In this episode of Cultivate Contentment, I continue exploring the experience of change and focus on what happens after you’ve taken that brave first step but haven’t yet arrived at where you want to be. This stage—the in-between, often called the liminal space—can be incredibly challenging. It’s that place where you’ve left behind the familiar, but the future isn’t fully clear yet. As rural women, farmwives, and mothers, we often find ourselves here, navigating new roles and letting go of old routines that have been ingrained in us for years. This space can feel disorienting and uncomfortable, but it’s also a time for growth and transformation.

Drawing from my own personal experiences and using agricultural metaphors that feel so familiar to life on the farm, I share how this liminal space can lead to powerful growth, even though it may feel uncertain. It’s a lot like planting a crop—you’ve done the work, you’ve planted the seeds, and now you need to nurture them and trust that growth will happen, even if you can’t see the results yet. In this episode, I’m offering practical advice on how to stay patient and trust the process, even when it’s tempting to slip back into old habits.

• Understanding the Liminal Space This in-between phase is a transitional period where you’re no longer in the old, but you’re not quite in the new either. I talk about how I’ve experienced this in my own life and how it often feels unsettling and uncomfortable. Recognizing that this is a natural part of any change can help us embrace it, rather than resist it. It’s like standing on a bridge between two places—you’re on your way, but you’re not quite there yet.

• The Importance of Gradual, Incremental Changes Change doesn’t happen overnight, and trying to force it can often leave us feeling overwhelmed. In this episode, I share how I’ve learned to make slow, incremental changes in my own life to help ease the discomfort of the liminal space. It’s about taking one step at a time, without trying to do too much at once. These small, manageable shifts can create lasting change without feeling like you’ve taken on too much.

• Trusting the Process, Much Like Tending to a Crop On the farm, we know that you don’t see the results of your work right away. After planting, it takes time for crops to grow, and you need to trust that all the nurturing and care will pay off. I apply that same mindset to navigating this liminal space. Even when you can’t see the progress, trust that growth is happening beneath the surface. It’s all part of the process, and having faith in that can help you keep moving forward.

• Resisting the Urge to Revert Back to Familiar Routines When things get uncomfortable, it’s natural to want to go back to what’s familiar, even if that old routine or role wasn’t serving you. I’ve been there myself, and in this episode, I discuss how to resist the urge to revert back to old habits. Instead, I encourage you to stay the course and trust that this discomfort is part of the growth process. It’s hard, but staying committed to the change you’ve started is so important.

• Embracing the Liminal Space as a Time for Reflection and Growth Though the liminal space is filled with uncertainty, it’s also a time for deep reflection and personal growth. I talk about how this period, though difficult, can be one of the most transformative if you allow yourself to sit in the discomfort and reflect on where you’re going. Much like how we tend to our crops, we need to tend to our inner growth and trust that, in time, the fruits of our labor will emerge.

Resources & Links:

Values Bundle

Grounded Farm Wife Journal

Episode 17: Can I Keep Carrying It All? Finding Strength in Doing What Matters Most

Episode 18: When Change Feels Hard and Uncomfortable in Rural Life Part 1

Connect with Jessica:

Follow me on Instagram@groundedfarmwife

Check out my websitewww.groundedfarmwife.com.au

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/19

Lately, I’ve been asking myself, "Can I keep carrying it all?" Between the end of calving season, dealing with silage, board meetings, and keeping up with the kids’ appointments and school schedules, it feels like everything is piling up. Add in the winter illnesses we’ve all been battling, and I started questioning if I’m really managing it all or just barely holding it together.

In this episode, I talk about the strategies that help me cope with the mental load we carry, especially as rural women. We’ll dive into setting boundaries, reassessing commitments, and working together with our partners to lighten the load. It’s not about trying to do it all, but focusing on what truly matters. If you’ve ever felt like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, this episode is for you. Together, we’ll figure out how to find strength in what’s important and let go of the rest.

But it’s also made me think about what really matters. We all juggle so much—our roles as wives, mothers, and farmers—but there’s a point where we need to step back and figure out where to draw the line. How can we find the strength to manage it all without losing ourselves?

For me, it’s not about doing everything perfectly or fitting it all in—it’s about setting boundaries, letting go of what doesn’t align with my values, and working with Stephen as a team. Like so many of you, I’ve had moments where I feel guilty asking for help, especially when Stephen already has a lot on his plate. But I’ve realized we can’t carry it all alone, and sometimes, finding strength means doing less and focusing on what really matters. If you’ve ever felt like the weight of farm life, family, and everything else is too much, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.

Key Points from This Episode

• Setting Boundaries: It’s crucial to define what aligns with your values and say "no" to things that stretch you too thin. Boundaries protect your time and energy, especially when you're juggling so many responsibilities.

• Delegating to Your Partner: Don’t be afraid to ask your husband for help, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Stephen and I are a team, and it’s important to work together. When you communicate openly, it reduces stress for both of you.

• Reevaluating Priorities: Over time, our values shift. Letting go of things that no longer fit your life (like I did with my GippsDairy board work) can be hard, but it’s necessary to free up mental space.

• Focusing on What Matters Most: It’s easy to get caught up in the busy seasons of farming and motherhood, but true strength comes from focusing on the tasks that truly matter and letting go of trying to do it all.

• The Mental Load: The mental weight we carry as rural women is real, but we don’t have to carry it all by ourselves. It’s okay to ask for help and to prioritize what’s important over what feels urgent.

Resources & Links:

• Values Bundle

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal

Related Episodes

• Episode 003. My Struggle with Burnout as a Rural Farm Wife

Connect with Jessica:

• Follow me on Instagram @groundedfarmwife

• Check out my website www.groundedfarmwife.com.au

• Join my email list

Find the complete show notes ere: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/episode-17

Subscribe to the Cultivate Contentment podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, you won’t want to miss what’s coming next! Make sure you hit the subscribe button to tune into future episodes.

If you love the Cultivate Contentment podcast, I’d be so grateful if you’d rate and review it on iTunes! Simply scroll down, tap to give it a five star rating, then tap “Write a Review.” Your rating and review will help more rural women discover new episodes each week!

In today’s episode, I’m excited to sit down with Zoe, a holistic wellness expert, naturopath, and emotional release technique (ERT) practitioner. Zoe is passionate about holistic wellness and personal growth and is a dedicated holistic health guide. With a background in Naturopathy and Emotion Release Technique, she is committed to empowering women and mothers to thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally. Through one-on-one sessions, group programs and compassionate support, Zoe guides her clients through emotional clearing and nervous system regulation, whilst teaching them about the fundamental pillars of health and helping them cultivate vibrant well-being in every aspect of their lives.

Zoe’s passion is empowering women and mothers to thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally. We dive deep into how interconnected our physical health and emotions are, and Zoe explains the seven fundamental pillars of health that she focuses on with her clients. She highlights how diet, sleep, hydration, movement, and even nervous system regulation play a role in achieving vibrant well-being, sharing practical tips for rural women looking to improve their health sustainably.

• Health is interconnected; it's not just about diet or exercise, but how all aspects of your life come together.
• Nervous system regulation is crucial for emotional health and can prevent feelings of overwhelm.
• Start small and build up your wellness practices—perfection isn’t necessary to see positive changes.
• Emotional health plays a huge role in physical well-being, and addressing emotional blockages can lead to significant improvements.
• Simple, everyday changes, such as how you breathe or the time you spend in nature, can have a profound effect on your overall health.

Resources & Links:

Grounded Farm Wife Journal

CONNECT WITH JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram @groundedfarmwife

Check out my website www.groundedfarmwife.com.au

CONNECT WITH ZOE:

• Follow on Instagram

• Check out her website

Find the complete show notes here:https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/zoe-boyce

Episode Summary:

On today’s episode of Cultivate Contentment, I’m talking about a topic that’s close to my heart—the power of sleep. For many of us as rural mums and farm wives, sleep feels like a luxury. Between the early mornings on the farm, caring for kids, and managing everything else that comes our way, we often put our own needs on the backburner. I’ve been there—those nights where you toss and turn, thinking about everything you have to do, only to be woken up by a child who needs you. It feels like a never-ending cycle, right?

I know I’ve struggled with sleep ever since becoming a mum, and farm life only makes it trickier. There’s always something to be done, whether it’s late-night calf feedings or worrying about the next day’s workload. And as we get older, sleep seems to change—our bodies don’t bounce back the way they used to. In this episode, I’m sharing not just why sleep is so crucial to our well-being but also some of the hard truths I’ve learned along the way about how we, as mums, often don’t give ourselves permission to rest.

Most importantly, I’m offering five actionable tips you can use to start improving your sleep tonight. These are simple changes you can make, even when life is busy and unpredictable. I’ve found them to be really helpful, especially during those hectic farm seasons when you’re running on empty. So, let’s dive into how we can get better sleep and start feeling more like ourselves again.

This episode is part of my 2 month Spring Reset series. This series is all focused on helping rural women reset their lives and shift their focus to the things that bring more peace, balance, and joy. Each week, we’ll dive into a new topic that will help you slow down, find moments of contentment, and feel more grounded—despite the chaos around you.

In this episode about The Power of Sleep, we cover:

• The challenges of sleep after motherhood – I talk about how sleep changes once you become a mum, especially when you add the demands of farm life into the mix. It’s not just about getting less sleep, but the quality of sleep changes too. Between waking up for the kids and managing the farm, we’re constantly on edge, and that mental load can keep us awake long after the lights go out.

• Why sleep is so critical for our well-being – I explore how lack of sleep affects us as rural mums and farm wives. It’s not just about being tired; sleep impacts everything from our mood to our decision-making. When we’re sleep-deprived, we’re more likely to feel overwhelmed, make mistakes, or lose patience with those around us. I share my own experiences of how sleep (or the lack of it) has affected me on the farm and in my role as a mum.

• Five actionable tips for better sleep – These tips are designed to help you get better sleep, even when life is busy or unpredictable:

1. Create a wind-down routine – Establish a short bedtime routine that signals to your body it’s time to rest. This can be something simple like reading, a warm shower, or stretching before bed.

1. Limit screen time before bed – Turn off your phone or any screens at least 30 minutes before bed. The blue light emitted from devices can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, making it harder to fall asleep.

1. Adjust your sleep environment – Make your bedroom a restful place by adjusting the temperature, dimming the lights, and investing in comfortable bedding. Even small changes can make a big difference.

1. Set consistent sleep and wake times – Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even during busy farming seasons. Your body will thank you for the consistency, and you’ll find it easier to fall asleep.

1. Prioritize naps or rest when you can – Don’t feel guilty for napping! When life gets crazy, sometimes a short nap during the day can be just what you need to recharge and keep going.

Resources & Links:

Grounded Farm Wife Journal

Connect with Jessica:

Follow me on Instagram @groundedfarmwife

Check out my website www.groundedfarmwife.com.au

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/the-power-of-sleep