by Meagan Francis
Reflections on living wisely and well in a manic modern world. Conversations about midlife motherhood, food, creativity, and living well, shared over a hot cup of tea. <br/><br/><a href="https://meaganfrancis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">meaganfrancis.substack.com</a>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
11/8/2023
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
See how your show performs across every key metric
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
May 6, 2026
<p>From ‘you only have 18 summers with your kids, enjoy every moment!’ to a sunk-cost mentality about how we used our time in our younger years, midlife can be full of hangups about time: how we save it, how we spend it, how we value it. I was thrilled to have a chance to chat with my longtime writer friend <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/profile/545485-laura">Laura</a> Vanderkam about her newest book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/101234/9781324110750">Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance</a>, and how the ideas and concepts in it can apply to everything from motherhood and midlife to creativity and ambition. Watch the video to see a practical, encouraging, and funny chat with Laura!</p><p>video links</p><p>* Grab Laura’s<a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/101234/9781324110750"> new book</a></p><p>* Laura’s book <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/101234/9781591844105">168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</a></p><p>* Laura’s novella, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/101234/9780525538950">Juliet’s School of Possibilities</a></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/">The Frugal Girl</a> </p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://midlifeladyleisurepursuits.substack.com/p/big-idea-energy">Midlife Lady Leisure Pursuits episode about big ideas</a></p><p>* My book <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/a/101234/9781464225161">The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read: How We Let Our Kids Go And Embrace What’s Next </a>came out a year ago today! My last chapter was entirely about time - how we spend it, and how we perceive it, especially as our kids create independent lives and we move into the next steps of ours. (p.s. - I usually use Bookshop links, but for some reason <a target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/49Ar2HL">my book is super cheap on Amazon right now</a> - so if you are wanting to buy a couple of copies as gifts, this is a great time.)</p><p></p><p>Because even though we all, in the throes of early motherhood, knew in our hearts that “it goes so fast” and “babies don’t keep”, we were also caught up in the forward thrust of Real Life happening all around us. Our own ambitions, whether they be career-focused or personal, mattered to us; our families’ needs for food, shelter, clothing, and a reasonably functional and clean home might take precedence over rocking said baby. There was no fairy mothering godmother to tell us exactly how to slow down, let things go, prioritize; we made decisions in the moment and probably we could sometimes have made better ones. - <strong>The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read: How We Let Our Kids Go And Embrace What’s Next</strong></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2">meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe</a>
December 20, 2025
<p>There’s nothing like being taken out with a bad cold in the first week of December to humble and hobble one’s best-laid holiday plans, is there? And even before I started getting the sniffles on December 1, I had the nagging feeling I was already behind. </p><p>But…behind on what? What if the problem isn’t that the season (or the year!) is too short, but that I’m crowding it by trying to do too much - not only in my holiday mothering but in my career, my creative life, and elsewhere - and just overwhelming both myself and the intended recipients of my work in the effort? </p><p>In this episode, my last of 2025, I share about my complicated history with “producing”, and how this simple statement - “I don’t have to do so much” - has been acting like a mantra for me, helping me make more clear-eyed decisions about what I can let go of (or simply the fact that I can let go of anything at all.) </p><p>I talk about how “overproduction” can overwhelm both the producer and those who are trying to enjoy the fruits of her efforts (I compare it to throwing a dinner party where, eager to impress and delight, the host loads the table with dishes and everyone winds up too stuffed to really enjoy themselves), how this tends to show up in my creative life and the content I create, and the ways I push gently back against those tendencies to create space for a slower, more satisfying type of productivity.</p><p>If you prefer, you can also watch this episode as a video: </p><p>While this will be the final regular episode of The Kettle podcast, <a target="_blank" href="https://meaganfrancis.substack.com/p/monthly-journals"><strong>my monthly Journal episodes and newsletters will live on for paying subscribers! </strong></a>These are the slow, seasonal, resource-rich episodes and accompanying newsletters that come out on the first of each month. The Monthly Journals are in a private feed and get emailed to paying subscribers each month. If you’re a paying subscriber and aren’t sure how to access the Journal episodes, just respond to this email and I’ll help you out.</p><p>We’ve also got some great seasonal conversations going on in our private Discord chat: I shared my “holiday fatalism” - the belief that if everything isn’t done by December 20 I may as well just give up until next year; member Katie shares that she actually tends to be an “under-doer” at the holiday and how she’s gently expanding her participation this year, plus lots of holiday baking ideas and inspiration. <strong>It’s all in the private chat for paying subscribers.</strong></p><p>A note that <strong>I have decided to continue to offer annual memberships at a deeply-discounted rate indefinitely,</strong> while raising the price on monthly memberships. I know people upgrade to paid for all kinds of reasons: to access our community offerings, to read and listen to a specific piece or two of exclusive content, to have access to all the exclusive content whenever they want it, or sometimes just to support my work. Offering different subscription options allows people to decide what works best for them, and then I don’t have to do that thing where I stress out wondering if I’m giving everyone what they need. (Enneagram 2 over here!)</p><p>That’s all for this final pre-holiday check-in. I hope you are well, and your holiday is shaping up to be exactly what you need it to be. Merry Christmas, and I’ll talk to you soon, friends. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2">meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe</a>
December 1, 2025
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://meaganfrancis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7">meaganfrancis.substack.com</a><br/><br/><p>It's finally December, and my hands are itchy to make things. How about you? </p><p>Today, I’m settling in with a cozy journal episode all about making (which includes, of course, baking)—the creative, connected kind that feels especially grounding this time of year. </p><p>I recorded this on the last day of November, after a snowy, white-knuckled drive to drop Owen off at his roommate’s house so the two could make their way back to campus together. I came home ready to curl up with tea, knitting, and a stack of holiday magazines, and that sense of relaxed creative energy became the starting point for today’s conversation.</p><p>In this episode, I share the story of returning to knitting after more than three decades. With the help of my neighbor Sue and a beginner-friendly washcloth pattern, I’ve been slowly rebuilding my knitting “muscle memory,” making mistakes, unraveling whole evenings’ worth of work, learning tension and shaping, and loving the meditative rhythm of it all. I’m not quite ready for knitted holiday gifts this year, but I’m excited to explore simple, festive projects—maybe ornaments, garlands, or anything that makes use of this new hobby without the pressure to perform.</p><p>And of course, no holiday-season conversation about making would be complete without a conversation about baking. Last year I baked a lot; but not a lot of different things. Instead, I leaned into a small rotation of beloved recipes (cranberry-orange everything), making them again and again until they felt like (tasty) old friends. </p><p>This year, I want to expand on that same idea, leaning into a few baking themes instead of trying to make every Christmas cookie in the book. Think tea-based baked goods, pastries, and maybe a recipe pulled from the history books. I’ll be using our upcoming community Holiday Baking Bee to establish this year’s treat lineup, and in the episode I talk through the recipes I want to revisit, where I’m looking for inspiration, and even the practicalities of keeping my feet, shoulders, and neck happy during long baking sessions.</p><p>I also share details about the Baking Bee happening December 5–7, how you can participate, and a few reminders about where to find member links, resources, and event info. </p><p><strong>Our monthly episodes are a benefit for paying members of </strong><a target="_blank" href="http://meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe"><strong>The Kettle Community</strong></a><a target="_blank" href="http://meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe">. </a>To hear the full episode and find those helpful links, as well as links to community events like our weekly Co-Create sessions on Zoom, our private Discord chat, and more.</p><p>Click below to listen to the full episode and join our peaceful, creative little haven! Annual memberships are 60% off through December 7, so this is a great time to join. </p>
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Reflections on living wisely and well in a manic modern world. Conversations about midlife motherhood, food, creativity, and living well, shared over a hot cup of tea.
<br/><br/><a href="https://meaganfrancis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">meaganfrancis.substack.com</a>
This podcast updates weekly.
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.