We’ve all heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” But so many moms feel alone. Whether it’s internal pressure of trying to be the perfect mom or external standards we’re trying to meet that we find all over Instagram. Well, friends, my guest today is going to help us be our authentic true selves while raising our kids.    Heather MacFadyen is here to break motherhood down for us. Together, we open up about motherhood and what trying to be the perfect mom really does to us. We also chat about how parenting is harder now than 15 years ago (it totally is!), why we tend to feel guilt, especially in Christian circles, and the barriers that keep us from being vulnerable and honest as moms.    Heather shares about the dangers of comparison and how she almost decided to stop recording her podcast last year. We also dive into her book, Don’t Mom Alone, and how she shares relatable stories that remind moms they are never alone in the pursuit of becoming the best mom they can be.    Heather is an author, podcast host, and mom of four boys and has been encouraging moms to support each other on their motherhood journeys for almost 10 years on her popular podcast, Don’t Mom Alone.   This is a conversation that all mothers need to hear.   Listen in to learn more about:  How to stop comparing ourselves to other moms (and practical tips to implement!) How comparison truly is the thief of joy, not just an Insta-worthy quote The importance of community as a mother–even when community doesn’t come naturally   Favorite quotes: Raising a human being is hard, so every person is limited. There is no way I am going to have the ability to see everything that my kids are going to go through. I am not omniscient,  I am not all powerful - If they get hurt in my presence it is not cos I missed something. Pain is reality and so to free myself from feeling that it is all up to me was such  a huge gift to mothering I just want to free moms from having all the information and from doing it all right. We have to ask ourselves what’s going on in my heart that I feel like I am the only one who needs to be there to care for our children. We have to do the inner work and release ourselves from feeling like we are God. I am important but I am not essential. It’s not essential because we are not God, we are not creators although it feels like we created them. Moms, in general, are not very aware of what we are feeling at any given moment because our energy is really focused on whether everyone else is OK. Links to great things we discussed:  Frank Sinatra  Stand by Me movie Good Will Hunting Yellowstone series The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Becoming Mrs. Lewis - Book Once upon a wardrobe - Book Nuuly Store Alexa app Heather's Don't mom alone - podcast Heather MacFadyen's website Uncharted movie Honey in the rock song Liverpool Jeans Confident Motherhood Community Hope you loved this episode! Be sure to subscribe in iTunes and slap some stars on a review! :) xo, Alli