The Summer of Calm: Simple Ways to Regulate Your Nervous System

The Summer of Calm: Simple Ways to Regulate Your Nervous System

What if the things that help heal and regulate us aren’t complicated at all? In this solo episode of Soul Stories with Jill, Jill explores the importance of nervous system regulation and why so many of us are living in a constant state of stress without even realizing it. From racing thoughts and difficulty relaxing to feeling overwhelmed by everyday life, chronic stress can show up in ways we often overlook. Jill shares the signs of a dysregulated nervous system, why rest can sometimes feel uncomfortable, and how our bodies often respond to imagined worries the same way they respond to real threats. She also dives into the science behind nature, laughter, connection, and simple summer activities that can help shift us out of survival mode and back into a place of calm. From walking barefoot in the grass and watching a sunset to spending time with loved ones and creating your own “Nervous System Menu,” this episode is a gentle reminder that healing doesn’t always require doing more. Sometimes it begins by slowing down, reconnecting with what brings us joy, and remembering how to simply be. If life has felt heavy lately, consider this your invitation to take a deep breath, step outside, and discover the power of small moments that help your mind, body, and spirit find balance again. Take a listen and let this be your reminder that peace isn’t something you have to earn. It’s something you can begin practicing today.

The Untold Side of Motherhood: Postpartum, Identity Shifts & Asking for Help with Averie Thayer

Motherhood is often portrayed through soft baby blankets, sweet snuggles, and picture-perfect moments, but what about the parts that aren’t talked about nearly enough? In this week’s episode of Soul Stories with Jill, returning guest Averie Thayer, occupational therapist, retreat co-host, and new mom to a six-month-old baby boy, joins Jill for an honest and heartfelt conversation about the realities of life after bringing a child into the world. Together, they explore the emotional, physical, and mental adjustments that come with becoming a mother. Averie shares her personal experience navigating postpartum life, the invisible responsibilities that often fall on mothers, and the profound identity shift that can occur when caring for a new baby becomes your primary focus. The conversation also touches on the importance of support systems, why so many women feel pressure to “do it all,” and how isolating the postpartum season can be for mothers who don’t have family, friends, or partners nearby to help. Jill and Averie discuss the conversations that need to happen more often, including postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and the importance of recognizing when a mother may need additional support. This episode is a reminder that while motherhood can be beautiful, it can also be overwhelming, exhausting, and deeply transformative. Most importantly, it reminds women that they are not alone in what they’re feeling. Whether you’re a new mother, an expecting parent, a grandmother, a partner, or someone who simply wants to better understand the postpartum experience, this conversation offers compassion, validation, and a much-needed look behind the curtain of early motherhood. Join us for a heartfelt discussion about resilience, support, identity, and the often-unspoken realities of one of life’s biggest transitions. INFO: https://www.livingrevivedtherapy.com/ [https://www.livingrevivedtherapy.com/] Name: Averie Thayer Job title: Occupational Therapist/Owner of Living Revived Therapy Email: averie@livingrevivedtherapy.com [averie@livingrevivedtherapy.com] Social Media Handles: Living Revived Therapy or @livingrevivedtherapy [@livingrevivedtherapy]

Borrowing Tomorrow While Worry Steals Today

This week on Soul Stories with Jill, we’re exploring something that affects every one of us: worry. Inspired by a simple church sign that stopped me in my tracks, this episode dives into the ways we borrow trouble from tomorrow and miss the beauty of today. Together, we’ll explore why our minds tend to live in the future, how worry impacts the body, and what we can learn from nature about trusting the process. Through stories, reflection, a powerful Cherokee teaching, and an original poem called “Borrowing Tomorrow,” we’ll examine the difference between fear and faith, control and surrender, and worry versus trust. If you’ve ever found yourself replaying conversations that haven’t happened, stressing over outcomes you can’t control, or feeling weighed down by “what ifs,” this episode is for you. What if peace isn’t found in controlling the future, but in fully living the present moment? Take a deep breath, settle in, and join me for a conversation about worry, trust, and the freedom that comes when we stop carrying tomorrow today.

From Chaos to Calm: Conversations on Clutter, Healing, and Home

This week on Soul Stories with Jill, I sit down with Heather Kistner of Sorted Sparrow for a powerful conversation about clutter, organization, mental health, and the emotional weight of the things we hold onto. What started as an organizing consultation quickly turned into a full-circle moment when we realized we had gone to school together and hadn’t seen each other in over 30 years. Heather shares stories from her work ranging from simple organization projects to difficult hoarding situations, while also discussing the deeper emotional and psychological reasons behind why we accumulate so much and how everything we own takes a little bit of our energy. With her background in mental health, she brings compassion and understanding to a topic so many people quietly struggle with. This is an eye-opening and heartfelt episode you won’t want to miss. About our Guest: Name: Heather Kistner Job title: District Manager @ Sorted Sparrow Email: heathermkistner@gmail.com [heathermkistner@gmail.com]

Sliding Doors: The Moments That Changed Everything

Have you ever stopped and wondered how different your life might look if one small moment had gone another way? In this deeply reflective episode of Soul Stories with Jill, Jill explores the idea of “sliding door moments” inspired by the film Sliding Doors starring Gwyneth Paltrow. The movie centers around one seemingly insignificant moment, whether a woman catches a train or misses it, and how that single moment creates two completely different versions of her life. Through personal storytelling and heartfelt reflection, Jill dives into the many “what if” moments we all carry. The job opportunities that didn’t happen. The relationships that almost never began. The nights we almost stayed home. The moves we almost didn’t make. The gut feelings we listened to… and the ones we ignored. Jill shares real moments from her own life that changed her path forever, from not getting an airline job that could have completely altered her future, to moving to St. Louis and meeting a dear friend who became an earth angel in her life. She reflects on the night she almost didn’t go out, which ultimately led to meeting her ex-husband, and the intuitive decision not to open a yoga studio despite already investing time, money, and energy into it. This episode is a reminder that life rarely changes in loud, dramatic moments. More often, it changes quietly through tiny decisions, unexpected delays, chance encounters, closed doors, and intuitive whispers that guide us toward a different path. Jill also explores the idea that some disappointments may actually be protection, and that the doors that close can sometimes redirect us toward the life we were truly meant to live. Whether you are reflecting on past choices, navigating uncertainty, or learning to trust your intuition more deeply, this episode invites you to look at your own life through a new lens, not with regret for the paths you didn’t take, but with curiosity, gratitude, and trust for the one you did. Because sometimes the smallest moments end up changing everything. Take a moment after listening to think about your own sliding door moments. The conversations, choices, delays, relationships, and decisions that quietly shifted the course of your life forever. You may realize those moments led you exactly where you were meant to be. Past Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Z8FMCSroAxPSjgTs9Sp3G?si=r-72HfKPT2iq_YGPCRb52w [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Z8FMCSroAxPSjgTs9Sp3G?si=r-72HfKPT2iq_YGPCRb52w]