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 Intentional Moms

Who want to experience motherhood differently

Short, practical episodes (10-15 minutes!) to help you move through discouragement and enjoy your kids again

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 79: When Parenting Feels Heavy

If you are a parent, there will be days where you will feel worn out, sleep deprived, and spent. That's just part of the deal. But there is a certain type of exhaustion--one that is created by the way we THINK about our kids--that is actually optional, that doesn't have to keep beating you down. Tune in to this week's episode to find immediate relief from the resistance that might be quietly draining the joy from your parenting. 


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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 78: The Surprising Solution To Resentment and Burnout

If you’ve been feeling quietly resentful… stretched thin… or just more exhausted than you think you “should” be, this episode is for you. Relief might be closer — and simpler — than you think. What if the real source of your burnout isn’t what you’ve been blaming — and the solution isn’t about trying harder? This perspective might surprise you.

 

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 77: 3 Common Beliefs Worth Questioning

In this episode, I’m inviting you to open the drawers of your mind and try on a few beliefs you may have been wearing for years. What if the goal isn’t to be happy all the time? What if you actually do have enough time? And what if loving people is never unsafe? I’ll walk you through three common beliefs most of us accept as facts—and show you how questioning them can create more peace, intention, and freedom in your relationships and your life. If you’re ready to clear out some mental clutter, this one’s for you.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 76: Optional Beliefs

Here's something most people don't realize: Your thoughts are optional. Everything you think inside of your mind, even if it FEELS like a fact, is actually just a story you tell from your own point of view.  Which is great news, actually, because when you're feeling hurt, frustrated, unappreciated, or stuck, you can examine your story and decide if you want to believe something new. I think you'll be surprised how freeing this can feel.  :)

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 75: Overriding Your Primitive Brain

Do you ever feel like you’re at war with yourself? Yesterday you decided all the amazing things you were going to accomplish today… but when it’s time to follow through, you suddenly have 20 reasons to do something else instead. In this episode, I’m sharing what’s actually happening inside your brain when you avoid the very things that matter most to you — and why your brain isn’t broken… it’s just doing its job. Tune in to learn how to become the one in the cockpit who calls the shots, instead of letting your primitive brain run the show.

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 74: The Truth About Stress

We often talk about stress like it's something that is caused by a job, a project, a holiday, or other things outside of ourselves. Today I'm sharing what actually causes stress. (Spoiler alert:  it's our thoughts.)  Understanding the true case and source of stress can help you manage it more effectively in the moments that you're feeling it, and also help you gradually create less of it in your life over time.  If you're looking for a completely stress free life...sorry this won't help with that, but tune into this week's episode for some gems on how to effectively deal with stress and face it when it comes along.  :)

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Emily Ricks Emily Ricks

Episode 73: The Hidden Cost Of Your Maybes

If you’ve been waiting to make a decision because you’re holding out for an option that won’t feel hard, this episode is for you. We’re talking about the hidden cost of your maybes—and why the indecision meant to protect your options may be the very thing holding you back. Tune in to learn how to spot a “miserable maybe,” what it’s really costing you, and the surprising belief that will help you move past your maybe and into a clear decision that will finally move you forward.

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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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The 3 Shifts
That Change Everything

A simple guide for moms who want to enjoy their kids again.