You're listening to the Vibrant Happy Women Podcast. I'm Dr. Jen Rideh, and on this episode, we're

talking about how to be a mom and have a life. You don't have to give it up. Stay tuned.

Hi, I'm Jen Ritey, and this podcast is for women who want to feel more vibrant, happy, aligned,

and alive. You'll gain the emotional,

physical, and spiritual tools you need to get your sparkle back and ensure that depression,

anxiety, and struggle don't rule your life. Welcome to the Vibrant Happy Women podcast.

I am so excited about this topic. You may have heard me talk about my adventure workshop in episodes past. You know I'm on the topic of being a more adventurous woman. Well, what better topic to have on this episode today than how to be a mom and have a life. It's so fascinating how culturally

we all buy into the idea that when you have kids, they are the center of your focus.

Now, I don't want to belittle anyone who has done this or who is doing this or who buys into

this because I bought into this forever.

Until I hit this point where I had made my kids central to everything, I didn't work outside

of the home.

I baked homemade bread.

I threw parties that were amazing and I sewed on their scout patches and my whole life revolved around my kids and I couldn't

have been less happy. And they felt ashamed for that because everyone else around me looked happy,

but I was probably comparing my insides to their outsides. Having met a lot more women now,

I recognize that a ton of women become very

unhappy when their whole life revolves around just one aspect. You know, back in the 50s and 60s,

we idealized parenting back then, but the fact is the stories I've heard, mom sent their kids

out to play and expected not to see them until

the end of the day, until dinner. Those moms had other skills and things and talents and they

were sewing and talking and they had friends and they would travel and they would see the national

...