Below, you’ll find the show notes for Episode 014 of The Made by Motherhood Podcast. The Made by Motherhood Podcast is a warm, encouraging space for moms building businesses while raising families — with gentle guidance for business, home, and motherhood. Subscribe on Spotify Podcasts, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe anywhere podcasts are available.

Motherhood changes us in ways we don’t always expect. We know routines will shift, nights will be sleepless, and priorities will rearrange themselves. But what often surprises us most is how much we change — not just in how we spend our time, but in who we are at our core.

This post is about that in-between space — where you’re no longer who you were, but you’re not fully sure who you’re becoming either. If you’re in that season right now, I hope this offers you comfort, encouragement, and the reminder that you’re not alone.

The In-Between Space of Motherhood

When I became a mother, I knew life would change. What I didn’t expect was how I would change.

I remember sitting in my daughter’s nursery, holding her as she slept, and realizing I didn’t quite recognize myself anymore. Not in a negative way — but in an unfamiliar, quiet way. It felt like I had stepped out of an old version of me, but hadn’t yet stepped fully into the new one.

For years, I was someone who moved fast, who measured success by output, who always had a plan. I was focused, reliable, determined — and proud of that version of me. But suddenly, she felt far away.

At first, I panicked. I told myself, Just give it time. You’ll feel like yourself again. But over time, I realized I wasn’t meant to go back. That version of me had served her purpose. Now, I was being asked to grow into someone new.

The Quiet Grief of Letting Go

There’s a quiet grief that comes with letting go of who you used to be. The freedom. The confidence. The clarity. Even the chaos that once made sense.

At the same time, there’s the unfamiliarity of who you are now. Your body feels different. Your heart holds more. Your mind feels stretched in ways it never has before.

We don’t talk enough about this part of motherhood: how it doesn’t just add something new to your life — it transforms everything, including you.

Motherhood asks you to:

• Slow down in a world that praises speed.
• Sit in uncertainty when you’re used to having a plan.
• Care deeply, feel deeply, and show up fully — even when you’re running on empty.

And maybe, it’s through that undoing that we uncover a deeper, softer, more grounded version of ourselves.

Gentle Reminders for the Season You’re In

If you’re in this season of becoming, here are five gentle reminders that have helped me:

1. Acknowledge what you’re grieving.
It’s okay to miss your old life or your old self. Honoring that grief creates space for healing and growth.

2. Release the pressure to return.
You’re not meant to “bounce back.” You’re meant to evolve. Growth requires change — and while it can feel uncomfortable at first, it eventually becomes empowering.

3. Create rhythms that serve who you are now.
Instead of forcing old routines, rebuild around your current energy and capacity. What pace feels kind? What practices feel sustainable? Start there.

4. Let your identity expand.
You’re not just a mother. You’re not just a business owner. You’re both — and more. Your identity can hold creativity, ambition, wisdom, and resilience all at once.

5. Let becoming be a process, not a pressure.
There’s no timeline for stepping into this new version of yourself. Clarity comes slowly, one day at a time.

Becoming, Not Bouncing Back

Letting go of who you were doesn’t mean losing yourself. It means making space for softness, for expansion, and for a fuller version of you.

You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re becoming. And the version of you who’s still in process — still unsure, still finding her footing — is already enough.

If this post resonated with you, I’d be so grateful if you shared it with a friend who might need these words too. And if you’d like more encouragement, you can subscribe to the Made by Motherhood Podcast — a space for moms navigating business, life, and all the becoming in between. You are made by motherhood — and everything you’re growing into is worth honoring.