 Six Words That Change Conversations34:08 Wait, Assess, Then Decide38:11 It’s Okay to Be Certainly Uncertain42:09 You Matter

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2022

Hey y’all, I’m back and this one is a full catch up. From therapy and inner child work to platform Converse, clip in extensions, self sabotage in the school drop off line, and marriage conversations with Blake, I’m unpacking the freedom of letting myself be a little inconsistent. This is about the rules we carry from childhood, the lie of “I’m not that girl,” and the way relationships get healthier when we choose solving over winning. Parenting, marriage, personal growth, and doing our best, all in one long voicemail between friends. 00:00 Hey Girl, We’re Back02:26 Back in Therapy08:17 The Inner Child Year09:26 The Converse Shoes Story13:23 Identity and Imposter Syndrome17:21 Dedicated to the Inconsistencies19:40 Self Sabotage in the Car23:16 The Lie of “I’m Not That Girl”26:19 Tiny You Gets a Yes31:35 Marriage Therapy Before Marriage32:49 There’s No Me in We35:19 Two Kinds of Arguments40:50 Never and Always Are Dangerous Words44:18 You Are Loved and Needed

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2022

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m catching up on life, therapy, trauma work, Disneyland prep, and what I did not realize about healing: you can work through trauma and still be holding it. I share how intrusive thoughts about my kids led me back to therapy, how losing my mom and brother shaped my fear, and how migraines, dizziness, jaw clenching, and exhaustion made me realize my body was sending an SOS. This one is about asking for help, releasing survival habits, letting go of control, and giving ourselves grace when healing looks inconsistent. 00:01 Welcome Back And Catching Up00:50 Missing The Moment And Disneyland Prep01:11 Trauma Does Not Have To Be Comparative02:19 How I Found My Therapist03:02 Intrusive Thoughts About My Kids04:50 Crying In The Closet06:22 Mental Health Support For Kids07:03 What Therapy Did Not Tell Me07:26 Trauma Responses In Marriage10:17 Holding Trauma In Your Body11:24 The Doctor Appointment14:27 When The Tension Finally Lifted16:11 Cutting Caffeine And Finding Quiet18:24 Self-Care Versus Real Care19:32 Trauma Habits As Identity20:13 Asking For Help And Feeling Strong22:07 Peace, Control, And Letting Go24:14 Identity, Social Media, And Showing Up26:42 It Is Okay To Be Sporadic29:14 Fear Before Disneyland31:06 Questioning Old Rules34:13 Accepting Who I Am Becoming35:07 Thank You For Showing Up

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2021

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about mental health, therapy, shame, faith, anxiety, and why getting support should not feel like something we have to hide. I share what mental health looked like in my family growing up, how my mom’s breakdown shaped the way I saw therapy, how my brother’s addiction keeps me passionate about people not suffering alone, and why I think therapy is more like taking the car in for a tune up than admitting failure. I’m not sharing this as a therapist. I’m sharing as someone who is still learning that needing support does not mean you are weak. 00:00 Welcome Back And Hawaii Anxiety00:24 Why Mental Health Should Not Be Taboo01:35 Therapy Is Asking For Support02:48 My Family’s Mental Health Story03:50 My Mom’s Breakdown05:32 My First Introduction To Therapy07:32 Addiction, Anxiety, And Fear Around Mental Health09:34 Stop Invalidating Your Own Pain12:09 Ignoring My Own Need For Help13:43 Mental Health Is Like A Car Tune Up16:19 Why Do We Apologize For Crying?17:42 How I Found My Therapist18:19 I Turned Out Fine, But Did I?19:27 Why I Refuse To Stay Quiet20:33 Kids, Therapy, And Support21:50 Mental Health Days Should Be Normal24:51 Mental Health Is Not A Lack Of Faith26:47 Therapy Is A Lifelong Journey28:09 Anxiety In The School Drop Off Line29:14 Tools That Help My Mental Health31:01 Therapy Is For Everyone32:01 Boundaries Around Mental Health Shame

Transcribed - Published: 30 September 2021

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about gentle parenting, humanizing kids, autonomy, emotional regulation, and why seeing my tiny humans as people does not mean I am just trying to be their friend. I get into why I call them tiny humans, building responsibility through little daily moments, the myth that gentle parenting is permissive, yelling, silent treatment, apologies, boundaries, and why I want home to be the safe place where my kids learn what to do when the real world is hard. This one is about giving kids a voice, not handing them the whole house. 00:00 Welcome Back And Maui Prep01:13 A Hodgepodge Parenting Episode03:25 Why I Say Tiny Humans04:35 Autonomy Before The Teenage Years06:17 Teaching Responsibility In Daily Life08:20 Three Year Olds And Clean Rooms10:54 Making Chores Functional For Kids12:38 Gentle Parenting Is Not Permissive14:15 Big Emotions Need Tools15:28 I Turned Out Fine, But Did I?16:35 Preparing Kids For The Real World17:23 Yelling And Losing The Message20:12 Hearing The Whine, Not The Words21:51 Silent Treatment Is Emotional Manipulation22:46 The Homework Apology24:05 The Gentle Parenting Thought Process26:26 Asking If They Need A Hug28:55 When My Kid Called Me Out31:55 Humanizing Parenting34:07 Protecting Their Emotional Space38:43 Lucy The Doll And Building Trust41:32 Seeing Them As Human Is Not Being Their Friend43:20 The Middle Ground Nobody Talks About45:36 You Get To Build The Relationship You Want

Transcribed - Published: 22 September 2021

In this episode of After Hours With Amanda, I’m talking about the first day of school, mom guilt, motherhood, and why I do not think motherhood is just something happening to me. I think it is also something happening for me. I share the note one of my girls left me, the poem that wrecked me, why I miss my tiny humans when they go back to school, and how motherhood has helped me become more myself instead of less. This one is about coexisting, growing alongside our kids, letting go of mom-culture comparison, and remembering that they are having a hard time, not giving us one. 00:00 First Day Of School Feelings00:50 Welcome To After Hours With Amanda01:25 A Disclaimer For Moms02:24 Encouragement Is Not Discouragement03:47 The Mom Who Misses Her Kids05:22 Lucy The Doll And The Paper Towel List07:43 The Poem That Wrecked Me09:03 Caterpillars, Butterflies, And Mom Life11:45 Motherhood Is Not Happening To You14:21 Bad Bitch Butterfly Energy15:12 Feeding Yourself Better Thoughts17:03 Are The Kids Really Stopping You?19:12 They’re Having A Hard Time21:09 Kids Are Not A Power Struggle23:22 Letting My Kids Help Me Become26:14 Missing Them Without Judging You29:01 Stop Blaming The Tiny Humans32:12 Functional Needs Versus Emotional Needs36:29 Coexisting While We Both Grow41:33 Encouragement And First Day Grief42:29 My Mom’s Breakdown And Second Grade45:31 Healing Through My Daughter’s First Day47:27 What I Want You To Know

Transcribed - Published: 8 September 2021