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Starting Fresh: Reflections, Gratitude, and Embracing 2025
46 Plays23 days ago
After a short hiatus, the "Finding My Best Self" podcast is back! In this heartfelt episode, Pam and Mandy reflect on the highs and lows of 2024, sharing personal growth moments, lessons learned, and the mindset shifts that carried them through. They discuss the power of gratitude, faith, and intentional living as they set their intentions for 2025.
Discover how to turn challenges into growth opportunities, explore meaningful rituals like prayer boards and journaling, and hear inspiring tips for prioritizing self-care amid the chaos of life. Whether you're setting your own goals for the year or seeking encouragement, this episode is a must-listen to kickstart your journey toward becoming your best self.
Topics Covered:
- Why taking time for reflection matters
- Setting intentions and choosing "words of the year"
- Transitioning from vision boards to prayer boards
- The importance of gratitude in personal growth
- Practical ways to balance family, work, and self-care
Join Pam and Mandy for an honest, uplifting conversation that will inspire you to embrace 2025 with purpose, hope, and renewed energy.
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Transcript
Intro
Podcast Returns: Overcoming Overwhelm
00:00:29
Pamela Rivet
Welcome back to another episode of finding my best self. It's been a minute. We're back. We're back. We took a little bit of a break last year, just to kind of recap, I guess why we stopped the podcast last year. Things were just crazy. And I think we were just trying to figure out exactly how to make things work for Mandy and I with both of our schedules and with MBS and trying to schedule with other people to do the joint episodes. It was just, it became a lot. And we were just, I guess maybe a little overwhelmed with this building, building MBS. And so we just figured let's just put the podcast on hold for now until we get into a place where we can be consistent and stay on top of it and not feel overwhelmed and stressed out by it.
Reflecting on 2024 and Goals for 2025
00:01:19
Pamela Rivet
So yes, but we're so excited because literally over the last couple of months the word podcast the whole conversation around the podcast has come up multiple times we have missed doing it because I mean essentially this is our therapy to just to sit and chat and talk about the things that all women mamas are going through and so We're just so excited to start the year off this way and be back in action. So yeah. And we have so much that we want to chat about, just about 2024 and everything that happened and going into 2025 and just sharing with y'all what we personally experienced and the good things that happened in 24, the bad thing. yeah don't want to say bad things, never bad bumps in the road or learning experiences grow.
00:02:07
Pamela Rivet
And what we are going to be changing in 2025 are things that we want to do personally. And maybe something if you haven't done it, or maybe to give you some ideas of what you could be doing in 2025, whether it's in your personal life, your career, mom life, and all those things. Yeah. So,
00:02:28
Pamela Rivet
I guess to kind of start off, know last year when I started off the podcast, I initially went into reading my journal and I read my letter to myself that I do every year. I read, um, read, um, the letter that I wrote, you know, forecasting for the year of 24 and also what my words for the year were, my prayer for the year, all of those things.
Prayer and Focus Words for 2025
00:02:56
Pamela Rivet
So I know that we, we just recently had conversation about what that was going to look like for us this year. last year in 2024, my prayer for the year was that God continued to align me with all of the right people in the right places at the right time. And I cannot tell you how many times that happened for me over and over and over again. So the point where there were just times where I just sat and cried because I was just like, I am just blown away in awe of What god is doing in my life and all of those things? so for me i've always done like a vision or some type of You know goal setting at the beginning of the year the whole word word of the year or just kind of focus i've never done So i'm super excited to kind of jump into that and to make that the focus because it does kind of narrow down Everything and I think the shift for me this year is not so much a vision board but like a prayer board and just having things to pray over or
00:03:53
Pamela Rivet
having a focus on what to pray for and what to pray on. And so I'm excited to kind of dig into that. And the girls are doing it with me. So we're kind of you doing that together. That's what I was going to say. I wanted you to talk about that at some point and explain what you did with your girls as far as your prayer board, because I think that was really awesome.
00:04:12
Pamela Rivet
Yeah, something that a lot of other moms might want to do. So for 2025, I am going into this year, I decided to do three words this year. Because in 2024, one of the things that I found myself sitting and struggling with, was finding balance, and being able to do all of the things from the personal development side to my career with my mortgage, my career with MBS, my marriage, my life as a mom, all the different aspects. I was like, how can I balance these things? Because it just felt at times very overwhelming and that I was doing really well in one area and really lacking in another. Nothing ever felt really balanced. So this year I felt that I wanted to have a word for
00:05:02
Pamela Rivet
each area or category in my life and how can I help to balance those things out. So with that being said, in 2025, I basically turned it into questions for myself. I asked myself, who do I want to be? What do I want to do? And how do I want to feel? And so for me, answering those questions, when I look at it overall, I want to make connections. So what I want to do, I want to make connections. And in the the that term, making connections, that is making connections with my family, that is making connections in my career and making connections with friends.
00:05:38
Pamela Rivet
And so just staying connected to people. I love that. And then my next question was, who do you want to be? And for me, that is that I want to be a servant, a leader in all aspects of my life. Again, personal, career, friendships. And then what do you want to feel? And I want to feel joy. And so those are my connections, servant, and joy are my three words for this year to follow through with.
00:06:04
Pamela Rivet
And my prayer for the year is for God to fill the valley, fill the valley and transform it into a flowing river. So that's something that came up for me many, many, many times in 2024. So I felt that that was a good prayer. Moving into the new year with having, I guess, just knowing like where you're at too, like in knowing that that's such a good way to look at it. Like anytime that things might get rocky or rough, like that's literally,
00:06:31
Pamela Rivet
Focus that it should be because like we talked about earlier There's nothing good or bad like everything's good and it's for our good and to be able to look at it to to Fill you up and to make sure that you're kind of staying on the right track that way too. That's such a cool concept Yeah, look at okay. So what was yours? So like I said new newbie here, so I chose obedience because I definitely went through a shift in 2024 of You know finding myself again, being able to go in and really dig into my faith and just find that person that I had lost. I didn't even really know that I lost that person, but really once I got into it, I knew that I just wasn't who I needed to be or intended to be for myself at this point in my life.
00:07:20
Pamela Rivet
through every season, you kind of learn. And so obedience for me just fit because there are so many things that I want to do this year that in order to do them, I have to be obedient. I have to trust and not worry or have anxiety. And so any time that I, you know, maybe going through things, that obedient part and making sure that I'm doing things in his will and not my own. And so that was something that I felt like was a huge word overarching. So, you know,
00:07:48
Pamela Rivet
faith over fear kind of thing so and so the girls I sat down with them and kind of explained and obviously Some of them got it more than others. We had to do a little soul-searching there but we sat down and kind of I kind of you know gave them the concepts and asked them what they wanted their work to be or their focus for the year and so Chloe's was gratitude she wants to continuously you know, be thankful for the things that she has or the people in her life and continue to show gratitude. So we kind of talked about that, like, well, how are you going to do that? And so she kind of made, we made little posters to put somewhere in their room where they had a different clip art that kind of tied into their word. And so, hers kind of went through different things that she was looking at. Milana's was, um, um, Oh gosh,
00:08:36
Pamela Rivet
Savannah's was thankful. Milana's was faithful. So she wants to continue to stay faithful, going to church, kind of being kind and helping others and things like that. So they did well. Savannah, I think, was the one that I kind of had to work through because she was like, I'm thankful for my family. And I'm like, I understand that, but like, how are we going to you show thankfulness and do that? and They have the youngest. Yeah. So she's seven. So she's so 12, 10 and seven. So she definitely was the one that we kind of had to, she brought it back to Thanksgiving. Like, Oh, I'm thankful for God. I'm thankful for my family. It's like, okay, but how are we going to like really focus on
Involving Family in Reflection Practices
00:09:13
Pamela Rivet
that? So they have it, they're a little poster, uh, hung up in their room somewhere. It's either on their door on their bed or in their bathroom. And so I have mine hung up somewhere. So we kind of sat down and did that together. And like I said, we've never done that before. So it was really cool.
00:09:27
Pamela Rivet
now that they're older to kind of have them dig into that with me. So anytime that they're starting to feel a certain way, we can kind of go back to it. Yeah. And I love that. And so it's not just about whether they truly understand it or not. It's planting the seeds now because they will, but but that, that sticks with them. You know, it's, it's, they, they do understand even though we feel that they don't understand, like they understand in their own little way in their own minds and every year.
00:09:52
Pamela Rivet
And so whenever I went to her house the other day, Chloe actually had hers. I went to go to the restroom and it's right by her. And I was like, Oh, look at Chloe's little poster on her door. I was like, I love that. I love that. You know, it's something that they see and she's going to see that every time that she walked in her bedroom. Or like you said, in their bathroom that they see that all the time. And remember that. And it's just constantly planting their seeds with them. I think that's a great thing. So if that's something that you'd like to do with your kids, that's why like you definitely have to talk about that on the podcast because I thought that was really awesome. Yeah. It's the shift from the vision board to prayer board. Like I feel like it's something that you can pray over. And so that's, uh, cause I mean, essentially a vision board was something that we want to achieve. It's not necessarily what we're meant to do. And so that was something that was big for me. So I,
00:10:35
Pamela Rivet
you know, just kind of wanting to talk through that with them. Cause they always ask what I'm doing. Like if I'm doing something, I mean, you know that with your girls, like they always were like, what are you doing? And it's, and so it's like, okay, well let's do it together. You know? So it was just one of those moments that I just kind of, it just kind of happened. And so, yeah. So 2024, if we have to recap when we were sitting down, you know, cause we sat down together and just kind of talked about our 2024 and talking about, just personally and even with our business with MBS. So well, let's start there. So in 2024, so that way we can kind of clarify things if anyone's wondering.
Rebranding and Capturing Memories
00:11:14
Pamela Rivet
So ah we were MBS MBS fit Co. And at the very end of this year, we have officially changed our name. We have dropped fit Co. And we are now just MBS, and the woman beyond the case. Yeah. And we did that for a few reasons. We did that because
00:11:31
Pamela Rivet
It was a conversation that Mandy and I actually had early last year about dropping Fitco because we truly don't want to be known as a fitness or workout brand. That is not what our athleisure is meant for. Obviously you can work out in it. I do. Mandy does regularly. We work out in those clothes, but the clothes is meant for more than that. It's meant for athleisure purposes. It's meant for empowerment.
00:11:57
Pamela Rivet
and all of those things. So Bitco just truly didn't fit the brand. So we talked about dropping it, but at the end of last year, we are working on our trademark. And so that's kind of when it came up and was brought to our attention that if we wanted to trademark that we couldn't trademark with the Fitco and we were like, well, here's our opportunity. Let's go ahead and make that shift. And we already pretty much knew that that's what we were going to shift to was just using what was our slogan, the woman beyond the cape and just putting that as part of our name.
00:12:29
Pamela Rivet
So that's officially who we are now, which is really exciting because we feel a little bit more connected to or in line with our brand. Who we all are and what mission and vision is for MBS. So an MBS does still stand for my best self. That has not changed. So there's that. That was a really exciting thing. But man, I told Mandy, as I looked back on 2024, you know, because I sat at the end of this year in the last couple of months in the end of 2024, if I'm being totally raw and totally honest. And that's how I always want to be on the podcast with y'all. I actually had a couple of months at the end of this year, where I wasn't feeling so great about the year. And I kind of sat in it of, you know, where are these feelings coming from? And
00:13:14
Pamela Rivet
Why am I feeling so down and out? And then there was a night where I sat down and I just started scrolling through all of my pictures and videos and this is why I will preach to people until the end of time why pictures taking pictures and videos are so important because it it it opened my eyes to how incredible this year was because things happen throughout the year and it's not that we forget but you kind of forget or maybe we just forget how much or we forget how we felt in those moments. So to be able to go back and watch some of those videos and to just like you can truly watch those videos and like relive or reveal in that moment what you felt like or even just looking at the pictures like you can see it all over your face and just it takes you back to that moment of how you felt right then and there.
00:14:05
Pamela Rivet
And so I really needed that. And that did so much good for me to just be able to sit and scroll through and see how many incredible things happened in my personal life and you know, in my business and my career, everything, just all of the little moments. well, I think it goes back to your kind of prayer and word for the year too, because if we look back, like there were so many times that things came up that were never on our radar, but it was literally.
00:14:35
Pamela Rivet
Presented in front of us for us to to kind of capitalize on or connect with and so I think that in itself just kind of looking back and all the different things that have come up that just Aligned and literally like you said, we just would sit in all that like Where did that, you know, obviously we knew where it came from but like we're like, how did this happen all these connections that you know We did not even intend on and just all the good things that came out of it And they're continuing to move momentum, not even just in our business, but also in like our personal life too. So that was really cool to look back on and see all the little things that we do forget because I mean, the year felt like it was
Celebrating Growth and Achievements
00:15:17
Pamela Rivet
five years long. Like at least for me, it felt forever. Like if I look back in January, I feel like that was a totally different person than I am now, you know?
00:15:25
Pamela Rivet
So I feel that too, but I feel that the year went and i i maybe that's why I feel like I almost forgot because so much happened that I, I mean, I truly sat last month and I was like, I literally feel like you, I just had that conversation with you and got the message from you that you were on board. And I'm like, and it's December and it's been a year that we've been doing like, I,
00:15:47
Pamela Rivet
a i will I'm like so much how like like so those both ways for sure yeah so much happened and I'm like how did all of this happen already in a year and so maybe that's something that I also need to work on this year. I guess now like, look, this is why we talk about that. This is therapy. and We talk this out loud and these are the kind of things that, you know, I encourage you to do, whether it's, you know, whether it's you doing it by yourself in a journaling aspect or just sitting with someone. yeah find that I have the best thoughts or the most revelations are able to piece things together that are in my head when I just sit down and talk with a friend and talk things out loud, like have these conversations.
00:16:22
Pamela Rivet
I think that's kind of what happens is life happens so fast. And we don't take enough time to celebrate and remember those wins before we move on. I think that's maybe what happened this year is that so many great things happened.
00:16:40
Pamela Rivet
And they happened like right after another. So we didn't even have. Yeah. So I never really, and not even that we didn't have the time, but I didn't take the time. It was more so like, well, this is great. What's next? it wasn't even me asking what was next. It just was. yeah just was. We were literally jumping from one thing to the next to the next because we had so many things planned back to back.
00:17:06
Pamela Rivet
that we had planned and then other things that just kind of like Mandy said, things just happened. Yeah. People just showed up or things are crazy things happen in 2024. So just remembering to take that time for myself. I'm speaking to myself right now, but also sharing with you if it's something that you struggle with or maybe a revelation that maybe you're having with your life right now too is to just really take the time when things happen in your life to just sit with them and really enjoy the moment and be grateful for the moment and take in that feeling and have that feeling, that excitement and that passion and the amount of times that I know that I left things that we did or places that we were and whether I was texting you or calling you in tears this feels so good to be able to sit with that a little bit longer. Yeah. And so that way,
00:18:03
Pamela Rivet
you don't get to the end of the year feeling like not everything that I hoped would have happened happened or the year I'm not ending off the year in a way that I thought I would have been. But there were still so many good things that happened. Yeah, I feel like it goes back to like a list almost like if Like didn't you say that you did that towards the end of the year too that you know You kind of just map out like what did happen and that's something that you can kind of reflect on At the end of the year or even throughout the next year That like even though that you don't know what's to come or things might be tough right now Like looking back on the previous year that could have been a struggle year for you but just having like those highlight reels I guess to look back on and say
00:18:48
Pamela Rivet
within all of this this still happened and I feel like having that perspective going into a new year is always good because You're taking you know, you don't know what's to come anything could happen things can happen and just looking back on all of the beautiful things that pop up for Unexpectedly happened just to kind of reflect back on and just kind of be hopeful for the next year because in in anything there's always going to be something good that you can celebrate so Okay, so speaking of that, I wasn't even gonna talk about this. What's funny is that I just did it this morning, and I guess it wasn't a thought to talk about, but it totally makes sense with this. So who out there listening is a notes freak, like Mandy and I, where if you look at the notes in my phone, you can scroll forever, actually, by the way. And I know when she's at the gym, because then I get 20,000,
00:19:44
Pamela Rivet
So guess what? and All the voice memos and the notes because her brain's, or she's driving. So either way at the gym or driving. But I actually deleted last night several of our shared notes because we had something else. Like we don't even need having stuff to in me. And I do this regularly. I don't know if you guys do this too, but it's,
00:20:02
Pamela Rivet
I like to look back. I'm always that person that I like to look back and see where I came from. So one of the other things I do is go back through my notes. Just like I go back through my pictures and videos, I go back through the notes on my phone because I have a lot of notes and a lot of things. And sometimes I'm like, won't delete that.
00:20:17
Pamela Rivet
but We don't need to remember that part. Or just things where I'm like, okay, I don't need my grocery list from two years ago anymore. That's it. I like the little things. But anyway, so in that, I was scrolling through my notes last night and I got all the way back to 2021. And this was the last time that I did this. And I was like, man, why did I stop doing that? I did it in 21. And then there was another note from 22 where I had started and I got a few months into the year and then I stopped.
00:20:42
Pamela Rivet
And I was like, I need to do that again because that really helped me. So similar to the pictures and videos and having that, I have a notes section that I started on my phone and I did it already for the first couple of days of this year of making it a habit that if I'm not doing it every day, trying to remember to do it at least once a week and going in and recording just type it out and it doesn't have to be anything lengthy. It doesn't have to be a whole journal entry, just like a sentence of significant marks or really good things that happened or any, just anything like that, that you're like, this was great.
Starting New Habits for Reflection
00:21:16
Pamela Rivet
Um, Um, or some, you know, just something like that. So I started that off already this year. All right. It's like the jar thing. Cause I had the girls had seen it online. So I think that's what we're going to start.
00:21:27
Pamela Rivet
which is it's the end of the week. So we need to do it. So at the end of every week, probably on Sundays, we're going to add whatever, something good that happened from the weekend. I say that because it's something weekly that I can manage because you know,
00:21:40
Pamela Rivet
Inconsistency queen here, but yeah, that's something that I think that they're also enjoyed to just putting something and at the end of the year Yeah, yeah when I think if you put it though in a place like on your kids like yeah, we're in your visual like a visible thing you won't forget I like that in a notes to just for like personal like I can do it still with the girls or with a family but then having that almost um like, because in your pictures and videos, obviously, you're only going to capture those things that are really but not more so like the little things that kind of just happened, like how you felt, how you felt. Yeah, so just capturing those because when I scrolled back through 2021,
00:22:16
Pamela Rivet
I was like, wow, like I didn't remember a lot of those things happening based on whenever I scroll back through my pictures. Right. Right. And so just so I'm going to start that again because because you don't always have pictures to go with.
00:22:29
Pamela Rivet
the week. I mean, some things just don't happen like that. Right. That would be cool. to Or when I flip back through my journal, because I'm also that person that at the end of the year, I will go back and flip through and read pages from my journal. But that's so much and it's so long. So this is something quick that you can literally scroll through a whole year's worth of feelings and get through it.
00:22:47
Pamela Rivet
That's cool. So yeah, I'm starting that again. So if that's another tip or trick Yeah, you know, it's all about finding when you you sit down at the end of the year and you just have that look back It's sitting with how you feel in that moment about the year and whether if you feel really good about your year you know trying to identify what it is and That helped you to feel that good like what did you do this year? That helps you to have this great feeling that you have right now or if you don't feel so great Or if there are areas that you feel like you could have improved What is it that you can do and so that change that's truly where all of these things come from and obviously it is the consistency, right? It's not about you don't want to overload yourself. You don't want to say it has to be manageable because I definitely I little black on it right well it's because i think we tend to like over we get into this new year mode new year new me better me or whatever and then we make this list of okay i'm gonna do this and this and this and this and we'll listen yeah it's too much and it's it's overlooked
00:24:30
Pamela Rivet
yeah
00:24:32
Pamela Rivet
Thank you. Yes, I'm grateful. obligated. Right. So then it becomes, it's one of those things just eating healthy and doing anything else. It becomes a chore instead of an like enjoyable process. Correct. And so that's why I'm just, I'm committing to, I'm going to get back into a consistent journaling two to three times a week at least, as opposed to where I would go several weeks without journaling. And then when I do journal, it's like a and whole drop of, right, of all of these things.
00:25:00
Pamela Rivet
that have been going on so yeah just that and then i did say you know because this is more so of that daily or weekly doing like a little significant mark type of thing so those are the things and just really again focusing on my words and just repeating those words yeah to myself every single day well i feel like it's good too to reflect on what to be thankful for and continuously praising because i do think that we get into a mode sometimes when things get rough that it's your mind gets filled with all of the things that are negative or the what ifs or, you know, all of that. And, and honestly, all that's out of our control anyway. And so to, to continuously have that like gratitude, thankful, just kind of starting your day off like that, no matter what is just going to continuously help you kind of battle some of those moments where you feel like you want to go deep down.
Shifting Mindset: Challenges as Growth Opportunities
00:25:55
Pamela Rivet
So yeah.
00:25:56
Pamela Rivet
So 2024 was a good year. 2024 had a lot of really incredible highs and a lot of really big lows for me personally anyway. But a lot though, and I know for Mandy, I know for you, there was just a lot of shifting. and had a lot going on. She shifted and shifted and shifted so much change. Yes. Yeah. So much change. I mean, and just your move in general, um going from military lifestyle to civilian lifestyle.
00:26:27
Pamela Rivet
for those of you who listening don't understand that that's the term military people consider people who are not in the military civilian. So going from military lifestyle to civilian lifestyle, that in itself is just such a huge, huge shift. So know that, I don't know, 24 was, I don't know how it was for y'all if it was anything, but it was, I felt like it was almost an emotional roller coaster. it felt like I was all over the place in 24.
00:26:54
Pamela Rivet
which it's still good. Like i when I look back, it's all good because a lot of the things that were down, like I can look back and say, okay, like that is a hundred percent was for my good, whether I seen it then or not. And I think going into next year, I don't think I've ever had that mindset where like, even if things are bad, like it's still for my good. Like I've never like fully understood that. And so you go in almost like,
00:27:19
Pamela Rivet
not fearing anything because you know that it would, however it's going to go, you know, some, some lesson or some, something you're going to learn from it. And so that's a total mindset shift. It is. It was huge being able to know and to see not just afterwards, but in the moment when you can, and I know that that's, that's been a shift for me as well.
00:27:47
Pamela Rivet
that this year I truly leaned on my faith more in God, more than I ever have in my entire life. When I've told people this several times, like this year was really rocky for me and some aspects, like really, really rocky for me.
Finding Peace in Faith
00:28:03
Pamela Rivet
And there was at no point this year that I ever felt severe anxiety or had major panic attacks or anything like that.
00:28:12
Pamela Rivet
like I normally would have because I leaned on my face so much and I just knew that no matter what there was a purpose for it happening and that there was some sort of growth that was I was experiencing even if I didn't truly understand and that there was something greater that was going to come from it later down the I know that so wholeheartedly with everything in me. And so it's just keeping that mindset and just knowing that even when something bad happens or things aren't great in your life, it's just knowing that you are experiencing some sort of growth. God is putting you through some sort of test or some sort of
00:28:58
Pamela Rivet
being in the valley and taking you through and preparing you for whatever something else that is to come that you may not know what it is or maybe you do know what it is or what you're praying for anything like you have to you have to experience that growth and so whenever you can truly see that and understand that and sit with that and experience joy yeah and it's a gratitude in the moment of This is Has it shifted to that? I always was the one, I mean, both of us, like straight on panic attacks because when things got stressful or we didn't know what, you know, and then you're like, well, what if this and what if that? And essentially 2024 should have been the year that I was straight on panic attack because I didn't know how anything was going to go. I mean, job wise, home, house, family,
00:29:58
Pamela Rivet
No business, like jumping in, like I should have been the one that was running around full of anxiety. And I just had such a piece about everything that it got to the point where my mom was like, well, you're not worried about that. And I'm like, no, I'm good. I have peace because I know that it's going to work out either way. Like however it's supposed to work out. And so I feel like that, that mindset shift is so releasing and so like freeing because you don't worry. Like there's no worry there.
00:30:29
Pamela Rivet
And I think for both of us, that's like the first time in forever that you just kind of let go and just release it. And and it's just, it's not in your hands anyway. So yeah. Why stress over it. Yeah. And that happened for me. It was early last year when I had that, that breaking point of just completely letting go of control because I am the, I remember she's like, all right, I'm letting it go. And I'm like, okay. And she's like, no, like really, like I'm letting it go completely.
00:30:57
Pamela Rivet
And that's when things just started to take off, which is so cool to see because it's literally that moment that it was just like, all right, like it's out of our hands, it's in your hands. And then there's things were great, you know, things started to take off yeah everything. I mean, all aspects of our life. Like stop trying to fight it, stop trying to fight it, stop trying to fight what is going to happen, you know? And I think another thing that I did, and we can kind of wrap it up with this,
00:31:26
Pamela Rivet
that I struggled with was, and I talked about this, I posted about my novel on Facebook and I talked to Mandy about it, that where I struggled this year, at the end of the year and looking back, something that came up for me a few times this year, I heard over and over and I've read, was that it doesn't matter how many hours you put in, you're going to yield the same result.
00:31:55
Pamela Rivet
And you know, I sat with that and I, it came up for me and I didn't speak about it because I was really struggling with those words because for me, I am a workaholic. I always have been like this person that just struggles with at the end of the day, again, I'm speaking very honestly and you know, authentically and openly.
00:32:19
Pamela Rivet
sharing all of the things that I'm not so proud of about myself, myself, um, that I have a lot of times in my life, not just recently, but put, you know, just and a lot, put my work before my family. and just, you know, just priorities in general, I am that workaholic, right? That I will stay up until all hours of the night. And I'm not saying that those things aren't okay sometimes, but it's been a struggle for me to find that balance in that and to just,
00:32:48
Pamela Rivet
balance and work and... you know, family life or personal life. And then maybe for some people it's the other way around, right? Is that it's, you know, it's you trying to find that time of to put work in or to put personal time in because you put everything into your family. And then that comes into the whole, you have to have yourself care and things like that. So again, I think for all of us in some aspects, find that balance of whether where you're putting too much, or if you feel like you're putting too much time
Balancing Work and Personal Life
00:33:12
Pamela Rivet
in. So what I'm getting at is that what I struggled with, with those words is that I'm like, but you do have to work hard.
00:33:19
Pamela Rivet
And I understand and I know wholeheartedly that God has a plan and there's a purpose and everything is already laid out But it's not gonna happen if I just sit there right and so that's where those words were really hard for me and I had to really sit with that of But it does matter how many hours I put in, right? why like You can't tell me that it's just going to happen. I wish it would, that it would just be like magic. and So, you know, for me, what I wouldn't boil down to for me.
00:33:54
Pamela Rivet
was just the understanding that yes, I do have to work hard and I do have to put in those hours. But I guess what that saying means is that me putting in the extra hours in the overtime or the days when I'm faced with a choice of do you do you choose to have someone else fill in for you to take care of your work or do you you know and go do the things with your family or do you say no
00:34:25
Pamela Rivet
this is my job and I have to be here no matter what. It's making those choices or on the days when I know that I'm already exhausted, but I still force myself to stay up and until all hours of the the night when I could, you know, the following day or in the following days, just kind of reprioritize my time or be more intentional with my schedule to make sure those things get done and not having to do them at two, three o'clock in the morning and then I'm exhausted. Right.
00:34:54
Pamela Rivet
you know, that's kind of where all of that boiled down for me at the end of the year was just kind of really taking that in. So I encourage you if that's something that you struggle with, you know, in finding that time balance is to just kind of sit with that and think about that about how you can balance your time better. Yeah.
00:35:16
Pamela Rivet
And just be a little bit more intentional. Yeah, that's the word I was about to say intentional because I do think that the word balance kind of shifts sometimes too, because I don't know if we can ever find true balance, but it's being intentional with the times where you may know that like, Oh, I need to be, I need to stop what I'm doing and go do this, or I need to put more time in this one. And so like you said, not putting all your time in one area of your life and trying to you know schedule we talked about that before too like blocking time out for certain things also and just being intentional with that so yeah I think that's important especially going into a new year and just trying to
00:35:56
Pamela Rivet
I don't know, set a different tone. Like you said, if some things last year just didn't sit well with you, then that's the time that to reflect. And that's just the
Adjusting Goals and Priorities
00:36:05
Pamela Rivet
best way to say it. It's not so much the new year's resolutions or anything. It's just a reflection of how can I shift and be a better me this year. Yeah. And last but not least, it is not too late to do these things because I have for whatever crazy reasons. And today I literally wrote this in my journal this morning because I was like, man, I didn't dig in at the end of last year because of the poor mindset that I had. I did do some digging, but I didn't dig in as much and like really do that. Where am I shifting to in 2025? I didn't do that as much as I have in previous years. And I was like, I almost went to tell myself, oh, it's too late because it's already January. like
00:36:48
Pamela Rivet
What are you talking about? That's so stupid. Why would you say that? Why would you even think it's not too late? It's never too late. It's never too late to sit down and have those that talk with yourself about what went good in 2024, what didn't, what shifts am I going to make?
00:37:04
Pamela Rivet
What steps am I going to take in 2025 to be better, to do better? You know, all of those things, it's never too late to do that. So if you're just listening to this at whatever point in the year that it is, you can do it all year long. Yeah. And you're like, Oh, that's a really great idea. I'm going to start next year. No, like start now. Start today. And that's all that matters. And it's just, it's, and it's just that, right? It's start, just start, take a step and do something that is, I,
00:37:34
Pamela Rivet
Recently bought a book and I'm gonna it is called be seen by Jen Gottlieb And if you have not read this book I highly advise that you either read it or listen to it on audible because it is an incredible book But one of the things that she said in all of the chapters that I i i think I'm close to the end of the book now But one of the things that she said in this book that for whatever reason hit me so hard Was she literally said put it on a post it do something do something? Yeah And so when you get to that point in that moment of like, nothing's going right. I don't know what to do. I'm failing. I'm like, when not all of those negative things, she's just like, do something, something different. Cause that's the thing. If you keep doing the same thing over and over, nothing's going to change. So you have to literally do anything, whether it's 10 minutes to yourself to journal or to go do something fun, because maybe you have been working too hard or does anything just to change
00:38:30
Pamela Rivet
a a Routine or a habit that you know is not serving you anymore. Yeah, so do something So that is your first book recommendation for the year as well. Yes Book recommendation to start your new audio for all of us moms. I don't have time to sit and actually read I'm currently listening to it. Yeah, and it is one of the best cuz I am I told Mandy I am NOT a I can't listen to a book. I've never been able to listen to a book I'm a podcast listener But I can't listen to a book because books on audible are so a lot of them are so like mono Yeah, and they're talking like they're reading off the pages this book is not like that it it she does a very very good job of
00:39:11
Pamela Rivet
her book like she's talking to you. Like a podcast. Like a podcast episode. So it's a really easy listen. It's a really great listen. It's one of those listens where it's really hard to turn it off. Yeah, I agree. It's a really, really good book. So I listened to that one last year. I'm almost done with it. I started it a few weeks ago. So your first book recommendation for the year.
00:39:32
Pamela Rivet
But to close things out, I really hope that you had a great 2024.
Gratitude and Self-Care in 2025
00:39:37
Pamela Rivet
And if you feel that you didn't, I hope that you're able to sit down and go back through and try to pull out and see the good things that did happen. Because no matter what, even if things were rocky and there were some bumps in the road, everyone can find moments to, you know, moments ah ah to things to be grateful for, to have gratitude for in their year. And at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. Even if it is you saying,
00:40:01
Pamela Rivet
No, Pam, there was nothing good that happened then be grateful For the growth that you experienced from those bumps in the road because no matter what You can't continue in life never feeling gratitude Or just only feeling gratitude for the good things because then every time that those are sucky things happen. It's just going to pull you back down every single time. So just try to have gratitude in those moments or in the, in the hard, and in the hard times. And I hope that you have an absolutely incredible 2025. I hope that you were able to experience even more growth this year and that all of your hopes and dreams and prayers
00:40:52
Pamela Rivet
you know, all come into fruition and that God blesses you and your family over and over and over again, um, even even more abundantly than you ever could have imagined. Yep. And that you prioritize yourself. I feel like that's such a big thing, especially with how busy and chaotic life can get that you cannot forget about you, like on top of everything else. Like even, like I said, even if it's 10 minutes,
00:41:19
Pamela Rivet
because I know how crazy life can get. If you lose yourself, you can't help others. So just prioritizing yourself and taking time to do the little things that make you enjoy life.
00:41:32
Pamela Rivet
All right, well that wraps up. We are so excited to be back. We are going to continue on with our weekly episodes. They're going to be just a little bit
Future Podcast Formats and Consistency
00:41:40
Pamela Rivet
different. Mandy and I have decided that to make things not as stressful for us, we are going to sometimes have joint episodes, like what you're listening to now. Sometimes you may hear just me with a quick word, Mandy with just a quick word in those podcasts, I suppose those would probably be a little bit shorter, more closer to that 15 to 25 minute range.
00:42:01
Pamela Rivet
Then we do still plan to bring in some guests and have some joint episodes for you as well So it'll be a mix a little bit of everything That way it's a little more flexibility for us and that way we get make sure that we're still continuing to push these podcasts out every week for y'all so we're looking forward to this year and Continuing on with the podcast and as always never forget that you are strong You are capable and you are worthy. We love you and we're endlessly rooting for you. We'll see y'all next time