Motherhood Unstressed

Luke Mickelson never planned to start a nonprofit. In 2012, he found out kids in his own town were sleeping on the floor, so he built one bunk bed in his garage. That bed became Sleep in Heavenly Peace, now the largest bed-building charity in the world, with over 300,000 beds delivered to kids across the US and beyond.
In this episode, Luke talks about walking away from a stable sales career to chase something that felt bigger than a five-year plan, why "no kid sleeps on the floor in our town" became the only mission statement he needed, and the discipline it took to keep the organization from drifting into everything else it could have become. We also get into what a bed actually changes for a kid, and what he's learned about noticing the tiny moments that end up changing a life.
If you've ever wondered what it looks like to turn one small act of service into a movement without losing the plot along the way, this one's for you. And if it moves you the way it moved us, Sleep in Heavenly Peace has chapters across the country that are always looking for volunteers, builders, and donations. Head to https://shpbeds.org or on Instagram @shpbeds to find one near you. 
Connect with Liz @elizabeth_carlile or motherhoodunstressed.com

Most of us know we're stressed. What we don't know is what it's actually doing to our bodies while we push through another day. This week I'm talking with Daniel Zavrel about heart coherence, a stress test you've probably never heard of, and what it reveals about your nervous system.
Episode summary:
Daniel Zavrel has spent over 30 years working in human performance, elite sports, and corporate leadership, and is the founder of Consciouz and creator of the ConsciouzScan Method. In this conversation, we get into how the ConsciouzScan reads stress and imbalance in the body, what heart coherence training reveals about your nervous system, and what happens when unresolved stress goes unaddressed. If you've ever wondered why you can "know" you should meditate or breathe deeper and still not do it, this episode gets at the missing piece: seeing the effect in real time changes everything.
In this episode, we cover:
What heart coherence actually is, and why it's more than a buzzword
The ConsciouzScan Method: how it measures stress and imbalance in the body
How chronic stress physically shows up in the brain and the heart
Practical ways to bring your body back into balance day to day
How this work applies to the exhaustion so many moms are carrying without realizing it
About Daniel Zavrel:
Daniel Zavrel is the founder of Consciouz and creator of the ConsciouzScan Method, bringing over 30 years of experience in human performance, vitality, and stress regulation. His work spans global corporations (Accenture, Unilever, Philips, PwC), elite sports (including PSV's three-time national championship run), and the Dutch National Police, where he trained over 1,500 officers in mental resilience. He's also a certified HeartMath Group Trainer. Today, his ConsciouzScan Method helps coaches, practitioners, and individuals get a clear, measurable picture of stress load, recovery, and resilience.
Links:
Consciouz: consciouz.com
About Daniel: consciouz.com/about-daniel-zavrel
ConsciouzScan sessions: checkout.consciouz.com/consciouz-body-mind-scan
Daniel on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danielzavrel
Follow Motherhood Unstressed:
Instagram @elizabeth_carlile
www.motherhoodunstressed.com

A whispered, sensory meditation for the moments you need to fully let go — winding through restoration, anxiety relief, and grounding affirmations for self-love and inner strength, ending in a state calm enough for sleep. Soft-spoken, slow-paced, no experience needed. Just ten minutes to settle in and rest.
Connect with Liz on IG @elizabeth_carlile or at www.motherhoodunstressed.com

How much do the places around us shape the way we think, behave, and connect with others?
In this episode of Motherhood Unstressed, I sit down with behavioral scientist and author Leidy Klotz to explore the hidden influence of our environments.
Drawing from his new book In a Good Place: How the Places Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive, Klotz explains how homes, workplaces, schools, and cities quietly shape our habits, relationships, and overall well-being.
The conversation explores how thoughtful design can encourage creativity, connection, and healthier routines and how small changes to our surroundings can dramatically shift the way we experience daily life.
For parents, entrepreneurs, creatives, and anyone interested in building a life that feels more intentional, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the environments that shape us.
In this episode we discuss:
Why the environments around us influence behavior more than we realize

How the design of homes and workplaces affects stress, creativity, and connection

Small environmental changes that can improve family life

Why certain places foster friendships and community

How changing environments can spark new thinking and habits

The psychology behind why some spaces help us thrive while others drain us

About the Guest
Leidy Klotz is a behavioral scientist, University of Virginia professor, and author whose research focuses on how design and environment shape human behavior. His work examines how small changes to the spaces around us can improve well-being, relationships, and decision-making.
His latest book, In a Good Place, explores how the environments where we live, work, and play influence our ability to flourish.
Connect with Leidy at https://leidyklotz.com 
Get the book  In a Good Place: How the Places Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive
Connect with Motherhood Unstressed
Instagram: @elizabeth_carlile

In this Joe Dispenza–inspired guided meditation, you'll slow your nervous system, release the energy of the past year, and intentionally step into the version of yourself you are becoming.
This 10-minute practice blends intention setting, future-self visualization, heart-centered awareness, and elevated emotion to help you embody alignment rather than chase outcomes. Instead of forcing goals, you'll practice becoming the person who naturally lives them.
This meditation is designed for the new year but it can be returned to anytime you need a reset, clarity, or a reminder of who you're choosing to be.
Best enjoyed seated or lying down.
No prior meditation experience needed.
Connect with Liz at www.motherhoodunstressed.com or on Instagram @elizabeth_carlile