The Heart AF Podcast: Conversations for Burned-Out Millennial Moms ready to Heal & Step Into Their Feminine Power

40. Parenting Through Crisis & Surrendering to Faith

I am opening up about one of my most painful moments as a parent when I had to help my oldest daughter through an intense mental-health crisis. This time in our lives was terrifying, but I wanted to share the lessons that came with trying to control what felt uncontrollable, and how everything began to change the moment my husband and I chose to surrender, trust, and lean into our faith.
This experience showed me the power of letting go, both as a parent and as a human and how fear often fuels our need for control. In this conversation I explore what it means to create safety, not through holding tighter, but through learning to trust life, God, and the people we love.
If you’ve ever struggled with fear, parenting through crisis, or learning to release control when everything feels uncertain, this episode will meet you right where you are, with compassion, hope, and a reminder that you are never alone 💖
Links & Resources:Join the private Heart AF community https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartafcommunity
Follow me on Instagram: @chelsea.vanbuskirk
Email: info@chelseavanbuskirk.com
Write me a review and then screenshot it and send it to me via email or in a DM and be entered in my monthly drawing to win a $100 Amazon gift card! Winners will be announced on the 2nd of every month on my social channels!

39. How Your Nervous System Impacts Your Kids (My Story of Mom Dysregulation & Burnout)

This experience showed me the effects of how important co-regulation is with your kids. Especially if you have kids who may have some sensory sensitivities. My nervous system was at a level code red and I had a full on mom meltdown at my son's baseball game. My son was clearly experiencing his own kind of meltdown, that triggered me into both os us losing our sh*t in public.HOWEVER! There is a positive spin to this story as it really showed me how regulating myself, and being aware of my own triggers, can better help me manage my son when he gets into that state. My calm can help him find his. Why is it the truth that our kids can be our greatest teachers!? Damn I wish it were easier sometimes!
In this episode, I share this real moment of parenting through big emotions and dysregulation. I open up about  the struggles we have had with our son and how my triggers and the stories I was creating in my head led to  #momguilt and made this meltdown moment way bigger than it needed to be. 
I explore the difference between emotions and feelings, the power of pausing instead of forcing, and how a simple hug helped me co-regulate and come back to center.
If you’ve ever felt helpless during your child’s meltdown, or found yourself triggered in the moment, this episode is for you.
You’re not alone!
Let’s talk about how to move from chaos to calm, one breath or cuss word at a time.
Links & Resources:
Join the private Heart AF community https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartafcommunity
Follow me on Instagram: @chelsea.vanbuskirk
Email: info@chelseavanbuskirk.com
Write me a review and then screenshot it and send it to me via email or in a DM and be entered in my monthly drawing to win a $100 Amazon gift card!

38. Coming Back After Hard Seasons

The Heart AF Podcast is back! In this first episode after a long pause, I open up about why I stepped away, and some of what I’ve learned through one of the hardest seasons of my life, and why I felt called to return to the mic now.
We talk about the messy reality of healing, the courage it takes to find your voice again, and how to move through pain without staying stuck in suffering. If you’ve ever felt broken, overwhelmed, or alone in your struggles, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
The truth behind my time away and why it was so hard to come back
How painful seasons can re-open old wounds and force us to grow
The difference between inevitable pain and chosen suffering
Why using your voice and owning your story is part of healing
The power of faith, love, and community in moving through trauma
What to expect in coming episodes: more real talk, healing conversations, and inspiring interviews
 
Links & Resources:
Join the private Heart AF community https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartafcommunity
Follow me on Instagram: @chelsea.vanbuskirk
Email: info@chelseavanbuskirk.com
Leave a review and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card!

Heart AF Trailer - Rise, Heal, and Live Heart AF

Welcome to The Heart AF Podcast with host Chelsea VanBuskirk—wife, mom of three, and recovering mother-hustler. This show is about refusing to let hard seasons harden our hearts. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. Each week, expect honest stories, practical tools, and conversations with healers and women who’ve walked through grief, betrayal, burnout, messy parenting and marriage—and found joy again. We’ll unpack self-sabotage, set better boundaries, and practice simple “spiritual-meets-real-life” steps to come home to ourselves.
New episodes every Wednesday starting October 22. Subscribe, share with a friend, and let’s live Heart AF.

Heart AF Trailer — Rise, Heal, and Live Heart AF

Welcome to The Heart AF Podcast with host Chelsea VanBuskirk—wife, mom of three, and recovering mother-hustler. This show is about refusing to let hard seasons harden our hearts. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. Each week, expect honest stories, practical tools, and conversations with healers and women who’ve walked through grief, betrayal, burnout, messy parenting and marriage—and found joy again. We’ll unpack self-sabotage, set better boundaries, and practice simple “spiritual-meets-real-life” steps to come home to ourselves.
New episodes every Wednesday starting October 22. Subscribe, share with a friend, and let’s live Heart AF.

37. Breaking Free: The Power of Embracing Your Authentic Self

In this week's episode, join me as we take a look at Disney Pixar's movie Elemental and uncover one of the profound life lessons it has to offer.
Watching this enchanting animation, I was able unravel the damaging truths about the relentless pursuit of people-pleasing.
I explore how we often poison our own lives by suppressing our dreams and needs in the name of making others happy. It's time to realize that we are perfectly created just the way we are, and conformity is not the path to true happiness.
By sacrificing our authenticity, we inadvertently lower our vibrational frequency, preventing us from reaching our fullest potential. Through this movie and my own growth I challenge the notion that muting ourselves for the benefit of others is a noble endeavor. Instead, I offer encouragement for you to break free from these self-imposed cages and step into the light of your highest possible self.
I don't want to see people-pleasing hold you back any longer. It's time to reclaim your power, embrace your uniqueness, and live life to its fullest. Tune in to this episode and set yourself on a path to unlocking your true potential, and break FREE.
Get back to me with a comment, or DM and let me know if you watch this movie, and if this episode resonated with you in any way. Find me on Instagram or Facebook.
 
Sending you so much love ❤️
xo,
Chelsea
#Podcast #Authenticity #SelfDiscovery #EmbraceYourPotential #Elemental #UnlockYourPower #PeoplePleasing

36. Transforming Grief into Compassion: A New Perspective on Relationships

In this emotionally poignant episode, we delve into a deeply personal journey of grief and self-discovery that ultimately leads to a profound shift in perspective.
I had a heart-wrenching moment of grief about my dad that became the catalyst for a transformative realization about not only my relationship with him, but the other relationships in my life. 
Let's go on a transformative journey of empathy and compassion, as we learn how a personal moment of grief can open the door to a brighter, more compassionate future in all of our relationships.#Compassion #Relationships #Empathy #GriefHealing #Transformation #Understanding #SelfGrowth

35. From Ashes to Enlightenment: Lessons from the Maui Fires Part 1

I get personal in this episode, sharing some of my own moments of self-discovery that have led me through the transformative power of letting our ego thoughts burn down.
We tend to identify and value ourselves based on our relationships, our jobs, or our assets. But the truth is all these things can be lost or taken away from us.
And when any of these things happen it can be quite the gut punch and leave us wondering who we really are without these pieces of ourselves. This is our ego at work.
When these painful and humbling moments occur in our lives it is a wake up call to help us break away from the Ego so we transform our lives.
Two of our investment properties in Maui were consumed by the recent unforgiving fires. But this tragedy also became a profound turning point, reminding me that our true value is not tied to our assets.
Through heartfelt reflection, I share how the flames that devoured those properties also ignited a powerful realization – that material possessions can vanish in an instant, but our inner worth endures. Strength and wisdom are some of the positive effects that are beginning to emerge from the ashes.
The experience of losing everything can lead to a newfound appreciation for what truly matters and how you, too, can embark on a path of self-renewal.
Listen to this week's Heart AF episode, "From Ashes to Enlightenment: Lessons from the Maui Fires," and learn how to let go of the ego, redefine your sense of value, and rebuild your life with a renewed sense of purpose and compassion.
 
#EgoBurnDown #FromAshesToEnlightenment #ValueBeyondAssets #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #PodcastEpisode #LifeLessons #Renewal #MauiFires #InnerStrength #FocusOnWhatMatters #SelfDiscovery #Empathy #Unity #PodcastJourney

34. ”Let Them.” - Embrace Empathy: Letting Go of Judgment and Rising Above Negativity.

Welcome to another enlightening episode of The Heart AF Podcast Episode 34- Let Them.
In this episode, I discuss the profound practice of letting go of judgment, and instead, choosing to rise above negativity when faced with the words and actions of others. We live in a world filled with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, it's all too easy to fall into the trap of judgment.
We often form opinions about others based on their actions, words, or even appearances, which can lead to negativity and a sense of moral superiority.
But what if we took a different path? What if we learned to let go of our judgment and allow others to be themselves, recognizing that their actions and words are often a reflection of their own experiences and struggles? That we can change our perspective and realize, not everything is as it seems.
We may not always have it right.
In this episode, we embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth as we explore the powerful concept, "Let Them."
Recognizing the impact of judgment on our mental and emotional well-being. I'll discuss some mindfulness techniques to become aware of judgmental thoughts and how we can reframe negative judgments into opportunities for growth and understanding.
 
#LetThem #EmpathyMatters #PodcastEpisode #LetGoOfJudgment #EmbraceEmpathy #selfgrowth #heartaf

33. How To Rise Above Our Painful Experiences

Have you ever felt that you could be addicted to pain or drama in your life?
Sometimes we get so used to dealing with painful moments in life we tend to get stuck in these negative loops of painful experiences. Our egos can become drawn to the negative feelings we feel, to those lower vibrational feelings of being a victim. There is a community with shared traumas and life experiences that we can bond over.
Misery loves company and can reinforce these negative loop patterns in our lives.
But we can rise above this.
This week's Heart AF episode is all about how we can break these negative cycles our egos want to hold onto. And how we can rise above to create more joy and peace in our lives.
 
Let me know what you think and if any of this week's episode resonates with you
 
#selfgrowth #selflove #lawofattraction #healing #selfhealing #higherpower
 
You can find the book I mention in this episode here
 
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