In case you’ve been wondering about those strange posts that have been appearing here … I have a new podcast!

“Girlfriends” is here!

I wanted you to be among the first to know! I am so excited to be launching my newest project, Girlfriends, a podcast for women, today. I am thrilled to finally be able to share it with you.

Perhaps what you are thinking right now is “I have no idea what a podcast is!” And that’s okay. You don’t need to know anything about podcasts to listen to Girlfriends. You can subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes, but you can also simply click “play” right here on my blog. It’s that easy!

Here are the episodes available today:

About Girlfriends #000
In this (mini) episode, I introduce the Girlfriends podcast, sharing some of my plans and goals. Find our more about the schedule and structure of Girlfriends, and learn how to send your feedback so the show can better serve you and meet your needs. Let’s learn more abut the ways in which we can build one another up and find joy in our unique capacity for compassion, sensitivity, generosity, and love.

Overcome Jealousy & Competition #001
In this episode, we talk about ways to overcome jealousy and competition among women. This is something we are all vulnerable to, and yet we don’t talk about it often enough. We all compare ourselves to others in ways that hurt our friendships and destroy our self esteem. What are some ways we can combat these destructive forces in our hearts, minds, and relationships and instead nurture healthy, affirming, encouraging relationships with other women? Also, an INTERVIEW with Lisa Hendey!

3 Do-able Health Goals for 2016 #002
Are you tired of the “healthy” new year hype yet? Are you overwhelmed by seemingly unattainable goals for health and fitness? Why don’t we take some small steps together? In this episode, I offer three practical, do-able ideas for healthy goals in 2016 that anyone can consider taking on. Also, an INTERVIEW with Teresa Tomeo!

I want to make Girlfriends a useful, encouraging, affirming, and connecting resource for YOU. I hope you will give it a listen and let me know what you think. I need your feedback and suggestions to make this new project the very best it can be!

Thank you for your support.

TO LISTEN
Simply hit “play” above, go here to download, or download/subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes.

NOTES
In this week’s episode, I share 3 practical, “do-able for anyone” health goals we should all consider setting in 2016:

1) Change your mind. Can you consciously change or expand your idea of what foods and activities you “enjoy”? What gives you “pleasure”? A bag of chips and an evening on the couch? But overindulgence, even in “pleasurable” things, often just feels gross in the end. It’s not pleasant at all. Could you expand your mindset to realize that taking care of your body with nutritious food and exercise can also be fun and enjoyable?

2) Limit something. The something can be anything that’s a “bad habit” for you. Your bad habit might be drinking too much coffee, binging on Netflix while not moving for hours, or drinking alcohol every evening. Your bad habit might be hitting the drive-thru regularly, buying candy bars, or always skipping the veggies. Whatever your “something” is, this do-able goal is not to eliminate it completely so you wind up feeling desperate and deprived. Limit the something. relegate it to weekends, or only when you are a social event, or whatever limitation works for you. Just limit it. That’s all!

3) Try something new. If you don’t exercise at all, this is easy. Just do something! Pick an activity that seems attractive to you or even just remotely possible. Walking is great and accessible to everyone, but maybe you’d like to try a workout DVD or join a class this year. You decide. Just do it! If you are already active, trying something new can round out your fitness repertoire and give you new motivation to keep moving in new ways. Also, consider adding a social aspect to some of your workout plans. I sometimes talk myself out of going for a run, but I never cancel when I’ve made plans for walking with a girlfriend!

This week, we interview author, and radio and TV host Teresa Tomeo (TeresaTomeo.com). Teresa shares some of her journey from secular news media to reverting to her Catholic faith. She also passes on some of her mom Rosie’s awesome advice. Don’t miss what she has to say!

This week’s Girlfriends Shout Out goes to Anna Mitchell of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio (and EWTN) based in Cincinnati. Anna is an inspiration to women working in the media and balancing excellence in radio with a busy family life. Way to go, Anna!

Finally, this week’s challenge is to think about the health goals we shred in this episode, come up with a plan for each one, and then share them with someone. Our goals become real when we say them out loud and share them with other people. Hold yourself accountable!

Thanks, as always for listening. Know your worth, find your joy!

Links for this episode:

Subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes
About Danielle Bean
Danielle’s Books on Amazon
Catholic Digest
Subscribe to the Danielle Bean newsletter

Health & Fitness
Amazon Prime free fitness instant videos
Zumba (HA!) (not for me!)
P90X (hard core workouts mentioned at the beginning of the show)

Teresa Tomeo
TeresaTomeo.com
Teresa Tomeo’s Books on Amazon
Teresa Tomeo’s Radio Show, Catholic Connection
Teresa Tomeo’s TV show, The Catholic View for Women

Anna Mitchell
Son Rise Morning Show
Anna Mitchell on Facebook

Contact:

Email Danielle Bean
Rate and Review Girlfriends in iTunes
Leave voice feedback
Girlfriends on Facebook
Danielle Bean on Facebook
Danielle Bean on Twitter
Danielle Bean on Instagram

 

TO LISTEN
Simply hit “play” above, go here to download, or download/subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes.

NOTES
Ugh. This is tough. In this week’s episode, of Girlfriends, I talk about ways to overcome jealousy and competition among women. This is something we are all vulnerable to, and yet we don’t talk about it often enough. We all do this. We all compare ourselves to others in ways that hurt our friendships and destroy our self esteem. We all compete with other women and mistakenly attempt to discern our self-worth in comparison games with other people.

Why do we do this? How can we stop? What are some ways we can combat these destructive forces in our hearts, minds, and relationships and instead nurture healthy, affirming, encouraging relationships with other women? We talk about all of this and more in this episode of Girlfriends.

This week, we are also honored to have author and CatholicMom.com founder Lisa Hendey joining us for an interview about her successes and challenges, as well as a fun “lightning round” in which we get to know our friend Lisa a little better.

Our weekly “Girlfriends Shout Out” goes Anna Kasic who shared one of her recent personal successes with me via email. Way to go, Girlfriend!

And, finally, our weekly challenge is:

1) Spend some time thinking about a person in our lives who might tempt us toward jealousy or competition.

2) Pray for that person, giving thanks for their gifts, praying to be truly grateful for the gifts God gives others, but also praying to know the kinds of relationships God wants us to be cultivating in our lives right now.

We got this!

Links for this episode:

Subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes
About Danielle Bean
Danielle’s Books on Amazon
Catholic Digest
Subscribe to the Danielle Bean newsletter

Lisa Hendey
CatholicMom.com
Lisa Hendey’s Books on Amazon
Ave Maria Press

Contact:

Email Danielle Bean
Rate and Review Girlfriends in iTunes
Leave voice feedback
Girlfriends on Facebook
Danielle Bean on Facebook
Danielle Bean on Twitter
Danielle Bean on Instagram

TO LISTEN
Simply hit “play” above, go here to download, or download/subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes.

In this episode, I introduce the Girlfriends podcast. Find our more about the schedule and structure of Girlfriends, and learn how to send your feedback so the show can better serve you and meet your needs.

Women have unique gifts and strengths with which we care for the people we love and encourage and affirm one another in our important work as wives, mothers, sisters, and friends. You are meant to be a blessing to the world. Let’s learn more abut the ways in which we can build one another up and find joy in our unique capacity for compassion, sensitivity, generosity, and love.

Every woman deserves to know her worth and find her joy!

Links for this episode:

Subscribe to Girlfriends in iTunes
About Danielle Bean
Danielle’s Books on Amazon
Catholic Digest
Subscribe to the Danielle Bean newsletter

Contact:

Email Danielle Bean
Rate and Review Girlfriends in iTunes
Leave voice feedback
Girlfriends on Facebook
Danielle Bean on Facebook
Danielle Bean on Twitter
Danielle Bean on Instagram

Hey, cool! You can see my recent interview on EWTN’s Bookmark with Doug Keck right here!

Some of the links I posted earlier this week have stopped working, so for those of you still looking to purchase Momnipotent materials for the lowest prices available anywhere, please use the links below. Thank you for your support!

 

Momnipotent book, signed by author Danielle Bean

If you would like it personalized, please make a note of the name it should be signed to in your Paypal order.

$12.00 with FREE SHIPPING

Momnipotent Starter Pack

Contains everything you need to begin an 8-week Momnipotent study at your parish or home: Momnipotent book, journal, leader guide, and 8 DVDs. Save over 30% — lowest price available anywhere!

$90.00 with FREE SHIPPING

Are you ready for Lent 2016?

I know, I know, maybe you are not prepared even to think about it yet, but it’s by planning ahead and setting goals that we make progress, whether it’s in our professional lives, our family lives, or our spiritual lives. So let’s plan ahead. Together.

Thousands of subscribers enjoyed receiving daily email messages from me, with prompts Think, Pray & Act, throughout Advent 2015, and now I am offering a similar service for Lent 2016.

Are you ready to commit to growing closer to Jesus, one small, do-able step at a time, during Lent 2016?

Just $7 will get you over 40 days of reflections and prayer support, delivered straight to your inbox, every morning, for the entire season of Lent in 2016.

Use the button below to guarantee your subscription to this unique service for Lent this year.

 Just like my Advent series, these Lenten daily emails will be quick and simple, totally do-able prayers, reflections, and action items for every day of the season.

We’ve been in this together, so let’s stay in this together!

Together, let’s grow closer to Jesus, 5 minutes at a time, during Lent 2016. Thanks for considering joining me, and I’ll see you in your inbox!

Years ago, we belonged to a parish where the pastor was an elderly “retired” French-Canadian priest. Monsignor Leo was a little rough around the edges and sometimes a bit deaf in the confessional, but we loved him just the same.

We especially loved him at Christmastime. Every year, at the end of the first Christmas Mass, he would stand before the congregation and sing “O Holy Night.” Without musical accompaniment and without a microphone, he would sing. With a clear, strong voice that defied his age, that tiny priest filled the church with a glorious proclamation of Our Savior’s birth.

Old ladies dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs while their husbands stood solemnly alongside. Children, in velvet dresses and corduroy Christmas suits, stood in reverent awe. When Monsignor Leo sang the final note, the entire church exploded with applause while he stood before us wearing a modest smile.

Year after year, what I found most magical about that moment and so captivating about that small man’s song was its earnestness. Here was one man’s simple expression of a great love he felt in his heart. Here was one man giving all of himself to God. God made him to sing, and so he sang. For God alone. With all that he had.

At Christmas, many of us feel pressured to do “great things.” We can’t send out just any card; we can’t give just any gifts; we can’t have just any celebration. We are commemorating, after all, the single greatest event in human history. This is Christmas, and what we do to recognize it must be great. Inevitably, though, we will fall short of the kind of greatness we have in mind.

Thankfully, the kind of greatness God asks of us is not as complicated as we sometimes make it ourselves. The kind of greatness God demands has nothing to do with ribbons or wrapping, packages or presents. The kind of greatness Christ seeks comes from small, ordinary things done with great love.

“We can do no great things,” Mother Teresa of Calcutta once reminded us. “Only small things with great love.”

Not too long ago, I happened upon some old video Dan and I took of ourselves about a dozen Christmases ago when we recorded the process of bringing a freshly cut Blue Spruce fir tree into our living room.

With a baby slung over one arm, I smilingly guided Dan’s maneuvering of the tree around corners and cooed at our “helpful” toddler. Dan groused a bit about the weight of the twelve-foot tree and the prickliness of its needles, but still he flashed a grin as he passed the camera.

Oh my goodness, we were cute. The schmaltzy Christmas music, the drooling baby, the robust young dad, the fresh-faced, young mom wearing … what were those? Size 0 jeans? It was obnoxious.

We hammed it up for the camera, smooching the babies’ faces and telling made-up stories about the perils we faced when cutting down the tree. Then we hung lights, strung cranberries with popcorn, and shared an eggnog.

It wasn’t our wrinkle-free complexions that made me want to pinch the cheeks of our former selves. It wasn’t even those size 0 jeans that made us seem so attractive.

It was our simplicity. It was our earnestness. It was our simple, singular focus on giving all that we had to this thing – this family life – to which God had called us.

What I saw in that young couple was honesty, earnestness, and love. The same stuff I once heard in Monsignor Leo’s a capella rendition of “O Holy Night.”

There’s nothing wrong with the trappings of Christmas. As my own family has grown and my marriage matured, our own celebrations have become progressively more complicated with each passing year. We buy more presents, we prepare more food, we make more plans. Even a “simple” Christmas times eight kids is a complicated thing indeed.

As I go about my shopping, wrapping, baking, preparing, cleaning, and decorating this year, though, I am keeping in mind Monsignor Leo’s song as well as the smaller, simpler family we once were.

If I recorded this year’s Christmas preparations and played then back ten years from now, what would I see in our family’s days?

I pray that God will help me see the small things. And do them with great love.