A smartphone screen displaying a podcast app featuring the "Think New Thoughts" podcast with Emily Ricks, along with a pair of white wireless earbuds in an open charging case placed at the bottom of the image.

Think New Thoughts Podcast

Think New Thoughts Podcast

A circular design with a stylized floral pattern in the center, surrounded by the words 'THINK NEW THOUGHTS' repeated in a ring.

A Podcast for Christian Moms

Who Are Emotionally Tired and Ready for a Kinder Way to Live

Short, honest episodes to help you interrupt negative spirals, speak to yourself with grace, and return to peace. One thought at a time.

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 72: The Joy of Accepting Limits

We live in a world obsessed with “unlimited”—unlimited streaming, unlimited plans, unlimited potential. But your closet, your calendar, and your emotional energy definitely have limits. In this episode, I share why accepting those limits isn’t giving up—it’s the key to less overwhelm and more peace. We’ll talk about clutter, time, and control, and how working with reality instead of fighting it can make life feel lighter and more joyful.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 71: The Truth About Your Past

What I'm sharing in this episode, most people resist at first. It might even sound wrong when you hear it. But if you're willing to open your mind to it, this idea can be INCREDIBLY freeing once it clicks. If you long to let go of frustrations about things that have happened in your past, this epsiode is for you.  

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 70: The Antidotes to Distraction, Dispersion, and Drift

There are 3 D’s that can quietly steal your goals: distraction, dispersion, and drift. In this follow-up episode from last week, I’m sharing what to do when they inevitably show up. I’ll walk you through the antidote to each one—simple, practical ways to regain clarity, focus your energy, and gently course-correct when you get off track. If you’re ready to stay oriented, focused, and moving forward—even when things get messy—this episode is for you.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 69: Don't Let These 3 Things Steal Your Next Goal

As a new year begins, many of us feel inspired to set goals—but too often, those goals quietly slip away. In this epsiode, learn how distraction, dispersion, and drift subtly pull us off course—and why recognizing them ahead of time can change everything. If you want to move toward what matters this year without beating yourself up along the way, this episode is for you.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 68: Love All Along The Way

What if you could feel love right now, without waiting for anything to be “perfect”? In this episode, I explore how embracing life, people, and yourself exactly as you are can let love pour in—abundant, effortless, and all along the way.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 67: Choosing to Love What Is

Fighting reality is exhausting—and it turns out, completely optional. In this episode, I explore how accepting the present moment—imperfect and unfinished—can open the door to deeper peace, gratitude, and joy. You don’t have to wait for your life to be different to love it.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 66: Stop Solving Low Quality Problems

If you've been feeling worn down and burned out, you might be wasting your energy trying to solve low quality problems. In this episode, I'm sharing how to spot these problems, and redefine how you're thinking about them, so you can put your brain to work solving problems that will build strength, wisdom, and resilience.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 65: Room to Receive

Making room changes everything. From clearing physical spaces to letting go of old emotions and beliefs, this episode shows you how to create space for love, confidence, and new possibilities to flow into your life.  You’ll hear practical strategies and inspiring examples to help you welcome what you truly want.

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 64: Encore Episode - Gratitude in Advance

Did you know you can be grateful for things that haven't happened yet?  You can't know exactly what the future holds, but if you visualize what you hope for and believe is possible, you can experience a feeling of gratitude now, that will fuel you toward a future that is full of things to be grateful for. Tune into this week's episode to consider a whole new way of looking at what it means to have faith. 

This epsiode originally aired on Thanksgiving 2024. 

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 63: When Someone Else is Driving You Crazy

Other people don’t always do what we want them to — and that’s okay. In this episode, I show you how to stop reaching for their steering wheel and take charge of your own thoughts, feelings, and choices. Discover a surprising way to protect your peace and keep your sanity, even when everyone else seems determined to test it.

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 62: 3 Ways to Lead Yourself (Instead of Push Yourself!)

Tired of pushing yourself to get things done — only to feel drained and frustrated? In this episode, I share three ways to lead yourself instead of push yourself, so you can create motivation that feels joyful, sustainable, and actually works. You’ll learn how to connect with a meaningful vision, invite and encourage yourself, and cultivate the emotions that make progress feel easier.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 61: Don't Fall For Mental Spam

Do you ever catch your mind sending messages that SEEM true but leave you anxious, panicked or confused? Just like spam in your inbox, some thoughts are meant to deceive — but when you pause and look closer, you can begin to see what’s real. In this episode, I’ll share a few ways to recognize the lies and tune your heart back to truth.

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 60: When You Can't Stop Worrying

Your brain loves to worry. It thinks it’s keeping you safe. But what if worry isn’t as helpful as it claims to be? In this episode, I share stories from real clients who’ve learned to quiet their minds—and a simple but powerful strategy you can use when you want to breathe easier. 

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Carbon & Clay Carbon & Clay

Episode 59: Do You Want to Live By Design, Or By Default?

Are you living your life by design—or just by default? In this episode, we’ll talk about how easy it is to slip into unintentional routines that make life harder than it needs to be, and how a little bit of intention can bring more peace, purpose, and joy to your days.

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 58: Finding Your Way Out of Shame

Shame tells us we are our mistakes — but that’s not the truth. In this episode, we’ll explore how to recognize shame when it shows up and walk through five practical questions that can lead you back to peace, self-compassion, and alignment with your values. You’ll discover how to meet yourself with understanding, which will launch you into growth and improvement. 

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Michelle Utecht Michelle Utecht

Episode 57: Think On These Things

In this episode, I share how Philippians 4:8 can become your personal “to-think list” for navigating life’s hardest challenges. You’ll hear a powerful story of how one woman reframed her diagnosis by choosing to focus on what is true, honest, pure, and lovely—and how you can do the same. If you’ve been feeling weighed down by fear, worry, or uncertainty, this simple exercise will help you shift your thoughts and open your heart to hope.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 56: What if Hurry Won't Get You There Faster?

We often believe that hurrying will help us get more done or reach our goals faster. But what if hurry is actually slowing us down—leaving us drained, scattered, and missing the joy along the way? Tune in to explore the hidden cost of rushing through life, and the surprising alternative that can help you move forward with more clarity, peace, and even greater results.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 55: An Amazing Thing That Happens

Compassion changes everything. In this episode, I share a simple story from the Costco food court that revealed something amazing: when we practice kindness toward ourselves, it becomes almost effortless to extend compassion to others. You’ll learn why judgment sneaks in so easily, how it actually pulls us away from our values, and how to stay rooted in the love and gentleness you really want to live.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 54: 3 Keys to Help You Think New Thoughts

Want to change the way you experience life? It starts with the way you think. In this episode, I share three simple but powerful keys that will help you unlock new ways of thinking: awareness, ownership, and intention. Tune in to find out how to use these keys to stop spinning in old patterns and start moving toward more peace, joy, and possibility.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 53: When Things Don't Go the Way You Hoped They Would

Disappointment is part of every life—a job you didn’t get, a relationship that ended, a dream that fell through. In this episode, I’ll show you how to allow the grief without adding extra layers of suffering, how to let gratitude soften the past, and how to choose hope for the future. If your heart feels heavy because things didn’t go the way you hoped they would, this conversation is for you.

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3 Reasons Satan Loves It When You’re Mean to Yourself

A Mini Guide for Christian Moms

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Cover page of a guide titled "3 Reasons Satan Loves It When You're Mean to Yourself" by Emily Ricks, showing a smiling blonde woman seated at a white desk with a potted plant beside her.