The Myth That Motherhood Should Complete You (and What to Do Instead)

03/11/2025 15 min Episodio 23
The Myth That Motherhood Should Complete You (and What to Do Instead)

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Episode Synopsis

Hi love. In today’s episode, we’re unpacking one of the quietest, most shame-filled truths of modern motherhood: the myth that motherhood should be enough to complete you.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom missing pieces of your old identity or a working mom wondering why the juggle doesn’t feel fulfilling, this conversation is for you. We talk about the guilt that surfaces when motherhood doesn’t fill every corner of your soul, and why that doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you.
You can love your baby fiercely and still long for meaning, purpose, and fulfillment beyond motherhood. That longing isn’t selfish, it’s human.
This episode will help you release the shame, understand the deeper identity shifts happening beneath the surface, and take practical steps to rediscover yourself without guilt.
In This Episode, We Talk About:

Stay-at-home mom guilt and the loss of identity


Working mom struggles and fulfillment beyond your career


The myth that motherhood should “complete” you


Redefining purpose, success, and wholeness after baby


How to reconnect with the parts of you that feel missing


Emotional healing for moms who feel lost or restless


Permission to want more, and how that makes you a better mother, not a worse one

Key Takeaways

Loving your baby deeply and needing more are not contradictions.


You were a whole, complex person before motherhood, and those parts still matter.


Resentment often points to unmet needs, not lack of gratitude.


Wholeness comes from honoring all parts of who you are, not erasing yourself.


Your child benefits most when you feel fulfilled and alive, not hollowed out by guilt.



Listen now wherever you get your podcasts: Here With You, Mama 💛
If today’s episode spoke to your heart, share it with another mama who needs to know she’s not alone.
Follow @herewithyoumama for more IFS-informed mindset shifts, emotional support, and motherhood truths that remind you:
You’re not lost, you’re becoming.
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