In today’s episode, I am joined by Jessie Harrold, a coach, doula and author of ‘Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage’. A couple of years ago, I followed Jessie’s course by the same name and it held me deeply in the depths of my postpartum identity shift. This conversation dives deep in the process of matrescence, the part community plays in this and how, as mothers, we can learn to become recipients of care in ways we don’t always see portrayed online.

Tune in to hear more from us on:

• The concept of Mothershift and how to navigate this identity shift postpartum
• Community as the mother power and how motherhood is shifting people away from hyper individualism
• What it means for us to be reproductively hyperburdened as humans
• Menopause and the grandmother hypothesis
• Postpartum depression and experiencing maternal rage
• Experiencing a nourishment barrier in receiving care and support and the myth of being perfectly resourced
• Performing vulnerability on social media
• The impact of having a baby on relationships and how heteronormativity plays a role in this

Resources + Links

• Episode 78 of the Belonging podcast with Jessie Harold on Non-Linear Reciprocity
• Jessie’s book ‘Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage’
• Jessie’s podcast Becoming, season 6 episode 7, with Mara Glatzel and myself on Mothershift
• Mara Glatzel’s book ‘Needy: How to Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty’
• Episode 101 of the Belonging podcast on Delayed Postpartum Depression + Rage
• Episode 127 of the Beloning podcast with Amelia Hruby on Social Media for the Anxiously Attached
• My book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self
• Connect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelli

Timestamps

[0:00] The Mothershift and Matrescence

[16:14] Navigating Postpartum Emotions: Rage and Acceptance

[19:10] Social Media's Role in Motherhood Narratives

[20:11] Cultural Expectations and the Reality of Motherhood

[30:37] The Importance of Community in Motherhood

[44:42] Navigating Under-Resourced Care & The Nourishment Barrier

[50:10] The Impact of Parenthood on Relationships

In today’s episode, I am joined by Stevie Storck, founder of the Cross Quarter Club, a creative seasonal living community focused on gardening and nature connection. When Stevie and I first connected through my circle facilitation training Circle Craft, she introduced me to the concept of the Sharing Table, a tradition that encourages community members to share resources and foster connections. We both share our experiences with this meaningful way of community building and also explore what it means to right-size creative ambitions to fit personal responsibilities.

Tune in to hear more from us on:

• The origins of the Cross Quarter Club and the Sharing Table
• Weaving ancestral traditions into modern communities
• How the Sharing Table reflects a larger movement towards community care
• How creating community involves being the kind of community you want to see
• How embracing the reality of caregiving can inform and enrich creative work
• The challenges we, as millennials, face when it comes to cultivating community
• How right-sizing creative work is crucial for sustainability and fulfillment
• How simplicity and being limited in time and resources can enhance creative endeavours

Stevie is an alumni of Circle Craft, my circle facilitation training, which as of now is available on demand. If you want to bring your vision of circling and facilitation to life and would like me to walk alongside you in that process, visit my website to learn more and join Circle Craft today.

Resources + Links

• Learn more about Circle Craft, my circle facilitation training that is now self-study!
• Stevie’s Sharing Table blog post
• Becca’s video on her sharing table experiment
• Find Stevie’s work on Instagram @steviestorck and her website
• My book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self
• Connect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelli

Timestamps

[00:00] Introduction to Cross Quarter Club and Community Building

[12:50] The Sharing Table: Origins, Intentions and Experiences

[26:58] Reviving Ancestral Traditions in Modern Communities

[34:17] Evolving Plans for Cross Quarter Club

[41:13] Navigating Burnout and Creative Ambitions

[43:58] Right-Sizing Creative Work and Responsibilities

Immersing myself deeply in the season of Summer here on the East coast has meant that I went on a little hiatus when it comes to sharing about my journey with moving my whole family across the country, purchasing land, learning farming, building community, and everything else. So, for this episode, I asked my friend Sarah Wildeman, who’s been a beloved guest on the podcast before, to interview me about what has been present in my life in this season. I’m on the cusp of the anniversary of our move from the West coast to our farm in the Hudson Valley and my relationship with this land and the community around me is ever evolving, changing, sometimes challenging and very much deepening.

Tune in to hear more from us on:

• The importance of choosing to be present and slowing down in order to fully connect with the land and community
• The challenges and tensions that arise when building community in a new place
• The process of letting go of old identities and finding a new sense of purpose and worth
• The ongoing journey of grappling with challenges and staying true to oneself
• Reconnecting with the land requires trust in intuition and working with the energy of the seasons
• Supporting each other through transitions and embracing different roles in a relationship is essential
• Embodying generosity and celebrating differences in partnership allows for flourishing

Resources + Links

• Episode 118 with Sarah Wildeman: “Community Living Wherever You Are”
• Episode 121 with Hillarie Maddox: “WTF did I just do? A Conversation on Rewilding with Hillarie Maddox”
• Find Sarah’s work on Instagram @sarahwildeman and @our__common, and her website
• My book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self
• Connect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelli

Timestamps

[0:00] Introduction

[3:51] Longing for the East Coast and Connection to the Land

[10:40] Building Community and Navigating Tensions

[16:29] Slowing Down in Work and Choosing a Different Way of Life

[20:29] Letting Go and Finding New Purpose

[27:30] The Ongoing Journey of Grappling and Growth

[32:22] Living Life Through the Lens of the Farm

[34:04] Reconnecting with the Land and Trusting Intuition

[37:27] Supporting Each Other Through Transitions and Embracing Different Roles in Partnership

[42:47] Feeling Satiated and Accepting What Is

[48:48] Embodying Generosity and Celebrating Differences in Partnership