Ep #55: An Interview with Molly Claire

Mikki: I'm Mikki Gardner, and this is the Co-Parenting with Confidence Podcast, Episode Number 55, An Interview with Molly Claire. [music] Mikki: Welcome to Co-Parenting with Confidence, a podcast for those courageous moms out there who wanna move past the conflict and frustration of divorce and show up as the mom they truly wanna be. My name's Mikki Gardner. I'm a certified life and conscious parenting coach, with my own personal dose of co-parenting experience. Throughout my co-parenting journey, I have learned to become confident in who I am as a woman and a mother, and I'm here to help you do the same. If you're ready to learn what it takes to become a great co-parent and an amazing example to your children, well, get ready and let's dive into today's episode. [music] Mikki: Welcome back, friend, and thank you for joining me. I'm super excited you're here. I know that there are so many things that you need to be doing, that you could be doing, and so many extraordinary podcasts out there, and that you're here with me, I'm just so grateful. Thank you. This podcast, I have many thoughts about it, but really, I just always wanna be bringing you new perspectives, encouragement, and a whole lot of love, and I love when I can bring on experts who offer their own unique perspective and support on topics that are relevant to this community, to you. And the most important thing is really that I'm bringing on women who have a common mission, that are representative of being a beautiful soul in the world with a mission to support women and moms, so that we can show up as our best selves. And there is simply no better example of this than my friend and mentor, Molly Claire. Mikki: Molly Claire is a six-figure business builder with a blended family of 10. Yes, you heard me correctly, 10. [chuckle] She is dedicated to helping women overcome their own limits, make the money that they want, and have the time, freedom and flexibility to be with the people in their lives that matter most. I don't know of a mission more important than this. Molly hosts an amazing podcast, The Masterful Coach Collective podcast. She also wrote a book, 'The Happy Mom Mindset', and her newest adventure is an advanced certification for motherhood and family life coaching, which is gonna open in October. While Molly and I talk a lot about coaching and two coaches in this episode, for you moms out there, this episode is for you too. Molly empowers each of us, wherever you are today, to reach for something more, to take the reins of your life and create a life beyond your imagination today. They say that we reach for the highest branch that we see. Well, Molly is a beautiful example of what is possible when you reach out. So without further ado, let's take a listen to this conversation with my amazing friend, Molly Claire. Mikki: Well, moms, I have a treat for you today. Molly Claire is back on the podcast and I look for any excuse to have a conversation with Molly, but I'm so excited to bring her to you today. So Molly, thank you for coming on. Molly: Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to talk to your listeners. Mikki: Yeah, so for those listeners that haven't heard you before, can you tell us just a little bit about who you are and what you love? Molly: Yeah, thanks for having me, Mikki. I'm Molly Claire and I am a coach. I actually work with coaches building their businesses. And I first got into coaching right at the time when I was becoming a single mom, and really not only would I say, coaching saved my life, having that at that time, going through that challenge, but it really allowed me to make my life something great and something amazing and to just, I don't know, overcome a lot of those limiting beliefs we all have that we don't realize that we have. And so yeah, coaching was really a gift to me. I started out with my business actually working with moms, helping them to navigate the challenges of motherhood, and I built my business and then actually shifted into working with other coaches to help them build their businesses. And I love, especially working with women in this space and empowering them to build a business and be financially independent. Mikki: Yes. So this is where Molly is extremely modest. And as my coach and teacher, and who I love dearly as a friend, Molly is an extraordinary coach, a certified coach, a coach instructor, but one of the most passionate people I have met about empowering women. And it really did start in her single mom journey, I believe. If I'm speaking for you, Molly, let me know. But I think one of the things that I admire most about you is really changing and transforming your life after divorce and just deciding, "I'm gonna do this". I'm gonna do this for me, for your amazing kids, your extraordinary daughter, who by the way, has been on this podcast and I love dearly, but she's the most beautiful example of turning what could be a very difficult situation into an extraordinary life. And so Molly, thank you for being that example for me every day, and I'm just really grateful you're here to talk to my audience. Molly: Thank you. Oh, Mikki, now you're making me cry. Mikki: Oh, bonus points for me today. [laughter] Molly: Thank you. It's really true. I feel so strongly about empowering women right after I started working with moms and my business, and then I spent some time working specifically with women, navigating divorce. And I would talk to so many women, and it was so clear how disempowered they felt, how dependent they felt, and as they were going through their divorce and trying to pick up the pieces, I just wanted so badly to just infuse in them this belief, this strength, and to show them what they couldn't see, that not only did their life not have to be a sad situation, but that they were so capable and there was so much possible. And so, yeah, you're exactly right. It did start then, and it started with seeing the ways that I personally felt kind of weak and saw that I just didn't believe much was possible for me. Molly: And I don't know how much of your listeners are... I'm talking a lot in this coach terminology with limiting beliefs and such, but we all have them. We all have ways we perceive ourselves, and the things we believe that we are or are not capable of, or the things we are or are not worthy of, and it's a big deal. And I think everyone, everyone listening to this podcast deserves to believe a little bit more in yourself. Mikki: I love that. I love that. Yeah, I think a lot of my audience, they're super higher achievers. They've checked all the boxes, they've done all the things, they're super productive in most areas of their life. But divorce is one of those things, we both know, like you just described, that brings you to your knees and the pieces are all around you, and then how do you put those back together, and do it while taking care of your children? Molly: Yes. Yes, because before we started recording, Mikki and I, we were just chatting about how challenging motherhood is, and it's a big deal. It challenges women in ways that we never could have imagined before we became a mom. And so it's like going through divorce, not only are you going through this enormous change personally, this huge challenge, but you're trying to hold it all together and to be the super mom that you want to be, and it's no joke. It's no joke. [laughter] Mikki: It is no joke. It sort of reminds me, I was just driving my son to school earlier this morning, and he asked me a very innocent question. He said... I used to be an event planner, so birthday parties for my kid for a long time were... That was my jam. And he said, "What was your favorite of my birthday parties?" And so we were trying to go through and the really good ones, one, two, and three, he doesn't remember, but I'm like, "Trust me, they were epic." But we got to four and five, and I couldn't remember. And he was looking at me like, "How do you not know this, mom?" And I said to him, I said, "Honey, I'm really sorry. I know I did something, but it was during a time of my life that I barely could keep it together." And it was during the divorce. And I said, "I just don't remember a lot of it." Mikki: And I feel like that is one of those times, and we all have them, whether it's divorce or just motherhood or things happening, or grief or loss, where we need support. And oftentimes, we don't think it's available, and so I love that you are, daily, a proponent of helping coaches, because I think coaching for me too was the thing that really transformed things and life and gave me possibility again, and that's why I do what I do, like you now. So I'm curious, I would love for my listeners to walk away today with the belief that there's things possible for them, but that there is support in motherhood and otherwise. And so can you tell us a little bit about what you're doing to help? Molly: I would love to. And I just have to say an add on, Mikki, to what you just said. I have experienced something similar where when I was going through it, I feel like I did a pretty good job being present, being there with my kids. I was in it to win it, and yet when I look back, I can't remember a lot of the things that happened during that time up. And so, yeah, but I just say hats off to you and me and everyone here for sticking with it no matter... Mikki: Absolutely. No matter what. Molly: Yeah, so right now, I am actually doing an advanced certification for coaches who are already coaches, already certified, and really want to deepen their skills, and specifically my advanced certification, I'm excited just even thinking about saying it. Mikki: [chuckle] It's so good. Molly: Is to help. It is specifically focused on motherhood and family life coaching, because it's an area that it's not just parenting. It could have been advanced certification for parenting, but it's so much more than that, because everyone here listening knows, motherhood is so much more than that. Family, life-family dynamics, the differences between if you have more than one child, how to navigate your relationship with each of them, and just really, I think, even especially as women and being so often more sensitive to the emotions of our children. It's kind of like, "Okay, now not only am I managing me, but I'm aware of all these other people and their emotions, and different schedules and needs and all of it." And so, yeah, I've created this advanced certification. I think you mentioned this, Mikki, that I have trained master coaches for years and trained coaches and done advanced training, so I really love helping coaches to be just masterful and really skillful to help their clients. And this program is all about helping them to support people just like your listeners, women navigating motherhood and the challenges that are there, because it's a big deal and you deserve to have support. Mikki: Absolutely. So I'm curious, so you said motherhood and then sort of family life. Why are those two separate in your mind? Molly: I guess really, I wanted to communicate to these coaches that this is really encompassing coaches who specifically want to help women navigating motherhood and all the circumstances that go along with that, because I think motherhood is oftentimes the woman's personal journey of what it's like to be a mom, and that identity and the role we play and family life almost to me, extends out to the relationship dynamics, the specific nitty-gritty tangible that come into play in your life when you have a family in the household. And so it's that personal motherhood journey and that support, and also encompassing the unique challenges of being a family, running a family. Mikki: Yeah. And what is your hope or your goal for the coaches that go through the certification? Molly: Oh my gosh. So one, for sure, is that I want these coaches to be... Well, here's what I would say, honestly, first and foremost. I want these coaches to feel more confident in how important it is to do this work for moms, and here's why. I think when we think about a coaching business, we can think, "Oh, well, I'm a coach that helps with weight loss." So that's important, or we've all decided that's important to our mind, right? [chuckle] Mikki: Yes. [chuckle] Molly: So I'm a coach to help someone with their business, and so that's money, so that's important. But I think that way too often, even in society, we minimize how important what it is we do as women in our role as a mom. And so oftentimes, coaches in this space, as I've worked with so many over the years, there's a part of them that knows I need to help these women. I hear people have a niche or an ideal client like stay-at-home moms who are lost and overwhelmed or single moms, and somehow we give that like a little more validity for some reason like, "Oh, maybe they need more help or something." But then it's like, I think overall, we tend to minimize how important and how challenging motherhood is, and so I see these coaches that say, "Well, I know these people need help," and yet there's a part of them that's listening to the outside voices saying, "Well, it's not like it's that big of a deal." Does that makes sense? Mikki: It makes total sense, and I think listeners, to break it down, and I've said it before here, and I will say it a million times again, I don't think that we have ever been in a time in this world, in the experience of the universe, that mothers are more important. Because you do not see, especially in this country, in America, you do not see moms going in and shooting out places. You do not see girls doing this. It just isn't happening, and it is, I believe, up to us to link arms, to support one another, and to help our kids in this world, and it is up to us to change the dynamic. And so what Molly is doing, and why I'm behind it so much is to say, motherhood is most important thing, because we are setting up the next generation. Molly: That's right. Mikki: We're creating the change makers. But if we're not doing that in a conscious, in a positive intentional way, if we're just an overwhelmed mess, listening to all the voices, not getting the support we need, just wasting the time that we have and not consciously, none of us are doing this consciously. We're doing the very best that we can at any given moment, but there's support and there's ways. And I think that we're in a time that we have no choice but to really stand up as moms and as women and really link arms and get moving, because I think it's imperative at this point. Molly: Yeah. Yes, it is. And I think that, sadly, there's been a lot of voices and noise validating or putting a career-focused woman as a more valuable place for a woman to spend her time, and other voices have said that a woman should definitely be a full-time stay-at-home mom, and there are all these opinions about that. And my belief about it is every listener here gets to choose where you spend your time and attention and what perfect balance works for you, because I think some women will lean more toward one side of that spectrum than the other. Mikki: Sure. Molly: And wherever you land on that, I genuinely believe that if you are truly being you, standing in that space is how you will be the very best mom. It's not if you're very career-focused. It's not if you're very child and home-focused all the time. It's now being wherever you fall, wherever you land, what's right for you, that is what your kids need from you. Mikki: Yes. The quote keeps coming up in my head and I quote it wrong, and I don't even know who said it. It was not me. It was someone very smart and wise. [laughter] Mikki: But they said, "The worst atrocity for a child, the biggest damage for a child is the unrealized dreams of a parent." And I think that's what we're talking about, is when we're not living up to our full potential, when we're not being an example of what it means to be healthy and happy and able to go through the ups and downs in life. And that's really what we're talking about, is being able to do that. And I love that you are creating the certification for coaches to deepen the skills and put the importance on motherhood. And then for my audience and listeners, there are so many coaches out there. I love that you're here listening to this and to us, and Molly's the best I know, by the way, but there are so many coaches to help you in so many different capacities. Mikki: Some have courses, some have one-to-one practices like I do, some have group coaching. There is so much support out there, but I think all too often, motherhood is really this thing we do alone in our own house. We're afraid to admit when we're not good at it. We won't wanna boast when we're too good at it. All of the things, but it's really there's support out there, and we each need that. Molly: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And I do just wanna mention, speaking of support at your fingertips, I don't think I mentioned. I did write a book, 'The Happy Mom Mindset', and any of your listeners, it's on Amazon. It's a no-brainer, right? Mikki: Yes, it's so good. Molly: Because I think that I address in there those issues like comparing to everyone around us, and all the things, like "Am I taking on too much as a mom, am I not doing enough?" All of those kind of issues. So yeah, I wanted to mention that, and then also... Mikki: I'll link it in the notes too, 'cause it's so good. Molly: Yeah, yeah, thank you. I still learn from it. I'll be struggling and I start reading it, I'm like, "Oh, this is very helpful. I can really implement this again and again." [laughter] Molly: But also, going back to what you were saying about what I hope people get out of this certification, instead, I think that when coaches are working with women, navigating motherhood, it is an area that brings up a lot of, I think, pretty important feelings, hander feelings, vulnerability. And so, that's one of the things also that I'm gonna work with my coaches on, is to really help them develop that art to their coaching and bring that beautiful gift that we have as women to be so intuitive and connected, so that people like your listeners who are getting support from a coach, hopefully they're all convinced at this point that they deserve to have some kind of support, really have a nice space held for them and all those feelings, because I really feel like as women and mothers, we're accomplishing miracles every single day. Mikki: Everyday. Molly: It may not feel like that. It may feel like a disaster some days, but, yeah, it's a big deal and it's important. Mikki: It is important. So I would keep you all day, but I try to keep these short for the listeners. But I would be remiss if I didn't ask you, 'cause I ask everyone, how do you define confidence and how do you see confidence in motherhood? Molly: Oh yeah, great question. So for me, I would say when I think about how I define confidence, it's honestly this really firm commitment to have your own back and go after something no matter what. Because when I think... Like when you brought that up and I'm thinking, "Okay, what does it look like when I'm confident and when I go after something?" It's really kind of this deep belief in myself, and you know what, I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna support myself all the way through it, even if I have no idea what I'm doing, even if it doesn't look that great, I'm gonna do it anyway. So that's not a very neat and clean definition, but those are my thoughts about it none the less. Mikki: I love it. I love those thoughts about it. And I think that that's such an important point, because you mentioned early on the limiting beliefs, those things that we just believe as truth. I'm just not as good at that, or things are just harder for me, or I'm just not that smart, or whatever BS that has been handed to us by all of the things in life, but when we're able to kind of have the confidence, start to develop the skills to just get curious, maybe I can figure this out. How can I do this? And I think that for me is where coaching really has been so powerful and just shifting the mindset into a place of, "Well, what do I know? What is available?" And so, I love that that's how confidence is built. It's the willingness and the belief that I'm gonna figure this out. It might not be pretty. It might be a little messy. Molly: Probably will be. Mikki: Probably will. Molly: And specific to motherhood, when I think about confidence in motherhood specifically, if there was one thing that I could drill into your listeners heads, it's that I genuinely believe you are the perfect mother for your kids. You know what is best, and I think we've run into the most trouble when we disconnect from that sense of belief and knowing that we can do this and we start looking outside everywhere. What is everyone else doing? What am I supposed to do? And that's when we lose ourselves and we lose that knowing. And so, this is just... This is the thing, I think every parent will be 10 times more powerful, at least, if not much more than that, if we just trust, I am capable of doing this, I am meant to do this, this is the perfect child for me, I am the perfect mother for this child, and lean into that, and that is where the knowing and confidence comes from. Mikki: I love that, Molly. I think we should end it there, just so everyone, just take that, put it in your pocket and take it with you today, because it is truth, and the more you lean into it, the more truth you see. So thank you, Molly, for coming today. Molly: Thank you so much. Mikki: So for the coaches listening, how can they find out about coach certification and where can people find you? Molly: Yes, so you can just go to mollyclaire.com to find me, and there is a tab for advanced certification right there. Mikki: Perfect. Molly: And it is going to be a small intimate group, and I'm so excited that Mikki Gardner is going to be helping me in there. You were saying you always find an excuse to have me. I'm always finding, I'm like, "How can I pull Mikki in to help me with this?" So yeah, but that's where you can find it, and it's gonna be amazing. We're enrolling the end of October starting on the 26th, and we will start up the beginning of the year. Mikki: It's gonna be so good. I cannot wait. Molly: Yes, so when this airs, your listeners, if any of them are interested or coaches that are interested, they probably had to go now because enrollment will be closing soon. Mikki: Absolutely. So I will put everything in the show notes so that it's super easy for them to find it. And thank you, Molly, for your time and for being an example of what's possible and just being an extraordinary empowering force for women. Molly: Thank you so much for having me. Mikki: Okay. Molly: Bye. Mikki: Bye. Oh, I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did. I got so much out of it. I didn't realize either one of us would get quite as emotional as we did, but we really, really feel strongly about the work that we do. We feel strongly about you and helping you in any way that we can. And the one thing that I want you to take away is that there is support. Wherever you are today, you are not alone, and there is support out there. You just have to look and ask for it. Sometimes that is the most courageous step you can take to the most extraordinary transformation in your life. If you got a lot out of this, I would love it if we could connect, and I'm always over on Instagram, so I would love if you would take a screenshot of this and tag Molly and I. We would love to get into conversation and hear what was valuable for you. Thank you for spending this time with me. I'm so grateful. I'll see you next week. And in the meantime, take really, really good care of you, friend. [music] Mikki: Thanks for listening to Co-Parenting with Confidence. If you want more information or resources from this podcast, visit co-parentingwithconfidence.com. I'll see you next week. [music]