Amanda’s path to motherhood was not an easy one. Highlighted by hardships, including a six-year battle with infertility, by the time her second son was born, Amanda was struggling with sleep deprivation, trying to manage her own business, and shouldering immense self-imposed expectations to be a ‘good mum’.
In our first call together, it was clear Amanda was overwhelmed and stretched thin. She needed support to navigate the complexities of motherhood and regain a sense of balance. The Illuminate program arrived at a critical time in her life.
The program offered Amanada a supportive place to land and strategies to deal with negative patterns of thinking. The container itself was a safe place where, for the first time, she was able to open up about her experiences and share her emotions, both as a mother and as an individual. Amanda confided later that it lifted a sense of isolation and was reassuring to know she wasn’t alone in her challenges.
The Illuminate sisterhood was a big source of support for Amanda who found comfort in listening to the other women share their stories, reflecting, “they seemed to be able to articulate so eloquently what I had been struggling to express myself.
Amanda devoured the content inside the online portal and commented on how easy and accessible it was. “I loved the ability to track my progress as I went along and to see my own personal growth, it really helped me to stay motivated.
Since completing Illuminate, Amanda is more consciously prioritising self-care, ensuring she puts her “oxygen mask on first” before tending to the needs of others. But the biggest shift has been in her own mindset. “I’ve gained tools to nip negative self-talk in the bud and stop comparing myself so much to others, I have a lot more self-compassion now.
Although Amanda’s journey into motherhood was not without its challenges, the Illuminate program provided her with the support, tools and internal resources she needed to start prioritising more self-care, silence her inner critic and develop a stronger sense of self. Her journey underscores the importance of asking for help when you need it and the powerful transformation and self-compassion that can come from that.
