You want to delegate—but the second it’s not done your way, you want to snatch it back and never ask again. Sound familiar? This episode breaks down the emotional weight of delegation, why it sometimes flops, and how to move past perfectionism to a place of peace. If you’re tired of doing it all—but can’t seem to let go—this one’s for you.

In this episode:

· Why delegating can feel like a threat to your identity

· What to do when delegation doesn’t go well

· How to rewire your brain for “good enough”

· The guilt hangover and how to stop internalizing support as failure

Let It Go (Sort Of): Why Delegating Feels So Hard—and How to Actually Make It Work

Ever feel like you’re the only parent who missed the sign-up sheet... again? Or maybe you showed up with store-bought cookies and a deep sense of shame because Kara made gluten-free galaxy cupcakes with homemade fondant planets?

Welcome to the battlefield of PTA guilt and working mom burnout—where expectations are sky-high, time is scarce, and your worth gets measured by how many spirit week themes you remembered.

In today’s episode of Exhausted Sparrows Unite, we’re pulling back the curtain on the emotional tug-of-war so many moms feel: wanting to be involved but also wanting to hide in your car with fries and silence. Spoiler: you’re not alone.

Topics We’re Tackling:

The Performance Olympics of Modern Motherhood
- How we equate “showing up” with “showing off”
- Why every bake sale, field day, and committee meeting can feel like a referendum on your parenting

Working Moms vs. Volunteer Culture
- Let’s talk about the built-in privilege of “being available” during school hours
- Why no one wins when we shame each other for doing too much or too little

Redefining Participation Without Losing Your Sanity
- How to set boundaries, manage the guilt, and get involved your way
- Permission slip: "Being a good mom does not require being on every committee."

Key Takeaways:

 * Guilt thrives in silence. Say it out loud: You’re      allowed to have limits.
 * The Pinterest-perfect moms? Often just as overwhelmed.
 * “Opting out” doesn’t mean you don’t care—it means      you’re managing your bandwidth.
 * Being present for your kids starts with not being      stretched so thin you disappear.

Survival Stories: I Lived Through the PTA Bake Sale

Ever stood in front of the fridge like it's a locked vault, hoping dinner will magically appear? Same. This week on Exhausted Sparrows Unite, we're tackling the chaos, guilt, and full-on emotional meltdowns that come with feeding your people every single day.

We’ll uncover how something as unsexy as meal planning can actually be a secret weapon for your mental health. (No, really—science says so.) It’s not about being a Pinterest mom. It’s about peace, predictability, and finally answering, “What’s for dinner?” without spiraling.

What We’re Dishing Up:

 * The emotional toll of dinner decisions (a.k.a. the invisible load)
 * How decision fatigue and emotional burnout are connected
 * Meal planning as a tool for nervous system regulation
 *  Real-life, low-effort strategies to make meal planning work for you

Why It Matters:
You make 35,000 decisions a day—and by 6:30 p.m., your brain is DONE. Planning your meals isn’t about having it all together. It’s about taking one damn thing off your mental to-do list.

Takeaways:

 * Meal planning is mental health care in disguise.
 * You don’t need a spreadsheet. You need a system that      works with your life, not against it.
 * You’re allowed to choose ease over aesthetics.      Store-bought frozen lasagna counts.

Listen in if you’ve ever said:

 * “Why am I crying over chicken?”
 * “Didn’t we just eat yesterday?”
 * “I swear if someone asks me what’s for dinner ONE more time…”

Meal Planning, Mental Health, and Meltdowns: Taking One Thing Off Your Plate

Ever re-read a one-word text 14 times trying to decode if your friend is mad… or just mildly annoyed… or possibly abducted by aliens who don’t believe in punctuation?

Same.

In this episode of Exhausted Sparrows Unite, we crack open the case files of overthinkers, people-pleasers, and empaths who walk into every room like emotional crime scene investigators. If you’ve ever left a conversation wondering if you sounded weird, or spiraled because someone said “k” instead of “okay,” this one's for you.

We’re diving into:

· Why we internalize other people’s tone, mood, and silence

· How to tell the difference between a red flag and a red herring

· What emotional surveillance does to your brain

· How to stop making every awkward moment your fault

· The scripts you need to un-spiral in real life

Plus: laugh-out-loud dramatic reenactments of emotionally ambiguous texts, and a reminder that you are not the customer service desk for everyone’s feelings.

Texted “K.” Now I’m Spiraling

Have you ever sat in the middle of your life—your chaotic, heavy, heartbreakingly ordinary life—and thought, ‘Is this it?’ The bills, the appointments, the never-ending noise of things that feel urgent but not meaningful?

It’s in that moment—when the weight is real and the light feels far—that gratitude becomes less of a buzzword… and more like a lifeline.

This isn’t about pretending everything is fine. Gratitude isn’t blind optimism, and it’s not some cute affirmation on a pastel Post-it. It’s a fight. It’s a radical act of rebellion in a world that profits from your discontent.

Gratitude says: ‘Even here, even now—there’s still beauty. There’s still good. There’s still me.’

In today’s episode, we’re getting honest about how finding something—anything—to be thankful for can begin to change not just your mood… but your brain, your body, your life. And spoiler: it’s not about being happy all the time. It’s about being awake to what’s still true when everything feels off the rails.

If you’ve been overwhelmed, burned out, cynical, or just numb—this episode is your reminder: joy isn’t a reward for the perfect life. It’s a skill. One we build, one grateful moment at a time.

Topics Covered:

 * Gratitude vs. toxic positivity
 * How gratitude rewires your brain
 * Practicing gratitude during hard times
 * Simple, non-cheesy gratitude habits
 * How gratitude transforms perspective, stress, and emotional regulation

Key Takeaways:

 * Gratitude is not about denying hardship—it’s about expanding your view.
 * Daily gratitude practice rewires your brain to see more clearly and feel more joy.
 * Even micro-moments of appreciation can drastically shift your mood and mindset.

Try This:
Start your day by naming one thing that didn’t suck yesterday. That’s it. The rest will follow.

Gratitude Rewired- How Thankfulness Can Save Your Sanity....And Your Life

In this jam-packed episode, we dive into the truth about anxiety—the kind that helps, the kind that hurts, and how to tell the difference. Spoiler alert: feeling anxious doesn’t mean you’re broken, dramatic, or weak. It means you’re human.

We’ll unpack:

 * Why anxiety is a biological feature, not a personal failure
 * How to recognize unhealthy anxiety before it takes over
 * When to seek help (and how to know it’s not “too small” to matter)
 * How to embrace healthy anxiety as a tool, not a threat
 * Real-world coping strategies that don’t involve running away to Bali (unless that’s in your budget, in which case, please take me)

Holding Space for the Storm: Navigating Anxiety with Grace

Episode Description:

If you’ve ever walked into a room and instantly felt off—like you just absorbed someone else’s anxiety without a word spoken—this one’s for you.

In this episode, Krista Jones dives deep into the world of empaths with her co-hosts, Chauntel Shaffer and Tom Morel.. We’re not talking about the Instagram quotes kind of empath—we’re talking about the real experience of carrying other people’s emotions, the neuroscience behind your sensitivity, and how this beautiful gift can become an emotional liability without boundaries.

From mirror neurons to why you cry at commercials and need alone time after parties, this episode is a love letter—and a reality check—for the ones who feel it all. You'll walk away with clarity, validation, and practical tools to protect your peace without shutting down your heart.

Because being an empath doesn’t mean being everyone’s emotional mop. It means learning how to feel without fixing, care without carrying, and love without losing yourself.

 What You’ll Learn:

 * What actually makes someone an empath (hint: it’s more      than just being “sensitive”)
 * The science behind why empaths feel more      deeply—including brain structure and nervous system function
 * The quiet superpowers of the empath: intuition,      compassion, creativity—and how to use them without burning out
 * How chronic emotional absorption can lead to overwhelm,      anxiety, and compassion fatigue
 * The difference between empathy and enmeshment (because      yes, there’s a big one)
 * How to create emotional boundaries and “energy hygiene”      habits that actually stick
 * Scripts and mindset shifts to help you stop taking on      what was never yours

The Empath Diaries: Feeling Everything, Fixing Nothing

This week, we’re canceling hustle culture, snubbing perfectionism, and embracing the wildly underrated art of being good enough. Because trying to be everything to everyone is exhausting, unsustainable, and—spoiler alert—it’s not necessary.

In this episode, Krista breaks down:

· The toxic myth of perfection and why it’s costing you your peace

· What “satisficing” is—and how it can actually make you happier than being the best

· How to let go of the gold stars and show up for your life without the burnout

· Why mediocrity in one area makes room for magic in another

 One-liner truth bombs include:

· “You weren’t born to meet someone else’s checklist.”

· “Trying to reach perfection is like hugging a cloud—soggy, exhausting, and totally pointless.”

· “You can’t pour from an empty cup—or even a cracked one. Sometimes you just gotta put the cup down and go take a nap.”

This one’s for the perfectionists-in-recovery, the moms hiding in their car, the leaders running on empty, and anyone who needs to hear: You are enough. Exactly as you are. Even if the laundry isn’t folded

Perfection Called. I Didn’t Answer.

In this raw and revelatory episode, we dismantle the myth that forgiveness is about the other person. Spoiler alert: it’s not. This conversation dives into what forgiveness actually is (and isn’t), why we often resist it, and how to reclaim it as a radical act of self-healing. Whether you're holding onto hurt, waiting for an apology, or wondering how to forgive without letting toxic people back in—this one’s for you.

- What You’ll Learn:

 * Why forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation
 * The psychological and physical toll of unresolved resentment
 * What it really means to "let go" when you still feel broken
 * How to set boundaries and offer compassion—without betraying yourself
 * Practical prompts to begin your own forgiveness work

- Key Stats + Research:

 * Studies show that forgiveness lowers stress levels, reduces blood pressure, and can even boost your immune system (Worthington et al., 2007).
 * Holding onto resentment activates the brain’s stress response—keeping you in a state of chronic emotional arousal.
 * People who forgive report higher self-esteem, better relationships, and improved mental health.

 Thank you for listening. Healing isn’t easy—but you don’t have to do it alone.

Letting Go Without Giving In: The Truth About Forgiveness

You’re the one everyone leans on. The one who gets it done. Who keeps it moving. But behind the capable smile and the perfectly timed “I’m fine,” you're running on fumes. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what it really means to be “the strong one” — the emotional weight, the invisible expectations, and the silent burnout that comes with it.

Let’s talk about the exhaustion of being everyone’s anchor while silently sinking. And more importantly, how we can give ourselves permission to fall apart, rest, ask for help, and redefine what strength really means.

-What We’ll Dive Into:

*The Myth of Strength

Why being seen as "the strong one" often means being invisible in your own pain — and how this myth gets built early and reinforced often.

*The Emotional Toll

What it actually costs to hold it all together: physically, mentally, emotionally. Hint: It's not just burnout — it's soul fatigue.

*Mental Load & Emotional Labor

Why your brain never shuts off, even when your body does. Juggling everyone's needs while silently ignoring your own.

*The Silence of Survival Mode

How constantly coping keeps people from noticing you’re not okay — and why it’s so hard to ask for help when you’re “the one who always handles it.”

*Redefining Strength

Real strength isn’t pretending you’re fine — it’s being honest, setting boundaries, and asking for support without shame.

*Making Space for Softness

Steps toward releasing the armor, letting others in, and giving yourself permission to be tired — without guilt.

When Being Strong Doesn’t Feel Like a Choice Anymore

Welcome to your sanctuary for self-compassion. Hosted by Krista Jones, Founder of Sparrow’s Nest, this podcast is for those striving to protect their peace, establish healthy boundaries, and embrace the art of showing yourself grace. Each week, we explore empowering discussions, practical advice, and heartfelt stories that encourage you to find balance in the chaos of life. Join us on a journey of self love and become a guardian of your own peace.

Krista Jones

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