Motherhood Is a Catalyst For Change

When I was pregnant with my first son I was convinced I wasn’t ready to be a mother. I was 31 at the time and too afraid to voice my fears. So, I would text my husband (often while he was sitting next to me) saying: I can’t believe we did this. Those concerns dissipated the moment I had Luca and thought: Why did I delay this? This is the most love I’ve ever known. I bloomed as a mother that day. Love became a fourth dimension and a guiding force of my personal evolution. 

Motherhood pushed me out of my comfort zone and instilled the courage to do things I never had before. I discovered a newfound strength after giving birth to my kids. Birth made me feel like I was made of steel and enables me to approach challenges with a grounded perspective; If I can push three babies out without drugs, I can do anything. The strength translates into every aspect of my life, from setting boundaries to impacting change. 

We took a family vacation a few summers ago ahead of fashion week, which caused me to work the entire trip. One night, when I was putting my daughter, Bowie, to bed she said: Mommy, you’re not really acting like my mommy right now. It stopped me in my tracks. She was right. I apologized and told her that in two more days I’d be her mommy again. Her comment was a wake-up call; I’m not curing cancer. Nothing should be so crazy that it affects my kids to the degree that they’re asking: Where is my mom? 

My children teach me to set and commit to personal boundaries. I can’t be a present parent if I work 120 hour weeks. Motherhood led me to push back on the societal expectations and demands on our time in ways I never did prior. I started leaving the office at 6, not working on weekends, or attending as many evening events. My kids are my heart outside of my body. They’re always worth standing my ground for. 

The way motherhood merges with my personal evolution continues to influence the contribution I hope to make to society. You know, when your kids look up at you like you’re their whole world? It reminds you of your responsibility to make a positive impact on them, which for me, includes the world they grow up in. 

My kids inspire the way I run my business and the seeds we’re planting for the future. Our team is beginning to take a more aggressive approach to sustainability; We don’t want our kids swimming in an ocean teeming with plastic. We’re retroactively working to become more environmentally friendly and approaching new launches, like our fragrance line, with a goal to eliminate unnecessary plastic and packaging. It’s a complex challenge but our children and planet are depending on our collective contribution. 

I felt the same heightened sense of urgency launching The Female Founder Collective. Equality has always been important to me and considering the possibility that my five-year-old daughter may still have the wage conversation is unacceptable to me as a woman and mother. I carry Gandhi's belief that we need to be the change we wish to see in the world; My kids encourage me to fight for it each day.

Every challenge requires courage and I’m constantly inspired by the ways our evolution as mothers catalyze our efforts to uplift society. One I’m currently thinking about is improving life for working moms, especially as our present circumstance unveils our reality. The business world hasn’t adapted to enable women to succeed. Imagine what it would look like if we shaped it. Can we take this time as moms to rethink what work looks like when we return? How can we optimize it to have the best of both worlds? Let’s ideate how we can change things so life isn’t as crazy at the end of this. 

Motherhood continues to be the most transformative experience of my life. I’m grateful to my children and all the extraordinary mothers out there for making the journey so special. Happy Mother’s Day! 

How has motherhood shaped your evolution? Let me know in the comments!