From the Heart with Rachel Brathen

After a long summer, it is finally time to get back to school, back to basics, and back to routine. Rachel has some time now to tackle the chaos and mess that has accumulated over the past couple months, and she shares honestly what the state of her house was like. Her family definitely didn’t start the new school year off on the best foot!
How do the perfect Instagram moms keep their houses clean all the time? Is there some secret trick some of us are missing? Is it possible to keep an entire family organized? Today’s episode is a relatable one - sometimes we fail, sometimes things get chaotic, and sometimes things are just flat out messy. But maybe that means you’re enjoying life. Tune in to let yourself off the hook.

In today’s episode, Rachel is fresh off hosting her first-ever retreat in her hometown in Sweden — 58 people from all over the world who came together for a week of yoga, hiking, sauna, campfires, and deep sharing. It felt like a full circle moment: welcoming people into the exact place that shaped her, and stepping fully into what she feels she’s truly meant to do.
Underneath all the beautiful moments, one thing kept surfacing again and again — the reminder that none of us are meant to carry things alone. Community isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s medicine. Whether you’ve been on a retreat or not, this episode will remind you of the people around you, and nudge you to lean into connection instead of isolation. If you’ve been feeling like you’re doing it all solo, this one’s for you.

It’s peak harvest season over in Rachel’s life at the moment. In today’s episode, she discusses everything happening in her kitchen thanks to all the deliciousness coming from nature. It’s a long list: kefir, shrubs, fire cider, kombucha, elderberry syrup, elder flower champagne, and St. John’s Wort oil!
Rachel shares a funny story about how she learned to make kefir, the delicious drinks and mocktails that come from the shrubs, and the benefits of a daily fire cider shot (with a kid-friendly version, too!). Living in this way helps you to be present, connect with nature, and bring aliveness and vitality to your home. Tune in for a fun episode that will inspire you to connect with that kitchen witch that lives within of us.

In today’s episode, Rachel is just coming out of two days of indulgent alone time. Her husband took both the kids to Stockholm, and Rachel got to bask in a clean, quiet house for the first time since she can remember. She spent the time walking, reading, going inward, doing retreat prep, and simply allowing herself to enjoy things.
Oftentimes, we feel like we have to earn pleasure, joy, rest, and play. We think we have to work so hard until we deplete ourselves - and then we can take time to slow down. But what if that’s not true? What if we should reach for those things just because? What if pleasure is our birthright? Today’s episode will help you shift the narrative and enjoy your life more.

Joy isn't the reward you earn after all the work is done. Joy is the work. That's what a new series on For the Love with Jen Hatmaker is all about, the Sacred Yes. It's choosing delight, rest, and pleasure on purpose because saying yes to yourself, that's the thing that finally lets you fill your table with everybody else. Come find your Sacred Yes with Jen. Follow and listen to For the Love with Jen Hatmaker wherever you get your podcasts.