
Freewriting prompts will now be shared each Friday on our Brave Learning Substack!
But no worries! Past prompts will still be housed here on the blog. There are hundreds of them to choose from.
New to freewriting?
Check out our free online guide.
Freewriting prompts will now be shared each Friday on our Brave Learning Substack!
But no worries! Past prompts will still be housed here on the blog. There are hundreds of them to choose from.
New to freewriting?
Check out our free online guide.
Tags: Writing prompts
Posted in Friday Freewrite | Comments Off on Friday Freewrite Is Moving!
Welcome back for Part 2 of our conversation with Tara Mohr, homeschooling mom and expert on women’s leadership. Here’s Part 1 if you missed it.
On today’s podcast, we discuss teaching kids to notice and name their inner critic, the terms “pachad” and “yirah,” and what Tara means when she uses the term “calling.”
You can pick up a copy of Tara’s book, Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, in the Brave Writer book shop!
Naming the Inner Critic
Girls develop a strong inner critic voice at a very young age. Often, when they express it, well-meaning adults respond by trying to argue with that inner critic. For example, when a girl says “I’m ugly,” the typical adult response is “No, you’re beautiful.”
Rather than trying to argue with the inner critic, we can teach our daughters a much more effective way of dealing with it: notice and name it. When a girl says “I’m ugly,” you can say “That sounds like your inner critic” and then help them develop ways to separate that inner critic from their true selves.
Pachad and Yirah
Tara helps us understand the sensations of fear by breaking it down into two Old Testament words: “pachad” and “yirah.”
“Pachad” is the “fight or flight” kind of fear where we are on high alert for danger and imagine worse case scenarios.
“Yirah” is different. Yirah is more like trembling in awe. It’s the feeling when we step into a larger space than we are used to. We are uncomfortable, but we can breathe through it and allow ourselves to absorb the power of the moment.
When we start to perceive fear in ourselves, we can ask ourselves, “is this Pachad or Yirah?”
What “Calling” Means
Often the term “calling” is used by religious leaders to suggest there is a Higher Authority who has a plan for your life that you must follow. That’s not how Tara uses the term.
Tara describes “calling” as a lifelong process of being in touch with your true self and listening to what pulls you at a point and time. For Tara, the question to ask yourself is not “what’s my calling?” but “what’s calling me now?”
Tara Mohr is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom about raising our kids, especially our girls, to be confident, fulfilled adults.
Connect with Julie
Connect with Melissa
Produced by NOVA
Posted in Podcasts | Comments Off on [Podcast #272] Playing Big with Tara Mohr (Part 2)
Over the last five years, we did a lot of this growing together through my free newsletter “Tea with Julie.” Since then, my hair got grey and your kids got older!
Today, it feels like time for something new. Substack beckons!
We can do more of what I’d like to do with you—with comment sections plus video and audio. I like the format (reminds me of old school internet where I grew the most as a homeschooler and human person).
Plus my ever-busy brain needs a place to keep writing!
Sometimes, we’ll send out public Substacks to everyone because it’s a topic that is better suited to the WHOLE WORLD. But the rest of the time, we’re going to focus on specific aspects of educating, parenting, and adulting—what I call brave learning. Paid subscribers will get to comment and read the entire message, and engage with me and one another.
See you there!
Posted in Homeschool Advice | Comments Off on Now on Substack: Brave Learning!
Write a story using as many of these “L” words as you can.
Freewriting is that wonderful key that unlocks the writer within. It’s the vehicle by which we trick our inner selves into divesting the words and ideas that we want to share but are afraid won’t come out right on paper if we do. So, read the freewriting prompt, set the timer for 5-10 minutes then write whatever comes to mind. Just keep the pencil moving!
Need more help? Check out our free online guide.
Tags: Writing prompts
Posted in Friday Freewrite | Comments Off on Friday Freewrite: Letter “L” Words
What is it that holds women back when it comes to taking risks or living authentically? How can we raise our daughters so they don’t have to struggle as much as we have?
Tara Mohr, an expert on women’s leadership and a homeschooling mom herself, joins the show today to discuss this topic and share her book, Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead.
We discuss developing self-trust and the difference between preparation and improvisation.
Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2!
Developing Self-Trust
Women tend to not trust themselves—not trust their abilities, not trust their analyses. Of course we should all practice humility and self-reflection, but rather than starting from a place of loyalty to our fears, we should start from a place of loyalty to our dreams.
Preparation vs. Improvisation
Girls often get praised for preparation and following the rules, especially in their school environment. This can give them a sense of control–if they are prepared and follow the rules, then everything will be ok.
Problems arise in their adult lives when they’re not given clear rules, when they’re in situations they can’t fully prepare for. These situations often arise in the workplace, especially at leadership levels. In these situations, improvisation is as highly valued as preparation. We need to strengthen our daughters’ confidence in their improvisation skills.
Naming the Inner Critic
Girls develop a strong inner critic voice at a very young age. Often, when they express it, well-meaning adults respond by trying to argue with that inner critic. For example, when a girl says “I’m ugly,” the typical adult response is “No, you’re beautiful.”
Rather than trying to argue with the inner critic, we can teach our daughters a much more effective way of dealing with it: notice and name it. When a girl says “I’m ugly,” you can say “That sounds like your inner critic” and then help them develop ways to separate that inner critic from their true selves.
Tara gets into all this and more in Playing Big. We encourage everyone to read it!
Connect with Julie
Connect with Melissa
Produced by NOVA
Posted in Podcasts | Comments Off on [Podcast #271] Playing Big with Tara Mohr (Part 1)
I’m a homeschooling alum -17 years, five kids. Now I run Brave Writer, the online writing and language arts program for families. More >>
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