Show Notes
This week, my sister Karly is back on the podcast, and as always, we ended up covering way more than we intended. Past sister episodes: Sisters First, Best Friends Later ft. My Sister Karly de Lange The Cheat Code to Building the Life You Actually Want ft. Karly de Lange Sorry the audio is off - the mics weren't working and I didn't want to delete this whole thing bc it was a great chat! We kick things off with a trend that's been all over the internet: the things that are actually worth spending money on. From real gold jewelry, Costco delivery, cleaners, direct flights, skincare, and travel with kids, to the purchases that genuinely make life easier, we're comparing notes on what we think deserves the investment (and where we'd happily save our money instead). From there, we dive into your questions! Sibling rivalry (or why we don't really have any), growing up just 14 months apart, and the moments throughout our lives that have made us each other's biggest supporters instead of competitors. We talk about spending versus saving, how we each think about money, where we actually like to shop, and the purchases we never regret. We also dive into friendships in your 40s, how our approach to relationships has changed with age, setting boundaries, having uncomfortable conversations instead of quietly drifting apart, and why we both have far less tolerance for surface-level relationships than we did in our twenties. We answer your questions about balancing work and motherhood, the mental load women carry, what marriage really looks like in busy seasons (yes… we go there), and how our relationships have evolved after kids. There's plenty of honesty, a lot of laughter, and more than a few moments where we find ourselves saying, "Wait... is everyone else experiencing this too?" As always, it's equal parts thoughtful, opinionated, funny, and completely unfiltered - the kind of conversation that feels like you're sitting in the room with us. If you've been looking for an episode that's part sister catch-up, part business chat, and part life advice, I think you're going to love this one. Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack See you next week! xx, Erin Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
More from The Mom Flow with Erin Sousa
After seeing a TikTok about the guilt of having only one child, I knew I had thoughts. A LOT of thoughts. I'm opening up about our journey to becoming parents, including years of infertility, IVF, multiple miscarriages, and the emotional roller coaster that eventually brought us Lola. But I'm also sharing something I don't think we talk about enough: what happens when you love being a mom, love your life with one child, and STILL wonder whether you were meant to have another?I'm also opening up about our remaining frozen embryos, a dream that stirred up some unexpected feelings, and why sometimes the right decision can still come with a little grief. It's a vulnerable one, and I would LOVE to hear your thoughts. 💗 Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack. See you next week! Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
The Sister Hotline is OPEN! ☎️🍷 My sister Karly joins me for a late-night recording from my car, and we're getting into our VERY different parenting styles. From screen time and sugar to consent, video games and childhood memories, nothing is off-limits. Then we're answering your listener dilemmas about family drama, adult friendships, finding purpose and complicated sibling relationships. Two sisters, lots of opinions, and zero edits! As always, if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it, leave a rating or review, or send me a DM with your thoughts. Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack. Follow Karly on Instagram @influencemediaco. Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
This week is a good old-fashioned catch-up episode. I’m sharing an update on my health journey - HRT, GLP-1s, supplements and what’s actually starting to feel different - plus a very real conversation about grief, eight months after losing my mom, and why taking care of myself has become one of the ways I honour her. We also lighten things up with Thanksgiving hosting, why I refuse to make the turkey 😂 and, of course, this week’s recommendations. RECOMMENDATIONS ✨ 👚 The grown-up “going out top” - cashmere, under $60 and SO good. 🧪 KidzLabs science kits - a major win if your kid loves building, experimenting and figuring out how things work. Grab a coffee, pour a glass of wine or throw me on in the car - this one feels like catching up with a friend. Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack. See you next week! xx, Erin Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
This week’s recommendations: ✨ Audit your internet, cable, phone + streaming bills - those sneaky increases add up! 🤎 My Steve Madden brown suede clogs - the perfect comfy-chic fall slip-on. This week, I’m looking back at who I was at 35 versus who I am at 45 - and wow, a LOT can happen in a decade. I’m talking about losing the need to be invited to everything, being more intentional about friendships, caring less about external validation, trusting that things will work out, and realizing that confidence doesn’t mean loving everything about yourself all the time. Plus, the biggest lesson I’ve learned: life is happening right now - not after the next goal, milestone or season. And to finish, I’m sharing the little luxuries that make a BIG difference in my everyday life - from great coffee and bougie candles to good salt, pillows and the perfect couch. 🤍 As always, if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it, leave a rating or review, or send me a DM with your thoughts. Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack. See you next week! xx, Erin Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
Are we actually improving our lives… or have we just been convinced that nothing we’re doing is ever quite good enough? This week, I’m getting into optimization culture and why I’m officially questioning our obsession with constantly becoming a “better” version of ourselves. The perfect morning routine, better body, better skin, better parenting, more money, more productivity, more stuff - there’s always something else being sold to us as the missing piece between who we are and who we should be. And I’m tired. 😂 I’m also talking about a tough week of disappointment, what I’ve learned about believing people’s actions over their intentions, keeping my circle small without letting bad experiences harden me, and why I’m trying to get better at letting people show me who they are and moving accordingly. Plus, we’re talking about the tiny moments of actual rest I apparently have NONE of 😅, what European culture gets right about slowing down, my issue with the fall-decor-overconsumption industrial complex, why we need more IRL time with our girlfriends, and of course, what I’m watching right now. And before all of that: a couple of current recommendations: Aerie shirt I just purchased The audiobook I've been obsessed with This one is a proper bestie catch-up. Let’s get into it. As always, if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it, leave a rating or review, or send me a DM with your thoughts. Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack. See you next week! xx, Erin Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!