Calm Above, Chaos Below: A Mother's Day Mini
In this special Mother's Day mini episode of Mom to MORE®, Sharon reflects on what ducks can teach us about reinvention after motherhood. Sharon shares why your ducks don’t need to be in a row to start your next chapter—and how the messy work you’re already doing is moving you forward. It's the pep talk every mom needs today.
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Keep an eye out for episode #37 of the Mom to MORE® podcast where Sharon is joined by Lisa Johnson, co-founder of Been There Got Out, a high conflict divorce strategist and certified domestic violence advocate. Coming soon - you won’t want to miss it ♥
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Sharon (00:40)
Welcome back to Mom to More. Well, today is going to be a little different. I'm doing a short solo episode, just you and me, talking about reinventing beyond motherhood and what we can all learn from, wait for it, ducks. Yes, ducks. There's a lot more wisdom paddling around than you might think. So here's my hot take on how you can confidently
Step into your second act, even if all of your ducks aren't in a row. Okay, so here's the deal with ducks. They make it look really easy, really smooth, gliding on top, but underneath, they're paddling like crazy. And reinventing yourself after motherhood? Well, same thing. I mean, it might feel chaotic. All right, admit it does feel chaotic. It probably feels like you're getting nowhere, but trust me.
Every small effort that you are making is building real momentum. You're not stuck. You're moving forward, even if it doesn't look perfect yet. besides, we all know that perfection doesn't exist. So maybe also you feel like you have missed your window of opportunity, that somehow this chance to rediscover who you are beyond motherhood has passed you by. That's ridiculous.
and those ducks, well, they're not in row. I mean, they're flapping wildly in every direction and they're refusing to line up. And so, yeah, you're thinking this is so not gonna work. But here's the truth. You bring an extraordinary amount of life experience and transferable skills to any new chapter you choose to create. So I just wanna give you a quick little rundown of some of the important skills you
bring to the table, whether you realize it or not. And from my perspective, you name it, moms have done it. So I think you have done all of these things. Adaptive leadership and team management. High stakes negotiation honed by your time reasoning with a four year old. Logistics and scheduling. Yes, it is possible to get three different kids to three different locations in one hour.
Procurement, budgeting, long-term strategic planning, high stakes decision-making, emotional intelligence, we have that in spades, fundraising, event coordination, and volunteer management. On-the-fly therapy, Dr. Mom, the culinary arts, and crisis communication. And let's not forget the softer, essential skills.
like leading with kindness and treating people with dignity and respect. We've always taught our kids to treat others the way that they want to be treated. These are the very same values that you model in your own home every single day. And they're valuable life skills.
So with all of these amazing skills we have, why are we so hesitant to reinvent ourselves? Even with all of these superpowers, many moms still hesitate to try something new. But here's the truth. You have been doing new since the moment your child was born, and you have gotten really, really good at it. So no, you're not done.
just because your kids are getting older or heading off on their own, that's when you're beginning. This next chapter, it is yours to write. There is so much more ahead for you to explore, to create, and to finally pursue the things that energize you and reflect your true self. Reinventing motherhood doesn't require perfection, right? We realize that doesn't really exist. It requires a willingness to take a chance.
to take a calculated risk. The real failure isn't stumbling. The real failure is not trying at all. It's living with that haunting what if that lingers when fear wins. The secret, and you've heard me talk about this before, so you probably know what it is, start with baby steps. Sure, things may not go according to plan.
I guarantee they're not going to go according to plan and you might fall flat. And yes, we have all been there, but you've also learned through the years how to pivot and recalibrate and get up stronger than when you fell down. And that's what you do as you go along. And that is what real growth looks like. Okay. The duck analogy. Here's where we get real. There's a big misconception about starting something new.
So many women feel that they need to have all of their ducks in a row perfectly lined up before they can take that first step. But here's the thing, you don't wait for the ducks. You step out to discover what those ducks even look like. You figure out how they swim, where they're headed, how to navigate your own new pond. Reinvention after motherhood is not about timing or flawless plans.
It's about embracing the messy, beautiful process of going from dreaming to doing, going from aspiration to action, one tiny waddle at a time.
Hey, thanks for hanging out with me for this mini. And if this episode spoke to you, please share it with another mom who might need a gentle reminder that she is moving forward too.