The Tradeoffs We Make in Motherhood
No. 73 - When motherhood, work, and life collide—how I chose to pause instead of push through, and what that tradeoff taught me.
Happy Friday! I’m back after a much-needed two-week hiatus.
I spent one week traveling for work, juggling long meetings and late nights with the mental load of everything waiting for me at home. And last week, I was deep in family time, trying to soak in the slow mornings, pool days, and laughter around the dinner table. And somewhere along the way, I realized: something had to give.
This newsletter—the thing I care so deeply about, the space I created to reflect and connect—was the thing I knew I needed to put on pause for a minute. Not because I forgot or didn’t have anything to say, but because I couldn’t do it all. And I’m learning (sometimes the hard way) that motherhood is full of those moments. The tradeoffs.
There’s this quiet pressure we constantly carry to be present mothers, strong partners, ambitious professionals, available friends, and also have hobbies, eat healthy, and get 8 hours of sleep. Sometimes, we pull it off. Other times, we don’t. And lately, I’ve been trying to make peace with that.
I used to think balance was about doing everything and making time for it all. If I started to fail at something, I blamed it on needing a better system or an earlier alarm clock. But now I think balance is really about knowing what can wait.
These past two weeks, writing had to wait. And I missed it. But I also don’t regret choosing my kids, my work, and my rest. That’s the tug-of-war so many of us live in—wanting to do it all, but also wanting to feel like ourselves while doing it. Not stretched thin, not always breathless from trying to keep up.
Motherhood has taught me that tradeoffs aren’t failures. They're decisions. Sometimes tough ones. Sometimes, it'snecessary. And sometimes—like this one—they’re reminders that even when we step away, we can always come back.
So here I am. Back. A little more tired, a little more grateful, and still figuring it all out.
If you’ve had to make some tradeoffs lately, too, I hope you know that you’re not alone. Taking a break doesn’t mean you’ve lost your voice. That pausing doesn’t mean you’ve given up. It means you’re human. A mom. A woman doing her best.
And that’s enough. Always.
🌽 I am all about easy dinners this summer, and this sheet pan chicken and corn recipe was incredible! The chicken marinates in pickled jalapeño brine which makes it super moist and flavorful! You have to try it.
👁️ If you’ve ever used Arnica you know how fast it heals bruises, so to put it in eye concealer was genius. This concealer blends seamlessly, and immediately improved my dark circles.
🥂 I think my drink of choice (a spicy margarita) is going to take a backseat this summer to the gin Spritz. I love how refreshing and light it is! Perfect to sip by the pool!
Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you all have a great weekend!
This was such a timely read. I’ve been trying to keep up with writing while managing a toddler, two dogs, and the beautiful chaos that comes with both — and honestly, it’s been a lot. I didn’t have a looming deadline, but I had the same exact feeling: something had to give. And I chose to write anyway. Not because I had to, but because I needed to. But I felt every word you said about the tradeoffs. Thank you for reminding me that rest and return can coexist.
That gin spritz looks right up my alley!