The following is the contents of Episode 013 of The Made by Motherhood Podcast. Tune in and subscribe here on Apple Podcasts or here on Spotify Podcasts.
Welcome back to the Made by Motherhood Podcast — a podcast about small business, motherhood, and creating a life and business that honor every part of who we are. I’m your host, Kelly Zugay — a small business owner of over a decade, a new mom, and someone learning each day how to balance it all with grace, purpose, and presence. I’m so glad you’re here.
Today, I want to share something a little more personal — something that’s been on my heart and something I know many of us can relate to, especially if becoming a mother has changed you in ways you didn’t expect.
This episode is called “The Moment Everything Shifted.” Because for me — and maybe for you, too — there was a moment. A moment when I realized I couldn’t keep living and working the way I always had. A moment when motherhood asked me to become someone new — or maybe, to remember who I really was all along.
I remember the exact moment when everything shifted for me.
It was a quiet morning, just a few weeks into motherhood. I had just rocked my daughter to sleep for her morning nap — and I sat there in the nursery, still holding her, while the house was completely silent.
I looked down at her — her tiny fingers, her peaceful breathing — and I felt this wave of something I hadn’t really felt before. It was more than love. It was a deep knowing that… this mattered more than anything. That she mattered more than anything.
And not just in a “put your family first” kind of way — but in a wake-up-call kind of way. A “what have I been doing?” kind of way. I had spent a decade building a business that I’m so proud of — a business that had me working 12-hour days, 7 days a week, constantly chasing more. More clients. More projects. More success.
But in that quiet moment, I realized… I couldn’t do that anymore. I didn’t want to do that anymore.
Because if I kept going like that, I would miss this. I would miss her. And maybe even more than that — I would miss me. The version of me who could be present. Who could breathe. Who could live this life with open hands and an open heart.
It was the beginning of a really hard and beautiful unraveling. Because shifting your identity is no small thing. Especially when so much of who you are is wrapped up in what you do.
For years, I believed that being a successful business owner meant doing it all — being “on” all the time, saying yes to everything, and proving my worth by how much I could produce.
But motherhood softened that part of me.
It showed me that success doesn’t have to look like hustle. That maybe the most important work I’ll ever do won’t show up in my inbox or my income — but in the quiet, everyday moments with my daughter. In the way I make her feel safe, seen, and loved.
I want to say this really clearly, because I needed to hear it, too:
You don’t have to earn rest.
You don’t have to prove your worth through productivity.
You are allowed to slow down. To pivot. To choose differently now.
I know it’s scary. I know what it feels like to worry about what people will think if you step back or scale down. I know the fear of losing momentum — of becoming “irrelevant” or forgotten in your industry.
But I also know what it feels like to stay the same — and lose yourself in the process.
So maybe today, you just need a gentle reminder:
That who you are is not what you do.
That your worth is not tied to your output.
And that you are allowed to rewrite the story — starting now.
If you’re in a season of change — or you’re feeling the nudge to slow down — here are three gentle steps that helped me when everything felt like it was shifting:
- Ask yourself what matters most right now.
Not forever. Not six months from now. But right now. What needs your presence and attention? For me, it was being fully there with my daughter and giving myself time to adjust to a new rhythm. - Audit your business — and your energy.
What’s draining you? What feels life-giving? What can you pause, delegate, or remove completely? I realized I was doing a lot of things out of obligation or habit — not because they actually served me or my clients well. - Redefine success for this season.
Maybe it’s more white space. More walks. More playtime. Maybe it’s a slower launch or half the workload. Whatever it is — let your definition of success meet you where you are.
Motherhood has been the most humbling, beautiful teacher — reminding me that who I am becoming matters just as much as what I’m building. And maybe that’s what this podcast is really about. Not just how to run a business or manage your time — but how to do it all in a way that honors you, your values, and the season you’re in.
So, wherever you are listening from — maybe with a baby on your lap, dishes in the sink, or in your car between errands — I just want to say: You’re doing so well. You’re allowed to change. You’re allowed to grow. And I’m so proud of you.
Thank you for being here today. If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you — send me a message, share this episode with a friend, or leave a review. It helps this little community grow, and it means the world to me.
Until next time: You are made by motherhood — and everything you are becoming is worth celebrating.
Made by Motherhood with Kelly Zugay
Since 2022, Made by Motherhood has offered practical resources for moms who want balance and growth. With printable resources to simplify your day, hands-on business education for mother-led businesses, and an encouraging yet practical podcast — pursue your ambitions while nurturing what matters most to you.
