Follow the show:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Everywhere else
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I’m talking with my client Amanda about what it really looks like to stay committed to balance even when it feels like nothing is changing. She shares her journey of re-entering the workforce full-time, the fear of slipping back into old habits, the quiet months where progress felt invisible, and the moment everything finally clicked — leading to less stress, more confidence, and even a surprise promotion. If you’ve ever wondered whether consistency actually pays off, or worried that maybe balance just won’t “work” for you, this episode will give you so much hope and clarity.
Topics in this episode:
How Amanda navigated old habits, imposter syndrome, and a major career transition
Why consistency, not perfection, is what shifts balance
The power of being in a room with other ambitious working moms
How foundational tools can actually change your day
What happens after the program and why some breakthroughs take time to surface
Show Notes & References:
Book your Boundaries & Balance: Holiday Clarity Call here: www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/boundaries-and-balance-session
Discover all the details about Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced
Ready to explore if it’s right for you? Book your free clarity call: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-call
You can watch this episode on YouTube! Check it out by clicking here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPZA5JKXYxjCMqodh4wxPBg
Transcript
Intro
What if you're doing everything right? Setting boundaries, practicing new habits, shifting your mindset, and still nothing's changing. That's exactly what happened to Amanda.
She joined Ambitious and Balanced determined not to fall back into old habits when she started her new full-time job. But for months, it felt like nothing was happening. Now, most people would have given up, but she didn't.
When her breakthrough did happen, it changed everything. Less stress, more confidence, a surprise promotion, and a sense of calm that she hadn't felt in years.
In this episode, Amanda shares what it's really like to stay the course when progress feels invisible and how consistency, not perfection, is what unlocks balance.
If you've ever thought, "Maybe it's just not going to work for me," you need to hear this one, because sometimes the transformation is already unfolding. You just haven't seen it yet.
Are you ready? Let's get to it.
Welcome to the Ambitious and Balanced Working Moms podcast, your go to resource for integrating your career ambitions with life as a mom, I'm distilling down thousands of coaching conversations I've had with working moms just like you, along with my own personal experience as a mom of two and sharing the most effective tools and strategies to help you quickly feel calm, confident, and in control of your ambitious working mom life. You ready? Let's get to it.
Rebecca: Well, hello, hello, working moms. I am excited to bring to you today an interview with a past client of mine. She was a part of the Ambitious and Balanced cohort — so perfect timing to hear from her as we are in the middle of forming the next cohort of Ambitious and Balanced.
So I have Amanda with us. Thank you, Amanda, for coming on the show.
Amanda: Yeah, absolutely. Thanks, Rebecca, for having me.
Rebecca: I’m really excited to hear all that you have to share and your reflections of your journey and what it's been like for you. And we're gonna dig into that here. But before we get started, why don't you just tell us what we should know about you?
Amanda’s Journey: Accountant, Yoga Teacher, and Even a Barista
Amanda: Yeah, sure. So I am the mom of a young son. He's turning four in December, so he knows everything now. I come from an accounting job.
Rebecca: So, you know, my 11-year-old definitely for sure still thinks she knows it all. And I only can imagine into teenagers that's gonna continue to happen. So yeah.
Amanda: I'm a little frightened for when he's a teenager.
Rebecca: Okay, so mom of an almost four-year-old.
Amanda: Mom of an almost four-year-old. And I have been in my particular line of work since college, which is accounting and tax specifically. So a super fun topic that everybody loves to talk about.
I mention that 'cause that's just, that's an important part of my journey along the way, and at different points. I've dabbled in ideas of doing other things. I've been a — two years ago, I got my 200-hour yoga teaching certificate, which was really awesome and something completely different.
I also did a short stint as a barista. So, you know, little fun facts of things that I've done in my adult life.
Rebecca: Definitely didn't know about the barista.
Amanda: Yeah, it was short-lived, but it was a good time.
Rebecca: I love it. Oh, good. Well, tell us about why you, or like where you were at. I mean, at this point, it would have been earlier in the year. We're coming up to, you know, it was January, I think we spoke, so we're coming up to a year that you and I spoke for the first time.
But tell me kind of where you were at in January as you were thinking about joining the next cohort.
Amanda: Yeah, so I'll backtrack just a little bit because the thought did start well ahead of January. So, last November, I was looking to reenter the workforce full-time.
Rebecca: And were you part-time at the time, or did you take a break?
“If I’m going back to full-time work, I’m not doing it alone.”
Amanda: Yeah, part-time contracting work. My son had been in daycare since that past May. And so I had kind of just started to want more for myself and my career again last fall, really. But I wasn't exactly sure what that looked like yet.
And then this really incredible opportunity presented itself. I was scared to the nines about even talking about it. But I kind of pressed on.
But what I promised myself along that was, if I'm going to do this, if I'm going to go back to a full-time job as a working mom, I'm going to get some help. Like, I want help. I do not want to do this transition alone.
And as you probably heard from my yoga and barista side paths, sometimes I will follow the things that are really interesting to me at that time when I have the time for it. But sometimes that's just testing the waters to say, like, am I really where I want to be?
Rebecca: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Amanda: Yeah, and so that's where I was in January. So I had really been like, in my head, I had actually committed since November to join the next cohort.
Rebecca: Oh, I love it.
Amanda: Yeah, but I didn't know until January.
Fear of Old Habits, Imposter Syndrome, and Returning to Full-Time Work
Rebecca: Yes. And I— and, you know, that's— it's coming back to me now, actually, some of the pieces of that conversation, because I remember how we talked about, you know, a lot of imposter syndrome coming back into the workforce full-time and at the level you're coming at, right?
Like, you stepped it up in terms of the next level in your career. And so there was a lot of imposter syndrome, meaning sort of a lack of confidence, some self-doubt about taking this role — let alone the reason why you went part-time, if I recall, to begin with, is that you were— you didn't— you were— you were experiencing a lack of work-life balance, and so you created it by going part-time, right?
But now there was this fear of, like, going back into old habits and not wanting to repeat, and all these things coming back into this new— into this position, right?
And I— if I remember— you tell me if I'm right, but I kind of remember you going, I'm not really sure if this is going to work or not. Like, I'm— there's a lot of doubt on many fronts around this new adventure you were going into.
“I’d accepted the full-time role… but mentally, I hadn’t fully jumped in.”
Amanda: Yeah. Yeah, I think I kind of had, like, tipped my toe in the water and, you know, accepting a full-time role sounds like more than tipping your toe in the water, but mentally I still had not kind of fully jumped in. And that— and that piece actually took a lot longer, maybe, than I was expecting.
Rebecca: Yeah. Yeah. Because we definitely talked about that throughout the program, right? And having to, like, we're never going to know unless you go all in, Amanda. Yeah. We can always make a different decision on changing jobs later or doing something different later, but we're never really going to figure out if you can do this at the level you want and have the balance that you want unless you decide to go all in.
Amanda: Yeah, exactly, absolutely.
Rebecca: So that's where you were at. And so some of-- those were some of the challenges. As you thought about, like, some of the behaviors that you didn't want to see repeated, what were some of those kinds of challenges that you were worried about and thinking about?
Returning to Full-Time Work Triggered Old Fears About Burnout
Amanda: Yeah, so, you know, and again, some of this dates back to kind of the who I was as a tax professional many, many years ago, which was super late hours, not really taking care of my body at all, not managing my relationships well, and just really, like, work was the number one priority.
And so, you know, when I had made that shift to doing part-time, that was intentional to say, like, I'd kind of gotten the reins on some of those other things along the way. And in that part-time role, I definitely kind of really came into, OK, this is what balance feels like and this is what feels really good.
Fear of Slipping Back Into Old Patterns
But again, I still wanted more. Like, the one thing that you can give up — not always, but the one thing you kind of give up when you do a contract role — is that long-term career development.
And I think since I was a kid, everybody kind of saw me as, like, some sort of a leader, and I also see myself that way. And so there was this kind of, like, OK, like, at some point, I really want to do this.
And so the fear was that coming back into this full-time role, I was just going to slip back into old habits, and not only just, like, my own old habits, but some of the habits that maybe I had witnessed when work was stressful in my family growing up. And I didn't want to see those come out.
So I know that's a little vague, but yeah.
Why Transitions Trigger Fear of Falling Back Into Old Patterns
Rebecca: I think that that's really, really typical, actually. You know, I have a lot of conversations with potential clients that are thinking about coaching with me, and we talk about this. Like, a lot of people find me in transition moments, right? They're transitioning jobs, or they're transitioning into being a working parent, or they're transitioning out of parental leave and back into the work, back into full-time work — whatever it might be.
And there's this fear that things are going to kind of go back to the way that they are.
“It will go back… unless you change something.”
My answer to them is: it will unless you decide to do something different. Like, that is the reality of it, right? Like, unless you change your behaviors, your habits, your actions, your thoughts, your mindset — like, unless you change something — you will, in fact, go back into the way things were.
And the, you know, the question I usually leave them with is, like, do you feel like you can do that on your own or do you need support? Right? Which is what coaching is going to provide you — that level of support.
And so I'm curious how you— I mean, I know the answer at this point because you joined the program on the level, but there had to be something inside of you at that point, that was like there's no way I'm going to be able to maintain this by myself.
“If you’re going to take a full-time role… let’s do this differently.”
Amanda: Yeah, no, 100 percent. And that was that, like I said, like the promise to myself of, like, look, if you're going to take a full-time role, let's do this differently. Like, this is me talking to myself, right? Like, let's do this differently. Let's find the possible here. Let's— like, how can I be a working woman who makes her way kind of up through higher levels of influence and leadership while still being the mom that I want to be?
I mean, ultimately last year, like, that was my goal. Like, I felt like I wanted to be a trailblazer for other women because this shift into being a mom and working full-time — like those two just did not go together in my brain.
But at the same time, you know, I had the faith in myself that, like, I've figured out hard things before; I can figure this out, but I need some help to do that.
What Drew Amanda to Ambitious and Balanced
Rebecca: Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And so what really interested you about this, about the Ambitious and Balanced cohort out of curiosity? What drew you to that in particular?
Tangible Tools That Make Mindset Work Feel Practical
Amanda: Yeah. So I just, I really appreciated all of the things, all of the tangible advice that you always give. Like you're very— like, it's very grounded. It's very, like, here are— we might be dealing with minds and emotions and thoughts and feelings, but it's still very tangible at the end of the day. Like what to do.
And I kind of got that sense from listening to the podcast many, many months ahead of joining. And then the idea of being in that group environment, so being surrounded by other women— you know, that's like the best part, is just being in a group with moms of all ages and stages.
The Power of a Group: Moms in Every Season
We had somebody who was about to have their second baby. We had somebody whose daughters are, you know, like in— like they're grown at this point, right? So we really just— it was beautiful to see kind of the different places that we all are on our journey and just, like, how helpful this was no matter what age your kids were, how many kids you had, what stage you were, did you have a partner or not. Like, those external factors kind of don't matter when you're using these tools.
“We Think Our Problems Are Unique… Until We’re in a Room With Other Moms.”
Rebecca: Cause we're all kind of, like, all the same. And I— you know, that's what we don’t— we like to think that we're kind of special in the wrong way. Like, we're special as if these problems— nobody else has the problems that I have. And I am, like, stuck in this and I am definitely worse off than other people, right?
It's like we like to think that in a not-so-great way. But then you come into something like this, and you see, you know, a variety of working moms and a variety of different kinds of circumstances, and you go, hold on — they all say the same things that I say to myself.
Like, their self-talk sounds really similar to mine. Isn't that interesting? Oh, their challenges with their time are very similar to mine. Isn't that interesting? It doesn't seem to matter if you have one, two, or three children. It feels the same.
Amanda: Yeah. Well, and that's, like, what I love about it, is that all these— again, kind of, like, all these other circumstances are different, but there are things that can help anybody wherever they're at. Right? Like, that's what I— like, that's what I really saw from that.
Rebecca: Yeah. Absolutely. I love that. Were you nervous about being a part of a cohort of other women? Like, did that— were you thinking maybe that wasn't right for you? Or would you really get everything you wanted out of it? Or what were your thoughts?
Imposter Syndrome in the Group: “Should I Even Speak Up?”
Amanda: Yeah. Um, you know, I think it— and this came out a few times— of just that imposter syndrome. The question that was in my mind was, like, do I even want to be doing this? And that question sometimes felt like, okay, maybe that is a lot more to unpack and probably belongs in, like, a one-on-one session.
Right. But at the same time, being around the other women and hearing— I do think sometimes in coming into the discussions, it was like, oh, you know, like, should I speak up? Like, it sounds like their problem is more important than mine today, right? And so sometimes I think there can be a little bit of that story in the back of my mind.
But, like, it's all the same thing at the end of the day. It's all like, no, I have my moment and I've got to figure out how to work through it just the same as anybody else here.
Rebecca: I'm pretty good at, like, calling people out too and being like, hmm, haven't heard from you. Let's really talk about something.
Amanda: For sure. That's where that— like, like the nerves versus, like, your ability to facilitate. Like, you made sure we all got heard, which was— which is why it was so great. And then eventually that little voice didn't, you know, come up as often. So yeah.
Why So Many Women Feel Nervous Joining Group Coaching
Rebecca: Yeah, for sure. I think there are a lot of people that are nervous about joining a cohort like this, right? But at the same time, I think a lot of women that join— they don't have a space like this, right? They're surrounded by, you know, other moms that maybe don't work, or they work part-time, or they don't have the same kind of internal ambition and drive.
And so you just don't relate quite— maybe they do work full-time, but it's not the same level of ambition. Or, you know, maybe they had a mom that was a stay-at-home mom, and so they don’t have any reference to that whatsoever.
A Room Where Ambition, Motherhood, and Balance All Make Sense
And, you know, finding a place where you can feel seen and heard like this— where you're relating to other working moms and working toward similar goals— it's such a powerful room to be in. What was your experience?
Why the Group Coaching Works
Amanda: Yeah, 100%. Like, I felt like— because what I found with even some of my working mom friends is that these specific challenges that we're going through— like, because sometimes it's just the little things in a day that are sort of bugging you, right?
But having that ability to both zoom in and zoom back out— you don't always get that when you're just talking to your other friends who are going through the same thing. Like, I think that's the power of having the coach in the room to actually, like, talk you through it.
And some of the other ambitious moms that I know are a little bit maybe hesitant sometimes, even in friendships, to be super vulnerable about what's going on or even just more specific about what helps them or doesn't help them. Like, sometimes it's just really hard to define that as you're running through your life and doing the best you can. So yeah.
Put Yourself in Rooms That Match Your Ambition
Rebecca: Yeah, it makes sense. And yeah, couldn't agree more. Every time I put myself in a room with other women that feel similar to me with similar goals— I've done that on a number of different occasions, from masterminds to coaching circles to social things, whatever it is— I leave feeling so empowered by that situation just because I'm so seen and heard, right?
I just want women to put themselves in the rooms they want to be in. Like, you know, it just is— it's so powerful for us as women to gather like that. So I love that you had that experience.
From Self-Doubt to Momentum: How the Journey Begins
So what would you say? So we started with some self-doubt, some imposter syndrome, some not wanting to backtrack into old ways— to not working late hours, to not taking care of your body, all the things that you were sort of doing before that led you into burnout. And you didn't want any of those things.
So what— like— start to describe for us the journey, right? So we're together for three months, and at least intensely for three months, where we're meeting weekly. And I picked that timeframe really specifically because having worked with so many hundreds and hundreds of women through a process like this at this point, like three months is about the right amount of time to build some new habits.
I'm not saying you're going to arrive at a 10 out of 10 on work-life balance at the end of three months— likely you are not. But you're going to gain— you're going to make huge strides toward that. I would expect everybody in the group to maybe rate themselves at seven, eight, nine, you know, by the end of it, and they— and always they have. Like, I've never not seen that.
So I'm curious for you, though, as you think about the three months— at least the first three months, because then we'll get into what happened after that— but within the intensity of that timeframe, describe some of your journey.
Finding Habits That Actually Stick Takes Experimenting
Amanda: Yeah. So I think there is definitely experiments along the way, right? So I kind of went back and looked at, like, I've gone back to, you know, what was I thinking about in the January timeframe or what was I thinking about in the February timeframe, and I could see where— so, like, the daily work, for example, I was trying to— or the Daily Kickstart, and really, I guess that was more like the February–March timeframe.
I was trying to figure out what habit I could make stick. And that's— in some ways, that's actually a hard part, because you have to pick up and play. You're trying to do something new, and finding the way that just becomes seamless is what really, really counts at the end of the day.
The Power of Trying Again: Small Shifts Add Up
And so in those early couple of months, I would try one thing, and maybe I would get one of them, you know, a couple of times a week. And then the next week, maybe I got, like, all five days and— like, wow, it's so different if I do this all five days in a row.
And then the next week, you know, insert excuse here, and I wouldn't do one of the things that I knew was super helpful. And so— but I did see that track and change over time. And having the weekly check-ins was super helpful. Just— just like that reminder of, hey, well, one, I'm not the only one that, you know, does these things and gets distracted and doesn't do them sometimes. So it's OK. I don't beat myself up over that. Like, I can try again tomorrow.
But then, two, just seeing how over time, sticking with it— just the difference that made in the day-to-day was really impactful.
Rebecca: I'm just curious, how long do you think it took you to really realize, like see some of that impact and maybe feel it in a fairly tangible way for you?
Catching the Automatic Thoughts Before They Take Over
Amanda: Yeah, I think somewhere between that eight- to twelve-week mark, I really could— you talk about being at this place where you have your automatic, kind of like the automatic habits, the automatic thoughts, and then actually, like, noticing before that automatic thought happens. I definitely got to that stage of it.
So, like, maybe not as far along as some, but I got to that place of at least being able to notice things ahead of time, which made a huge difference. And I think that's where I kind of landed at that twelve. Certainly by the end of— wow, I've seen huge improvements, but I still have some work to do here.
Why You Have to Name the Habit Before You Can Change It
Rebecca: Yeah, I think there's— and what, you know, what Amanda is talking about here, and I just want to kind of clarify for everyone, is that we spend a lot of time clarifying what are some of the habits — and the habits in terms of actual actions: people-pleasing, perfectionism, overworking, logging back on, whatever it might be.
What are some of the habits and then the mindsets behind those habits that are getting in the way of you experiencing the work-life balance that you really want?
Awareness Without Shame: The Step Most Women Skip
And, you know, we have to start by getting really clear on what those are and kind of identifying it — and not going into a shame spiral over it, which is, I think, what prevents a lot of us from changes. We don't want to dig into it because we feel so bad about it. And then we judge ourselves about it, and then we don't ever actually get ourselves out because we're not willing to really dig in.
But we have to sort of identify it.
The Stages of Habit Change: Seeing the Spiral Before It Starts
And then what I teach is that these habits, both in your mind and in behavior, kind of go in stages to change them, right? And I teach it in such a way to help people recognize which stage they're in on some level — like the habit-change stages. I don't even know what I want to call it in this way.
But being able to see those habits and the mindsets before they even happen — that's what brings you a level of control, right? Because now that you see it, you can do something about it.
And so, yeah, I think for a lot of people, that last month is a lot of: oh, I see how this is happening. I see the spiral before it’s taking place. I see how I'm getting myself worked up in a way that I don't want to. I see how I'm ruminating and where it's coming from.
It's almost like you just have this other perspective — you separate yourself a little bit from it — and you're like, oh, I see this thing that I usually do. I can do something about that.
And then, of course, you've got to have the tools to do something about that, which is a lot of what we also do together.
Amanda: Yeah, totally.
Rebecca: OK, how else would you describe some of the journey in those first three months for you?
The Biggest Breakthroughs Happen on the Days You Let Yourself Be Vulnerable
Amanda: Yeah, I think I talked about it a little bit, but just that, you know, when you first come in and although maybe I couldn't immediately identify that I was a bit nervous about being part of a cohort, actually speaking in front of other people about what's going on — like, it was a little bit nerve-wracking, right?
Like, you're in— you're there and you know we're all there for the same goal, but it's a room of people you've never met before. And so yeah, I think it took a little bit of time to be able to just open up, share more openly, be a little bit more vulnerable.
And— but always those are the days where you come back with such a takeaway, like some really key transformation, I feel like, on those types of days when you're really able to share fully what's going on and really get some tangible, you know, thoughts around it and help for what to take away and what to do differently.
Rebecca: Yeah, yeah, I love that. It's almost like what you're saying is you're going to have the greatest success if you just go all in on vulnerability, particularly in the moment when you don't feel really vulnerable. Like, that's probably the moment to double down. You're going to get the most transformation in that moment if you're willing.
Amanda: Yeah, like if you feel super uncomfortable, just let it out. Like that's it. It's like that.
Rebecca: It's like your body and your brain and your inner person saying, hey, it's time. Be seen. Let yourself be seen in a moment. I love that. It's so good.
Building a Toolkit That Supports You in Every Season of Working Motherhood
So you talked about the Daily Kickstart. What other— is there— I mean, there's so many tools. That's one of the two anchor tools that we use in this program, right? We also have the Work-to-Home Transition. But there's so many other kinds of things that you learn, tools that you learn.
I talk about developing an entire toolkit on some level to help you through, you know, habit change and creating, anchoring in, and like being the person you want to be in all the things.
What were some of the other tools that you found to be the most helpful to you?
How the Work-to-Home Transition Made Every Day More Focused
Amanda: Yeah, so another tool I found super helpful was the Work-to-Home Transition. So this one specifically for me — coming up with what are those three things that are going to be my most important priorities for the next day.
It let me start that next day super focused, a lot easier to let go of the miscellaneous emails that might have come in the night before, things like that, and just really knock that out. And then that paid dividends to not feeling guilty at whatever time I needed to leave that day, because I've already knocked out the top three most important things to me.
And then, you know, and then it's this continuous loop because then I'm celebrating all the important things that I got done in my next Work-to-Home Transition, and then I'm getting more done, you know. So that one I felt was super helpful.
Why Deciding Tomorrow’s Priorities Today Changes Everything
Rebecca: Yeah, I think it's so simple and yet, you know, challenging to do on some level without the accountability. But really being able to not make a decision about what you're going to work on today — like, that decision, it's what we tend to do. You sit down at your desk, you look at your to-do list — OK, what am I going to tackle today?
That moment is really ineffective if you're trying to do it right there, right? It's a very emotion-filled moment. You probably feel overwhelmed looking at your to-do list. You probably feel torn in like 20 different directions.
So what you want to do— if you come into your workday already having pre-decided, right? Not only do you feel more prepared, you can calm down your brain in the evening — you're like, I’ve got a plan for the next day. Like, I've already thought it through. So your brain doesn't hold on to all of that.
And then you can hit the ground running and you're way more effective with your time. And then to your point, you don't feel as guilty at the end of the day because you're like, I chose the most important things to work on. And then I did those things, right? That's what this is all about.
A Time-Management Tool Built Inside a Balance Practice
And that's a real time-management tool that's kind of built into that anchor practice, the Work-to-Home Transition. So I love that you experienced that as well.
So I'm curious — now that we're like February to November, however many months that is — how consistent are you at those two anchor practices that we practiced working on, you know, weekly together?
What Stayed Seamless—and What’s Still a Work in Progress
Amanda: Yeah. So the Daily Kickstart — that one has become just, like, a seamless part of my routine. I use voice recorder on my phone. And so what's kind of neat about that on my phone, I can actually get a transcript as well. So I can go back and look at what I had said. If I don't want to go listen to myself for five minutes or hear my voice again, I can just look at what was going on, which can be, you know, just helpful, like grounding how far I've come at different points.
The Work-to-Home— so I'll be honest, I'm not as consistent with the Work-to-Home Transition. And I think this one— maybe it's that I'm more consistent than I think I am. I just do it in different ways. So sometimes I use that voice recording. Sometimes I will do this on my laptop before I go because, you know, mapping out tomorrow's day— the easiest, the best place for me to do that is on my laptop.
And so that one, with, you know, fighting the chatting co-workers on the way out, I just have not been as good about carving that time in the same way, which is part of why I'm just not as consistent with it — because I have, you know, a couple different ways, right.
Even an Imperfect Work-to-Home Practice Still Changes Your Days
Rebecca: But even with the intention of it and kind of in the back of your mind running through those questions that that practice runs you through — you know, even if you don't do it formally — I would imagine that has a pretty significant impact still in comparison to where it was before.
Amanda: Yeah, for sure. And that's where I'll say, like, I should probably give myself credit. I'm doing it in some form or fashion every single day. It just doesn't look exactly the same. So it's just a little harder for me to track it mentally.
Why Amanda Chose to Keep Going After the Program Ended
Rebecca: Yeah. Let's definitely give you a good grade on that. I love that. So, so good.
So now you and I continue to work together, you know, after the program. So I do offer kind of this continuation on an individual level. And then on a group level too, we started meeting monthly as well as a group cohort. But then you and I started doing some one-on-one as well. And so we've had a couple of months now that we've been doing that as well.
So I just want to give credit to that, too, because you doubled down even more so in terms of investing in yourself and investing in the continuation of the work we were doing.
I'm curious — what's your reflection on that decision at this point and why you decided to get even a little bit more help and stay consistent at it?
Striving to Be Consistent
Amanda: Yeah, I mean, you just said the word. Consistency has been just the name of the game with this entire program. And something that's been a challenge throughout this is finding those ways that I can be consistent.
And one of the reasons I like working with you is because you are so tangible and my brain loves to be in a bit more of the airy wherever space. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Like shiny things.
Rebecca: Let's go. Let's bring them all in, Amanda.
Ongoing Support Made the Tools Stick Through Every New Season
Amanda: Yeah. And so I've just found that that has been super helpful to have that ongoing— just that ongoing support. Kind of that reminder that, you know, outside circumstances might change, but these tools are still here. These experiences are still really valuable.
And, you know, just working with you kind of as these things are coming up — it's that helpful reminder of, like, you’ve got this. Like, yes, like, you can think through this.
And then just that super efficient and effective way of saying, like, you know, when we come out of these coaching conversations, I always have a takeaway. And that has been so helpful because we can hone in on what is going to be the most useful for, you know, this next month, kind of above and beyond some of these practices that I'm already doing.
Every Coaching Session Should Give You a Clear Takeaway
Rebecca: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. And I mean, the takeaway is so important, right? Like I literally want you to walk away — whether we're having our group coaching conversation or we're having an individual conversation — like I want you to walk away with a takeaway and a next step, right?
Like, it should be a re-centering moment that you’ve— and in this case, you've set it aside, you know, you invested in doing that. And you're like, I have at least this time that I'm going to remember what my goals are, what the tools are, what's getting in my way. And it's going to be my re-centering moment.
And that's what I'm going to— you know, I'm not going to do it on my own unless I have some accountability. And that is, you know, 90 percent of us, 95 percent of us, you know. So it's huge that you gave yourself that and that you've made so much, so much progress.
“The Tools Click at Different Times for Different Women.”
And one of the things you and I were talking about before we kind of hit the record button was talking about how all of the tools and the conversations that we're having and the process that I teach — it clicks at different times for different people, right?
I actually remember in your cohort, I interviewed two people from that cohort just seven weeks in to be on this podcast because they both were just having this massive transformation really early on, right? Like tools just clicked for them and things were happening for them.
And so we had— you can go back and listen to it, it was Dana and Erica, right? It was like back in, I don't know, April or something like that.
Your Transformation Wasn’t Instant—But You Never Gave Up
And that wasn't your story. It wasn't your journey, you know. But here we are — you still got there. You just got there on your own time, right? You were willing to be consistent and you were willing to not give up.
And you were willing— I loved the word you used early on. You said, I was experimenting. You were willing to experiment and say, you know, this process is going to work for me. I believe in it. It's not going to look the same for me as it does for somebody else, but I'm still here. Like, I'm still in it and I'm going to keep trying because these goals are so important.
So I love that for you — that you still got to the “aha, it’s all coming together” moment. And you— but you created it for yourself by sticking with it.
“I Realized I Just Had to Decide I Belonged.”
Amanda: Yeah, I mean, I definitely recognized, you know, because I think it was maybe like a month or two after our weekly meetings stopped that I was like, oh, actually, I would really like more. You know, I would like to continue and have more support.
And I remember we had one conversation and you kind of helped me uncover the thought that was holding me back. So it was like, this is the— you know, this was me just still having maybe half of my foot in the water and not actually standing in the water.
And, you know, you challenged me — what would make you feel… because the question was about feeling like I belong. And it was like, well, what would make you feel like you belong? And I was like, oh, well, really, it's just like choosing to belong here, actually. Like, that's what I ended up taking away from that.
So I realized that I just had to decide to feel like I belonged.
Choosing Belonging Opened Doors — Including a Promotion
And once I did that, so many different things started to open up at work. I've been there since January. I got a promotion in that short amount of time. Like, I know for a fact that would not have happened if I were not in this — both the cohort, but then also that continuous support that really helped me make it through this transition.
Because this was a huge transition: to be back full time, new mom, all the things, keep the rest of life going. By the way, I thank you for that.
You Took Back Control of Your Time, Energy, and Mindset — That’s Why Everything Changed
Rebecca: Honored to be on this journey with you, Amanda. You were well deserved. And I'm so excited for lots of things coming up in the ways you've been advocating for yourself. We've been having some of those conversations — all because you got yourself out of imposter syndrome. You took back control of your time, your energy, your mindset, all the things.
And you've been really working on being consistent at all of that. So, so, so much to be proud of in all of it.
You know, as we just kind of wrap up, are there any final words that you might have to working moms that are struggling in the same way you were struggling — or maybe even just thinking about joining this cohort but not really sure? Tell us your final thoughts.
“If You’re Thinking About It at All… Just Do It.”
Amanda: If you are thinking about it at all, just do it. Like, oh, just do your future self a favor and sign up for this — or at least sign up for some coaching, something — because you deserve it.
And this is hard, and we shouldn't have to do it alone. There's just not enough support on this journey for everybody, because a lot of us are doing this for the first time. Or even if it's not, we're having to do it in our own way.
And, you know, once you do that and you find that consistency and that rhythm — like, sky's the limit. You can do anything.
“Do Your Future Self a Favor” — What That Really Means
Rebecca: I love it. So good. Do your future self a favor. And it's such— like, I mean, I don't know if everybody knows what that really means. But when you say it, like, it's so palpable to me, right? I know what that means.
Like, to be like — your future self is the person that has already achieved the goal that you wanted to achieve, right? That is experiencing the balance that you want to experience, that is having the time with the family that you want to have, is getting promoted and still feeling like the mom that they want to be.
Like whatever that goal is for you — that's your future self, right? And this “do them a favor” by joining this cohort and getting there faster and getting out of your own way and making it happen. So, so well put. I love it.
Celebrating Amanda’s Journey — and the Power of Staying With It
Such a journey. Such an amazing journey to be on with you, Amanda. I'm just so proud of you and excited to be your coach. And, no, we still have some time left together in our coaching. So I love that.
And I just want to say to working moms out there — yes, please do reach out and book a call with me. It is an Ambitious and Balanced Clarity Call, where we're just going to really talk about what this cohort is, all of the dates. We're going to make sure that you are the perfect fit for this program. And so that's how you can do that.
Want a Taste of Coaching?
And just as a reminder, I am in the middle of hosting some Holiday Balance and Boundaries calls. So if you kind of want a taste of what coaching is like — super practical — we're going to talk all about the challenges that you have with work-life balance and the holidays, and specifically on a 30-minute one-on-one private call with me.
And we're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about tools to help you kind of maintain that balance. And so definitely check out the show notes, click on the Balance and Boundaries link, and that's going to take you right to that page where you can sign up for one of those calls.
There's a very limited number of them. I'm only doing them through Thanksgiving. So definitely be sure to schedule your call now if you haven't done so already.
Thank you again, Amanda, for being here. It's just such a delight. And to all the working moms out there — let's get to it.
Feeling the Holiday Pressure? Take a Deep Breath
Hey there. If you’re already feeling the holiday pressure starting to build — the full calendar, the expectations, the guilt — take a deep breath, because it doesn’t have to be that way.
Every year I used to tell myself, I just need to make it magical for everyone. But by the time Christmas morning came, I was so tired of doing it all, I barely felt any joy.
Join the $9 Boundaries & Balance Holiday Survival Session
That’s why I created Boundaries and Balance: Your Holiday Survival Session. This is a 30-minute private call where we’ll get to the root of your holiday stress, get clear on what you actually want this season to look like, and create your personalized holiday boundary plan.
It’s just $9, and you’ll walk away knowing exactly what to prioritize, what to release, and how to stay grounded when things get tough — so that you can actually enjoy the holidays instead of just get through them.
I’m only offering these sessions through Thanksgiving, and there are a limited number of spots available, so don’t wait. You can grab your session using the link in the show notes.
Let’s make this the year where you feel calm, confident, and in control of your holiday season.
