Last week, I found out that one of my kids' teachers unexpectedly lost her husband in a car accident. She's in her early 30s with a toddler, and when I was telling Ryan, I just started to cry. I don't often cry, so it surprised both of us a little. The truth is, I was crying for her — and for all of the heaviness that has been building in my heart for months. The political division, the international conflicts, the injustice — it has felt like a lot lately.

My teenage son sometimes says to me when we talk about hard things, "Mom, why does life have to be so hard?" And I tell him, "I don't know, Buddy. But you're right — and I also know that it is beautiful too."This week's guest is Shannan Martin, bestselling author of the brand new book Counterweights, and she has a practice for holding both of those things at once.

In this episode, you'll learn:

💜 Why Shannan writes down both the weights AND the counterweights every night — and what happens when you hold them together on the same page

💜 Why Shannan (a self-described introvert) pushes herself to gather people in her home regularly — and the surprisingly low bar she sets to make it actually happen

💜 The tiny silver fork that has become one of her most treasured daily rituals (you'll understand when you hear it)

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

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Related Episodes:

424: When LIFE Doesn't Turn Out as Planned // Jessica N. Turner

401: How Radical Gratitude Can Change Your Life // Dr. Tanmeet Sethi

390: Living with Grief without Losing Yourself // Shelby Quinlan

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472: When the World Feels Heavy, Try This // Shannan Martin