CEO Mama Newsletter: Third Edition

Hey ,

This morning, I did what I do every morning – sat in the kitchen and ate breakfast with my daughter. We made her favorite morning porridge, listened to music, and she shared all the things she wanted to do that day… and honestly there’s nothing in the world that matters more. 🥹 

Now, this wasn't always my morning routine…

Mornings used to look very different – rushing through breakfast, sitting on back to back team meetings, jumping on early calls that were usually played in the background while I ran around getting ready, and feeling frazzled to start the day. 

I was building something meaningful, but I was missing the moments that mattered most. 

But becoming a mother changed everything for me. I could never go back to giving up any of the little moments for more productivity or availability at work.

The little conversations as we eat. The morning hugs. The "mama, wait – one more thing!" moments that seem small but somehow contain everything.

For me, these are the things that matter most in this season of life.

The Truth About Your Why

Here's something we don't talk about enough: Your why can be multi-dimensional.

It’s the desire to be there for every school drop-off or pick up and the drive to build something that lights you up.

It’s the commitment to never miss a dance class and the ambition to scale your business.

It’s the joy of being fully present for bedtime stories and the thrill of landing your dream clients.

It’s okay to want both. 

Deep down, we know doing both is possible - but we desperately want to find a way for both to be in harmony versus constantly battling each other for our time and attention. 

The Invisible Weight We Carry

We're part of a generation of mothers doing something unprecedented: building wildly successful businesses while raising our children… and it comes with a lot of responsibility.

There are SO many layers to this:

The Mental Load

Responding to emails while simultaneously memorizing the dance schedule, planning dinners, and remembering to bring an extra white t-shirt to school tomorrow. Plus the weight of being the household CEO and your business CEO, with both roles demanding your best.

The Emotional Toll

The guilt that washes over you when your child asks "Are you listening?" or the fear that your ambitions might be teaching your children that work always comes first – the very lesson you're trying to avoid.

The Relational Impact

The subtle distance that can grow between you and your partner as you both navigate this complex dance of career and family and of course, the strain on friendships because you're too exhausted to maintain them.

The Internal Dialogue

Not to mention, the conversations we have with ourselves can be relentless. Nagging thoughts like: "Should I be doing more in my business?" or "Should I be doing more at home?"

The Nervous System Impact

A study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that entrepreneur mothers experience significantly higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) throughout the day compared to non-entrepreneur mothers and entrepreneurs without children. 🫠 

Yup, and we feel this in…

The tension headaches from constant context-switching.

The exhaustion that no amount of coffee or matcha can fix.

The skipped meals because of being too busy taking care of everyone else.

The late nights staring at the computer because there’s not enough time in the day.

Those cortisol spikes are SO real. I know we’ve all experienced it.

So, Let’s Rewrite The Rules…

What if your business schedule revolved around:

🎒 Being there for every school drop-off and pickup

🥐 Having slow, peaceful mornings with your little ones

🚌 Taking Fridays off for field trips or volunteering at school

🎾 Never missing a school performance or sports game

It’s totally possible, but will require you to put your why first - or as I love to say, prioritize your priorities.

Designing Your Life Around Your Why

My business changed dramatically when I made my slow, leisurely mornings with my family non-negotiable. 

At first, it felt impossible. I had all the reasons why it wasn’t possible…

My team wanted morning meetings. Clients often preferred afternoon check-ins. Industry events always seemed to happen right during our bedtime routine. 

But something interesting happened when I stood firm in my why and didn’t let anything get in the way…

1. We shifted team calls and removed me from the ones that I really wasn’t needed for 

2. Clients respected my boundaries and worked around my schedule

3. My business still grew, just in a different rhythm that actually worked for me

4. I became more focused during my work hours without that feeling of guilt

Most importantly, I stopped feeling like I was always choosing between being a good mother and a successful entrepreneur. 

I could be both, just not in the way others expected me to be.

And once I realized that, things started to feel lighter, more fun, and more free.

When you get into true alignment with what matters to you, everything can shift around you.

So, take a moment and write down answers to these questions:

1. Which moments do you never want to miss?

2. What time of day do your children need you most?

3. When do you feel most connected as a family?

4. Which activities make your kids' faces light up?

These things you’ve identified are the foundation to build upon and design your business and schedule around. 🤍 

Now let’s take it a layer deeper. Ask yourself:

1. What am I saying yes to that doesn't align with these priorities?

2. Where am I compromising what matters most?

3. What stories am I telling myself about what "has to" be done?

4. Who am I trying to prove something to?

This simple exercise will help you identify the areas where you start to prioritize more on a daily/ weekly basis. You’ll also notice where you’re leaking energy and/or time, so you can shift away from those things and start drawing real lines in the sand when it comes to your boundaries.

It’s truly such a game changer!!

5-Minute Nervous System Reset Practice

1. Find Your Space

   • Sit or stand somewhere you feel safe and comfortable. If you can, place your feet firmly on the ground.
     

2. Anchor in Your Breath

   • Take a slow inhale through your nose for a count of 4.

   • Hold your breath gently for a count of 4.

   • Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6.

   • Repeat this cycle for 3-5 breaths, focusing only on the rhythm of your breathing.
     

3. Use Your Senses to Ground Yourself
   Engage your senses to bring yourself fully into the present moment:

   • Look: Name 3 things you can see around you.

   • Touch: Place a hand on your heart and notice the warmth or movement.

   • Listen: Tune into the sounds around you—birds, music, or even silence.
     

4. Release the Tension

   • Drop your shoulders and unclench your jaw. Notice where you’re holding tension in your body and imagine sending your breath to that spot, gently softening it with each exhale.
     

5. Set an Intention

   • Finish by asking yourself: What do I need in this moment?

   • Choose a simple intention for the next few hours, like “I will give myself grace” or “I will focus on what matters most.”

“I Love My Children, But…”

“I've built a wonderfully freedom-based business, but I feel guilty if my kids are being watched by someone and I'm not actively working. I am constantly trying to finish things up so I can take a few weeks off... but then once I get those few weeks off... 

I find I would prefer to work. I am terrible at resting. I also feel guilty that I have a freedom-based business and it's not because I want more time with my kids. 

I love having the ability to be at anything I want to be at, but they are exhausting! 

I have no interest in being with them all day every day, even if I didn't need to work. I absolutely love my children, but motherhood does not come naturally for me. 

I hope this will change as they get older and more independent, but right now they need so much and it's just a lot.”

I see you in all that you’re holding. Until next week, know you’re crushing it mama. You’ve got this!

xo
Natalie

P.S. I'd love to hear about a moment you refuse to miss with your children. What's the non-negotiable that you're building your business around? Share with me – let's inspire each other to stay true to our why.

P.P.S. Our CEO Mama Membership is finally coming!! Want to be considered for one of our very first Founding Member spots? Fill in this quick application form.