If you’re anything like me, you’re juggling a million things—kids, careers, carpools, dinner, dreams… and wondering if you’re doing any of it right. This often leads to feeling overwhelmed and stressed in mom life.

After experiencing significant mom burnout (twice), leaving a high-growth startup, and raising three wildly different kids, I started writing down the small mindset shifts that helped me navigate motherhood challenges with a little more joy—and a lot less pressure.

These aren’t big, dramatic life overhauls. They’re simple but powerful flips in perspective. And they’ve helped me stop chasing perfection and start actually enjoying my mom life again.

Here are the 10 mindset shifts that helped me shine more in mom life.

1. Presence Over a Plan

Let go of the map. Embrace the mess.

My toddler once pooped proudly in the middle of a Tahoe dog park during peak lunch hour at our favorite boating spot. Guests were horrified. My other kids were staring. I grabbed doggy bags and wipes and handled it like I’d handled everything else in motherhood: not how I expected, but exactly as needed.

The Shift: Your life doesn’t need a color-coded itinerary. It just needs you in it, ready for anything.

2. Think the Best-Case Scenario & Reduce Parental Fear 

Let them… as long as it’s safe.

In Vegas, we told our kids way too many times not to answer the hotel door–and they locked us out. Another time, I casually asked my daughter if she knew the Heimlich before heading to dinner. (Spoiler: everyone cried, and we didn’t go.) I’m constantly learning not to parent through panic. Instead, I’m building trust and confidence in them along the way.

The Shift: What if we stopped parenting from fear and trusted that everything might go well?

3. Redefine “Having It All” & Finding Your Version of Balance

Say no to what doesn’t matter right now.

Ambition nearly ran me into the ground. My husband had a thriving business, my kids needed me, and I needed something flexible. I don’t make what I used to, and I miss parts of startup life, but I’m learning new skills, and I get to be there for the moments that matter.

The Shift: You can have it all–just not all at once. And that’s okay.

4. Stop Caring What Everyone Thinks & Prioritize Your Well-being

Let your want be louder than their judgment.

When HR failed to support me through a toxic situation, I chose Costa Rica, a new job, and my sanity. I joined a team that saw my worth and helped me succeed faster than ever. Gravitate to the radiators, not the haters.

The Shift: Your compass matters more than anyone else’s opinion. If your radar goes up, shift to what feels right.

5. Build an A+ Mom Life (Your Version)

They matter more than anything else right now.

Between client work and caregiving for my mom, I realized: this chapter of life is about being there for the moments I’d regret missing. That’s what matters most right now. And I’ve still dabbled in new industries, kept my toe in the game, and may get paid soon to keep podcasting. All while keeping my sanity and being the mom I wanted to be. Your career can grow at the pace you want it to, and plenty of women prove that pauses can spark innovation. Alli Webb had her idea to begin Dry Bar in a moment of career pause while staying home for 5 years with her two kids. 

The Shift: Be the mom you want to be. Align your work to support that. You never know what might happen when you start prioritizing what matters to you most.

6. Rewrite Your Origin Story: Healing & Growing as a Parent

Honor where you came from. Break any cycles you don’t want repeated.

My parents did the best they could. Still, I had to forgive the needs that went unmet and parent myself through the healing. I’m not perfect, but I listen to my kids, and I show up. An article from Parent.com just showed that as long as you do that 54% of the time and are attuned to their needs, repairing when things go wrong—that’s all they need. And I love my parents for doing what they could with what they had.

The Shift: Know your triggers. Rewrite what didn’t work. Heal forward.

7. Slow Down and Savor Life 

Life is now. Savor it.

Halfway through Italy, I was stressed about the heat, our packing, and everything else. But life is slower there, and better. Sicily taught me to slow the heck down. I discovered a colony of cats in Syracuse named after our family, which inspired me to start writing stories about them. When I hit a wall, I try to get more curious. And I’m still learning.

The Shift: Real life isn’t waiting for you to catch up. It’s happening now.

8. Advocate for Your Health and Prioritize Self-Care

Your health isn’t optional.

It took years, countless dismissals, and ongoing pain to finally get diagnosed with Stage 3 endometriosis. I had surgery to remove my appendix and clean up inflammation around my gut. I had to become my own advocate, and it changed everything. When you’re healthy, you have the energy to show up for your family and your career. Your well-being is the foundation for everything else.

The Shift: Your pain is not an inconvenience. You deserve answers, support, and healing.

9. Listen to Your Calling to Nurture Your Creative Spark 

Do what you love–even if no one claps.

Podcasting, writing, and creating have made me a better mom and person—even when the path is unclear. I’ve met incredible women and moms who remind me I’m on the right track, even when it’s hard to see.

The Shift: Honor your creative spark. The success is in the life you’re building, and success might not come instantly. It comes from showing up each day.

10. Give Without Expectation to Find Happiness & Joy in Motherhood

Happiness is contagious. Let it start with you.

Whether it’s experimenting with AI tools, setting boundaries, or dancing with your kids in the kitchen, you don’t have to get it all right. Just give what you have—genuinely. If you aren’t happy, now is the time for change, knowing that the shine all starts with you.

The Shift: You don’t need applause to shine. You just need alignment.

💫 Coming Soon…

I’ve got a few more MomShine episodes coming—on how to survive travel sports, how to fight for your health when no one’s listening, and what it really means to find joy in the chaos.

I’m here to help moms build clarity, confidence, and joy in every chapter. I see you—and I’m in it with you. Want to be the first to know when new episodes drop? Follow the show or find me on Instagram @momshine.co.

If any of these shifts spoke to you, forward this post to a mom who needs it. That’s how we shine brighter—together.