About this episode
Send a textIn this episode, we talk about something only moms can really understand—feeling like we lost ourselves in motherhood. We share our personal experiences of what it looked like for us in feeling disconnected to who we once were and our journey back to that (that some of us are still on). We also talk about the constant tug-of-war between personal identity and societal expectations, and the importance of community and connection among mothers. Our conversation highlights the need for social interaction, the significance of building a supportive village, and the understanding that struggles are often temporary. Ultimately, we hope episode serves as a reminder that every mother's journey is unique and worthy of recognition. Thanks for listening!THIS EPISODE IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY RELAY ACTIVE.Save 15% on these cute & comfortable running clothes with code MILESWITHMOMS. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Its Purpose01:08 Feeling Lost in Motherhood10:11 The Struggles of Balancing Motherhood and Career15:53 The Struggles of Motherhood During COVID19:37 Finding Support and Connection23:18 Rediscovering Identity and Self-Care27:40 The Impact of Running on Mental Health28:00 Navigating Guilt and Societal Expectations33:02 The Reality of Stay-at-Home Parenting37:29 The Evolution of Friendships and Identity45:00 The Power of Social Connection48:56 Building Your Village50:48 Finding Hope in Community51:42 Navigating Motherhood's Challenges54:19 Engaging with Your Community57:52 Inspiration Through Shared ExperiencesWhitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs. www.themotherrunners.com Instagram: @themotherrunners
