In today's episode, I talk about what it really means to feel well taken care of — and why that feeling isn't created by our circumstances, but by our thoughts.

I share the powerful story of Corrie ten Boom and the fleas, along with real examples from my own marriage, motherhood, and Christmas experiences, to show how the story we tell ourselves shapes how we experience our lives.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why feeling well taken care of is a state of mind, not a fact

• How the "I'm not well taken care of" story creates resentment and loneliness

• Why complaining can feel like connection (and how it often backfires)

• What changes when you choose to believe, "I am so well taken care of"

• How this mindset helps you care for yourself, your kids, and your marriage with more peace

I also share an invitation to join Mary's Heart, Martha's Order, a six-week challenge starting in January to help you build real interior peace — no matter what's happening around you.

Join us at www.catholicmomcalm.com

If you're ready to walk into the new year feeling calmer, more supported, and more at peace in your own body, this episode is for you.

I invited someone to Mass recently and it was an incredible experience. Let me tell you all about it!

Want more interior peace in 2026? Come join Mary's Heart, Martha's Order. We start January 4th! Click here to see the details: https://catholicmomcalm.com/marysheart/

eeling stressed, tired, or disheartened this Christmas season? You're not broken — you're carrying a lot. In this episode, Sterling talks about why so many moms feel disappointed at Christmas (even when they "did everything right"), and how to prevent that disappointment before it hits.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The 4 common places Christmas disappointment shows up (and why)

• What to do when you feel like you have to do everything

• How to handle kids being disappointed without shaming them

• How to deal with disappointment around gifts (giving and receiving)

• Why it's okay to feel sad — and how to be at peace while you do

• The most important plan: putting YOU into Christmas (24th, 25th, or 26th)

A practical, compassionate pep talk for the mom who's trying to hold it all together — and wants a calmer, more meaningful Christmas.

Come see how often our good intentions accidentally make our lives more complicated — from elaborate birthday cakes to overfull calendars and holiday expectations. She walks through practical, real-life examples of choosing the simple option on purpose so you have more room for peace, prayer, and presence with your family and with the Lord.

Learn about:

• Why our excitement often pushes us toward complex plans

• How "just as special" simple choices can be (like a basic chocolate cake)

• What to do when your schedule is packed and something has to give

• Letting kids be disappointed instead of over-performing as a mom

• Simple ways to approach holidays, gifts, activities, and home life

• A peek at the new Mary's Heart, Martha's Order Planner and how it supports a simpler, more prayerful rhythm

A gentle but clear invitation to step out of the circus, choose the simpler path, and make more space for Jesus in your actual daily life.

Light in the Darkness - My Advent Book on Amazon

Jesus, I Trust You by Sr. Faustina Maria on Amazon (Book I'm reading for Advent)

A No Disappointment Christmas episode

EPISODE SUMMARY
Thankful for Husbands (Even When It's Hard)

In today's episode of the Catholic Mom Calm Podcast, Sterling shares a deeply honest reflection on gratitude — especially gratitude for our husbands, even in seasons of struggle. She also talks about the unexpected moment when your podcast reviews brought her to tears in the bathtub (in the best way!).

Sterling explores:

• How culture has programmed us to view men negatively

• Why so many husbands are carrying invisible wounds

• How disrespect slowly erodes connection

• Simple ways to rebuild safety, kindness, and appreciation in marriage

• How to speak life into your husband — even if things feel hard right now

A beautiful, heartfelt episode to help you enter Thanksgiving with a softer, more grateful heart.

Integrating Faith into Everyday Life with Raquel from The Little Rose Shop

Sterling sits down with Raquel, founder of The Little Rose Shop, to talk about her powerful conversion story, choosing life as a 21-year-old college student, and how that journey led her to create beautiful, practical Catholic products for moms and families. They also dive into the Examen, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and simple ways to bring prayer into ordinary moments like coffee time, bedtime, and the carpool line.

In this episode:

• Raquel's story of crisis pregnancy, scheduling an abortion, and encountering Jesus in the Eucharist

• How The Little Rose Shop started with a DIY quiet Mass book and grew into a full-time business

• Using blankets, mugs, and pouches as everyday reminders to pray

• A simple explanation of the Examen (for moms and kids)

• Why the gifts of the Holy Spirit (especially wisdom, fortitude, and fear of the Lord) matter for overwhelmed moms

• Encouragement for supporting Catholic small businesses and living with real Christian hope

Find Raquel's beautiful things at:

• The Little Rose Shop: TheLittleRoseShop.com

• Instagram & socials: @thelittleroseshop

Feel the holiday pressure mounting? This is your annual permission slip to opt out of what drains you and lean into what truly matters. In this episode, Sterling walks through setting calm, faith-filled boundaries so November–January don't steamroll your peace.

• How to choose holiday plans by time, money, and emotional energy—on purpose

• The difference between a clean, joyful "yes" and a guilt-driven "should"

• A simple way to make your holiday list now (so last-minute guilt doesn't decide for you)

• Loving scripts for saying no to events, gift exchanges, and long travel

• Low-stress grandparent gifts (hello, one family photo book for all)

• Why it's holy to let kids feel disappointed (RIP, Elf on the Shelf)

• Discernment check: does this draw us closer to Jesus—or just add noise?

🎁 Join us for Less Stress for the Holidays here.

Feeling like you're failing at everything? You're not. In this episode, Sterling shares a gentle, Catholic way to move through those heavy moments: calm your body, separate your worth from your to-do list, and let Jesus tell you the truth about who you are.

You'll learn:

• How to calm your nervous system when "failure" thoughts hit

• Why "I am a failure" is never true

• The 4-step reset to find peace again

• How to stop carrying shame over small mom moments

Tasks can fail. Daughters of God don't. 💜

👉 Mentioned: Less Stress for the Holidays mini-course (coming next week!)