Do you ever crawl into bed at night and think, “I am so tired… and I still have so much left to do”?
If you’ve been living in that cycle of exhaustion, guilt, stress, and overwhelm — and wondering if this is just how motherhood is supposed to feel — you are in the right place.
Because here’s the truth: Motherhood is meant to feel joyful, not exhausting.
And together, we’re going to conquer that stress.
Welcome to Conquer Mom Stress — the podcast for moms who are ready to ditch survival mode and rediscover joy in everyday life.
I’m Jill Gockel, mom of five, and I’m here to help you break free from guilt, burnout, and that constant stress from the mental load that makes you feel like you’re failing.
Here’s what makes this podcast different: we’re not just going to talk about ideas — we’re going to tackle the real-life problems moms are facing today. The things that actually cause mom stress and steal your joy. And then I’ll give you tools, insights, and encouragement that are practical, doable, and life-giving.
Because you don’t need more pressure to do it all perfectly.
You need support that helps you breathe again, stress less, and love motherhood more.
Let me tell you how I got here.
A few into motherhood, I was that mom. On the outside, I looked like I was holding everything together. My kids were dressed, lunches were packed, and I was showing up for all the things.
But on the inside? I was running on fumes.
Every day felt like I was sprinting a marathon I never trained for. My brain never shut off. I’d be folding laundry but mentally meal planning, tracking soccer schedules, and reminding myself to RSVP to that birthday invitation — and then beating myself up because yet again, I’d forgotten to do something.
And at night, when the house was finally quiet, instead of resting I’d lie in bed with this loop in my head: “I should have been more patient. I didn’t spend enough time with the kids. I still have so much to do.”
The harder I pushed, the more burned out I became.
And one night, after snapping at my kids over something tiny, I sat on the floor in my bathroom and thought: This cannot be the version of motherhood God designed for me.
That moment was the beginning of a shift — a shift toward understanding how stress works in the brain and body, and how simple daily resets could help me show up calmer, more confident, and more connected to my kids. It was a realization that my problems didn’t have to be problems if I could have the right mindset and believe that there was an answer out there, no matter how impossible it seemed.
And that’s what I want for you, too.
One of my favorite reminders comes from Corrie Ten Boom, who said:
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”
For some reason, your brain thinks that worrying is taking action. You might not be able to do anything about a problem right now but if you worry about it, you FEEL like you’re doing something.
I remember when I was younger, I believed that if I worried about our house getting hit by a tornado and planned out all my exit strategies, it would actually PREVENT the tornado from hitting our house. And you know what? I found evidence that this strategy worked, because a tornado had never hit our house!
But here’s the truth, worrying about it and planning ahead, oh man, it didn’t make a bit of difference in whether or not a tornado hit our house. All it did was steal my joy and leave me in a sleep-deprived state of stress.
And you do this same thing, all the time as a mom. Worrying about what tomorrow will bring with your kids. Stressing about your schedule and how to get it all done. Fixating on the problem your kid is having and feeling like there’s no way out.
When you live in a constant state of stress and guilt, motherhood loses its joy. But when you learn to reset, you start living in the strength God has already given you for today.
There’s a verse in the Bible that always grounds me when I feel pulled in every direction. It’s Matthew chapter 11, verse 28:
📖 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
As moms, you have to carry so much. They say that a parent is only as happy as their least happy child and to take on that, can feel like a constant burden.
Yet, Jesus reminds us that when you bring your burdens to him, he takes on the work, guiding you and opening doors for you, so you can rest.
Rest isn’t something you have to earn — it’s a gift that you can receive when you lean on Him, when you trust Him.
Now, I want to share an example of what this looks like in real life.
As a mom of five, I’ve faced just about every practical problem you can imagine — from toddler tantrums to teen attitudes, from sleep regressions to endless piles of laundry. But one of the hardest seasons was when one of my kids was such a picky eater that he was dropping weight like crazy.
I remember doctors telling me, “Don’t worry, this is normal. He’ll eat when he’s hungry.”
But my mom gut told me that something was off. He wasn’t thriving. He was anxious around food. And while everyone else said, “This is just a phase,” I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a deeper issue.
So instead of accepting “normal,” I dug in. I researched. I tried alternatives. I looked at nutrition differently, I worked on stress around mealtime, not just for my son, but for myself as well, and I focused on root causes instead of just forcing him to eat. And slowly, things shifted.
Trusting God and becoming solution-minded, never taking no for an answer when everyone else says something is normal. That is a confidence skill that will take you so far in life.
So much of motherhood stress comes from being told to just push through when something feels off. You’re told, “That’s just how it is,” even when your gut says otherwise. Even when you think, “There has to be a better way.”
But the truth is, God gave you instincts for a reason. Listening to them, and learning practical tools to address root causes, helps you show up with confidence instead of overwhelm.
That’s the heartbeat of this podcast.
Every week on Conquer Mom Stress, we’re going to talk about:
* Why mom guilt and stress feels so heavy and how to break free from it.
* What’s really behind your exhaustion and burnout and how to recharge.
* How to calm the anxiety from the constant mental load that keeps you up at night.
* And practical ways to bring joy back into your everyday routines.
But even more importantly — we’re going to tackle your real-life struggles.
The things that keep you up at night. The things you wish you could ask another mom who gets it.
Because when you have tools that fit your real life, not just Pinterest-perfect advice, that’s when stress starts to loosen its grip.
Now, let’s be honest — stress is not going away.
You can’t cancel school drop-offs, you can’t erase your to-do list, and you can’t stop your kids from yelling “MOM!” 47 times before 8 a.m.
But here’s what you can do: you can learn how to reset your stress response before it takes over.
Science tells us that when you’re under chronic stress, your brain gets stuck in “survival mode.” That’s why you can feel snappy, forgetful, or like you’re just going through the motions. But the good news? The brain can reset — and even tiny practices like a two-minute breathing pause, writing down one small win, or turning on a song that shifts your mood can rewire your stress response.
In fact, research shows that just 2–5 minutes of deep breathing can lower cortisol levels — that’s the stress hormone — it lower it by up to 50%. That’s how powerful even the smallest reset can be.
That’s what this podcast is going to give you: simple resets, grounded in science and faith, that you can actually use in the middle of mom life.
Because motherhood doesn’t have to feel like a constant state of overwhelm.
And here’s where I’d love to invite you in.
I don’t just want this podcast to be me talking at you — I want it to be a conversation.
So tell me: What’s stressing you out right now?
Where are you feeling lost?
What’s the thing that makes you feel like you’re drowning, or the part of motherhood you wish you could enjoy more?
Go to jillgockel.com/ask — the link will also be in the show notes — and share your biggest question or struggle.
I’ll be answering them personally in future episodes, so you can get practical, real-world solutions to the exact challenges you’re facing.
This podcast isn’t just about advice — it’s about creating a space where you feel seen, supported, and equipped to conquer mom stress for good.
So if you’ve been stretched too thin, if you’re tired of feeling like you’re constantly failing, if you’re ready to breathe again and actually enjoy motherhood — hit that follow button. And while you’re there, would you share this podcast with another mom who might need to hear it? Your support will help more moms find this space and start conquering mom stress, so they can enjoy motherhood again too.
This is your place to pause, reset, and start conquering mom stress — one small step at a time.
Because motherhood isn’t meant to drain the life out of you.
It’s meant to be lived with joy, even on the messy days.
And together, we’re going to find that joy again.
