
Loading summary
Natalie Ellis
Hi, I'm Natalie Ellis, and welcome back. I want to break down the myth of having it all as a CEO and a mum, and talk about some really actionable strategies that have supported me in being able to let go of the guilt and lean into presence in all of the areas of my life that I really, really want to prioritize. So if you love this episode, make sure you subscribe and leave me a comment below and let me know what kind of things you'd want to see more of. Let's dive in. Welcome back to this week's podcast. So this week I really want to talk about the myth of having it all and what it really takes to thrive as a CEO and also a mother. But it's not just an episode specific for mothers. It's for any of you who feel like you are just juggling so many things at once and you're feeling like you know what something's got to give. Because I know I felt like this before I became a mother, and it only amplified when I did. So. So it's definitely not just for mums, but really those of you that are just stretched and exhausted because we've all grown up hearing the phrase you can have it all. And it's like this rally cry for ambitious women. I mean, I definitely was even part of it with the early boss babe movement with some of those really viral quotes. And I think it's especially true now for mums who are also really career driven. But I want to challenge it today because I. I don't think the issue is whether we can have it all, because we know we can. I think the real question is, do we even want it all and at what cost? Like, do we really want it all or do we think we should want it all? Do we think we should have it all? I feel like when I became a mum, I had to challenge so many of the shoulds that I had layered on myself that I didn't even realize I'd layered on myself. And I think that started, I mean, I'm like the first daughter, like, really hyper independent overachiever. Like, I know so many of you listening will relate to that. And I feel like I didn't really question for a long time this constant achievement or constant moving on to the next. The hustle, the grind, the, you know, I didn't really question a lot of that and I didn't really ask, where is this drive coming from? Is it coming from me genuinely? And that's actually what I want. And this is a goal for me. To create? Or is it coming from the belief that I should be doing a certain thing, I should be hitting certain milestones by certain ages? I really had to question so much of it. And I came to realize actually not all of my business journey, but a chunk of my business journey toward the last few years before becoming a mum had kind of been driven by other people. And I think also when you're in a business partnership, I think that's very easy. And this doesn't put anyone at fault. But I think when you're in a business partnership or, you know, you, you working in business with other people, it could even be your own part. It can be quite hard sometimes to discern between their goals and your goals and not really knowing where it's coming from. Or, you know, maybe you convince yourself that, you know, because you see other people doing it, that that's the kind of thing that you want. And I think for me, I had definitely done that. And I remember so many times I had said to myself, natalie, I'm like, I want to slow down. This is just too much. Feel like I'm not putting my life first. I'm not putting my needs first. I'm kind of doing so many things to please other people. And that all stopped when I became a mum because, I mean, I didn't have the capacity to keep doing it the way I was doing it. But I can't fully explain it. I had no desire to please anyone anymore. I had grown up as such a people pleaser and I'd been a people pleaser for so much of my 20s. And I became a mum when I was 30. And I feel like that was the end of my people pleasing era. Like, I actually didn't give a shit about pleasing people anymore. And that led to so many good things that also led to some really challenging things. Because if you've also built relationships on people pleasing, if you've built a relationship, multiple relationships, on people feeling like you'll always be the yes guy, they can kind of throw anything at you and you'll, you'll just be the people pleaser. You'll go along with all the things and then you all of a sudden stop. That's really challenging for them, first and foremost, but it changes the kind of relationship that you've had. And some relationships will change, some relationships will completely die. And that's really challenging. And I've noticed that being my work in my 30s is, I'm okay with being misunderstood. I'm okay with my relationships changing. I'm okay with chapters closing, I'm okay saying no and feeling like I'm letting people down. I'm okay disappointing people. I'm okay doing that stuff as long as I am true to myself. I'm in integrity with myself. And, you know, if I just really trust that my inner compass is, is going in the right, is pointing in the right direction, I'm okay with those things. I think that's a big reason that I loved Mel Robbins. Let them book. I just really, I think, put words to what I've felt in this last few years and kind of give me permission to just be doing life the way I'm doing it. Which is interesting because we don't need permission from anyone. But it does feel good, I think, to know that you're not alone in the way that you've decided to live your life. Like the way that that book just completely took off. Like so many of us have resonated with it because we know that's the chapter of life that we're in and it's nice to have that validation. So kind of going back to that. The reality is like the version of having it all that society sees sells us is being an amazing mum, being an incredible wife, being a powerhouse CEO, having the perfect body, meal prepping all the organic meals, keeping a spotless house, like, exhausting. And for a lot of us, it leads to resentment, it leads to burnout, it can lead to feeling like you're failing even when you're doing an absolutely incredible job. So I think let's break down what it really takes to thrive as a CEO, as a mother, as someone that wears a lot of hats without burning out, without feeling guilty, without constantly running on empty, and hopefully a sense of being able to walk away with a sense of what balance looks like to you, what priorities are important to you, and then what kind of success would actually serve you. I am so not here for the version of womanhood where you're running on empty. Like, I'm really not here for it. That's like martyrdom where you are giving everything to everyone. You're so depleted, there's nothing left for yourself. And being totally honest, that is definitely a pattern I can fall into if I'm not com. If I'm not careful with it. So what I have noticed about myself is, you know, I'm one of eight kids and my mum's a single mom and I grew up with a mum that was so self sacrificing. She had no needs, she didn't put her needs. Like she never Put herself first ever. She put everyone else before her. And that's the kind of the blueprint that I saw growing up. And for me, I've definitely noticed that I can seek my worthiness in the doing for other people and like being everything to everyone, I can seek my worthiness and approval in that. If I'm not regulating myself, so. So if I'm not pouring into myself, if I'm not doing the work to really regulate myself, if I'm not really making sure I pour into myself and take care of my own energy, that is a default pattern I can fall into. And what will happen is this is no one's fault but my own. I'll end up feeling like I'm bending over backwards for everyone, doing, you know, putting everyone first, doing all the things, all that. And then I'll notice me and Stephen will have an argument and I'll start listing out all the things like, but I'm doing X, Y, Z. Like I'll just list out all these things. And I can almost step out my body and watch myself. And I'm like, you're playing the martyr right now. And it's almost to say like, hey, look at how much I'm doing. Look at how worthy I am. Listen, I continue to do the work, but that just shows up for me still. And it's really important for me to get a handle on that. And I notice I really don't show up in that way when I am taking care of myself. It's mainly when I know I have let my self care drop, when I've let the energy management drop and I just haven't been intentional. That's where I notice I fall into that pattern. And so it's really important to me not to set that example. I don't want to set that example for my daughter. But I also don't want to be that wife to my husband because he is the most incredible husband. I mean, he fully splits everything with me in this household. And when I've got more on my plate, he steps up. And when he's got more on his plate, I step up. And that's the kind of partnership that we've worked really hard to have. And so it's important to me that I really get myself in check and don't allow my patterns to sabotage that. Because we've all got patterns. Like we've all got ways of showing up that sabotage that. Another thing that shows up for me when I'm really self sacrificing is I just don't have the energy to pour into my relationship. Like, I'll notice if I'm having one of those weeks where I'm putting myself last. So Stephen will propose a date night, and I'm like, I'm way too exhausted. I don't want to. And that has a huge impact on our relationship. Like, yeah, a one off skipping the date night, fine. But if that's the way that I was to show up consistently, that's not good for the relationship that, you know, it's really important to us, especially having a toddler, that we prioritize our relationship. Like, our relationship has to be solid. And for that, you know, you need the alone time together. You need time to like, really drop in as partners. And I know, like, come Friday night, if I have just fully self sacrificed all week, I'm not gonna feel really energized to want to go for a date night. I'm not the kind of person to just push through it if I feel exhausted too. Like, I want to go and feel really energized and be really present with him. And I'm not gonna be like that if I'm exhausted. And so I will say no, and I'll prioritize going to bed early or whatever, but I don't want to get to that place. And again, it's not the wife that I want to be. And so it's really important for me to work on my stuff and work on myself so that I can show up the way that I want to show up. You know, I also don't want to get to the weekend and then feel like I'm just a lazy mum, which, by the way, zero judgment. Like this, this happens. There's. Sometimes it gets to a Saturday and I'm just exhausted. I'm like, noemi, can we just like watch movies and chill and just. That's also not the. The way that I want to show up like, once in a while. Listen, I'm not the mum that's fully against screen time. I do screen time in certain ways and there's certain boundaries that I have on it. Like, you know, there's no screen, no devices being used or watched. But I love watching a movie with her and she really likes doing that. And we both get very regulated doing that. So I do like to do that. But that's not like, I don't want to feel like I have to do that because I'm so exhausted come Saturday, right? I want to feel like we. I have the energy to just sit and play with her, to come up with fun ideas to go out to do really active things outdoors. Like whatever it is, I want to feel like I've got that energy. And again, I think this is why like we talk about self care is not selfish. Because I know I cannot show up for the people that I care about if I'm absolutely depleted. That's just the truth. I am not superhuman. I'm not one of those people that can like write it out on very little sleep or, or can just like push the way I'm feeling to the side. I really have to be intentional with my time and, and my energy. So somewhere along the way I think the social media landscape, books, tv, all the things we have been sold this idea that being a good mum means being fully present 24 7, doing Montessori activities, cooking every single meal from scratch, never missing a school event. And then, you know, when it comes to being an entrepreneurial mom, building a thriving multi million dollar business and being a really engaged, loving partner, having a thriving sex life, all the things. But let's be real, no one is doing all the things all the time. And when we try to do it all, we can often feel like we're failing in some or all areas or we overcompensate in one area and feel really guilty about the others. And the worst part is that we are most often measuring ourselves against a highlight reel that we see on Instagram TikTok of what these perfect mompreneurs are doing. But we don't see the full picture that anyone's sharing. You know, the nannies, the chefs, the housekeeper, the behind the scenes team running the business. And I know for myself, you know, that's not the kind of thing that I normally talk about. I think there's part of me that just like doesn't want to come across as braggy or taste. I don't know, I don't know why I don't necessarily share all of that, but I think it is important to share. Like I do have a lot of help and I know that most of these people that we look at online who seem to be doing a lot in their day, in their weeks, in their months, also have a lot of support. We have a nanny for Noemi, you know, she has a nanny full time. I have a housekeeper, I have a house manager, I have a full time assistant. I have a whole team at Boss Babe. I have, you know, someone that specifically does all the organizing in my house on a weekly basis. Like I have a lot of support and I never want to downplay Any of that because I certainly don't ever want to come across like I have more hours in the day than anyone else. That's just the truth. That's the level of support that I have. And I, I think I shared was like the last episode before that in 2024 last year, I actually only had a nanny for six months of the year and the other six months I didn't because we were just having childcare issues. And so a lot of people are like, well, how did you do it? How are you running the business? And you know, being with Noemi full time. But the truth was I still had other support, right? Like I still had, I had people prepping meals, I had people keeping the house tidy, I had people supporting me. I had obviously my team and the business. That's really important for me to share. Because if you are a mum that doesn't have any childcare support but is also running a business, but is also doing all of those other things in your house and being the one that's keeping your household running, you know, don't compare yourself against someone that also a lot of support. That's really important to me to have that support. And I'm really grateful that I've been able to build my life and business in a way that affords it. But if I'm being totally honest, yes, I have a freedom based business, but that does not come without its demands. My business can be really demanding. We have so many clients, we are doing a lot every single day and it has a lot of demands and it takes a lot of my energy to run this business. I try to outsource or delegate the stuff that I just don't enjoy doing so that I can focus on, on where my time is most leveraged and on things that fill me up with energy versus drain me of energy. And again, listen, some of the shit that I do in the business I don't enjoy at all. I know that's normal as a business owner and I try to keep that to the, to the minimum. Like some of it's just like the tax you got to pay as a business owner. But I also do try and be really intentional about what I delegate and get off my plate. Let's keep going on this. And then also talk about, you know, for women especially, ambition often comes with guilt, especially when you have kids. That's just the plain fact of it. I know for some women it doesn't and I think that's amazing. For me personally, I never thought that I'd feel mum Guilt at all. I would explain for me, the way I feel it is more. It's not the guilt per se, like, when I really distill it. It's like a sadness when I feel like I'm not getting the time with Noemi that I really want to get with Noemi. Then I start to resent the business or you know what I mean? So it shows up different ways. Often we put the blanket term of guilt on this, but I think for a lot of us, it's actually a different word, and it's deeper than that. And so it doesn't always show up as. It doesn't always show up as guilt, but we might label it as that. Other examples is, you know, if we work hard, we can feel guilty about not being with our kids more, or if we spend more time with our kids, we feel guilty about not growing the business faster. And let's also be honest, no one is asking the dads the questions that the mums are getting asked. You know, the dads probably aren't questioning their ambition yet. As mums, we constantly feel like we have to prove that we're doing enough in every area. And especially, you know, I will say for me, where I have historically equated my worth to my work, this is somewhere I have to be very, very intentional. So I just want to say this. Your ambition is not a liability. Wanting more for your business and for yourself does not make you a bad mum. It does not make you greedy. It does not make you fill in the blank that maybe you've been told before. It doesn't make you any of those things. It makes you a human that actually wants to be here, making an impact, being the best version of yourself that you can be. Giving your kids the best life that they could have, maybe one different to what you had. It is not a bad thing. And I think we really need to deeply understand that. To deeply understand that our ambition for a better life, our ambition for a certain lifestyle, our ambition to fulfill and maximize our potential is not a bad thing. In fact, it's a really beautiful thing to be gifted that as a human being. Like, if you have that gift, I think that's something that you should be really grateful for because it is a really big driver to help you get places in life. And I think that's incredible. And I think the first step to kind of thriving in all of these roles is getting clear on what success actually looks like for you. Because the truth is, every single person's definition of success is different. But we're often running on the same definition of success, one that we've seen on Instagram or one that we've seen perpetuated in society. And we end up chasing a version of success that's actually not ours. And that's what can lead to the burnout, the unfulfillment, the feeling like you're living a life that's not yours. So I think it really starts with asking yourself, what kind of mum do you want to be? Not what society expects, but what feels good for you. If we think from first principles, which means we're just thinking on our own accord, not from anything that we have heard or, or has been done before, but if we're thinking from first principles, what does it look like for you to be a good mum? Another question is what kind of business do you actually want? So not what looks impressive, not what might get you the applause, but what actually works for your life. When you're building a freedom based business, you're ultimately building, you're allowing your business to be a vehicle for the life you want to live. But if you're not careful, it can end up becoming your entire life and not a vehicle toward the life you want to live. And I think there's a really, really fine line there. And again I think it comes back to intentionality. And then another question, which is often a hard one but is what am I willing to let go of to make that happen? And I really believe, and we talk about this inside the CEO Mama membership, but I believe in every single season of life you will have to let go of something to make your goals and your vision happen. Because in every single season you're going to be prioritizing very different things. And I'll talk about, you know, last year. Last year was a huge year for us in business. It was our biggest revenue and profit year ever with actually probably the smallest team that we've ever had in a full year. And I've talked about it, didn't have a lot of childcare, we did so much travel, I did 19 trips. I was really mastering, speaking, learning how to keynote, getting on a lot of stages, like a lot of things, right? A lot of things going on. And I had to ask myself the question, what am I willing to let go of in this season to achieve my goals of, you know, I have my business goals, I have the vision of, of how I want to show up in motherhood, I have a vision of how I want to show up in my marriage. I have a vision of how I want to show up in my health and wellness journey of how I want to show up in my friendships, all this stuff, how to, how to, how to, visions for all of that. And what I noticed was last year I actually had to let go of a lot of friendships. And not in this big dramatic way of like, friendship breakups, nothing like that, but simply I knew I couldn't pour a lot of energy into a lot of friendships. And so I actually got really discerning about which friendships do I want to pour into. Which friendships really energize me and really go all in on those? I don't know. Remember, I don't know who talks about this, but there's like the. There's layers of friendships, right? Like, you have that really core, tight inner circle, and then the circles kind of get bigger and bigger beyond that, where you'll have close friends and then you'll have, like, peripheral friends. Like, you'll just. You have different layers and levels of friends around you. And I had a lot of people that weren't in my inner circle that previously I had given a lot of time to that I wasn't going to be giving a lot of time to anymore. And I didn't make a big announcement or nothing like that. It just changed the way I showed up. You know, in 2023, I hosted so much at my house. I hosted so many events for my friends. I hosted so many get togethers. I had like a regular standing coffee and bake morning on a Friday where friends would come around, we just have coffee together, we would eat things, like I would bake cakes and stuff like that. I did a lot of hosting in 2023, and I just knew 2024, that's not something that I have a lot of time for. Or more importantly, that I want to prioritize. I want to prioritize other things. And so I need to let that be okay. And I let go of the guilt of that. Because here's the thing. If I was trying to be a 10 out of 10 in every area of my life, my health, my friendships, my marriage, my parenting, my business, all the different areas, I would inevitably, yes, I would let people down, but I would feel like I've let myself down. I would feel guilty that I'm not showing up in certain ways. But when I actually decided where I'm going to take the energy down, like, you know what? I'm only going to show up five out of 10 in that area, then when I've hit the five out of 10, I feel good. I feel like, okay, that's exactly what I intended. So that's also, I think, really important when it comes to the guilt piece is just knowing how much energy you can and want to give in certain areas of your life. And kind of on the same vein, if we all know this, if everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. And I really think the key to really thriving as a CEO, as a mum is getting crystal clear on what matters most to you and protecting those things fiercely. And so I typically focus on three main priorities in a given time. You know, it's kind of the same three things for me, and then there's the lower priorities, but my business, my family, my health, those are always my top three priorities all the time. That is the most important thing to me. And so I say no to a lot of things that do not serve those priorities. I spend so much time with my family, and it's not just my daughter, my husband, but also my family who live in the uk. Like, anyone that knows me will tell you, my house is like a revolving door. I always, always have a full house. I always have so many people in my home. My guest bedroom is always full. I have bunk beds in my playroom. I have a house that we've really built for hosting, and I absolutely love that. I feel so fulfilled when I have a full house. And so my family is just really, really, really important to me. And I technically would classify my closest friends as my family, too. Like, very, very, very close friends. I class them as my family. So that's really, really important to me. My health, really important to me. Get working out, being active, take my supplements, my diet, my nervous system, pr, any kind of health, wellness, biohacking practice is really, really important to me because that is probably my biggest lever when it comes to my energy. And that's really, really important to me. You know, I'm in my 30s now, and I want to feel this vibrant and energetic for as long as I possibly can. And I don't take that for granted at all. And I really, really make sure I prioritize it. I work out, even on the days where I've got a lot on, even on the weeks where I've got a lot on. I always prioritize that. And then my business, look, it's important to me. It just is. I absolutely love what I do, and I'm so proud of what I've built, that I really put so much care and attention into that, and that just really matters to me. So those are my three things. And beyond that, I say no to a lot. And I, I really am unapologetic about that now. Didn't used to be, used to be chronic people pleaser that would say yes to everything and anything, but I just do now. So a practical way you could do this is looking at your calendar for the week. If it is filled with things that do not align with your priorities, it is time to start cutting. And I know this sounds really cliche, but I'm going to say it anyway. Every yes to something unimportant is a no to something that truly matters. It really, really is. And so you have to get ruthless about what you're willing to say no to. And this is really woo woo. But I honestly think the universe tests you a little bit. Like I see this with myself. Like I genuinely think when I'll make a commitment of okay, moving forward, I'm going to say no to this. The universe will test me. So for example, last year, last November, I made the commitment to myself that I will not take on any more one to one clients. Like I'm fully complete with that. And I won't do any more VIP strategy days fully complete with that. Even though I had a really long wait list for both. And listen, let's just be honest, it's also a really lucrative business model. I absolutely love it. I love getting to work with these types of clients. They generally have really established businesses. They're amazing women. Most often they are women that I look up to. And so working with them really lights me up. Their businesses are generally businesses that are having a really, really positive impact on the world. And I charge a lot for what I do. So it's fulfilling and it's incredibly lucrative. Right. And I think that's just important to say. Like, it just is what it is. I charge well, upwards of six figures to work with me, one to one. And so I had a wait list and I said in November, hey, I'm complete with that. Like, that's not no longer going to be part of the business model moving forward. And December and January I got reach outs from, I mean, women that a few years ago I would have been like, if you would ever tell me they want to work with me one to one, like, I think you were lying. And I would, you know, say to them, you know, really be testing me. Like, come on Natalie, do you really want to say no to this? And I would end up saying to them, listen, it would have been a dream to work with you, but I don't do that anymore. I'm really Sorry. And then they'll come back, and they're like, name your price. And it is such a universal test. Like, I really think that is the universe testing me to be like, natalie, you said, this is what you want. Is it genuinely what you want? And it's hard sometimes to say no to that kind of thing, because I then think about. I think about so many things with it. But it's important for me to honor what my priorities and my goals and my vision. I ultimately do say no, but it doesn't make it easy. But I just have to know what's important to me. So I'm telling you, if you do start thinking about, okay, what are my yeses? What are my nos? This what I do, this what I don't do, I bet you'll start getting tested, and you'll be like, you know what? I have to get really clear on whether I am or I'm not gonna do this. So keeping it moving, I think another big shift that we can make is giving yourself permission to get help in business. That means delegating, hiring support, automating. There is so much support available, even with AI these days, with AI agents these days, that you don't even necessarily need an employee if you can't afford one. There are so many options available to all of us that we get to start getting stuff off of our plate. And then at home, it means childcare, it might mean, you know, cleaning support, housekeeping, support meal delivery. Whatever makes your life easier. Easier. And I know some of you are thinking like, I've. I've done it on my own this whole time. Why should I not continue to do it that way? I just don't believe that we were ever meant to do everything alone. You know, we previously brought our kids up in villages, and we had a real level of support built in to our community. We don't have that anymore. Unless you really do live on the same block as your family, we really don't have that anymore. And we buy into this thing, that we should do it all alone. I just personally don't. And I think if you do have the ability to get some help, I think that is such an important thing to do. And I know, listen, this is a privileged position to come from, but if you're. If you can charge $50 an hour and then you can outsource something for $20 an hour, why not do that? Why not free yourself up to be the most leveraged that you can be? I really try to be as leveraged as I can be. I Try to use my time in the most effective way possible that really matters to me, and I will outsource as much as I can. And then I have little rules to myself, too. Like, I generally do like to cook all of my family's meals from scratch. That's really important to me because we always, you know, ever since Normie was born, even before she was eating, we've still always had every meal together as a family. Me and Stephen have done that since the day that we met. So it's just a family value of ours as we sit down and we eat together. That's morning and night. We do every single breakfast together. We do every single dinner together. And so it's just a routine that we all have that we cook together breakfast and dinner. However, I have a rule for myself. If I am solo parenting and there's just a lot going on that week, I will just happily order takeout without any guilt. And it's just one thing to take off my plate and not have to think about. And so it's just like building in those little rules for yourself while you can give yourself that grace and just make something a little bit easier. Take one thing off that mental load that I think makes the big difference. And then another thing, you know, building on priorities is creating a schedule that works for you. It's not about balancing at all. We know that's so outdated by this point, but it really is about intentionally structuring your time so that you are really present where it matters. So a few things that will help time. Blocking your work hours and sticking to them instead of just trying to squeeze in any ounce of work all day. Having dedicated family time without distractions, without your phone, so you can be really present and building in buffer time for yourself. Because like we talked about, you matter. Your energy matters. Your schedules should support your life, and it should reflect your priorities, not the other way around. And so build a schedule that actually feels doable to you. And maybe it means that your kid doesn't do every single activity. Like, maybe that just doesn't work for your family right now. I think it's important to have those conversations as a family and make those decisions. Every season is going to require something very, very different of you. And I think the best thing we can do is be honest about the season that we're in and be intentional about the season that we're in and not allow the guilt of. Well, we should be doing all of those things, or we should be able to not allowing the shoulds or the guilt to come and make decisions for you. Because if you don't feel like you have autonomy, you're going to feel really resentful. And I'll leave you with this because I could really go on about all of this for hours. I hope you know this, but for the mums out there who just constantly feel stretched thin, your child does not need a perfect mum. They need a happy and fulfilled mum. They need to see a mum who prioritizes herself, who goes after her own dreams, maybe who's building something meaningful. If that's important to you, who takes care of herself that is just as valuable as time spent with them. And I just think it's really important to remind ourselves of that. I have to remind myself of that often. The idea of having all is really, really flawed. And you need to define what success looks like for you. Prioritization is absolutely everything. So get clear on what actually matters to you in this season and protect it. Get help. Stop doing everything on your own or expecting yourself to do everything on your own and really just understand what your energy levers are. What can you do that is going to make sure you your energy is where it needs to be? Are you taking care of your health? Are you getting regular blood work? Are you checking your minerals? Are you eating a blood sugar balancing diet? Are you moving the body? When we talk about the foundations of your health and your energy, those things are really, really important. Are you regulating your nervous system? Is your home environment one that actually feels good and energizing to be in? Are you spending your time with people that actually lift your energy up versus drain it? Are you living a life that is really true and authentic to you or are you living one you think you should be living? All of these things contribute to the level of energy you have on a day to day basis. And I think it's really, really important to get clear on those things and be really honest with yourself about what you need to be the version of yourself that you can be really proud of. That's what matters. And that's going to be different for every single one of us. Like we talked about, success looks different for every single one of us. But if you can define your version of success, then you can really be proud of yourself when you hit that and when you're living that and when you're living those values that really matter to you. So as we wrap up, I would love to challenge you to release one expectation or obligation that is draining you. Maybe it's something in your business, maybe it's something at home, maybe it's even a relationship. Whatever it is, see if you could let it go and give yourself permission to focus on what actually matters. Having it all is not about doing everything at all. It's about choosing what matters most and doing that. So I hope this has been helpful. I hope this resonates like I've said throughout. I certainly don't have it all figured out. I just feel like every every few months I'm like I'm getting a little bit better and I'm getting a little bit better and I think that's the most important thing. So if this resonated with you, please leave a comment. Let me know. Make sure you subscribe to the show. It would mean the absolute world to me, but any feedback would be incredible and really helps me to know what kind of content to create next. Wait, wait, wait. Before you go, I would love to send you my 7 figure CEO operating system completely free as a gift. All you've got to do is leave us a review on this podcast because it really supports the growth of this show. This is my digital masterclass where I'll show you what my freedom based daily, weekly and monthly schedule looks like as an eight figure CEO, mama and high performer and I'll walk you through step by step how to create this for yourself. It includes a full video training from me and a plug and play spreadsheet to literally create your own operating system. It's one of our best trainings and it's worth $1,997. But I will unlock access for you for free when you leave us a review. I know, wild right? All you have to do is leave your review on the podcast, take a screenshot of it and then head over to bossbab.comreview to upload it and then you'll get instant access to the seven figure CEO operating system. Again. Head over to bossbab.com/review to upload your screenshot and get access. We are so so grateful for all of your support and can't wait to hear how the podcast has supported.
Podcast Summary: The Bossbabe Podcast Episode 458
Title: The Myth of “Having It All” + The Playbook to Thriving as a CEO/Mama
Host: Natalie Ellis
Release Date: April 10, 2025
In Episode 458 of The Bossbabe Podcast, host Natalie Ellis delves deep into the pervasive myth of "having it all," particularly as it pertains to women balancing the roles of CEO and mother. Ellis aims to dismantle the societal pressures that suggest women must excel simultaneously in their careers, personal lives, and parenting without compromise. She emphasizes that the concept of "having it all" is not only unrealistic but also potentially harmful, leading to burnout and resentment.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [00:00]: “The myth of having it all is flawed, and today I want to challenge that narrative.”
Ellis discusses how society, reinforced by social media and cultural narratives, perpetuates the idea that ambitious women can seamlessly manage multiple demanding roles. This pressure is particularly intense for mothers who are also career-driven, leading many to feel stretched thin and guilty when they cannot meet these unrealistic standards.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [10:20]: “The reality is like the version of having it all that society sees sells us is being an amazing mum, being an incredible wife, being a powerhouse CEO... exhausting.”
Drawing from her personal experiences, Ellis shares her transformation from a hyper-independent overachiever to a leader who prioritizes authenticity and self-care. Becoming a mother amplified her existing challenges, forcing her to confront and shed the unnecessary "shoulds" she had imposed on herself. She highlights the difficulty of distinguishing her genuine desires from those influenced by business partnerships and societal expectations.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [04:30]: “When I became a mum, I had to challenge so many of the shoulds that I had layered on myself that I didn’t even realize.”
A central theme of the episode is the importance of defining personal success rather than adhering to externally imposed standards. Ellis encourages listeners to ask themselves critical questions about what success looks like in various aspects of their lives, whether it’s motherhood, business, health, or relationships. She argues that personal definitions of success are essential to avoid burnout and maintain fulfillment.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [25:45]: “Every single person’s definition of success is different, but we’re often running on the same definition... one that’s not ours, leading to burnout and unfulfillment.”
Ellis emphasizes the necessity of prioritizing what truly matters and being willing to let go of less important commitments. She shares her strategy of focusing on three main priorities—business, family, and health—and advises listeners to protect these areas fiercely by saying no to activities and obligations that do not align with their core values.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [35:10]: “Every yes to something unimportant is a no to something that truly matters. You have to get ruthless about what you’re willing to say no to.”
Highlighting the importance of community and support, Ellis discusses the various ways successful women leverage help to manage their multifaceted lives. She openly acknowledges her use of nannies, housekeepers, and business assistants, emphasizing that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a strategic choice to enhance productivity and personal well-being.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [30:50]: “We have a nanny for Noemi, a housekeeper, a house manager, a full-time assistant... It’s important to share because not everyone has that level of support.”
Ellis tackles the pervasive guilt that ambitious mothers often feel, reframing it as a natural part of striving for personal and professional growth. She reassures listeners that ambition does not equate to being a bad mother or partner and that seeking a fulfilling life is both natural and commendable.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [45:30]: “Your ambition is not a liability. Wanting more for your business and for yourself does not make you a bad mum.”
The episode offers a wealth of actionable strategies for listeners aiming to thrive in their multiple roles without succumbing to burnout:
Define Your Priorities: Clearly identify what matters most in your life and protect those priorities.
Say No Ruthlessly: Learn to decline commitments that do not align with your core priorities to maintain focus and energy.
Seek Support: Delegate tasks in both business and home life to free up time and reduce stress.
Create a Personalized Schedule: Time blocking and dedicated family time help ensure that you are present and effective in each role.
Self-Care is Essential: Prioritize your health and well-being to sustain your energy and enthusiasm across all areas of your life.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [55:15]: “Build a schedule that actually feels doable to you. Every yes to something unimportant is a no to something that truly matters.”
Ellis encourages women to embrace imperfection and to recognize that striving for an unattainable "perfect" life is neither necessary nor beneficial. Instead, she advocates for authenticity and being true to oneself as the keys to personal fulfillment and effective leadership.
Notable Quote:
Natalie Ellis [60:45]: “Your child does not need a perfect mum. They need a happy and fulfilled mum.”
In wrapping up, Ellis challenges listeners to release one draining expectation or obligation and to focus on what truly matters to them. She reiterates that "having it all" is not about juggling every possible responsibility but about making intentional choices that align with one’s personal definition of success.
Final Quote:
Natalie Ellis [65:30]: “Having it all is not about doing everything at all. It’s about choosing what matters most and doing that.”
Episode 458 of The Bossbabe Podcast offers a candid and insightful exploration of the challenges faced by ambitious women trying to balance multiple roles. Natalie Ellis provides both personal anecdotes and practical advice, empowering listeners to redefine success on their own terms, prioritize effectively, and seek the support they need to lead fulfilling lives without succumbing to societal pressures.
If this episode resonates with you, consider subscribing to The Bossbabe Podcast and leaving a comment to share your thoughts and topics you'd like to hear more about from Natalie Ellis.