Calm in the Chaos: Finding Clarity When Everything Feels Loud

What if the same playbook that steadies a press room could calm your kitchen at 6 p.m.? Claire sits down with Beth Levine—veteran Capitol Hill communicator turned Maryland mom—to unpack how crisis communications, audience research, and storycraft can make work smarter and parenting saner. Beth shares a candid path from rural Iowa to the Senate to K|O Public Affairs, revealing the on-the-ground habits that build trust when stakes are high: listen first, gather facts, define your audience, and speak simply.

We dig into the moment-by-moment choices that prevent blowups—at home and in headlines. Beth explains why the person who represents the message must stay calm, how to find the “one nugget” that makes a story resonate, and when to stop obsessing and ask your team for help. Claire brings the creator lens from social posts to newsletters to podcasts, showing how different formats demand different hooks, and how a small team can zoom out when the founder’s buried in details. Together, they connect communications strategy to real family life: every kid processes differently, phases pass, and reframing hard weeks can keep you moving.

You’ll leave with practical tactics for de-escalation, better storytelling, and boundaries you can actually hold. Expect real talk on perfectionism, shared mental load, and building a support circle that says yes when you finally ask. If you’re a parent, marketer, entrepreneur, or policy pro, this conversation offers clear, usable tools to steady your message and your home. Loved the episode? Follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who could use a calmer playbook this week.

Beth Levine is a Partner at 💼 K|O Public Affairs, a full-service, top-tier firm that doesn’t just deliver results — it ignites transformation. ⚡ By combining public affairs, public relations, and government relations into unified strategies, K|O shapes conversations, drives change, and helps organizations amplify their impact. 🌟

📊 Learn more: 🔗 kopublicaffairs.com/about-us

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet Beth Levine
• 1:00 From Iowa To Capitol Hill
• 3:30 What KO Public Affairs Actually Does
• 7:55 Crisis Skills That Help Moms
• 12:10 Listening First And Gathering Facts
• 17:40 Every Kid Is Different
• 22:00 Storytelling That Moves People
• 28:30 Finding Creative Focus Amid Life
• 33:00 Balance, Phases, And Reframing
• 39:30 Boundaries And Asking For Help

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:00

Hey friends, and welcome to Month of Maryland. I'm your host, Claire War today, the founder of the Columbia Month. A real conversation with local and a whole lot of community. Let's dive in. Oh my goodness. Um, well, today we have on the podcast Beth Levine, and I'm so excited to have you here to learn more about your back more about your background, sorry. And I'm also kind of excited to nerd out about mom stuff and kind of all things communications and marketing. Yeah, yeah. It's exciting to be here. Thank you for having me. Of course. Well, tell me a little bit more about your background. Again, I'm a sucker for an origin story. I love to know um more about your work experience and obviously you're a working mom, so tell us a bit more about that.

SPEAKER_00: 0:53

Well, I grew up in Iowa. So I'm a transplant Marylander. Um, I came out here to work for my my senator, my home state senator in the Capitol. So I was um drawn to politics, I guess, from an early age, but uh and then I worked on Capitol Hill for almost 20 years. Wow, and uh lived through 9-11, was in the Capitol on 9-11. Oh so which is really scary. We get through that every year, and yeah, my kids are always like, Are you okay, mom? So they're very thoughtful about it. Oh my gosh, yeah. And then um I had my kids uh realize that working on Capitol Hill is not great to be a mom, and living in Columbia, Maryland. And um I have a job, I work at KO Public Affairs now in Baltimore. Yeah, so it's great, it's so fun, and it's really been kind of you know a full circle. Yeah, you know, working on Capitol Hill, which is was a dream job during communications, no doubt, and being involved in all these really amazing things and seeing the the work that really goes on and the difference between what goes on behind the scenes and what you see on TV and how those different things play out. That's huge.

SPEAKER_01: 2:08

Um so tell me more a little bit about the work that you currently or that you've been doing at KO. And um, for those listening, again, I'm a transplant in as far as my career goes, not in location. I'm probably using the wrong terminology here, but um, meaning that like marketing and calm and things like that is has not been my studied um education. It's kind of um the job that I threw myself into and learned along the way. So I feel like I have no actual credibility when it comes to other than just me on my phone, right? So can you explain to us a little bit more about what that means and what the work that we do right now?

SPEAKER_00: 2:45

So I'm actually I actually have a minor in biochemistry, my degree. Oh but I didn't, I was trying to like help my dad on the farm be this amazing, you know, like in the past. Oh, yes, that makes sense. And uh when my advisor said to me one day, he's like, I don't think this is for you. I was like, okay, here we go. Journalism, it is right, it's not funny. So uh I have a degree in journalism, but uh I started out working for a chamber of commerce in Iowa before I moved. Oh, okay. And it's really um that's kind of got what me started on the communications track, not just journalism per se, but learning how to communicate with different audiences and you know, members, membership, things like that.

SPEAKER_01: 3:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 3:27

Um, and then when I got out to work for my senator, it was really um that threw me full into the communications world.

SPEAKER_01: 3:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 3:35

And learning how to deal with the media and the press. And really a lot of what we do at KO is working with the media and learning how to communicate to different audiences, figuring out you know, who your audience is on a certain issue. But it's the perfect blend for me because it blends the politics and the communication, which are two of my things I love to do. And so that's what KO really is um helpful in for me, pursuing my passions. Yeah, and from a from a professional standpoint. But we really work on you know issues that come up if somebody needs help explaining or talking to the grassroots about a certain issue or helping motivate certain people, certain audiences to talk to their elected officials or explain how this might be good for them or their you know, sibling or their child, um, as they're you know, as they're debating and looking at different uh legislation coming forward.

SPEAKER_01: 4:33

Right. Wow. Um, you've handled some crisis comms at the highest level. How does that experience translate into the daily chaos of motherhood? I feel like there's a lot of good skills there.

SPEAKER_00: 4:45

Um I will say it's probably just like having this calmness about you. You can't get into like the craziness of it because you're seen as the communicator. You're the like, for instance, when I was on Capitol Hill, there were two people who could speak on behalf of the senator.

SPEAKER_01: 5:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 5:04

The senator and me. And so, you know, you have to be the go-to person, and that makes you have a calmness about you. You're able to see the big picture. And I think with with my kids and being a mom, it's kind of the same thing. You know, it's like very level-headedness. Um, if you get too crazy, your kids, my kids are gonna get start acting like crazy and so it's just that calmness and being able to see the bigger picture. Right. I think is really the the crisis comes. I mean, I can remember um we dealt with a Capitol Hill or a Supreme Court nominee, numerous of ones while we while I was on the Hill. Right. And that is a tremendous lesson in crisis green cages because every day it was a new crisis because there's something new coming out about the nominee and how do you deal with it, and how who's like who's your go-to person, but you have to just gather all the facts, gather all the evidence, just like you do with your kids when something's going wrong. Right. And um talk to them, be level-headed, and yeah, just be like that sane room.

SPEAKER_01: 6:07

Oh my gosh, same voice in the room. Right. And remind me, how old are your kids?

SPEAKER_00: 6:11

My kids are 13 and 10. Oh, so I have a this is my last year of elementary school. Oh my goodness, it's probably bittersweet. Yeah, I think we're all ready though.

SPEAKER_01: 6:21

Yeah. I was talking to another mom yesterday who had a fifth grader and she was like, We're not like because they love their elementary school. We're not ready to say goodbye. But they also have a um middle schooler too, so they're kind of like right in that cusp. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 6:32

So we'll then he'll be in uh freshman next year. So wow.

SPEAKER_01: 6:37

So then you're gonna have to a new ballpark. Yes. Um, well, and I I kind of love this blend of how we're talking about a little bit of motherhood, a little bit of like we're not obviously talking about crisis case management, but just you know, this higher level um communication piece, right? Um so how to stay calm when emotions are high, whether that's a breaking political story or a meltdown over toys and soccer practice, right? Like, how do you how do you kind of manage all of that?

SPEAKER_00: 7:10

I think for me, it's I'm I feel like I'm my demeanor, I don't get too excited about things. I don't my So you were born for that, I don't have those. And you know, trusting your gut is a big thing too, I think. Yeah, and and helping, you know, whether it's you know, my boss or my client who I'm helping through a crisis or my son, it's all just like communicating with them on their level, like with my son. It's okay, what's he gonna understand in this situation? You know, he's right acting all you know nutso and and so how what what's the best way to communicate with him? And it's the same way with the client. Yeah, what's the best way for them to understand exactly what I'm trying to get across and what they need to get across? Yeah, that's huge.

SPEAKER_01: 8:02

Um, well, and what kinds of tips do you have for de-escalating conflict? Um, I know that there's things like listening first, um, finding the right messaging, um, etc.

SPEAKER_00: 8:15

Yeah, I think listening is a really big one. You kind of nailed it more than anything. That's just from my research, that's not from my expertise. But if you think about it, okay, so if you're with your kid, you'll say, Okay, maybe you think I had in trouble or at school or they have a friend problem. My first go-to is okay, tell me your side of the story. And it's the same way with the client. So, okay, yeah, tell me what really happened in this situation. Yeah. So, what what made us get to this point? Give me the facts, give me the details, um, tell me everything you know. And that's what I tell my kids too. Tell me exactly what happened. Like, yeah, did you really hit her? Or did you say this mean thing to her? Right. And how did it all happen? What do you think happened? Why does why do they feel this way? Yeah. Uh-huh. So I think I really think listening to them, getting their point of view first and foremost uh is the first step in the process for me, both with my kids and with the client, even.

SPEAKER_01: 9:15

Yeah. So I think what I hear you saying is listening, gather facts. And kind of the part that goes sort of hand in hand with listening is like, I was gonna say like making sure they feel heard. Yeah. You know, because I know that like, and I think these skills when it comes to parenting, if we're talking from the parenting lens, right? Um, you know, there's different ways you're gonna approach your kids depending on which age and developmental bracket they are, right? You know, because obviously the older they are, they're gonna have higher cognition and processing. Um, even though when we're de-escalating, we're not gonna go right to high level, even if they are older, because we gotta de-escalate first.

SPEAKER_00: 9:50

But even even not just like their ages, but I think every kid is different. Yeah, oh that exactly. Like my son reacts very differently than one of his friends might or to a certain situation. And um, so just knowing like what are their pressure points, yeah. That's just learning from experience. Right. You know, I mean I'm an old mom, so I have a lot of experience. That's you're gonna say you have a lot of experience.

SPEAKER_01: 10:17

That's right.

SPEAKER_00: 10:18

Yeah. But it really is just like figuring it out, you know, what makes them tick and what what's gonna make what's gonna help them in this certain situation because every situation is different and every kid is different. Right, right.

SPEAKER_01: 10:30

No, it's so true. I mean, I was gonna say, like, I have a five-year-old son, and um Mosette, maybe been following along with my journey, know that like he's you know, but two and a half, he was diagnosed with developmental delay, which is just you know, giant catch-all, right? But he's just then he just started kindergarten, but I feel like he's just now coming into this spot where he is his cognition is sort of catching up, that processing piece, you know. Um, he had a language delay. Um, and while he's the language is sort of like caught up for the most part, it's the language processing, the language retrieval, um, and the expressive language, because that goes with the cognitive piece, right? So now we're seeing a lot, you know. So the ways that I'm gonna de-escalate with my son and navigate that's gonna be very different than with my daughter, who they're only a year apart. You know what I mean? So you're absolutely right. Like every kid is different. Um, obviously, every client is different. Um, I mean, I guess the the quote unquote playbook with clients is that no matter what, we're meeting them with professionality, and obviously I think who is leading with facts receipts. Absolutely. Blah blah blah. Yeah, right. Absolutely. Yeah, that's just kind of how it goes. Right.

SPEAKER_00: 11:33

If you want to keep your client, keep your job, that's how you do it.

SPEAKER_01: 11:36

Right. So now a piece that I kind of love that I'm really passionate about, that you know, is what part of why I kind of started my platform is kind of talking about building trust through storytelling, right? Like that's something that I love to kind of um uh dig up with other entrepreneurs, other business owners, things like that throughout the area. So um kind of want to talk about how you can lean into telling an effective story and communicating that down, like I guess you start with one of your clients, whether it's you know, political figure or another business entity, you know, because I think there's so many layers of messaging. So I think, okay, um, here's the message. Now you gotta like communicate that to I guess the the fields that are going to be then pushing it out, right? Like, how how can you make sure your message is effectively uh received and dispersed?

SPEAKER_00: 12:34

You know, I think storytelling is one of the hardest things anybody has to do effectively. Effectively, right and some people are good at it and some people aren't. You know, even within our firm, I know who to go to to say, okay, I need help with this message.

SPEAKER_01: 12:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 12:52

And it's really getting the right message first. Like what is what's your goal? What do you want to do? Who is who is your audience? What's your goal? And then finding like that one nugget when you're in somebody's story that you're trying to tell. So whether it's so for one of my clients, I'm if I'm trying to communicate to, you know, if it's a professional association, I'm trying to communicate to their membership. And we're talking about some bill that's happening in in um Annapolis, and I'll say, okay, so doctor, what what why do you why is this important to you? Okay, so then so talking through it with somebody else and then taking that story and making it bigger and broader and better that everybody can relate to, then.

SPEAKER_01: 13:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 13:42

But that storytelling, like finding that nugget what's really important to other that will be important to everybody else too, and like get motivate them, yeah, is it's really one of the hardest things. Sure. Like what is that one message that I mean you deal with it every day, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_01: 13:59

In in very in a very different lens. But um, well, and actually, as hearing you talk and kind of say that, I was kind of thinking through like the way that my team, when we're because obviously we create a lot of different pieces of content. Um, primarily, you know, Instagram, our website, like blog features, email newsletters, and obviously not the podcasts. Again, they're all completely different forms, yeah, right. And and actually as you were saying that, and I was like thinking about this, and I was like, okay, I think I actually really love find finding out to the story. I like finding that out. And then I guess what's unique about my page, I'm not um obviously a um, I am my brand, so I get to I get to tell it the way I want to, but you know, with um obviously when we're working with our clients and our campaigns, like it's a collaborative process, right? Like I still want to be make sure that I'm effectively describing the business, the service, you know, that I'm I'm capturing that correctly. Because yes, it's still going to be through my knowledge, my understanding, because I'm also, I mean, obviously I'm trying to understand, you know, the business entity, but then I'm also sharing it with my audience, right? So there's so many pieces to take into consideration, so many boxes to make sure you're checking. Um, so I think when I have when I can be in my, I feel like my creative space is the fun space, but just kind of like up here. Maybe that's wrong because I guess your executive level is more higher level. But that's just when I know, right? Exactly. Um, but um when I can be in that zone, um, I feel like those pieces can come more naturally to me. I think that naturally being a business owner, the busier I get, the harder it is to kind of freely, I feel like, find and connect those pieces all the time when I want to. But that's why you have why I have team, and they can help because then they're they can zoom out better when I can't, you know what I mean? And kind of be like, okay, this is the point, you know what I mean? Um, and we do that a lot with like our evergreen pieces of content. Um, so it's we do a mix of both of those.

SPEAKER_00: 16:04

So yeah. Well, and I find that these like ideas, you know, it's that old adage, like the idea, the the nugget or whatever it is comes to you in the shower or this great idea. Always, but for me, you know, finding that when that time is that I can really focus and think about these things, it's like late at night. So everybody kind of has their own space and place to make those creative moments happen. I know.

SPEAKER_01: 16:27

And I think for me too, um, I do a lot of my like video editing um in the evenings when I'm kind of again because when the kids have gone down and like catching up on you know emails and and probably doing a little bit of Instagram content. But I feel like a lot of my ideas are definitely the shower, but also when I'm driving, which the unfortunate part is that for that is I can't write them down. I do, I will try to write them down because otherwise, like then it's gone. Because I'll think of all these different like real ideas and these video ideas, and then um, but you know, just like they say the dreams, if you don't like write it down, it's kind of like gone. Um, but I mean I guess it's like the good thing is like okay, like while I'm done. At least I'm like focused on the road and I'm like I can I'm I'm being present. Yes, but then it's I I have to like force myself to like probably like write it down before I run inside, but chances are I'm getting there and running inside, so it's it's a hard balance to do. Um but yeah, I do agree. It's it is because I think no matter what industry you're in, you're if you're have some aspect of creativity there, you do kind of need to be able to get into the zone a little bit to help pull those things out. I know. Absolutely. Um so let's talk about you know balancing a busy life from you know a high-stakes busy mom on Capitol Hill to now you're in Columbia. Um, you know, reflecting on how do you kind of manage both those big roles?

SPEAKER_00: 17:47

Yeah. It was hard. It's really hard. And I don't, you know, I'm learning every day how to do it better. Um you know, I'm I'm f I just turned 50 this year. Yeah. Yay! I made it. Um, my kids are keeping me young. That's what I'm tell myself. Yes. Um, but it I think it's just a constant learning process. And you know, my one of my my sister-in-law told me once, um, it was the best advice I'd ever had when my kids were younger, was that like everything is everything is a phase. Yeah. Just get through that phase. And there'll be something new. Yeah. But at least, you know, there's there's always a light at the tunnel, like two weeks when they're little. And it was really true. Yeah. And so I kind of think of that now and balancing things and getting through getting just through like a day or you know, something that my 10-year-old is going through. Because she is she's 10, and she's a girl, and it's totally different than my 10-year-old, a 10-year-old boy. Right, right. Um, and so I can think it's we'll just we just gotta get through this. Yeah. And how best do I help her get through this? Right. Um, but it's yeah, just it's hard, it's really hard. And finding time for yourself, yeah, when you're busy. Um, I did not do a very good job of that for a long time. And no. And now I I try to do better, like I try to go to bed at a decent time, yeah. Do things that I want to do. It still doesn't happen, really.

SPEAKER_01: 19:17

No, but I think you've as long as you're making like the effort, you know, it can't because you know, daily and and even weekly is challenging when you're a parent, you know what I mean? But just carving out some intentionality here and there is sometimes the best we can do, and that's okay.

SPEAKER_00: 19:30

Yeah, you know, it's not gonna be perfect. No, nothing is perfect.

SPEAKER_01: 19:33

No. Um, but I do like your notion about talking, kind of like framing it in like a season or a phase. And I think when my therapist said something like that to me too, she was like, you know, um, because there's so many different like you know, stressors in life, like, yes, it's kids, it's work, or sometimes money, it's finances, and sometimes, you know, because like all the things break at once, you know what I mean? Like, I just had to get like three, like four new tires last week, not you know, naturally, right? Right. Um, but it's remind like it's it's not always like you know, maybe this is a hard year, it's not always going to be this hard. And and even if you say it like sometimes like an affirmation, not like a untruth. I know that sometimes those can feel like they're blurred together because you know, sometimes you're saying affirmations to not wishing something to come true, but just kind of like putting that positivity into the universe. And um, you know, I I kind of think of um you I remember seeing this on TikTok a few years ago, but there was like something called like look lucky girl syndrome, and I'm I'm this is the tangent I talked about. We're gonna come back all the way around, but we'll get there, but yeah, um, is like saying, like, I'm so lucky, everything works out for me, like I don't know why it just does, kind of like something like that. And um, and it's starting from these like you know, young like teenagers or like college girls, um, and they would repeatedly say this to, you know, whether mentally out loud or writing it down, and they would just be like, Oh my god, and then when the things would happen, like they would they would they would kind of repeatedly like, oh my god, like I can't believe it, the things are just working out because it's like you're putting that, you're kind of like rewiring your brain to think that way when you can, no matter what modality, whether you're thinking it, you're saying it out loud, or writing it down, is kind of like you're speaking it out into existence, and that's the information that your brain is also hearing and digesting, right? So bringing that back to motherhood, you know, doesn't need it doesn't need to be the I'm so lucky, it's just it's the reframing, right? Because that's the same what we are mentally saying and putting out, you know, whether it's parenting, whether it's our job, right, is what we are also simultaneously digesting. So for saying this is hard, it's hard, it's course is gonna be hard. I say that in last week, I like though I think everyone knows last week was a very hard week for many reasons. Um and um and we're all guilty of saying this is hard because it is, yeah, you know, um, but I did, and while it was hard for me to break out of that mode last week, on Monday I was like, I can't have I can't um have another week like that. Or I'm I'm or I'm not gonna like so I was like, even if things are still hard and even if I'm still stressed, I'm not gonna let stress run me. And even if I need to, that means I just kind of need to live in that like sort of fluffy aspirational, affirmational world. If that's kind of how we protect our peace, even though things might still be chaos down here, like I think that's okay to have a little delulu, a little delusion, if you may, because if that helps you protect your peace so we can keep operating, you know. I I do think that's important. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 22:40

Well, it's living in the moment, too. You know, just it's okay to go minute by minute, hour by hour to get through and get to the next day and get to your lucky and get to your lucky. Yeah, and that's okay.

SPEAKER_01: 22:52

I like that, you know, and um I know it feels like such like a funny line to walk um between that like affirmation delulu, as we call it, and um and just trying to survive a little bit. But I do think um, yeah, I think when I like I remember one year we like the day we got home from this was like two or three years ago, the day we got home from vacation, I started a load of laundry and our washing machine started working. And of course it's a massive load of laundry, and you know, so then we have heaps of it from from vacation from from a beach from a week-long beach vacation. I have two little kids who are probably, I don't know, I'm guessing they were two or three or something like that. And so we were also getting ready to start like pre-K, you know, and so now we have to pay for a new washer, and then something I remember we had like a mate, two major car, like the cars didn't break, but there was like two like major like things that were like$1,500,$1,700 each in that same fall, you know what I mean? And and then there was another thing like with the house, and this is all like before Christmas, and I was like, There can't be another thing, and I remember like in January feeling like, oh god, like it sucked, like you know, walk like walking into the holiday season and then walking out with even more, you know. And my remember my therapist saying to me basically that that's kind of same notion. She was like, you know what, like it's hard and and it sucks, but she was like, it won't always be like that, and for some reason, just not that it's saying that I practice that all the time, but like when I when I can hold on to that, like I think like it does help because reframing is important both for parenting and for work. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 24:26

That's what we do all the time for work too. Yes, you have to for a client or whomever you're working with is you know, if they're having an issue, how do you reframe it to make it a positive? Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 24:37

Well, exactly that's for them and the public. Right. So kind of leaning into that, what have you learned about letting go of perfection, setting boundaries, and asking for help? Because I think both as a woman, of course, I know I struggle with that, um, but as a parent and in work, I think it's can be so challenging. Yeah, um, I have big problems with that.

SPEAKER_00: 25:01

That's why I asked that one. I was like, let me see what Beth has to say about this. Yeah, I'm the first to admit it, you know, my poor husband, because I always think, you know, like he should know what to do. Yeah, he doesn't need me to tell him what to do. So like when I'm asking for when I need help, he should just know that I need help. Yeah. But he doesn't. Because I keep it all inside and I don't say anything, and then I blow up. Yeah, yeah. Um, so it's really something I'm working on a lot. Yeah, yeah. It helps um for from professionally, because we have a team of people and we they are so good at what they do. I mean, they're amazing. And so I've learned, at least now, I can say, okay, Laura, you're the creative genius in this office. What do I do? Or what would you suggest, or can you do it even whatever is whatever you think is best? Right. Um, or you know, Steve is the messaging guru. Yeah. And he can he can he's the one who can come up with that nugget better than anybody I know. And if I'm struggling, I can always go to somebody and ask for help. And so knowing our team and their strengths and weaknesses is helpful to me and helping me understand that it's okay to ask, and I don't have to deal with this client or this deep this right problem by myself. Um, but it is hard, and I really struggle because I I mean I'm an athlete. Yeah, I played basketball in college. Oh, this is what we this, you know, we just worked hard and got things done and did it. Right, right. And um, so to ask for help is really, really hard for me.

SPEAKER_01: 26:37

Right, I know. And I I think like I I I definitely don't consider my person my myself a perfectionist whatsoever, but I my mom certainly, I mean, my mom's a 40-plus year career woman, um, very strong uh Virgo woman, as I like to say. And so um, I feel like I was raised by one, and my husband is very type A, and um, you know, so they're kind of both very of that ilk. So I feel like I've I'm surrounded by enough that I can get the flavorings, but I will kind of reject at the same time. All that to being said, now that I'm with running my business, like it's very different to be an employee versus kind of when you're running something and you're handling messaging and creating content. I again, I still am like I'm not a perfectionist, I just have very high functioning anxiety. You know, um, I think that is the correct label for it. But when you're coming, because that's where I find that I get stuck a lot of times is I'm thinking about the when I say the shoulds, I mean I'm shoulds more in the frame of work of like how should this sound? How should I get this across that I know like what I want to say, I know what I'm trying to get out, but then I'm I always sometimes like for instance, I get stuck on hooks. I you know, that's a massive and major point of the messaging, right? Exactly. And so I I find myself getting stuck on that a lot, and then um I again same thing as I have a team, but I I sometimes struggle with knowing when okay, I've clearly spent too long here. I need to not just like ask for help, but kind of like how long do you find yourself stewing on something before you're like, okay, now let me how how do you help break yourself out of whether you're stuck or trying to finish something to kind of pivot and whether it's finalizing a draft or whatever, how do you kind of help move yourself along that?

SPEAKER_00: 28:28

Well, I spent almost two hours looking for something on the on the on the internet. Only two? That's actually right, and I finally gave up. Yeah. Um, and I was like, I'll just come back to it another day. Yeah, but uh I don't know how to know when enough is enough. I there I don't know. It's just a feeling, I guess. You know, feeling I know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 28:52

Once two to five hours have gone by, we're like, okay.

SPEAKER_00: 28:54

And part of it I think is knowing that there's somewhere you can go to get help.

SPEAKER_01: 28:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 29:00

So I'm I'm probably more likely to say enough is enough earlier if I know I can go somewhere else or go to someone else to say I need help or this is really I'm struggling with this. Um so that I think knowing there's help out there makes that an easier transition to go from it's just me, I can do this, to needing help.

SPEAKER_01: 29:25

Well, and I think actually that's I love how I can't take uh credit for all these questions that I've laid out here, but I'm like, that is kind of the perfect marriage into parenting too, because so whether you're again, it doesn't matter if you're a working mom, stay-at-home mom, part-time mom, I've been every variation of that, you know. Technically, I'm still what we may call a working or sorry, a stay at home mom. I just uh like because I have a remote business, you know, it's so it's just I'm running around all the time. Now they're in school a little bit more, so that helps, right? Um, but uh it's that same thing of uh You know, I know a lot of a lot of moms, um, and you know, I myself felt like this many times too, of like feeling like we have to do it all. And whether it's something it's not always about like asking your spouse for help, but just even others, you know, in general. And um I think it's something that's like I I haven't I struggle with it probably more with my job than I do personally, because the I guess the uh fortunate, unfortunate thing with me, I'm the oldest of five kids, and I my poor siblings probably go to therapy because of me. I I was very bossy um because I had four siblings. I'm like, you guys can both you know, right, and so um, you know, I uh quickly learned what delegating was from a very young age. I'm like, this is awesome, like I'll do this, right? Um, so I feel like you know, as a parent, I was just and again, I I'm I came from a large family, very busy family. I knew that like, and again, my both my parents worked full-time. So we came from an atmosphere of like, you know, I was raised by nannies and we would carpool and do, you know, all of our activities. So, like, you know, my mom, my parents had to rely on others, and I was constantly asked, you know, asking people for help and doing things like that. And again, you know, I had my army of siblings. So, you know, I was I'm very used to that, but I know like, you know, my husband is the opposite, right? And has this almost like fear of like, you know, doesn't want to burden other people. Yeah and and I've come to you know, see there's there's merit on both sides, of course, right? But at the end of the day, it's just you know, I feel like we work hard enough as moms that um there's because there's kind of a level of suffering. I feel like that comes that happens with that, and I just feel like, you know, again, I'm saying this super e like, you know, like we shouldn't have to, you know, like you know, just ask for help. I say like it's super easy. I know it's not because I've also been in that position in in very different ways.

SPEAKER_00: 31:56

Well, and I think uh from a mom standpoint, asking for help, it's who who do you have around you, right? Who have you surrounded or who is surrounding you that you feel you feel comfortable enough because it's very personal. Yeah, especially as a mom, I think when you're asking for help, it's really it's it's personal, and you know, are you failing as a mom by asking for help? Which I think is a common theme if you know if you have to ask for it. And no, obviously not, right? It's like this inner like I'm the mom, I should know what to do, I should know how to handle it, I should be able to do all this, that sort of thing. I mean, I even have trouble asking somebody to help with the ride to practice. Yeah, because I'm like, I should be able to do this, right? But sometimes it's not, but having those that circle of friends and even you know, teammates, parents of teammates for in our situation, um and everybody goes through the same thing, that's the other thing, and but none of us feel like somebody else is going through it, right? You always feel like you're the only one shouldering this burden, but every single parent goes through the exact same thing.

SPEAKER_01: 33:07

It's so true. And one thing, like, I always feel like I'm almost like happy when my friends ask me to help them. Um, or you know, help them with their kids and things like that. I'm like, absolutely I would. Like, you know, you're like, I'll basically treat you like next to kin, you know what I mean? Like, come on in, like, you know, assume assuming I'm available, absolutely, you know what I mean? And um, like we have some really good friends of ours who have um some pretty uh intense work schedules every now and then. And you know, there's two times where they had to like, hey, can like you help um get drive the kids to school, which obviously means and because I know my husband has to leave leave for work by like seven, and so in order for him to leave for work means that he had to drop his kids off at our house at like 63645. And I'm like, the reality is like we're up, right? We're not not up, you know what I mean? And but I'm in my brain, I'm like, of course. Like I I would, I don't, it's already yes before I've said it, you know. In my that's how I am, you know, and um, but I know like for some people if they're on the opposite side of that feel, and I get it, because like yeah, with one of my with when it's my kids, like I would it's hard because you I I feel like I definitely don't want to burden somebody else, especially like at that early morning. But my brain like, but then you know it's funny that morning, like I mean I'll tell you by 7 7 30, I was like, I was just holding my cup of coffee, you know. It's like Christmas morning, you're like, oh my gosh. But I would they're they're they're like best friends, like the four of them over again. I would absolutely like do it every Friday basically, because like in the in a funny way, I mean, yes, the house was like, but they play together the whole time. I made them clean up, you know, and they ate probably more than they would because you know what I mean? It's just I mean, so but um like and there was also a lot of joy in in that little bit of chaos circle, but yeah, I would do it all over again, and I would do that, you know. Um, and I think we just have to remind ourselves that we are just as deserving of the compassion that I feel for getting to do that from my friend, and we are just as deserving for receiving that, yeah, yeah. But that's hard. It's I didn't say that these were all easy takeaways.

SPEAKER_00: 35:20

I mean, and I grew up just the opposite of you did. So I grew up on a farm in rural Iowa. I mean, it was just us. My mom, she did, you know, like she taught aerobics in town and you know, that sort of thing, but not, but she was always home, yeah, and they were were they were running the farm, my mom and my dad, and so they were always there, and it was just us. Yeah, you know, there's no other kids for miles, you trick-or-treat to like five houses who are their friends, and that's it. Yeah, you know, yeah, it's just a totally different than growing up where you have this entire community of your family, you have a big family, and um so you learn to just do things on your own and not ask for help because there was nobody there.

SPEAKER_01: 36:00

Very true. From a yeah, such a different lens, but it's kind of interesting and unique because even though you were completely raised that way, that was you know your experience, you're you're living a very different experience because now you're like, oh, you're a transplant, you know. I don't know how much how much friends and family, I'm sure obviously gained friends, but you know what I mean. Um, you know, and and you're a career woman, right? Like, obviously, but then there's that's still part of you, I'm sure that's still inside of you, like, you know, oh, I gotta be that strong, you know, independent woman, independent mom. Um, but you are in a role where you are dependent on on support and and help.

SPEAKER_00: 36:42

What's that experience like? It's different, it's different, and it's and it's taken some figuring out because you know, a lot of times I could ask my mom, uh-huh, what would you do in this situation? Yeah, what did you do? And there's no correlation there to get advice from that standpoint. So you have to you rely on other people and other things. Um, my mother-in-law worked, so I'll ask her sometimes, and but it's just different raising kids now, too. It's it's so many different pressures that our kids have and that we have that weren't there when we were growing up. No, that's a whole nother podcast. You're right, that's a whole nother podcast.

SPEAKER_01: 37:21

I know. Um, well, Beth, as we wrap up here, um, it's been so fun. Um, for and for anyone listening along, um, I hope you were able to follow along from all of our jump spots and talk about work and parenthood, but and and motherhood really. But um, it was so wonderful to kind of like really um, you know, talk through all these different lenses and all these different things that you juggle, you know, because I mean I think it's super admirable the work that you do, the work that you've done. Um, you know, I feel like we'll definitely have to, you know, reconvene and talk more about like I I need to nerd out more on the marketing calm side. Probably ask you for some help too. Um, you know, it's funny actually, so my mom um is planning, I think, on retiring next year, but she is an accountant, but she's um been with um, I mean, they've now been rebought out a few times since, but uh a PR firm, and I interned there in college. I couldn't tell you, like I remember like I was, but I was an intern in like the finance department, but they would pull me into the general intern pop, and they're all doing like the PR projects, and my brain was like, What?

SPEAKER_00: 38:24

And now you're living it.

SPEAKER_01: 38:26

I was like, ah, but I'm it's still very different than actual like that scope of world because those are massive clients, and I'm dealing with a very smaller niche in a smaller arena. We'll see how that evolves. Um, well, any final um tidbits that you have on um being again a career working mom, especially in um communications and kind of the political climate we are like yeah, I think the biggest thing I can say is just finding your spot in the world, whether it's you know communications or your mom, whatever, but finding that that place where you belong.

SPEAKER_00: 39:13

You know, for me, I love Capitol Hill, but if I wanted to be a mom, it just wasn't doable. And so I found an awesome spot in KO and I it gives me the flexibility I need to be able to come home and take somebody to baseball practice, and somebody to basketball practice and somebody to dance, and um and sometimes I have to work at midnight, but that's okay because I get to do other things that are really, really important to me. Right. And I think finding those time for those important things, which at where I am is my kids, yeah, um, along with taking care of clients and doing things that are professionally satisfying to me, yeah, and help kind of itch a itch a itch a scratch that I have. Um but just finding that spot where you can do you can you can do it all.

SPEAKER_01: 40:03

Yeah, it may not be easy, but it's and it's gonna look a little different, right? But I do think the point that you made there too about um uh finding your passion and leaning. I mean, I kind of realized when I was um, you know, I mean, obviously I was a COVID mom, so that kind of that obviously burnt me out in its own way. And but I remember I remember feeling like, and at the time I was like, I just need to be a stay-at-home mom because I needed to eliminate all other stressors. Um, because that one was just that burden was just too big and too much to manage, which you know would have been just as hard outside of COVID, but you know, in that vacuum was just too much. But I remember, and then as we're kind of slowly like, you know, um coming out of COVID, kids were getting bigger, a little bit more independent. I remember feeling like I was just feeling pulled, you know, and I remember feeling like this, you know, I wanted more and I needed to do more, and I and I felt like a better mom because I was happier, right? That and and some and some women, you know, their c their calling is being a stay-at-home mom.

SPEAKER_00: 41:01

And there's literally nothing wrong with that because and sometimes I'm like, man, my life would be a lot simpler if I it would just be other stresses, mother's stresses, or that's that's and that's something too that I always tell my kids is that everybody has something going on in their lives, yeah. You have no idea what it is, so be patient and be kind. Um, listening, you know.

SPEAKER_01: 41:23

I mean, maybe that's just our biggest takeaway from today is just being you know, um, and and you know, that's kind of how I've been reflecting on lots of like political events and things like that. You know, just remembering that we might not know the full story, but all we can do is be compassionate, empathetic listeners. Um and I think the other point we didn't say is kind of leaning into our very trusted um source for factual information and going to be in there. Yeah, so awesome. Well, thank you so much for your time to put today, Beth. Um, this was so wonderful to learn more about you and looking forward to chatting with you further. Yes, I would love that. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Mom Talk Maryland. If you loved it, leave a review, share it with a friend, or tag me at the.columbia mom on Instagram. I'd love to hear what you think. And don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode. Until next time, keep showing up, keep supporting locals, and keep being the incredible mom, woman, human that you are.