Feelings Fitness Podcast
Feelings Fitness Podcast
Stop Carrying It All: Motherhood Was Never Meant to Be a Solo Mission
Ever feel like you're drowning in the invisible parts of motherhood that nobody talks about? That constant mental processing, emotional regulation, and anticipation of everyone's needs—it's exhausting. And yet, most of us carry this weight silently, thinking it's just part of the job.
The emotional burden of motherhood goes far beyond the practical tasks we can see and check off a list. It's the knowing your child needs extra love after a tough day at school before they even say a word. It's feeling the tension in your partner's shoulders as they walk through the door. It's remembering every appointment, preference, and emotional need for every family member. This invisible labor is real, it's heavy, and it's time we acknowledge its impact.
What's fascinating is how a mother's emotional state ripples through the entire household. Through emotional contagion, when we're depleted and overwhelmed, that energy permeates everything. But the reverse is also true—when we're grounded, supported and emotionally well, the whole family benefits. Not because we're pretending to be happy or forcing a smile, but because we're modeling what it looks like to value our own mental health alongside everyone else's.
Motherhood was never meant to be a solo mission. Whether you're in a partnership that needs rebalancing or a single mom building your support network, you deserve a team. Your children can contribute appropriately to household responsibilities. Your own needs deserve space and attention. The five tools we explore—daily emotional check-ins, movement practices, meaningful connections, healthy boundaries, and permission to rest without guilt—aren't luxuries; they're necessities for sustainable family functioning.
Ready to shift from being the underpaid CEO of your household to creating a true family team? Listen now to discover how protecting your mental health serves everyone you love, and why your happiness matters not just to you, but to your entire family. Remember, you matter—not just for what you do, but for who you are.
Hey there and welcome back to the Feelings Fitness Podcast, where we do the heartwork behind the home life. I'm Suzanne and I'm so grateful you're here Today. We're continuing a conversation we started in a previous episode when a mom loses her mom. That episode was raw, honest and deeply personal, talking about what it means to keep mothering while navigating the grief of having lost your own mom. If you haven't listened yet, I encourage you to go back to that one first. But today we're zooming out Because even outside of grief, there's this emotional weight to motherhood that so many of us carry silently.
Speaker 1:It's not just the to-do lists and diaper changes and snack prep. It's the emotional undercurrent of motherhood, the mental load, the invisible labor, the emotional regulation for everyone in the house and, let's be honest, it's heavy. So in this episode we're talking about what that emotional weight feels like, how to protect your mental health as a mom, and why a family can and should function like a team, not a solo act with mom running the show. Because here's the truth when a mom is happy, the whole family is happier. Not perfect, not Pinterest worthy, just emotionally healthier. Let's dive in. Motherhood comes with a to-do list that never ends. But beyond that is something deeper, the invisible load, or what everyone is calling the mental load these days. This is the stuff that doesn't show up on a calendar. It's the remembering, the noticing, the managing, the anticipating. It's knowing your child needs extra cuddles after a tough day. It's feeling the tension in your partner before they say a word. It's being the one who knows where everything is, what everyone likes and how to keep things from falling apart. This is emotional labor. This is invisible labor. This is the mental load, and most of the time, moms are doing it without acknowledgement, often without even realizing how much they're carrying. You might feel the emotional thermostat of the house. If you're calm, things run smoothly. If you're overwhelmed, everything unravels. That's an exhausting level of pressure and it's not sustainable.
Speaker 1:Now I want to be really clear. This is not about pretending to be happy. It's not about forcing a smile when you're drowning. It's about something deeper and something more real. When you feel grounded, connected and supported, the emotional energy in your home naturally shifts. Why? Because emotions are contagious. It's called emotional contagion and it's especially true between moms and kids. If you're constantly overwhelmed, on edge or depleted, that energy seeps into the family dynamic. And when you're cared for, when you're truly well emotionally, mentally and physically, the home feels lighter. You don't have to be perfect, but taking care of yourself isn't selfish, it's service. You're modeling what emotional health looks like. You're teaching your children my emotions matter, my needs matter and I am worthy of care. Let me say this loud and clear Motherhood was never meant to be a solo mission.
Speaker 1:But somewhere along the line it became normal for moms to do it all To be the chef, the nurse, the therapist, the personal assistant, the housekeeper, the teacher, and on and on. And it's time we rewrite the story. A family should function like a team. If you're in a partnership, it should be a partnership, not a dictatorship, with you as the underpaid CEO. And if you're a single mom, your team might look different. It might be your sister, your best friend, your church, your therapist or a sitter you trust. It might mean asking for help and not feeling ashamed of that. We are not meant to do this alone. We can also raise our children to contribute. Kids can clean, they can help with dinner, they can take on responsibilities appropriate for their age, not because you're mean, but because you're teaching them life skills, empathy and respect. Here's your permission slip. I am not meant to carry this alone. My needs matter too, so let's talk about what it actually looks like to care for our own mental health. Here are five foundational tools I recommend to every mom I work with Daily check-in.
Speaker 1:Take two minutes in the morning. Ask yourself what am I feeling? What do I need, not, what do the kids need? What do you need? Breathe or movement? Clearly, your nervous system needs movement and stillness. Yoga, of course, a walk, dancing in the kitchen, or even five deep belly breaths. That's not fluff, it's your fuel. Let's pause for a moment and let's take just three deep, cleansing breaths. Remember that when you breathe in, your belly gets big and when you breathe out, the belly sinks back down towards the spine. So, if you're in a comfortable place, close your eyes and take a nice deep breath in through the nose and an exhale out through the mouth, and then exhale out through the mouth, Inhale through the nose and sigh out through the mouth One more time. Deep breath in through the nose and let it all out as you exhale, opening your eyes if you had them closed. Hopefully, even just that simple act has you refreshed enough to move forward.
Speaker 1:Another foundational tool is connection Text. A friend, join a community. Say yes to coffee. Say yes to vulnerability, building boundaries. You can't be everything to everyone. Protect your peace. Say no without apology. Your yes matters more when it's intentional.
Speaker 1:And finally, permission to rest. You don't have to earn rest. You don't have to be exhausted to be worthy of a break. Rest because you're a human being, not a machine. So to every mom listening, I want you to hear this from my heart you matter, not just because of what you do, but because of who you are. You deserve support. You deserve rest. You deserve joy. You deserve joy that belongs just to you, not joy filtered through everyone else's needs. When a mom is cared for, the whole family benefits and when a family works as a team, no one has to burn out to keep it running. Thank you for spending this time with me. I see you, I honor your heart and I hope you take even one piece of this episode and turn it into a little more peace in your life. Until next time, take care of yourself like you would take care of your family. You are so very worth it.