"You are not 'just' a mom. You are a CEO, multitasker, and master of resilience."
– Unknown.
The most important title that I hold close to my heart is being a mother and a wife, the others fall in line accordingly.
If you have read any of my other blogs, you will already have a history lesson on what it took to get me here and I am so proud and thankful to hold the title.
I’m not here to act like I have it all figured out—because let’s be real, motherhood and creativity are both beautifully chaotic. Some days I’m really crushing things and getting them all done...you know; really shocking myself, and other days I’m just trying to remember if I drank enough water to prevent dehydration and enhance my survival rate. But I am here to be honest, to share what’s helping me juggle the mom life and the creative work, my business career, and I want to remind you: you’re not alone. You can nurture tiny human beings and your big ideas whether they seem silly or unreachable.
To be real with you I’ve got animal cracker snacks in my purse that are crushed into tiny pieces, stains on my good jeans from random DIY home improvements, camera accessories in every room and at least three half-finished ideas scribbled in notebooks all around my house. It’s a wild mix of magic and mayhem.
There’s just so much invisible work that comes with being a wife and a mom—like, the stuff that people believe will magically get done until… it doesn’t. Take laundry, for example. No one’s out here clapping for clean boxers, but honey the minute the drawer’s empty? It’s like, ‘Where are all my clean boxers?! Suddenly it’s a household emergency!
I’m cracking up because—yep, this is real life.
Moms (and wives) are the default planners for everything—childcare, meals, sports, birthdays, holidays, school events… the list goes on. It’s a full-time job all by itself. Now, I know being constantly on-the-go isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but honestly? I love it. I thrive on the hustle—running to sporting events, random zoo days, planning vacations, hosting family gatherings—it’s fun for me.
But let’s be real: it definitely piles onto my plate. And when you throw a work schedule into the mix? Hello, chaos.
I know I sound like my parents—or even my grandparents—when I say this, but… this is not the same world I grew up in. Everything is more expensive, more demanding, and honestly, just more complicated.
That’s part of what led me to my second career (and creative outlet): photography. What started as a passion for documenting real-life moments and creating beauty through a lens turned into something bigger. It became both a source of income and joy.
So really, it was a win-win. I got to do something I love and help add additional support to my family in the process. And in a world that keeps shifting, I’ve learned that finding purpose in the pivot is something to be proud of.
There’s just one problem with all of this: it can be overwhelming at times. And yet even then—I wouldn’t trade it. Even when it is overwhelming. Even when I’m reheating my coffee for the third time or forgetting what day it is.
Because in the middle of all the to-do lists, the mess, and the madness—there’s a life being built. A full, imperfect, beautiful life. One T-ball practice, one mini photo session, one penciled in dinner date, one sticky kitchen counter at a time.
It’s the societal pressure on what mothers and wives are 'supposed' to be that makes it overwhelming and If we’re not careful, we can fall into the exhausting trap of feeling like nothing we do is ever good enough.
It’s always something—'She works too much.' 'She doesn’t work enough.' 'They never leave the house.' 'They’re always out and about.' 'They’re on another vacation?' 'She never takes her kids anywhere.' 'Her children didn’t go to pre-K.' 'Her kid’s in too many competitive sports.'
No matter what path you take, someone always has an opinion. And if we listen to all of it, we lose the ability to trust ourselves."
Listen, you’ve got this, even on the days when the coffee goes cold… AGAIN.
Here is what changed everything for me: Realizing that the version of “perfect” I was searching for, and chasing wasn’t mine—it was someone else’s idea, probably filtered through an unrealistic Pinterest board, a Facebook Reel or some TikTok where they had an answer for how to get all done.
I used to think happiness looked like spotless, shiny wood floors, neatly folded laundry that was done every day, and a perfectly curated home. And don’t get me wrong—I love a clean space. I will not support a nasty home- NOPE, NO-WAY! Clean and “picked up” are two different categories, I am willing to sacrifice on one not the other. But I was driving myself nuts trying to keep up with this impossible standard while also managing photography, my full-time job, being the best mom that I could be.
That’s when it all hit me:
It wasn’t the perfect picture house that I wanted—it was the happy home full of special moments.
One that’s full of love, lots of noise because we have family and friends over, legos and dinos underfoot, and “rainbow” cereal bowls in the sink because we were too busy laughing at the dinner table to clean up right away.
Now? I don’t even stress if the playroom looks like a wild toy tornado hit it (Helloooo: it’s a playroom). I don’t panic if our friends or family see crumbs on the floor (hi, hello we live in here, welcome). And I definitely don’t cancel plans just because I didn’t mop or sweep or pick up the mail from the computer table. If you’re coming over, you're here for us- my family, not our dust-free baseboards.
Letting go of the pressure to keep the aesthetically pleasing life gave me the opportunity to actually live more in the moments, happier. More dino-monster steps in the living room, more belly laughs, longer afternoons on the splash pad. Less burnout, less guilt, less “why can’t I just keep up?”
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the Facebook highlight reels, the spotless kitchens, and the moms who look like they’ve got it all together—just take a deep breath. Seriously.
Keep sending those babies to church, keep praying, let go of the little stuff and enjoy life!
Life is short, and you don’t have to do it like “everyone else”, live happily peeps! Your version of happiness can include frozen pizza, unfolded laundry, and a whole lot of love.
"Perfect is a moving target. Peace is knowing you don’t have to chase it."
- Anonymous
