CEO Mama Newsletter: First Edition!

Hey ,

Welcome to the very first edition of our CEO Mama Unfiltered newsletter!!

Every Sunday morning, you can expect this email to arrive in your inbox, filled with real and raw insights on all things motherhood, entrepreneurship, self care, and more. So grab your favorite beverage, find a cozy spot, and let's dive in.

Starting this newsletter feels like opening a new book - full of anticipation and excitement. It's a special place for us mamas to discuss the challenges and joys of entrepreneurship and motherhood. 

Because honestly, being an entrepreneurial mama is like solving a Rubik's cube while riding a rollercoaster - exhilarating, challenging, and incredibly rewarding.

This weekly newsletter is your safe haven, a judgment-free zone where we can share the raw, unfiltered truths about motherhood, entrepreneurship, and everything in between. 

We'll explore topics like:

• The "touched out" phenomenon

• Burnout and breakdowns

• Relationship dynamics in entrepreneurial families

• Being the family breadwinner

• Dealing with comparison and envy

• The mental load of motherhood

• Self-care vs. self-medication

• Balancing achievement and presence

• Mom rage, bedroom confessions, maternal gatekeeping, and more

My goal is to create a moment each week where you can slow down, tune in, and feel seen in all that you do. You're part of a community of women who understand your journey and can support you through it.

Research has found that sleep deprivation alters our decision-making abilities, making us more likely to take unnecessary risks and less capable of weighing potential consequences.

We all know the long sleepless nights with our babies or toddlers oh so well, so prioritizing our sleep hygiene (as much as possible!) can make such a difference.

So, here’s a quick sleep checklist to support you:

• Prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep nightly

• Stay consistent with your rituals

• Invest in sleep-enhancing tools

• Make important decisions during peak energy times

• Implement a "sleep on it" policy for major business decisions

• Create a decision-making checklist

• Try the "10-3-2-1-0" sleep prep method

For more insights on sleep, follow Matt Walker (@sleepdiplomat) on Twitter and check out Andrew Huberman's sleep protocols - they are SO helpful. 

As entrepreneurial mamas, our nervous systems are often in overdrive and hyper vigilance. While it can be useful at times, we know this is NOT a sustainable place to operate from. 

So, here's a powerful technique based on the Polyvagal Theory to help you down-regulate:

The Vagus Nerve Reset

1. Find a comfortable seated position and take a deep breath.

2. Gently place your hand on your heart.

3. Slowly turn your head from side to side, as if you're saying "no."

4. As you do this, think of someone or something that brings you joy.

5. Notice any shift in your body or emotions.

Seems so simple, but here’s why it works… this exercise stimulates your vagus nerve, the superhighway of your parasympathetic nervous system. By activating it, you're telling your body it's safe to relax. This can lower your heart rate, reduce stress hormones, and improve focus - all essential for those high-stakes business decisions and patience-testing mommy moments we experience constantly throughout our day.

Try incorporating this practice right before transitioning from work mode to mom mode, or when you feel overwhelmed during your day. With consistent practice, you'll train your nervous system to bounce back from stress more quickly and be even more resilient in juggling all the things that you do. 

This playlist has been on repeat lately to help drop me into this really grounded and relaxed place, so you can bookmark this one too! 

Okay, you finally get your little one down for their nap and now it’s time to get things done! We all know this window doesn’t last long, so here's how to maximize the time:

For your business

1. Implement the "Power Hour" Technique

   • Set a 60-minute timer

   • Choose your top 3 high-impact tasks

   • Work in complete focus, no distractions

   • Use the last 5 minutes to plan your next power hour

2. Leverage Voice-to-Text Tools

   • Use Otter.ai or Rev.com to dictate emails, social media posts, or Slack responses to your team

For you personally

1. A 2-Minute Reset

   • Get outside and take a long, slow deep breath, exhaling with a sound

   • Shake out of your arms, roll your shoulders, rub your neck

   • Check-in with your body and just have a moment of pause

2. Nourish Yourself

   • These Paleo Valley meat sticks are my absolute favorite snack to have on hand during the day. They are SO nutritious, delicious, and easy to pull out whenever I need a little extra protein to get me through the day. 

   • Obsessed with Gloci to hydrate the skin + gut - it’s a daily beauty supplement created with powerful ingredients to transform your skin and gut from the inside out. It’s delicious, so quick and easy to incorporate, and makes such a difference pretty immediately! 

This Wellness Her Way Episode about prioritizing yourself during motherhood was so powerful. There was so much in here from pregnancy, wellness, keeping the spark alive, and relationships - such a great convo worth listening to on your next long stroller walk or drive between playdates and appointments. 

Skip to 23:30 to hear how to make the perfect loaf of sourdough bread - the step by step notes. I’ve been considering jumping on this bandwagon because I love baking, but I mean this feels a tad more scientific than I’m used to. What do you think?! 

Also, did you know they have ‘sourdough hotels’ in Sweden where you can literally drop off your starter if you’re going to be out of town. What a concept. 🤣

Now, I’m really excited to introduce you to the next section…

Introducing "Confessions" – a raw, real, and unfiltered space where we can share our full, unapologetic truths. Each week, you can anonymously submit your confessions through our discreet Typeform. Your story could be the lifeline another mama needs to feel seen and understood.

This is a completely judgment-free zone where we can laugh, cry, and nod in solidarity together. So let’s get into the very first confession shared below. 🥰

"I love my kids more than life itself, but last night, I nearly lost it. It had been one of those days – you know the ones. Conference calls punctuated by diaper blowouts, a failed attempt at making slime that ended with my kitchen looking like a crime scene, and a teething baby who decided sleep was for the weak.

By bedtime, I was running on fumes and fantasizing about a deserted island (with Wi-Fi, of course). I had finally gotten both kids down and was looking forward to some mindless scrolling on my phone – my version of self-care these days.

That's when my toddler appeared for the third time, clutching his stuffed dinosaur and asking for water. As I tucked him back in, my husband reached out to cuddle. And something in me just... snapped.

'If one more person touches me, I swear I'm moving to that deserted island!' I blurted out, immediately regretting my tone.

The guilt was instant and overwhelming. But so was the relief of finally saying it out loud. My husband, bless him, just nodded and said, 'I'll take the kids to the park tomorrow morning. You sleep in.'

As I lay there, processing my outburst, I realized something: It's okay to need space – even from the people we love most. Being 'touched out' doesn't make me a bad mom. It makes me human.

This morning, I woke up to the sound of giggles from the backyard. My husband had kept his promise. I enjoyed a blissful, quiet cup of coffee, feeling refreshed and grateful. When my little ones burst through the door, faces flushed from play, I was ready for all the hugs and kisses they could give.

Sometimes, we all need a little space to remember how much we love being close."

I want to genuinely thank you for being here, for showing up for yourself, and for being part of this amazing community of powerhouse mamas.

Thank you for being part of this amazing community of powerhouse women. If you know another mama who could use some real talk and support, please share this newsletter with her!

I’ll see you next Sunday to talk about the rise of the female breadwinner - one of the conversations I’ve been having a lot recently behind the scenes with my inner circle.

xo
Natalie

P.S. 🍾 We’re launching a CEO Mama Membership! Want to be considered for one of our very first Founding Member spots? Fill in this quick application form.