Feeling like you've lost yourself in motherhood? You're not alone, mama. In this powerful conversation with Julia Sewell, founder of The Self Made Mom movement, we're debunking the myth that mothers must sacrifice themselves to truly serve their families.

Julia shares her transformative journey from depletion and desperation to becoming the "sun" of her family's solar system - and how you can too. This isn't about choosing yourself over your children; it's about remembering that you're also a member of the family you serve.

🌟 The Self-Made Mom Mindset Shift

• Why you need to put yourself back in the picture of your family unit
• The difference between healthy sacrifice and self-abandonment
• How to embrace your dual identity as both career woman and mother

📋 Practical Tools for Busy Moms

• The three daily questions every mother should ask (including yourself!)
• Julia's "behavior layering" method for sustainable change in just 15 weeks
• How to apply business acumen to your personal life for better results

💪 Building Intrinsic Self-Worth

• Why external validation is draining your energy (and what to do instead)
• How to identify and celebrate your daily "wins" as a mother
• The power of communicating your needs without guilt

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Modeling Healthy Boundaries

• Teaching your children self-worth by demonstrating it yourself
• How to ask for help proactively (not just in crisis mode)
• Why letting others serve you is actually an act of love

Julia Sewell is the founder of The Self Made Mom movement and author of the upcoming book by the same name. As a performance coach with decades of experience, she's impacted thousands of working mothers, helping them rediscover their power, intention, and joy without getting lost in service to their families and careers.

Julia deeply believes that working mothers need to be prioritized too, and her clients appreciate her vulnerable and direct approach to creating a life that is sustainable, joyful, and high-performing.

• Website: theselfmademom.com
• Instagram: @theselfmademom
• Book: "The Self Made Mom" (releasing January 2024)

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Website: www.jocelynauyeung.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynauyeungcoach/

Substack: https://substack.com/@leadfromyourheart

Love this episode? Please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts - it helps other moms discover these important conversations!

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Learning with Kelsey

You know that moment when you're looking at your toddler and wondering, "Am I doing enough to prepare them for school?"

Here's what I love about Learning with Kelsey: Kelsey gets it because she's lived it. As a former teacher AND a mom, she understands what kids actually need to thrive in kindergarten AND how overwhelming it feels trying to figure it all out as a parent.

Each month, you get beautifully curated boxes with hands-on activities that make learning genuinely fun (not stressful). The truth is, it's not really about the activities at all - it's about giving us confidence that we're nurturing our children's growth in exactly the right way.

Get curious about what intentional, joyful learning could look like in your home: https://rstr.co/learning-with-kelsey/5062

Plan to Eat

Let's be real - that 4 PM "what's for dinner?" panic is so real. (The one where you're standing in Target trying to remember what's in your fridge while your kids are asking for goldfish for the third time? Yeah, that one. 😅)

Here's what I'm learning about meal planning: it's not really about perfect Pinterest-worthy meals at all. It's about reclaiming your peace of mind and getting back precious time with your family.

Plan to Eat has been a total game-changer for our family - you can organize recipes, automatically generate shopping lists, and plan your week's meals in minutes.

The truth is, when we take care of this one thing, it creates space for what matters most: being present with our families instead of stressed about dinner every single night.

Get 20% off your first year: plantoeat.com/ref/empoweredmom

Feeling trapped between who you think you should be and who you really are? This episode is for every working mom who's ever wondered if there's more to life than checking boxes and climbing ladders that lead nowhere meaningful.

Jessica Manca, Executive Career Coach and former Deloitte consultant, shares her raw journey from 80-hour work weeks and crushing burnout to building a thriving coaching business that aligns with her values. As a mom of two (ages 16 and 9), Jessica knows firsthand the impossible juggle of high-achieving careers and motherhood.

What You'll Learn:

• How to recognize when you're experiencing "internal imposter syndrome" (betraying your authentic self)
• Simple awareness techniques to catch perfectionist self-talk before it spirals
• The exact questions Jessica asked herself that made her "risky" career change feel natural
• Why your discomfort spending time alone is valuable feedback about your inner world
• How to plan a career exit without burning bridges (even with a baby and cross-country move)

Perfect for moms who:

• Feel successful on paper but empty inside
• Struggle with perfectionism and overthinking
• Are considering a major career change but fear the financial risk
• Want to stop compartmentalizing different parts of themselves
• Need permission to trust their gut when everyone else thinks they're crazy

Jessica Manca is an Executive Career and Personal Development Coach, Speaker, and author with over 25 years of experience at global organizations like Deloitte and Amazon. As founder of Mindspaces Coaching, she specializes in helping overthinkers, introverts, and perfectionists shift from feeling like imposters to feeling empowered. Her clients have unlocked the keys to successful career change, unshakeable self-trust, and lasting confidence.

• Jessica's book: "Finding Passion"
• FREE DOWNLOAD: 21 Essential Questions When You're at Career Crossroads
  • Get it at: jessicamanca.com/empoweredmom
• Connect with Jessica: jessicamanca.com

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Website: www.jocelynauyeung.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynauyeungcoach/

Substack: https://substack.com/@leadfromyourheart

Love this episode? Please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts - it helps other moms discover these important conversations!

----more----

Learning with Kelsey

You know that moment when you're looking at your toddler and wondering, "Am I doing enough to prepare them for school?"

Here's what I love about Learning with Kelsey: Kelsey gets it because she's lived it. As a former teacher AND a mom, she understands what kids actually need to thrive in kindergarten AND how overwhelming it feels trying to figure it all out as a parent.

Each month, you get beautifully curated boxes with hands-on activities that make learning genuinely fun (not stressful). The truth is, it's not really about the activities at all - it's about giving us confidence that we're nurturing our children's growth in exactly the right way.

Get curious about what intentional, joyful learning could look like in your home: https://rstr.co/learning-with-kelsey/5062

Plan to Eat

Let's be real - that 4 PM "what's for dinner?" panic is so real. (The one where you're standing in Target trying to remember what's in your fridge while your kids are asking for goldfish for the third time? Yeah, that one. 😅)

Here's what I'm learning about meal planning: it's not really about perfect Pinterest-worthy meals at all. It's about reclaiming your peace of mind and getting back precious time with your family.

Plan to Eat has been a total game-changer for our family - you can organize recipes, automatically generate shopping lists, and plan your week's meals in minutes.

The truth is, when we take care of this one thing, it creates space for what matters most: being present with our families instead of stressed about dinner every single night.

Get 20% off your first year: plantoeat.com/ref/empoweredmom

Feeling lost in motherhood after waiting so long to become a mom? Struggling with people pleasing and wondering if you're "too emotional"? In this raw, honest conversation, coach and mom Gwendolyn "Grandma Gwen" Siegel shares her journey from postpartum depression and losing herself in motherhood to discovering that her sensitivity is actually her superpower.

• How to navigate feeling lost in motherhood even when you've wanted it for so long
• Why being "too emotional" is actually a leadership strength, not a weakness
• Practical ways to advocate for yourself with doctors, family, and in relationships
• How to stop people pleasing and start making choices that honor who you are
• The power of setting boundaries during major life transitions
• Why you don't need to be "fixed" - you're already whole

• Feel guilty for not being grateful enough after struggling with fertility
• Wonder if they're too sensitive or emotional
• Struggle with people pleasing and setting boundaries
• Feel alone in their motherhood journey
• Need permission to advocate for themselves
• Are dealing with postpartum depression or anxiety
• Want to find their identity beyond being "mom"

Gwendolyn Rodriguez Siegel, ACC, CPCC, BSPC is a seasoned leadership and relationship coach with over 15 years of experience in public service and community advocacy. As an ICF Associate Credentialed Coach, she specializes in helping leaders and entrepreneurs uncover their behavioral superpowers. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Gwen is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Co-Active Training Institute, and DNA Behavior. She's also a board member of the BIPOC Coach Collective.

Connect with Gwendolyn:

• Email: gwen@grscreates.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwensiegel/

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Connect with Host Jocelyn Auyeung:

Empowered Working Mom Revolution Podcast helps moms feel seen, heard, and supported through authentic storytelling and practical wisdom.

Website: www.jocelynauyeung.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynauyeungcoach/

Love this episode? Please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts - it helps other moms discover these important conversations!

----more----

Learning with Kelsey

You know that moment when you're looking at your toddler and wondering, "Am I doing enough to prepare them for school?"

Here's what I love about Learning with Kelsey: Kelsey gets it because she's lived it. As a former teacher AND a mom, she understands what kids actually need to thrive in kindergarten AND how overwhelming it feels trying to figure it all out as a parent.

Each month, you get beautifully curated boxes with hands-on activities that make learning genuinely fun (not stressful). The truth is, it's not really about the activities at all - it's about giving us confidence that we're nurturing our children's growth in exactly the right way.

Get curious about what intentional, joyful learning could look like in your home: https://rstr.co/learning-with-kelsey/5062

Plan to Eat

Let's be real - that 4 PM "what's for dinner?" panic is so real. (The one where you're standing in Target trying to remember what's in your fridge while your kids are asking for goldfish for the third time? Yeah, that one. 😅)

Here's what I'm learning about meal planning: it's not really about perfect Pinterest-worthy meals at all. It's about reclaiming your peace of mind and getting back precious time with your family.

Plan to Eat has been a total game-changer for our family - you can organize recipes, automatically generate shopping lists, and plan your week's meals in minutes.

The truth is, when we take care of this one thing, it creates space for what matters most: being present with our families instead of stressed about dinner every single night.

Get 20% off your first year: plantoeat.com/ref/empoweredmom

Are you a teacher mom wondering what else you could do with your skills? Or maybe you're any working mom with a business idea you can't stop thinking about?

This episode is for you! Join host Jocelyn Auyeung as she interviews Kelsey Cook, a former teacher turned successful entrepreneur who transformed her teaching background into a thriving educational subscription box business serving all 50 states.

In this inspiring conversation, you'll discover:

• How to overcome the "I'm just a teacher" limiting belief that holds so many educator moms back
• Why motherhood can actually boost your entrepreneurial confidence (surprising but true!)
• The exact moment Kelsey knew her side hustle could become a real business
• How to delegate and build a team without micromanaging everything
• Strategies for handling online criticism when your business feels personal
• Why starting without pressure can be your secret entrepreneurial advantage

Perfect for: Teacher moms, working moms with business ideas, parents feeling stuck in their careers, anyone needing inspiration to trust their instincts and take action.

✅ Teachers have incredible business skills - you're managers, communicators, creatives, and problem-solvers

✅ Motherhood builds confidence - advocating for your children translates to business boundaries

✅ Start before you're ready - overthinking will talk you out of great opportunities

✅ Follow your passion - it's easier to build something you genuinely love

✅ Build your support village - both in motherhood and business, you can't do it all alone

✅ Trust your instincts - you know more than you think you do

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Get $10 off your first Learning with Kelsey subscription box! As featured in this episode, Learning with Kelsey offers age-appropriate educational activities designed by a former teacher and mom who understands both child development and parent overwhelm.

Use this exclusive link: rstr.co/learning-with-kelsey/5062

Choose from:

• Toddler Box
• Preschool Box
• Kinder Prep Box
• Sensory Box

Trusted by over 35,000 moms nationwide!

Kelsey Cook is a certified teacher, entrepreneur, mom of four, and advocate for early childhood learning. With a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, she spent six years teaching before launching Learning with Kelsey, a subscription box company designed to help parents engage their young children in meaningful, hands-on learning. What started as COVID learning packets on her front porch has grown into a nationwide resource helping families in all 50 states prepare their children for lifelong learning, shipping over 14,000 boxes monthly with a team of 20 women.

• Learning with Kelsey Website: learningwithkelsey.com
• Follow Kelsey on Instagram: @learningwithkelsey

Empowered Working Mom Revolution Podcast helps moms feel seen, heard, and supported through authentic storytelling and practical wisdom.

• Website: www.jocelynauyeung.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynauyeungcoach/

Love this episode? Please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts - it helps other moms discover these important conversations!

Are you tired of feeling like every tantrum, meltdown, or challenging behavior from your child is a reflection of your parenting? Today's conversation with life and business alchemist Kim Romain will completely shift how you think about motherhood, boundaries, and personal growth.

In this transformative episode, discover the revolutionary concept of "conscious separation" – the game-changing realization that your child is their own separate being having their own experience. This powerful shift not only eliminates mom guilt but brings profound ease into your daily motherhood experience while strengthening your bond with your children.

Perfect for moms who:

• Feel overwhelmed by their children's emotions or behaviors
• Struggle with mom guilt and taking everything personally
• Want to create healthy boundaries without losing connection
• Crave more ease and flow in their daily motherhood experience
• Are considering major life changes but feel scared to take the leap
• Desire deeper, more authentic relationships with their family

✅ The Motherhood Revelation: How becoming a mom can catalyze profound personal transformation ✅ Conscious Separation Explained: Why "cutting energetic cords with love" strengthens relationships and creates ease ✅ The Alchemy of Ease: How internal awareness transforms overwhelming moments into manageable experiences ✅ Mom Guilt Solution: How to stop making your child's experience about you ✅ Reframe Leaps of Faith: Transform scary decisions into confident "next right steps" ✅ Revolutionary Communication: How to name your emotions to create space for others ✅ Identity Freedom: Why your worth isn't tied to your children's successes or failures

🎯 Your child's meltdown isn't about you – it's about their own internal experience 🎯 Conscious separation creates ease – when you stop taking on others' emotions, motherhood flows more naturally 🎯 Internal work serves everyone – when you know yourself deeply, you create space for others to be themselves 🎯 Separation enhances connection – honoring individual identity strengthens family bonds 🎯 Big changes don't have to feel scary – proper internal work makes "leaps" feel like natural next steps

Kim Romain thrives at the intersection of the magical and the practical, guiding individuals and organizations toward ease, equity, and purpose. With 20+ years as an attorney, artist, and nonprofit executive, Kim blends actionable strategies with intuitive wisdom to transform complexity into clarity. Founder of The Rising Visionaries and co-host of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim holds space for conscious and awakened leaders to align, heal, and create meaningful impact.

Connect with Kim:

• Website: kimromain.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekimromain/
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/kimromain
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimrromain
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@empoweredandembodiedshow

Reflection Question for You: Think about a recent moment when you felt overwhelmed by your child's emotions or behavior. Now imagine approaching that same situation knowing that their experience isn't about you – it's about their own internal world. How might this shift in perspective change how you respond? What would it feel like to hold space for their experience while also honoring your own separate emotional journey?

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Send me a message with your reflections – because when we explore these deeper questions together, we all grow.

Love this episode? Please leave a review and share it with a mom friend who needs to hear Kim’s words of wisdom – because when we share diverse stories of motherhood with each other, we all feel less alone in our journeys.

With gratitude, Jocelyn

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts if this episode resonated with you - it helps other moms find exactly what they need to hear.

What does it look like to choose your own path to motherhood? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Amy Vale – foster mom and founder of For the Cubs – to explore how motherhood comes in all different forms, and how you can deeply care about multiple things at the same time.

Amy's journey from marketing executive at Spotify and charity:water to creating Percy the weighted plush bear (named after her grandfather) will challenge everything you think you know about balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood. Her story of running out of product while prioritizing a foster baby's legal case stood out to me because it's a reminder that sometimes life demands that we choose one thing over the other – and that's okay.

Here's what I took away from Amy's story: there's no single "right" way to become a mom, be a mom, build a business, or create a meaningful life. And honestly? That's exactly the permission we all need to hear.

This episode is perfect for:

• Working moms juggling multiple priorities
• Anyone considering foster care or alternative family paths
• Entrepreneurs building mission-driven businesses
• Parents seeking permission to challenge societal expectations
• Moms needing encouragement about taking leaps of faith
• Anyone feeling guilty about prioritizing one important thing over another

🏠 The Reality of Foster Parenting:

• Why foster care isn't about "foster to adopt" – it's about supporting family reunification
• How Amy navigates being called "mommy" while respecting biological families
• The truth about caring for children from trauma (spoiler: time and grace are everything)
• What Amy learned from fostering 10 children over 2 years

💼 Entrepreneurship While Mothering:

• The story behind Percy the weighted bear and the science of needing 8-12 hugs daily
• How Amy's grandfather inspired both the name and design of her hero product
• What happened when she ran out of inventory while solo parenting an infant
• Why she chose self-funding over VC money to protect her mission

💪 Challenging Societal Expectations:

• Amy's empowering approach to choosing foster care over biological children
• How she handles inappropriate questions about fertility and family planning (this part gave me chills)
• Her brilliant responses that protect other women struggling with infertility
• Why betting on yourself is the ultimate leap of faith

🎯 Permission-Giving Wisdom:

• "You can deeply care about multiple things at the same time"
• "I wouldn't have done anything differently" – releasing mom guilt
• "Anything truly worth having takes time"
• The gym metaphor for building life skills (this resonated so much with me)

Amy Vale is the founder of For the Cubs, a company providing quality essentials for young children while supporting kids in foster care through their nonprofit partner, One Simple Wish. After a decade in marketing with brands like Spotify and charity:water, Amy transitioned to entrepreneurship driven by her experience as a foster parent.

Her hero product, Percy – a weighted plush bear designed to mimic a hug – was named after her late grandfather and created after learning that humans need 8-12 hugs daily for emotional wellbeing. Amy continues fostering children while building her business, currently caring for her 10th foster child.

Connect with Amy:

• Website: forthecubs.com
• Instagram: @forthecubs

What's one area of your life where you've been afraid to "bet on yourself"? How might Amy's story give you permission to trust your own path?

Love this episode? Please leave a review and share it with a mom friend who needs to hear Amy's story. Because here's what I know for sure: when we share diverse stories of motherhood, we all feel less alone in our journeys.

With gratitude, Jocelyn

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts if this episode resonated with you - it helps other moms find exactly what they need to hear.

Hey mama friends! 💕

Ever feel torn between being the perfect employee and the perfect mom? You're not alone, and this episode is exactly what you need to hear.

Join host Jocelyn Auyeung as she sits down with her dear friend Marivic Walch, a 25-year veteran third-grade teacher and mother of two college-aged daughters. This raw, honest conversation tackles the reality every working mom faces: you can't give 100% to everything, and that's actually okay.

What really resonated with me during our conversation because I’ve experienced myself, was Marivic's journey from trying to be "super teacher" to embracing authentic motherhood - and how that shift transformed her relationships with both her students and her daughters.

• Why the "100% to everything" mentality is setting you up for failure
• How to find peace with being "good enough" in both roles
• The power of intentional boundary setting (and why Marivic stopped bringing work home)

• The phrase that transforms parent-child relationships: "I've never parented you at this age before"
• How radical honesty with your kids builds unbreakable trust
• Why telling your child "I don't like you right now, but I'll always love you" is actually healthy

• Simple activities that build lifelong memories (hint: it's not about expensive experiences)
• The "window shopping" tradition that costs nothing but builds everything
• How to turn everyday errands into quality time

• Practical strategies for managing the "I'm failing at everything" feelings
• How to communicate your struggles without overwhelming your children
• The importance of surrounding yourself with people who lift you up

Marivic Walch is a dedicated educator and proud mother of two remarkable young women who represent her greatest achievements in life. As a third-grade teacher entering her 25th year in the classroom, she brings decades of experience nurturing young minds while balancing the demands of motherhood. Marivic is committed to living authentically while continuously evolving into her best self—celebrating both her progress and her ongoing journey of personal development.

For New Working Moms:

• Permission to release perfectionist expectations in both career and parenting
• Practical boundary-setting strategies that actually work
• Hope that the overwhelming early years do get easier

For Experienced Working Moms:

• Validation that feeling inadequate is normal (and how to work through it)
• New perspectives on honest communication with children at every age
• Encouragement to prioritize self-care without guilt

For All Moms:

• Inspiration for building authentic relationships with your children
• Real examples of creating meaningful family traditions on any budget
• Tools for managing mom guilt and unrealistic expectations

💭 Where in your life are you still chasing that impossible 200% standard? What would it feel like to give yourself permission to be "good enough"?

Thank you for listening, mama friends. Please know that you are doing the best that you can and that's enough. You've got this!

With love and care for you,

Jocelyn 💕

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts if this episode resonated with you - it helps other moms find exactly what they need to hear.