EP 181: Catch Up & Check In: Life, Kids, Business & Big Feelings

In this heartfelt catch-up episode of the Aligned Birth Podcast, hosts Dr. Shannon and Rachael Hutchins open up about the real-life rhythms of motherhood, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. From navigating school transitions and parenting teenagers to managing busy schedules and prioritizing self-care, they share honest reflections and relatable stories from their own lives.

Rachael offers insights into the growth of her doula business and the value of building a strong, supportive doula community, while Dr. Shannon discusses the evolving landscape of chiropractic wellness and the importance of staying grounded through mindful practices like walking. Together, they explore the balance between heart-centered work and business ownership, highlighting how mentorship, faith, and authenticity help them move forward—even in seasons of uncertainty.

Whether you're a parent, a birth worker, or simply seeking inspiration for living a more aligned life, this episode is a nourishing reminder of the power of connection, growth, and showing up with intention.

Transcript

Dr. Shannon (00:02.228)
Hello, hello, this is the Aligned Birth podcast. Thanks for tuning in. You've got both hosts here today. I'm Dr. Shannon, you got Dula Rachel here as well. And we're just chatting. I don't know what we're gonna talk about. Typically on our show, we like to talk about birthy things, hence the name Aligned Birth podcast. But we kind of put that perinatal spin on it. So a little bit of preconception, a lot of prenatal.

a lot of postpartum and postpartum is forever. So I guess it's just a lifetime podcast. But yeah, we're checking in today and I'm excited to just catch up and talk about birthy things and life things and where we're at and just, I know, some time to catch up. I think that's what we need because it's been a minute. It's been a minute, my friend. So welcome today.

Rachael Hutchins (00:56.37)
Dr. Shannon, as always a pleasure and it really has been a minute since we've we've caught up so we really are gonna just do a catch-up here a real time you know we're recording this shortly before it goes out so just like life happenings work happenings and you know I think motherhood happenings and you know we'll just see where it takes us thanks for being here thanks for listening and you know we love

Dr. Shannon (01:00.199)
It's been a minute.

Rachael Hutchins (01:26.114)
We love sharing about what's happening personally, because we do a lot of shows that are very topic focused. And so think it's nice to humanize the hosts.

Dr. Shannon (01:35.867)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, ooh, I like that. Humanizing the hosts. Yeah, working title, I kinda like that one. So yeah, we are chatting at the end of April, which is nice, because this will go out at the end of April as well. I don't know. You know, I think...

Rachael Hutchins (01:44.064)
Working title.

Dr. Shannon (02:04.359)
The first thing that comes to mind for me, because it's been a minute since we've recorded, that we, this year, we started doing a new flow. And so we're putting out episodes every other week. And so it's interesting for me, I still get in that, I still sometimes get a little panicky like, huh, podcast, haven't done anything on it. You know, like we have such a good break with it now that I feel like I can breathe and

put energy towards some other things, but yet it's still growing and moving and I am really grateful for that. So I think it's taken me a little bit of time to kind of, I don't know, get used to it. Do you know what I mean? I know there's been times where I'm being like, the podcast was supposed to go up and I didn't get it up and I'm gonna do that tomorrow. You know, there's been a couple of those.

Rachael Hutchins (02:51.95)
for sure.

Rachael Hutchins (03:01.538)
That literally happened to me, I think two episodes ago. So the upside to it is a little bit of like we're able to breathe a little bit. Like everything you said, I completely agree with. The downside and we're alternating who does what. Like, so it'll be like several weeks in between. Yeah, like, and so that big gap leaves me forgetful.

Dr. Shannon (03:05.265)
Happened to me this past one.

Dr. Shannon (03:13.969)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (03:20.593)
I have like a month off. Yeah. I'm like, what am I doing?

Well, how do I do this? I know it's like.

Rachael Hutchins (03:29.802)
Yeah, well, so I think that's definitely a downside because when you're in a weekly thing You're just there's nothing really getting missed and I think this last one I didn't post it until wednesday morning, which is when it goes out and ideally it's getting Posted the day, you know before that so that it goes out at the right time so Yeah, it's interesting in that way because it kind of I like it

Dr. Shannon (03:36.056)
huh.

Uh-uh.

Dr. Shannon (03:45.501)
Same happened, yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (03:58.156)
I've liked the flow, especially seeing the numbers be where they're at and us being able to take bigger breaks in between for all the other things we have going on, but still being able to do this because I love it. I love the interviews we're doing, the topics we're covering, you know, so it's both and.

Dr. Shannon (03:58.28)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (04:06.279)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (04:17.027)
It is. And I had a season of like busyness with recordings, you know, because like we're still recording. It may not go out, but every other week. And then you just recently had like a little bit of busyness of like you just recorded yesterday. And whereas I was like, I don't know the last time I've opened up Riverside. How do I do this? if, so I don't know, getting used to it, but I do, I do like it. I do like it. Like I like.

Rachael Hutchins (04:24.878)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (04:45.829)
a little bit of space to breathe. guess it's a little bit, feels like we're walking now instead of running, which I say that for a reason because that was something I had wanted to do more of like in my physical life was to walk more.

Rachael Hutchins (05:04.438)
You

Mm-hmm slow down a little bit

Dr. Shannon (05:08.741)
Yeah, yeah, it doesn't always have to end as a runner. I like to run and I like those things, but my mental space is different when walking than running. And so it's been interesting. So it's kind of fun to see how we're walking a little bit with sometimes I have to sprint because like I said, didn't get the episode out. Got to sprint. But then I can get back to that walking pace.

Rachael Hutchins (05:16.888)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (05:28.75)
Yeah, well, you know that you'll get a nice break after that. So yeah, and we'll just see, you know, this is first quarter and we can see where we're at towards the end of the year and see if we're going to keep that same cadence going forward. The other thing I like about it is the quality of the topics. I think we really niche down and we're very intentional about the topics we chose. And so I get really excited. Like if I have an interview or listening to the stuff you've done, because I feel like it's really solid.

Dr. Shannon (05:32.167)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (05:45.65)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (05:57.902)
Not that it wasn't before at all, but sometimes we were scrambling to come up with something to fill in because you didn't want to miss a week. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Shannon (05:59.923)
Mm-mm.

Dr. Shannon (06:03.929)
Mm-hmm. And I don't like feeling like that. Yeah, I'd rather it there's just a different there is a different energy to it. So I do like how things are now because we were very specific when we had created the outline as well, too. I will say things have come up where I'm like, ooh, I'd really like to get an interview with that person in. But does that fit into our outline? And so I know we're flexible, you know, with things as well, too. But

Rachael Hutchins (06:12.611)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (06:25.144)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (06:33.747)
Yeah, and I know I don't know if I should mention this on the show we can always cut this out, but um, I I I still in the back of my mind would love a I like the every other Wednesday with the really deep in-depth topic, but I would love like a 15 minute Something on those off Wednesdays that we don't put an episode out. That's like

Rachael Hutchins (06:40.184)
Share it all.

Dr. Shannon (07:02.575)
A mental health moment like a mom mental health moment of something just because I think that that's an area that you definitely could fit in plenty of things on and then you can you know, you can record a big chunk of time and get a full almost a month two months of little things to put in granted it is more work, but there's something I like about the little the little episodes.

Rachael Hutchins (07:22.478)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (07:30.696)
because I've been pulled towards that, especially with like the walking and stuff that I had been leaning more into. Depending upon the pace and how far I wanna go, it's like something between that 15 and 30 minute window is nice. But I like when we have an interview, it's like you want more bang for your buck. So it's like, if I've got someone there, I really want, so there tend to be a little bit longer. So I know I've mentioned that, but I think it's good that we have our,

Rachael Hutchins (07:47.66)
Mm-hmm. I love that.

Dr. Shannon (08:00.318)
the first quarter under our feet and that it feels good and that it can flow. So anywho, I guess I would say too, if anybody's listening, like we do have our email address and I think there's something where it says you can like message the show or something like that too. if they're like, what do you guys think? Do you like the every other week? Are there topics that are missing? I don't know.

Rachael Hutchins (08:04.354)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (08:16.686)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (08:29.821)
think it would be pulling the audience type of thing. yeah, throwing that out there.

Rachael Hutchins (08:34.006)
Yeah, absolutely. But yeah, Aligned Birth Podcast at gmail.com. Send us an email. love, like, I mean, I would love to have a bunch of ideas that came from our listeners and just see where we can go with that and see the feedback from.

Dr. Shannon (08:48.165)
And then while you email us, just go ahead and like do a review as well too. If you're already in it. Exactly. So yeah, it's been a I feel like it's been a good flow. A good flow with the show.

Rachael Hutchins (08:54.892)
If you're doing the things.

All that is in the show notes.

Rachael Hutchins (09:10.562)
rhymes.

Dr. Shannon (09:11.227)
It does, I know. Flowing with the show. Maybe that's another name. Although I do like dehumanizing the hosts, so. We're humans too. Yeah, yeah, I know. What else is new?

Rachael Hutchins (09:20.238)
We're just coming up with all kinds of good stuff.

Rachael Hutchins (09:25.602)
Yeah. all right. So if we're talking like first four months of the year, it's flying by. It's flying by like the jokes out there about January being, you know, 300 days long and then February hits and it's already, we're almost at the school and summer break. What? What happened? Where did time go? weeks are flying by, days are flying by. It's, it's

Dr. Shannon (09:30.483)
Yeah, what are we? Mm hmm. First quarter. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (09:41.81)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (09:47.493)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (09:55.342)
Jam-packed. A reminder, I have two boys, 12 and almost nine. So, you know, school, they go to regular public school and so they're in school most of the day, but then sports most nights. My oldest son runs track. It's his first season of track and he absolutely loves it. It has been so fun seeing him.

Dr. Shannon (10:20.871)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (10:22.774)
step into that. So he did cross country in the fall and then that same team does track in the spring.

Dr. Shannon (10:30.607)
Is it with the school or is it separate?

Rachael Hutchins (10:32.82)
It's considered a feeder team, so he's in sixth grade and there's you can run for any feeder team. It doesn't mean anything about the school you're really going to go to, but Woodstock, so I live in Cherokee County. Woodstock is our district. They don't have a cross country team, but they have a track team. Cherokee, so where the middle school we're at goes to both of those schools, Woodstock and Cherokee. And so we got.

Dr. Shannon (10:35.344)
Okay. Okay.

Dr. Shannon (10:42.588)
Okay.

Dr. Shannon (10:46.173)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (10:51.153)
Hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (10:58.181)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (11:01.358)
notified too that the Cherokee has a cross country and a track feeder team. So we're on that team because it has cross country. And Everett really likes both. So we're running with them and we absolutely love the coaches and the people. They're all volunteer. The program's been going for like 15 years.

Dr. Shannon (11:10.383)
It's got both,

Dr. Shannon (11:18.641)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (11:23.295)
I was going to say those younger ones, because I did, it was Sequoia Youth Track when I was growing up and running. And so was kind of the same thing. Like it was something separate from the schools. But then when you hit, because I did that in all through elementary as well. And so when you hit that middle school, it's kind of a weird. Well, and Woodstock's different too, because the middle school and the high school are attached and that made things easier there. But then sometimes the other schools aren't like that.

Rachael Hutchins (11:34.957)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (11:52.184)
Well, yeah, because we go to freedom and then we're going to go to Woodstock High School. So we'll split. He will split from the group he's with now, which is like crazy. And, but so we love the group he's running with. He's made some good connections. They are friends and loves the coaches. just had his first meet last Saturday. you know, did really well, just did really well. And his like learning.

Dr. Shannon (11:52.57)
So, uh-huh, exactly. my gosh, Woodstock High School. Yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (12:15.719)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (12:21.012)
You know this world, but what a track meet entails.

Dr. Shannon (12:24.103)
Ooh, they're all day. They're all day. You thought some things were all day? That is all day. Especially if they do an event at the beginning and the end. Uh-huh. First ones. Yay, hijab. I loved it. Yes. Uh-huh.

Rachael Hutchins (12:30.35)
since

He does, he's doing high jump, which is one of the very first events. And so we get there at seven, we get there at seven a.m. And then like we were there until like four p.m. But we came and went because we have another son. He has sports too. So anyways, I won't bore you with the logistical details, but we are loving, he's loving his sport. We're loving it as parents. It's fantastic. And

Dr. Shannon (12:46.344)
huh. huh.

huh.

Yes.

Dr. Shannon (13:02.983)
That's so good. I'm really excited about that. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (13:03.04)
Marshall's in soccer. so he's playing soccer and you know, just he's normal. It's just rec thankfully right now. Academy is hanging its carrot and I'm just not sure we're going to bite just yet. It seems like a big jump in intensity and we really like the spot we're at now. We also scored really great soccer rec level soccer coaches.

Dr. Shannon (13:11.667)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (13:19.09)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (13:26.45)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (13:30.323)
the coaches. Yeah. Cause you get what you get, you know, especially with the volunteer. Uh-uh.

Rachael Hutchins (13:32.756)
Yeah, you get what you get and not everyone has that experience. I told Jay just last night, I was like, if we had different coaches, I might be feeling differently. But and we've had them for like two seasons in a row and.

Dr. Shannon (13:39.985)
You might be feeling different. Uh-huh. We had with Dylan and I still talk to the coaches. We don't we're not with the team anymore. I think but he we had we lucked out and it was like so when you get that group and they vibe the coaches are so good. You're like, this is amazing.

Rachael Hutchins (13:55.63)
Yeah, so we're soaking that in for now, but we'll see if he and he likes it. He's doing futsal. Did your boys ever do futsal? It's like indoor soccer. It's like Brazilian.

Dr. Shannon (13:57.364)
Yeah, definitely. Just being open.

They did a winter season indoor, it was like somewhere, there's like an indoor place near like Marietta Diner. I don't even know if I'm pretty sure that's still there because I think that'll be there forever. So it's somewhere over there. That's the only thing that we did. But that was with Ethan's team when they just like, it wasn't like regulated. Like they just went and had fun and like a parent helped coach because it, yeah, so it wasn't like a thing thing. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (14:16.462)
you

Rachael Hutchins (14:20.642)
Mm.

Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (14:29.036)
Mm-hmm. gotcha.

Rachael Hutchins (14:34.806)
Yeah, yeah this is futsal's Brazilian something like skills it's a certain type of and or anyways he's doing that and loving it. So since the beginning we took a trip we went skiing as a family up to West Virginia in February so that was fun. Did they?

Dr. Shannon (14:39.501)
Okay, fun.

Dr. Shannon (14:48.371)
Dr. Shannon (14:52.023)
my neighbors went to West Virginia as well too and you had a blizzard. Didn't you have a blizzard this year? Yeah. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah. You got so much snow. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (14:56.352)
It snowed like every day and it was bitterly cold, but it was worth it because we got snow. And that's an essential part to skiing. So and the boys loved it. That was a great trip. Super great. We'll do it again. And then we didn't go anywhere for spring break and then otherwise just grinding like working, taking care of home and squeezing in some self care somewhere in there. know, it's a good, I'd say we're in a good, good balance.

Dr. Shannon (15:07.773)
You lucked out.

Dr. Shannon (15:17.351)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (15:26.39)
stride, you know, although we're very busy. I don't always like to just focus on the busy, but it's a, there's a stride there that we're in and it's

Dr. Shannon (15:27.621)
Yeah, yeah, but it sounds...

Dr. Shannon (15:36.4)
It's like delicate, you know, with the busyness but the goodness. don't, yeah, it's a tough space to see or to be in. I see a lot of moms in it and I always try to, I guess that focus is like, don't lose yourself in it. Do you know what I mean? And you even mentioned the self-care stuff, because we can get so caught up in like getting our kids to all the places and then,

Rachael Hutchins (15:39.458)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (16:05.255)
Sometimes we typically are the ones like scheduling things and the appointments and all, know, not in every household, but I'm just saying like that tends to be one of the burdens that falls on us. So sometimes I'm glad you mentioned self care and just kind of like not losing yourself in that busyness. that's where when, and that's where you can be aware of that, then yeah, embrace the busyness. It's okay, know?

Rachael Hutchins (16:23.564)
Yeah, and it looks different.

Rachael Hutchins (16:31.814)
Yes, yep, it's a season. I've chosen it. I want it. I wouldn't change anything. But yeah, we have to we have to take care of ourselves and I find it where I can. It looks different all the time, but

Dr. Shannon (16:36.615)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (16:43.475)
Yeah, and then I know because we're coming up on summer, so that's going to be a totally different season. I know. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (16:47.704)
For sure. Yeah, but I'm looking forward to summer because we get a break from the school and sports schedule.

Dr. Shannon (16:55.471)
Are you going to do Room Mom again next year? Is she shaking her head now?

Rachael Hutchins (17:01.88)
Thank you.

Rachael Hutchins (17:06.9)
And I'm, yeah, so was on the PTA board as well.

Dr. Shannon (17:09.331)
That's right, are you gonna do that too? And then she's shaking her head and then we get to it. I'm gonna give you the play by play.

Rachael Hutchins (17:17.128)
bless those volunteers. Shannon, I didn't know what I was getting into. I could room mom in will be easy now. If I decide to room mom that will be easy. Doing the board thing, bless them, bless the volunteers and I work full time. That should be a disqualifier. Not to shame the working mamas. I'm one of them. They should have said

Dr. Shannon (17:24.965)
Yeah. Easy peasy. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (17:37.829)
Mm-hmm. That should.

Rachael Hutchins (17:45.376)
You work full time, you should not volunteer on the PTA. No one told me that.

Dr. Shannon (17:48.368)
Mm-hmm. mean it makes sense because of what's you know looked at I remember when I they had approached me and I I thought they do right and I they I mentioned it to Brendan my husband and I'm glad I listened to him because he I mean he's he's pretty chill. He's real calm he's like yin to my yang like we we mesh really really well there and

Rachael Hutchins (17:55.31)
They know the good ones.

Rachael Hutchins (18:13.228)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (18:17.619)
And he's usually not like too terribly outspoken on things or just real verbal with things. But he was like, I don't think you should do that. And I was like, I'm going to listen to him.

Rachael Hutchins (18:25.55)
How did he know what it entailed? Like, how did he know? Like, I don't think Jay would have known. I didn't know. Really? How did he know? See, he's wise. He's like a wise, wise, wise man.

Dr. Shannon (18:29.895)
Mm-mm. I don't know. He...

Dr. Shannon (18:36.627)
He just knew. I think he knows me. That's why he was like, I don't think you should do that. But I had done Room Mom before and so I didn't do them at the same time. And so I think he saw the Room Mom and I probably complained about it more than I exalted it.

Rachael Hutchins (18:42.56)
Yeah, and you're like, you know, if you're if you do something you want to do it all in do it.

Dr. Shannon (19:01.199)
Unfortunately, I'll just be honest. And so I think he was like, I don't want to hear that anymore. So he was probably like, I'm saving myself. This is purely selfish reasons. Because I'm also the one that like, you know, I'll just chat and come home. And he's just like, you know, I'm like, what are you thinking? So I think he was like, I don't know that I want to hear anything about that. Maybe that's what it was. I'm so proud of you, though.

Rachael Hutchins (19:02.808)
So he here.

Rachael Hutchins (19:11.286)
Yeah, yeah, logical. Yeah, yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (19:20.12)
Yeah.

Yeah

Rachael Hutchins (19:27.458)
That's great. No, it's a lot. then I'm not doing it because I don't appreciate like, I just don't have the bandwidth, but I highly value what they're doing and I will support them in any way I can just off of the board.

Dr. Shannon (19:31.411)
Uh-huh. It's, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (19:41.78)
It's so important for, I think, for a good quality school year, and that is to have a really good board. And we really lucked out, and I'm so thankful for the board that we had. As much as I did feel bad that I didn't participate, I was really excited of all the things they were doing. So I would go and, yeah, I can volunteer for Fun Friday or these type of things.

Rachael Hutchins (19:52.064)
Mm-hmm. It's essential.

Rachael Hutchins (19:59.341)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (20:04.046)
of who, yeah.

Dr. Shannon (20:09.895)
But to create it and come up with it, I know how much that takes, it was, I think it's essential to the school year. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (20:16.046)
Yeah, oh no, I will. I will be their best cheerleader and champion and supporter and I might even still room mom because we're going into fourth grade. And I have one like fourth and fifth grade. I get so much easier too as they get a little bit older so and the teachers need the support so I'm not saying I won't do that. That I think is. Very doable compared to the demands of being on the board so. Caution if that's you ever just.

Dr. Shannon (20:23.517)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (20:29.085)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (20:40.306)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (20:45.373)
Just sit with it. See if you're feeling lead there. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (20:45.396)
Ask real, real honest questions. I'm pretty sure I was told it was like one meeting a month and then occasionally helping out.

Dr. Shannon (20:57.085)
Yeah. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (20:59.008)
It's a lot more than that. Okay. Anyways, this is not a PTA podcast, but thank you. Thanks for asking.

Dr. Shannon (21:04.605)
But yeah, no, it was on my mind. was like, wonder, I'm proud of you for doing it though, you know? Mm-hmm, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (21:08.11)
Cause you can empathize. Yeah. Yes. Hey, I feel like I did it. I'd always wanted to do it.

Dr. Shannon (21:14.077)
I think you would have gotten to the end of elementary years and been like, dang it. It's kind of like, feel like everybody should work customer service at some point in their life. You should, and so I do feel like you should, well, I don't like to shit on people, but it's very beneficial to volunteer at the school in some sort of capacity.

Rachael Hutchins (21:16.084)
yes. Yes.

Yes.

Rachael Hutchins (21:31.338)
Yes, absolutely and I'm really glad I did it. I know no regrets and we'll get through May-Sember I think. There's a lot going on but what about you? What's going on in your world?

Dr. Shannon (21:34.769)
Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (21:44.148)
So we're finishing up the first year of high school and then finishing up my last first year of middle school So 15 and 12 That's all I wrote on my what are we talking about today 15 to he got his learners. Yeah so

Rachael Hutchins (22:04.15)
Is he driving?

Dr. Shannon (22:09.509)
I'm in this weird space of, I get like really weepy with it because it's, I look back on, I am so thankful, and I'm glad this is really good segue with what we just talked about. I am so thankful for the time and energy that I put in in elementary. And because I look at the schools now, I look back on things and I don't have this feeling of like, I wish I had done more. I wish I had been available or.

Like I'm just like, I was there, I was involved, I loved it. And then I'm also thankful for pulling back a bit as the kids have gotten older and letting them get their feet under them. I only volunteer at the middle school with the book fair. Freaking love the book fair. And granted, they still need parents in PTSA. It's just not that for me, that's just not where I had felt, you know, called. I went on a field trip.

was a hot mess. was fun. I think I talked about it before. So that's been interesting watching my youngest navigate that, but having been through it as well. My oldest is doing good. To me, he really thrived in high school. The scheduling is different. So again, my kids are in public school. And so it's the block scheduling.

Middle school was just like you go to class you sit down you get out of class you go the next class you said it was just like boom boom boom boom his brain did not his brain didn't like that, so he's doing well there and It's like four classes a day and They're longer. So it's like that Aha, so he didn't have like science that first semester and then this second semester

Rachael Hutchins (23:46.028)
What is block scheduling? How's that different?

Rachael Hutchins (23:54.286)
So then they like alternate or something.

Dr. Shannon (24:03.251)
he's had a science class. so it evens out, but it's not so many classes. that really helps with the testing of things. You're just like, oh my gosh. So I think he really thrived in that. I don't remember what we had in high school. I feel like that's what we had, but people ask me, I don't remember. I don't remember.

Rachael Hutchins (24:04.462)
Because you're getting more time so it evens out but you're not getting all the different subjects in one

Rachael Hutchins (24:15.06)
Mm-hmm. I like that.

Rachael Hutchins (24:26.976)
If that's what we had, that's not how I remember having all the classes.

Dr. Shannon (24:30.739)
I don't remember. Yeah, I was like, oh, I got nothing. Because that was a long time ago. So yeah, so he's doing really good there. I...

I'm learning how to communicate with him and talk with him. It's different. You can't just be like, how was school? Those conversations are different now. And so I'm learning how to advance in that conversation, but not go... Keep it in that teens space. It's interesting. Not going too much adult, but also we're not little kid anymore. There's more depth to it.

Rachael Hutchins (25:08.216)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (25:16.334)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (25:17.267)
so that is fun just getting to I don't know know him and stuff. But yeah, he went and We did the learner's permit thing. So Yeah And that's a whole other They're too young. There's no need for

Rachael Hutchins (25:28.482)
Have you driven with him yet?

Okay.

Rachael Hutchins (25:36.448)
Makes my chest feel tight.

Dr. Shannon (25:38.564)
It's I will say and for my like I've already talked about Brendan and he's so calm. I've never seen him that stressed before like we each we haven't been in the I don't think we've been in the car together with him. But he went riding with him. We do a lot in the neighborhood just kind of easing into it and it was funny to see him come back and he was just I could see my husband was like visibly like and nothing, you know.

happened. It's just yeah, yeah. So and you know, as usual, I feel like Ethan's doing really good with it. It's everybody else on the road that I'm not so sure about. It's just it's so busy. It's so busy where we are. It's so busy. So

Rachael Hutchins (26:08.909)
He was rattled.

Rachael Hutchins (26:21.806)
Of course.

Rachael Hutchins (26:29.59)
And you see it, or not that you didn't see it before, but when you're, can only imagine when you're in the car with a learning driver, there's like a billion cars on the road.

Dr. Shannon (26:37.299)
I bought the, why are there so many people? Why is everybody in a rush? Why is everybody so angry? Why are there so many people? And I did, I was like, I am not gonna be the car with the student driver magnet. And I was like, if I could put bubble wrap with like student driver, like if I could put a flashing light on there, I probably would. So I did get the.

Rachael Hutchins (27:00.674)
Yes, yes, yes.

Dr. Shannon (27:06.439)
the bumper sticker thing. No, no.

Rachael Hutchins (27:08.414)
it's wise. Like I really do if it makes other people be a little bit more gracious or careful like...

Dr. Shannon (27:15.091)
when it's just me driving just so that like listen people it's not not that big of a hurry I am I'm gonna do that so yeah

Rachael Hutchins (27:18.712)
Well, you could technically because maybe he'll drive your car. you know. my goodness. I still, could put like a baby on, baby on board. drive a minivan so I can still have like a baby on board and a student driver sticker. Just like smack those on those bumpers.

Dr. Shannon (27:31.277)
Uh-huh. People would be like, what's happening in the car?

Rachael Hutchins (27:38.904)
You

Dr. Shannon (27:40.34)
So those are, yeah, that's happened since then. So I know that's been, that's a big, but it's fun watching. We talk a lot about protein, protein, protein smoothies, exercise, working out, protein, bro, bro, protein, my God. So anywho, it's great, but dear God.

Rachael Hutchins (27:56.366)
Oh, is that him? No.

Dr. Shannon (28:07.719)
The amount of, they just come home and they're just like, blah. And it's just like protein. And I'm like, we're literally eating in 30 minutes and I hear a smoothie. I'm just like, anywho, it's just so much protein. He weighs himself every day. Like he's just, it's cute. It's cute. It's all in. It's all good stuff. But, mm-hmm. Yeah. So yeah, I've got the two boys. So it's very, there's a lot of bro, you know, in here. So.

Rachael Hutchins (28:19.054)
Trying to make those muscles.

Rachael Hutchins (28:27.908)
that's so real though.

Rachael Hutchins (28:37.102)
and is middle school going well?

Dr. Shannon (28:39.473)
Middle school's going good. Mm-hmm. Middle school's going really good. yeah, Dylan's done really, really, really good with that. And he's got a good little, they both, something that I do pray about a lot is like that they have a good friend group. And it's interesting because, you know, for having the two boys and mine are about three years apart, Dylan was always like the tag along with Ethan's like little group.

Rachael Hutchins (28:54.914)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (29:05.548)
Mm.

Dr. Shannon (29:05.619)
And he always did really good that and I was very thankful for that. But now it's nice that Dylan's got his own little crew. So it's kind of fun to see him, you know, create that. But though sometimes when I'm like, okay, Ethan, Dylan, you know, the younger one's got, he's got friends spending the night or something like that. Ethan's like, he's always like, God, can I, can I go to someone else's house? Cause they're just, it's just a lot, but they're good.

Rachael Hutchins (29:14.968)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (29:33.464)
Friend groups are everything. I really, all I want is for them to be able to have and choose good friends.

Dr. Shannon (29:36.423)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (29:41.798)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's one of my conversations I always talked a lot about with Ethan is I'm just kind of like, how are your friends doing? Like, what's going on? Because there was a kid that, I don't know, not, there was just some, some kids do things that I don't think they should be doing at younger ages and things. And I'm always like, how do you, what do you think of that? Do we hang out with that person? Do we do that? Do we, I don't know. Yeah. So those kinds of conversations are, I'm navigating it. don't, you know.

Rachael Hutchins (29:44.952)
So.

Rachael Hutchins (29:50.093)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (29:58.562)
Yeah.

Yes.

Rachael Hutchins (30:06.296)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (30:11.64)
Yep.

Dr. Shannon (30:11.869)
Good times there, but yeah. Yeah. Gosh. Okay. So you mentioned work stuff. I was actually just texting Hannah before this, your business partner, cause I had mentioned there was like a newer OB office that had opened up in my area and she was trying to go over there and apparently she missed it. And then they said it was going until two.

Rachael Hutchins (30:14.232)
That's awesome.

Rachael Hutchins (30:32.473)
yeah.

Did she text you about that?

Dr. Shannon (30:37.457)
Yeah, I asked her, I was like, how'd it go? And she was like, well, I went to like complete wrong side of Georgia and then had dinner. was like, well, crap, I'm sorry. And I was like, well, they told me it was going until two and I got there one thirty and it was like done and I felt flustered and I felt like I didn't. I just it felt I don't know. was bad. So I'm like, you know, like you're just like, I thought this could be something different. And then I'm like, forget who I am and what's going on. So it's great. But anywho.

Rachael Hutchins (30:56.846)
man, neither of those worked out.

Dr. Shannon (31:09.523)
So was good times. No, but I was...

Rachael Hutchins (31:10.36)
So yeah, yeah, she messaged me about that yesterday and I think that was pretty flustering, but you know, it happens. Go to the wrong place, get the time wrong. She had another meeting time like that got mixed up in her, deep breaths, deep breaths. But yeah, so work is good. A lot of change for us since the beginning of the year. We've brought on

Dr. Shannon (31:17.075)
Yeah, I know.

Dr. Shannon (31:23.623)
Yeah.

All the things. I know. Mm hmm. I know.

Dr. Shannon (31:37.957)
You were taking on solos, right? Was that the big, one of the big avenues you were going to go for instead of the Dua teams and pairs? Okay.

Rachael Hutchins (31:41.502)
Mm-hmm. Yep. yep. Yep. So, Hannah and I are currently the only doula team working. We just realized that more people were interested in joining us as solo doulas. And we always will have space for team doulas, because that's what we think is the way. But not everyone does. And so we decided to create a bigger team of solo doulas.

Dr. Shannon (31:49.308)
Okay.

Dr. Shannon (31:58.642)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (32:10.036)
And so we have spent this first quarter interviewing and picking very intentionally a new team. so now we have there's 16 of us total. Yeah, so that's birth and postpartum. think 10 birth, some crossover, right? And then the rest are postpartum doulas.

Dr. Shannon (32:25.831)
That's amazing!

Dr. Shannon (32:32.785)
Yeah, yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (32:37.102)
Childbirth educators, massage therapy, placenta encapsulation, newborn education. mean, womb massage. mean, the range of lactation, the range of services, like if you put everyone together is amazing, which gets us super excited. Some newer, true new doulas, as well as some very, very seasoned doulas. So it's awesome to have the range. But we have been very busy with like,

Dr. Shannon (32:48.69)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (32:52.317)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (32:58.003)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (33:06.03)
call it, it's a businessy word, but onboarding. So bringing them on, you know, meetings with them, trainings, systems.

Dr. Shannon (33:09.597)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (33:16.189)
Do you do things in person? is it every is everybody in that close area? Okay. Okay.

Rachael Hutchins (33:22.67)
No. So now with the team we have, I mean, all of our meetings are virtual. If we're doing like interviews with the doulas and stuff, those are all virtual. We have team meetings every other month that are in person. That's our like attempt to see people. And then we try and pick different locations so different people can come. Like we want to see you in person, of course, but now we have, we've got a...

Dr. Shannon (33:28.86)
Okay.

Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (33:37.853)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (33:43.207)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (33:47.635)
Because if you cover bigger areas, that's what I was thinking. Yeah, do you want to make that wider?

Rachael Hutchins (33:50.7)
So now it's all of Atlanta, all of Atlanta and Metro Atlanta. We've got a Dula on the east side. We've got two south of Atlanta, two on the west side. And then the rest of us are on the north northwest side. So it's really exciting because we had gotten to, we were getting a lot of inquiries in areas that we didn't have Dulas to serve. And now we're turning away like very few.

Dr. Shannon (34:12.593)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (34:20.526)
turning away because it's like we don't have someone that serves them. Like right now like that Gainesville area is not like Northside, Forsyth, Northeast regional like that that pocket we don't have anyone who'll go that far and we still get inquiries for that area. But it's been awesome. All ITP hospitals are covered now which is awesome. So that for like my confidence and my

Dr. Shannon (34:24.497)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (34:29.669)
Yeah, yeah

Dr. Shannon (34:38.951)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (34:44.295)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (34:49.42)
Like knowing people who need a doula can reach out to us and we most likely have someone who can fill that spot or support them is so exciting. And then the team, like having such a good quantity of doulas and then like we got a team chat and that's like my favorite because people have quite, you know, they have questions or they're out of birth or they're great resources. I'm troubleshooting this, this issue with a client or at a birth or

Dr. Shannon (35:10.813)
There's good resources.

Rachael Hutchins (35:18.55)
I need a postpartum overnight backup doula. And people are just like...

Dr. Shannon (35:22.003)
Well, that's what I was going to say. You could, I mean, the people that meet each other, the doulas that meet could end up, they could be a solo, but then they have access to all of that. So your combined expertise is huge. But then there's also the aspect of maybe they do meet someone in that doula world, even though they're solo, that can be like, hey, I just need help with this backup so you don't have to be a team or whatever. It's like you're stepping into the full complete name of

Rachael Hutchins (35:30.42)
Mmm, exactly.

Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (35:43.854)
Absolutely, and that's what we're seeing.

Rachael Hutchins (35:49.698)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (35:51.188)
you know, North Atlanta, you know what I mean? Birth services. I know just Atlanta. I know. I love it.

Rachael Hutchins (35:53.358)
Right, yeah, just need to drop now, drop the north. But we do, of course, Hannah and I being where we are in the Northwest Metro, we want to definitely continue to pour into this area. And we have a lot of duals up here too. So we have a of a lot of spots to fill on calendars and hopefully more people to serve in our immediate. But knowing we've we can now serve all of the Atlanta area is amazing.

Dr. Shannon (36:03.816)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (36:10.931)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (36:22.062)
and terrifying. But the mentorship we're able to give, letting other people on our team support our newer Duelists too is a beautiful thing. Because we all have lived experiences and trainings and experiences and stuff that we can all share.

Dr. Shannon (36:28.135)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (36:38.717)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (36:45.735)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (36:46.776)
So seeing people connect and yeah, if anyone ends up partnering or becoming more, cause we have a couple on the team who are like, they're not partnered like Hannah and I are partnered, but they are like known each other's backup. Like they are, they're tight. Yeah, yeah. Which is wonderful. support, got, doulas need support for each other as we are supporting other, as we are supporting people who are going through pregnancy, birth and postpartum, there's a lot.

Dr. Shannon (36:55.591)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. They're on the same wavelength. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's what you want. Uh-huh.

Rachael Hutchins (37:16.43)
emotional bandwidth and physical bandwidth that has to be used and if you don't have a team or people you can lean on you burn out and People don't like you come out of a birth and it was really challenging and you hop in with some dualists who kind of know some stuff you're gonna feel Assured a lot quicker about what you just experienced affirmed or have some guidance on what to do next process it and So that's that's been beautiful to see

Dr. Shannon (37:18.195)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (37:24.156)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (37:34.003)
Mm-hmm.

Process it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (37:44.358)
And so we've been very busy with that. And Hannah and I are still taking our own clients as well. calendars are full and hearts are full and, you know, minds are full. I'm not going to say stressed. I welcome it. I really find that I enjoy the doula, like mentoring and coaching. Like if one of my doulas reach out,

Dr. Shannon (37:59.56)
Mm-hmm. No.

Rachael Hutchins (38:13.39)
and has a question about something they're dealing with, like I could talk endlessly. Like I just love being able to kind of give them some advice as a doula, doula doula. So I'm finding that like I lean into that a lot. And so, know, Hannah and I would love, think one day to maybe do doula training or, you know, something like that. So, yeah, that's that's that's what's been happening there. I'm trying to think there's anything.

Dr. Shannon (38:18.033)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (38:22.501)
Uh-huh. Mmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (38:41.191)
That's so good.

Rachael Hutchins (38:42.546)
else but yeah loving it just so so so grateful so grateful.

Dr. Shannon (38:47.931)
I love that expansion. I'm just thinking back to when the last time we met in person, we went to hike at Kinnasa Mountain and it was, I just remember there were, I think there was a little bit of like the unknown of what was to come with expanding with that. And so now I hope you can sit in that space for a minute and be like, this is pretty cool. You know, to just kind of like be proud of yourselves and

Rachael Hutchins (39:05.634)
Mmm.

Rachael Hutchins (39:16.013)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (39:17.809)
I think that you guys leaned into it really well and that it's a good steady, sustainable growth for you guys because you've been so intentional on who you can take. I hope you see all those good things there. Yeah. Uh-huh. Good. I'm glad.

Rachael Hutchins (39:24.823)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (39:28.908)
Yeah, yeah, I do. Yeah, we have to stop every now and then and be like, and then, yeah, be present in the moment and recognize like, this is what we wanted and this is great. And even though it's hard at times and we're learning so much about being agency owners and the responsibility that that entails. And, you know, we always want to be doing the right thing and like making the right choices. And we're just constantly learning that there's exactly.

Dr. Shannon (39:38.725)
Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (39:48.135)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (39:55.624)
but you also don't know what you don't know until you get into it and someone tells you something and you're like, I didn't know that. And so, yeah, we chatted about that last time too. That's always fun.

Rachael Hutchins (40:01.13)
Exactly. We have a lovely lawyer who is also a doula and we reach out to her regularly because we always want to be doing the right thing and we always want to be but do it from our heart center. What we do is so heart centered and compassion filled and we always want to be leading with intentionality even though we're doing a business and so when you can have someone

Dr. Shannon (40:09.747)
Uh-huh. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (40:17.735)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (40:22.151)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yes.

Rachael Hutchins (40:27.926)
I feel like the people supporting us too in our business are people like that who get the businessy things and the heart-centered nature of the work and bringing those things together on a regular basis is, I'm grateful for that too. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (40:39.047)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (40:47.68)
Yeah, thanks. What about you? What's happening at Sunrise?

Dr. Shannon (40:50.801)
I'm so excited for y'all. You just keep it on, keep it on. I don't know. It's crazy. I feel like the last two years have been the biggest growth and expansion and you look back and you're like, I never thought I would be here. I wanted to be here, but I didn't see how it was possible. So it's really good.

Rachael Hutchins (40:59.416)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (41:12.929)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (41:19.507)
It's just really good. It's still just me. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm able to manage it, you know, and not like I have a four day weekend right now. So I, I'm just really proud of myself for honoring me.

Rachael Hutchins (41:22.936)
That's what you want though, that has been your, you've wanted that and you've had the numbers you wanted to reach and...

Rachael Hutchins (41:32.696)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (41:46.868)
And because I am so much, and then I talk about this, I'm still in therapy. I talk about this therapy quite a bit with the whole like, I'm just like productive and striving to produce. And then I feel worthy, know, if I can cross something off the to-do list, then I have earned the rest type of thing. I don't think that was ever, no one ever, you know, pointed their finger and said, this is how you will feel, but it's whatever.

Rachael Hutchins (41:58.894)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (42:06.377)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (42:16.317)
how we've gone through life, society, all the things that has shaped and formed you, spoke that into me. And so I am very proud of myself in that I think I could easily add in more hours and things like that. And I will, I make myself available to a point. And so other times I'm like, not available. And I think that that's been very healing.

you know, for me as well too. I just feel that I'm actually finally in a space where I can take the moment to like breathe, which is sad to think of, because it's been a very long time, it feels like, almost as long as I was in school. So I was thinking of this the other day, this is the longest job I've had, because, so we're coming up this summer, it'll be seven years.

Rachael Hutchins (42:56.427)
Okay.

Dr. Shannon (43:12.711)
and then eight years graduated because I worked for a year outside of before opening Sunrise. So even before that at CDC, I was there right at like six years. And so it's interesting because sometimes I'm like, ooh, is this when I start to get the itch to like change things up, what needs to be done? And so I sit with that a little bit because I'm still in that space of like, just really want to like enjoy this and like keep things.

Rachael Hutchins (43:15.246)
Mm.

Rachael Hutchins (43:28.544)
Yeah, change.

Rachael Hutchins (43:39.266)
Mmm.

Dr. Shannon (43:42.132)
going. So that's a little bit where I'm at there. Things are really good. I still meet with, I just walked with Dr. Pam the other day. I still meet with Dr. Tiana and get adjusted once a week. Those little things have been able to care for myself in other ways as well too. That's been really good. I think part of the, when I had originally created

Rachael Hutchins (43:43.149)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (44:11.385)
Sunrise chiropractic I had the name wellness on there For a reason because I think I always knew that it wasn't just going to be chiropractic sometimes that's hard in the chiropractic world because You get people that are like it's just chiropractic It's just you just adjust and this is straight chiropractic and this is the basis of it and it's vitalistic and we know the power of the adjustment I get all of those things too, but

I vividly remember when I was at CDC when the Nature article came out. So this was, I don't know what 15 years ago or so. And it was when the microbiome was like first discovered this by a lot, know, bacteria diversity that's in the gut that actually had more bacteria in your body than like you yourself or yourself. So I remember that and just being so intrigued by it in that aspect of health. And I feel like it's starting to

and weave itself into that wellness part. So that's where I've been putting a little bit of focus in the aspect of wellness for the office. So it's kind of fun to talk about, but like it's like a functional medicine aspect to it. I've taken the classes for it to deepen the knowledge there more so than what we get in school. I feel like we got a really a good...

Rachael Hutchins (45:19.34)
What does that look like?

Dr. Shannon (45:34.642)
handle on nutrition from a different like vitalistic, I guess, standpoint and whole body standpoint in chiropractic school, but as you know, usually can always go deeper. looking at different things that I want to add in within the like scope of my practice. yeah, so I'm stepping into it a bit more.

Rachael Hutchins (45:41.057)
Okay.

Rachael Hutchins (45:53.474)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (46:00.956)
I don't have, I think my biggest thing is I don't have clarity on it, but I think that that's okay. like you may need, won't have that clear vision, but maybe more of moving, like keeping moving forward and keeping the steps. And that's why I like, that's where walking, I think again, has come in and played a role. It's like, I'm not gonna run into this.

Rachael Hutchins (46:04.92)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (46:12.546)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (46:21.218)
Yeah, you gotta keep taking that next step.

Rachael Hutchins (46:29.23)
Mmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (46:30.351)
I would rather walk into it. read something, I listened to a podcast last night and while I was laying on my acupressure mat doing my red light therapy, right? When you're like, need to heal. Because I was coming off of like a busy week and that's where I was like, okay, this is what I need to do. And it mentioned a guy that had spent some time with with Mother Teresa and he

had asked, she was like, what can I pray for you about? And he was like, I really could use some clarity. And she was like, I'm not gonna pray for you for clarity. And I was like, But she was like, I'll pray that you move in faith and trust, but I'm not gonna pray that like, you're gonna see it and this is what it's gonna be. Like it's kind of the...

Rachael Hutchins (47:10.241)
Okay.

Rachael Hutchins (47:19.726)
Because that's so, it's like an impossible thing. When you really think about it.

Dr. Shannon (47:23.003)
And I was kind of like, I know. And I was like, all right, I like that. So that's where I'm like, I don't know that I need the clarity. It's more of, it's like, you just keep moving in that space. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (47:31.682)
Does that next step feel right? Does that next step feel good? Are you open to that? Is that in alignment with you? And then you just keep doing that. And I think that's clarity. Like I think that is what clarity is. Like this feels right just to keep doing this next thing. Cause we were never going to see that full, full.

Dr. Shannon (47:48.689)
You won't see the full and I that's well and I think it's been a bit of like, What's the what's when you

It's like I'm pausing, I'm not moving forward. it's because it's not all mapped out, you know, but you've got to move forward to map it out type of thing. So there's a word, I'm missing it. Yay, that's the theme I was going for. know, and my, yes, yes, yes, yes. It's like the moving before like, hey, you know, and so.

Rachael Hutchins (48:13.942)
Yeah, yes. Progress before perfection.

Yeah, progress over perfection. I think that's a thing, right?

Dr. Shannon (48:28.979)
I think that's, I'm, I know boldly kind of saying it, you know, out here in podcast land, in the hopes, and I've been mentioning it more and more in the hopes that like, okay, be a person that does what you say you're gonna do. So, yeah. So that's maybe that's where it leads. I don't know.

Rachael Hutchins (48:47.096)
I was just, in the interview I had yesterday, the person I interviewed shared with me, like a person she wanted me to connect with, and it was someone, I don't know their name, but who's been a chiropractor for a long time and they're shifting into functional medicine. And almost like all the way in instead of doing both. And I don't know if that's someone you would like want to connect with, but she said he's, I think it's a Mary.

couple but anyways but that you know that they're really intentional and like worth connecting with so it's interesting because that just came up yesterday but if you're looking for any sort of like someone who's a little bit further mm-hmm yeah

Dr. Shannon (49:16.839)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (49:21.553)
Hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (49:28.677)
Yeah, to get gives a little bit of that clarity and like, okay, well, what does that look like for them? What does that look like for me? Yeah, no, I'm always I need to be I need to be more open with that and kind of yeah, seeking that out and seeing what that looks like. But no, I mean, things are really good. I'm still really happy. I still love the office so much. I love how the flow is. I love what I do. I love all the people. A lot of moms now.

Rachael Hutchins (49:45.836)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (49:57.998)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (49:58.78)
Yeah, it's been really, really good. So I'm excited to see.

Rachael Hutchins (50:03.422)
And know all of our clients who have seen you just adore you and love you so much. Yeah, you're doing amazing work. And I'm proud of you for exploring what's next, you know?

Dr. Shannon (50:08.627)
Thank you friend, thanks It feels good. It feels good. I like this space Yeah, it feels I think I was kind of I Don't know waiting a little bit. So we'll see what happens. Who knows it could be another five-year journey seven-year journey That's okay

Rachael Hutchins (50:27.528)
And that's okay.

Dr. Shannon (50:35.911)
Yeah, I think that's about it. It's interesting the walking theme I did for Lent this past this past Lent season I came across something it's called the 40-40 challenge and it's not just Lent it's just like you can do it anytime but it's this group and but with Lent being 40 days it worked out well but you walk a mile every day you would do that for the 40 days of Lent and I did that with some neighborhood girls and some

and some other friends and it was, that was really nice. It was interesting because sometimes unlike the days I'm in the office and it's really long and busy, I have to like get my workout in in the morning, like I won't get to run and that type of thing. So like, I'll still do this thing. So fitting in a walk was like actually kind of pushing me a bit because I was like, am I going to fit this more in or, but

Rachael Hutchins (51:18.936)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (51:26.957)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (51:31.187)
I think that helped and I took my dog with me a lot. So she's like a 10 year old lab. So of course she's like not moving that quick. And so sometimes I'm like, Rose, we have to go, you know, um, but then also I'd be like, okay, maybe I need to slow down. So it was a good little, um, a good little mix there to try to have a different pace than the world tells you. So I see, I feel like I'm seeing that a lot in the office, the busyness, um,

Rachael Hutchins (51:42.754)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (51:53.154)
Yeah, absolutely.

Dr. Shannon (52:01.224)
the fast paced busyness. There's a difference. know, there's a good intentional busyness, but then there's the rush to hear, rush to hear, rush to hear, rush to hear. And I feel like we didn't have that maybe five years ago when the world kind of stopped for a minute. And I feel like we've lost it a little bit. So I'm seeing that and I don't want to get caught up in it again. So it's tough. It's tough though.

Rachael Hutchins (52:10.306)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (52:15.618)
Mm.

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (52:24.404)
Mm-hmm. I love that. I love that. think walking is good. think finding anywhere in the day where one can slow down. Something for me that I did around walking too, is I walk two or three times a day for my dog. It's my excuse to like, you know, walk and get outside. I work out inside my basement, but walking with my dog is a great excuse to get outside. And

Dr. Shannon (52:32.359)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (52:42.023)
Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (52:47.335)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (52:54.082)
For a while there, I was using that my walking time as I would listen to the news or podcasts. It's all on podcasts, but it'd either be a birth-related podcast or a news-related podcast. Or I would even be walking and checking my email. Or whatever was on my phone while I was walking, I was doing it. So maybe messaging clients or I don't know.

it left me feeling just stressed. And so I started not taking my phone. I don't even take my phone. I take the dog. I don't put in earbuds. And I like, I've been noticing like the birds and the sky and it's a reset for me. I'm not saying everyone needs to do that. Like sometimes like listening to a podcast on a walk is like a life giving for some people. I had just done it that way for so long.

Dr. Shannon (53:28.731)
Hmm... Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (53:37.053)
Mm-hmm.

huh. Yep.

Dr. Shannon (53:50.44)
But when you do, yeah, yeah, no. And I go real early in the morning too, so I love to see like the houses start to wake up. Little things like that that I'll notice. Hearing the birds.

Rachael Hutchins (53:58.496)
Yes. And you can like, especially the spring noticing everything come in like more brightly colored and we have deer and you know, I'm just like, just being like, okay, I'm on a device or my phone for work almost all day. So I can take this 15 minutes, three times a day to not. And it's just been like, I take deep time. I speaking of things going off my watch keeps going up. but

Dr. Shannon (54:05.383)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (54:20.229)
Mm-hmm. Aw, that's so good. Yeah, now.

Rachael Hutchins (54:27.776)
It's been a good little like, where can I leave it? I'm already the dog that needs exercise and to go to the bathroom. I'm already walking. Just leave the phone at home. It's 15 minutes. Let your senses be stimulated by something else. And that has been so amazing. I'm like, yeah, don't need, I almost sleep my watch too, but got to check that workout, you know? So I'm just kidding.

Dr. Shannon (54:32.497)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (54:37.063)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, that's so good. That's been life-giving. That's so good. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (54:53.445)
Well, yeah, no, I totally track. Yeah, yeah, no, I totally track that. I'm like, this counts. But I know, and like I said, it's different than the running for me because I won't run with headphones either. And I feel totally connected with the run and my breath, but it's it's different. And so that's been kind of neat in that productivity mindset that I have or that this has got to be like I get to increase the fitness or something along those lines. And it's like, so you can just like walk.

So.

Rachael Hutchins (55:22.978)
Like walk casually, walk not for hitting an exercise goal or...

Dr. Shannon (55:26.483)
Sometimes you can walk with, I mean, yeah, you need to walk with purpose, you know, and they tell you those things, but it's also that nervous system reset. What does that do?

Rachael Hutchins (55:33.582)
But if you're go, go, go, if you're go, go, go. So if you're not go, go, go, you better go walk with some intention. Go get your mind busy and your body busy. But if you're go, go, go, I think going doing something in your day that's slower and less stimulating is advantageous for your parasympathetic nervous system. We all need to reset. And I like having points throughout my day. That's why I really like, I like when I do a morning walk.

Dr. Shannon (55:41.159)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (55:46.365)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (55:49.895)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Shannon (55:59.358)
Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (56:03.754)
lunchtime and an evening.

Dr. Shannon (56:06.371)
Evening would be my favorite. I love an after dinner walk. Mm-hmm. it's my favorite. Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (56:09.026)
But it doesn't, I don't have to, yeah. yeah, especially now that it's warmer and days are longer. Yeah, I like, definitely loving that. And the weather helps. mean, mid winter when it's cold and dark and rainy. Okay, talk to me then.

Dr. Shannon (56:19.044)
Yes. I know I did think about that. was like, I don't know if I would be doing this if it's like 20 degrees outside, you know, I'm glad, Lent was... I still got to get out.

Rachael Hutchins (56:26.23)
Yeah, well, but jokingly, like I still gotta get my dog out. We don't have a fenced in backyard until like this winter I would be like parka hat, double layer gloves, but that was more stressful. I didn't enjoy that as much. I'm like, just go body.

Dr. Shannon (56:32.179)
Dr. Shannon (56:39.431)
He didn't!

Rachael Hutchins (56:44.824)
But, so yeah, well this has been a fun catch up.

Dr. Shannon (56:46.727)
Yay. Yeah, I know. I'm proud of us. I'm proud of us. Yeah, I'm proud of us together. I'm proud of us for the podcast. I'm proud of individually, you know, what we've been doing in the motherhood seasons that we're in and stuff. Yeah.

Rachael Hutchins (56:52.076)
Same friend. I'm always so proud of you.

Rachael Hutchins (57:00.344)
Mm-hmm.

Rachael Hutchins (57:05.215)
and work, mean all of it, like it's all just continuing on and growing and ebbing and flowing and I love doing it like and checking in with you and so many parallels in our life but also so different.

Dr. Shannon (57:08.7)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (57:17.947)
Yeah, no, I think it's great. And I'm hoping, I'm like, does anybody enjoy listening to this, know, people just kind of talking about random stuff? But I think it's kind of fun with, we might draw more of a crowd that's either preconception or pregnant or new baby, you know? And so hopefully you enjoy hearing about all the good that comes from motherhood. Because I know the...

Rachael Hutchins (57:37.998)
Mm-hmm.

Dr. Shannon (57:46.309)
the nursing struggles and the nighttime struggles and the toddler years and the having a two under two and all those type of things. It's very real and it's very difficult. but it's fun too. Because then they learn to drive and it's all stress. Exactly. So hopefully you have gotten something out of this today, friends. Again, thanks for listening.

Rachael Hutchins (58:04.938)
Duality.

Rachael Hutchins (58:13.922)
Yes.

Dr. Shannon (58:15.443)
Tune in every other Wednesday for new episodes. And again, reach out with, you know, show ideas, people that you want to hear from, and especially kind of anything in the Berthi-related world. So thanks for tuning in and thanks for joining today, Rachel.

Rachael Hutchins (58:32.566)
Bye.