If Father’s Day Feels Complicated… you’re not alone.
Hey y’all, welcome to More Lovin, the podcast that brings more laughter, light, and love into everyday life. I’m your host LeAnn Austin, and together we’ll rediscover the beauty of connection to your body, your mind, your spirit, and the people you love.
Today’s episode #229: If Father’s Day Feels Complicated…
Father’s Day is coming up. For some of us, this feels really beautiful, and for others it’s way more complicated. Maybe there’s distance, or loss, or things you wish had been different. And for a lot of us, it’s a mix of both.
Wherever you are in that, there’s nothing wrong with feeling whatever comes up for you. AND what if this day could also be an invitation to experience a different kind of love?
What if Father’s Day wasn’t just about a person, but about a type of love? The kind of love that steadies you, supports you, protects your peace, and encourages you to keep going. The kind of love that says, I’ve got you.
I remember years ago when I was really hard on myself. I had all of these expectations: how I should show up, how I should feel, how I should handle things. And when I didn’t follow through, I was shoulding all over myself. I didn’t respond with kindness. I responded with pressure.
Thankfully I realized, I wouldn’t talk to someone I love that way, and I certainly wouldn’t coach a client that way. So why was I doing that to myself?
That’s when things started to shift. I began learning how to support myself differently, to encourage instead of criticize, to steady myself instead of stress.
I am so grateful for how I love and take care of me now, it also makes it so much easier to love and care for others too.
That’s what I mean when I say maybe Father’s Day can also be about how we learn to show up for ourselves.
No matter what your earthly experience has been, we have a Heavenly Father who already loves us this way. He is steady, present, patient, and full of love. A father who doesn’t rush you, doesn’t shame you, doesn’t expect perfection from you. But meets you right where you are.
And when you begin to understand that kind of love. It changes the way we treat ourselves. We start to soften. We breathe a little deeper. We feel a little safer. And we begin to respond to others differently… with more kindness, more patience, and a whole lot more lovin.
Maybe today looks like pausing and remembering you’re not alone. Letting yourself be supported instead of shoulding all over you. Or speaking to yourself the way God speaks to you; with patience, with truth, and with love.
Sometimes it’s not about doing more, it’s about loving yourself better in the moment you are in.
And one more thing. How amazing is it that Father’s Day lands on the first day of summer; a season of light, of growth, of becoming. Maybe this is your invitation to grow into a deeper kind of love for yourself.
So whether you are celebrating, grieving, healing, or somewhere in between. You are held, you are seen, you are deeply loved. And that love can become the way you show up for yourself too. Hmm, something to think about.
Here’s to Father’s Day, the first day of summer, and more lovin. Have a good one y’all.
And if you want a quick reset, grab my free Lovin Check-In. It’s a simple way to pause, notice, and support yourself in just a minute, and really see where your lovin energy is today. The link is HERE
Thanks for tuning in. If you’re ready to take what we talk about here and make it personal, let’s work together one-on-one. I’ll help you calm your nervous system, strengthen your relationships, and create more lovin, laughter, and calm in your life. You can find all the details at leannaustin.com
Until next time. Keep choosing fun, connection, and a whole lot more lovin. Have a good one y’all.