Optimistically Overwhelmed

In celebration of Mother's Day, DeDe and Jamie are so excited to finally get their most favorite women on the microphones, their moms! Julie is here to dish on what it was like to raise Jamie, the outspoken spinster, and things get a little heated! But she also shares how she keeps calm and carries on through all the hard times of raising kids, and all the joys of spoiling her grandkids. Then, DeDe serves up a double dose of mom love with her own mother, Peggy, and Robye, her mother-in-law. These incredible women are here to share each of their difficult journeys to motherhood and all the blessings that were in store for them along the way. And DeDe and Jamie are still beaming with pride with all the love and admiration they have for these three women.  Then, the episode gets wrapped up with all the heartwarming, hilarious and extremely relatable messages sent in from some of our listeners. DeDe and Jamie loved every message they received and were so blown away by the responses. Whether you are a mom, grandma

Jamie and DeDe are catching up with their pal, Rach, who they have known since their early teens. Back when you were cool if you had your own landline telephone in your room, and sending a DM meant passing handwritten notes in class. But like most of us, Rach has had her fair share of ups and downs since then.. and she is here to share her unbelievable journey. DeDe and Jamie were laughing one minute and on the edge of their seat the next. This is no Hollywood story, friends. This is real life. The good, the bad, the messy and the incredibly beautiful. (Chills and goosebumps are optional). We hope you enjoy this mini stroll down memory lane, with plenty of plot twists and sharp turns! If so, please rate and review the show. DeDe and Jamie appreciate the love and support very much! Until next time, friends... 

DeDe is head over heels for today's guest, Thomas. He is a Fire Captain and also happens to be her husband, so Jamie had a blast 'third wheeling' it with the lovebirds on this episode. Thomas is here to explain a guy's perspective on how he finds positivity in an extremely high-stress career, and how he was able to persevere and achieve his dreams when he felt like the odds were stacked against him. He also shares some key tips on how to prepare for an unexpected emergency.  So, buckle up, friends. Another great episode full of love, laughs and witty banter coming at ya! If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show here on iTunes. And don't forget to send in those amazing Mom stories for our upcoming Mother's Day special. Until then, have a great week!   

"Opa!" DeDe and Jamie had the BEST time with Alexia! She had the ladies cracking up talking about how she snagged her handsome hubby and other hilarious stories about growing up in a big, giant Greek family. But seriously, this woman is amazing! She is juggling a million hats and is such a motivational force to those who know her. There is no denying this episode will have you laughing and brighten your day!  DeDe and Jamie are also sharing some exciting news happening in the next few weeks, go on over to @dedeandjamie on Instagram for more details. And do yourself a favor and go take a look at all the adorable clothes over at nickyandstella.com. Now go date your spouse, hug your mom, call your siblings, and remember family comes first! Thanks for all the love and support, friends. 

The "Teenager Whisperer" is here to help DeDe on her quest to understand the inner workings of the adolescent mind, and Jamie learned so much about herself in the process! Who would've thought! Melinda is a wife, mom and grandma who has spent most of her life surrounded by teens and has the most amazing message on why we should all love this stage of life. Honestly, this episode is about so much more than puberty-fueled teenagers. It is about listening more and talking less. It is about patience. It is about trusting your gut. And more importantly, it is about the fact that love always wins.  DeDe and Jamie were so excited to sit down with one of their biggest fans for a chat, and are completely obsessed with her since! Listen in to this spectacular woman who will no doubt brighten your day. Thanks for all your support friends, and let's make sure to show Melinda some love with those '5 star reviews' on iTunes. 

DeDe and Jamie are heading to the Final Frontier on today's episode. Rachael is a military wife, currently stationed in Alaska, and she is sharing a beautiful lesson on embracing the unknown. She and her family of seven have lived in Italy and China, and she opens up about the struggles of learning new languages and cultures and all the blessings in store for you when you take a step outside of your comfort zone and live in the moment. DeDe and Jamie were blown away by her resilience and are so incredibly grateful for her touching message that so many other military spouses can relate to. To all the military wives/husbands listening out there, you are amazing! And to those men and women currently serving, we thank you and we salute you! So please enjoy your weekly dose of positivity, friends. We have already hit the airwaves in all 50 states, but it is time to take this show global! Please rate and review the show so we can help get the word out. Thank you for all your love and support!    

The Professor is in! DeDe and Jamie are all ears on today's episode as Christina teaches an important life lesson. What can we do to make ourselves a better human after we fail? She shares how her success comes from her failures, how she uses negativity as the direct fuel for positivity and what happens when we turn "I can't" and "I'm not" into "I am" and "I will". Christina is infectiously happy, and there is no denying that one listen to this episode, and her sweet voice, will brighten your day.  So, here you go friends! The silver lining in your week courtesy of DeDe, Jamie and the Professor. It's full of laughs, adorable love stories and Hallmark-worthy plot twists. It's a great one! And if you agree, please leave a review over on iTunes. They mean the world to DeDe and Jamie. Thanks, as always, for the love.

The Optimistic Duo is here to remind you to stand tall, walk proud and brush those shoulders off! DeDe and Jamie have had such great feedback from their episode on "Change", now they are back to dive a little deeper. How confident are you in the changes you've made? How confident are you in your life? In your career? In your relationship? The ladies are opening up and sharing some real stories of times when their confidence was tested and whether or not they came out on top.  DeDe and Jamie are so grateful for all the listeners who have reached out and they encourage you to keep doing so. And please remember to take a moment to congratulate yourself on how far you've come. And maybe throw us a review on iTunes while you are at it? It helps spread the show, and the ladies just love reading them as well! Until next time, go strut your stuff and thanks for all the support!  

DeDe and Jamie have quite the episode for you! DeDe is introducing her good friend Tif to help shed some light on all the stigmas surrounding Mental Health. On the outside, Tif is larger than life (with the big hair to prove it) and constantly on-the-go with her full time job and being a Mom to her four kids. But on the inside, she was paralyzed with anxiety and silently struggling with depression. It wasn't until she realized that she could no longer sit on the sidelines of her life and fought back! DeDe and Jamie were absolutely blown away by her powerful messages and have been in complete awe of her since.  So listen in, friends, and we encourage you to share this with anyone you may know struggling. If you currently are, please remember that you are NOT alone. But most importantly, never give up on anyone and that includes yourself... and if all else fails, just tease that hair! Thank you as always for the support you have given us and those lovely 5 star ratings. Keep them coming!   

Lindsay is here to share her incredible story with DeDe and Jamie. Just like Mama Gump always said to Forrest, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get", this episode is a heartwarming lesson in just that. Lindsay opens up about her struggles with infertility and all the amazing blessings she received when she learned to just stay open. But more importantly, she reminds us all that it doesn't matter how your children get to your family. It just matters that they get there.   DeDe and Jamie also share some unexpected things that happened to them this week, so listen in, friends. Lots of twists and turns in this one! We hope you enjoy, please rate and review, it really helps us get the show out to the masses! Thanks, as always, for the support! 

On this episode, DeDe and Jamie introduce you to Azya, one of the happiest humans on Earth. She offers up some great advice on projecting positivity in her day to day life, how to stay young at heart and the secrets to success of running a business with her two best friends. But more importantly, she is here to share some incredible life lessons passed down directly from her amazing Mom.  We have no doubt this episode will brighten your day. She had the girls belly laughing during their chat, and DeDe and Jamie are so excited to have her join the Optimistically Overwhelmed tribe.    Thanks again for listening in, and please do us a huge favor and rate and review the show so we can help spread the word! 

DeDe and Jamie are keeping up with the cool kids on this episode and reflecting on their "10 Year Challenges". DeDe shares how much she has grown and adapted over the last 10+ years as a wife and mother, and also puts on her Cosmetologist hat to offer her two cents on those drastic hair makeovers. Jamie shares her own personal growth story of how she became so darn independent, and also answers the hard hitting question "Have you ever changed who you are to get/keep a guy?" Her answer may surprise you!      So listen in to this great episode, friends. Change can be risky, change can be difficult, but it can also be beautiful. And DeDe and Jamie want to hear all about it! Don't forget to rate and review the show. And thank you for sharing your time with us! 

For their first ever Valentine's Day special, the girls are on a quest for answers. "What does 'Love' mean to you? How does love motivate you in your daily lives? And what makes Valentine's Day special for you?"    DeDe and Jamie are taking a back seat on this episode and letting their friends and family take over the microphones. From adorable kiddos to outspoken Grandmas, this episode is guaranteed to make you smile and fill your heart with love. So listen in, friends! And don't forget to keep spreading that love! And rate and review the show while you're at it! Thanks again for all your support.   

DeDe and Jamie sit down with this beautiful woman to hear an amazing lesson in positivity and patience! On the surface Riely’s life may seem perfect, married to her dream guy and working her dream job, but she has been secretly struggling with a rollercoaster of health issues for the last 3 years. A true warrior, she shares how she radiates happiness on the darkest of days, and she also shares some great advice on how to avoid that "7-year itch” in a marriage. No doubt about it, DeDe and Jamie are in complete awe of this incredible human.   It's a great episode, friends! We laugh, we cry, and we find out the lengths Jamie had to go in order to get her parents to buy her a cell phone back in the day.    And don’t forget to rate and review the show! Thanks everyone!

DeDe and Jamie get down to the “nitty gritty” with their pal, Renee. A wife and mother to five gorgeous humans, who also works 30 hours a week. She took some time out of her “daily juggle” to share some beautiful advice with us. From how to navigate the teen years and social media, how when times get tough you have to remember to choose the wins, and also how to be more intentional with what we allow in our hearts. Renee has so many incredible things to share with all of you, no matter what stage of life you are in.    So, settle in, get cozy and listen to this Optimistically Overwhelmed babe of a woman!  Go check out all of her "perfectly imperfect" pictures  @nashvillehills on instagram.   And don’t forget to rate and review the show! 

DeDe and Jamie are here to introduce you to one of their most favorite humans on the planet, Chelsea. They have been friends for 20+ years, and have been in constant awe of how she manages to keep it all together so effortlessly! She is the most positive person, the most organized person and has the most incredibly generous heart. We invite you to listen in and get to know this wonderfully optimistic and overwhelmed woman, and are confident you will grow to love her as much as we do. May we all be more like Chelsea in our daily lives! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us!  Thanks for the support!

On this episode, DeDe and Jamie take a time out from the interviews to sit down and discuss a tangible tip that has helped them find balance in their busy lives. When that To-Do list in running off the page, and you feel like you are about to break, maybe it is time to take a step back and re-evaluate. What are you doing that you shouldn’t be doing, and more importantly, what are you not doing that matters to you? What will make you go to bed feeling you tried your best, and that is enough? So listen in, and we challenge you to find 5 things that will help you become the person you were meant to be. Keep it simple, and start small, friends. And we would love to hear what your “basics” are and how this has helped you. Now go and be brilliant! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us!  Thanks for the support!      

Jamie turns the table on DeDe on this episode to ask her how she keeps it all together! Being a mother of a middle schooler through a preschooler, how does she keep her sanity in check? How does she find time for herself in the madness of kids and extracurricular activities? And how she is able to keep her marriage strong being a Fire Captain’s wife, when at times it feels like a long term, long distance relationship. How do they stay connected in a disconnected world? Come listen in and hear how DeDe finds joy in the juggle, and also how one Taylor Swift lyric brings Jamie to tears.   Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us!  Thanks for the support!  

What is dating like in 2019? And what in the world is a Spinster?! DeDe puts Jamie in the hot seat in this episode to ask all the hard hitting questions. What is swiping? Is ghosting an app? How does she stay "optimistic" after bad dates and breakups? And is Jamie willing to give up her independence when her bearded Mr. Right comes along? Listen in to find out all the juicy details! Please rate and review the show! And don't forget to send DeDe those lumberjack referrals!     

DeDe, the Mom Machine, and Jamie, the Spinster dive into their very first episode! Come see how two opposite humans can be cheerleaders for each other through all of life's ups and downs. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us! Thanks for the support!