What does it really mean to be a woman in today’s world - and how much of that is tied to motherhood? In this episode, Emily Maynard joins the podcast for a conversation on societal expectations, friendships, and smashing the patriarchy - from the lens of a woman who is child-free by choice. Together, Emily and Emily explore the expectations placed on women (both those who are mothers and those who aren’t), and how those expectations shape our identities, relationships, and sense of self.

They talk about:

• The societal pressure to become a mother, and what happens when you don’t
• Being child-free by choice (and the assumptions that come with it)
• The overlap between moms and non-moms navigating the same patriarchal systems
• Friendship dynamics between women with different life paths
• Regret, identity, and the freedom to choose your own life
• Why motherhood is not the only meaningful way to live a full life

At the end of the day, we’re all navigating the same world together!

🔗 Connect with Emily:

Instagram: @emilymaynardlmft
Website: emilymaynardtherapy.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod

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Becoming a mom can absolutely change your daily routine, but it also changes how you see yourself, your work, and what success even means. In this episode, Emily is joined by Paige Figueroa, a former teacher turned business alignment coach for moms, to talk about the identity shift that happens after becoming a mother, and how it can completely reshape your career path.

The conversation explores what it looks like to leave a “safe” career, navigate burnout, and build a new way of working that actually aligns with your life as a mom. Paige shares her experience of redefining productivity, honoring her capacity, and letting go of old expectations around ambition and success. They also dive into the deeper emotional layers of this transition, including the loss (and rediscovery) of identity, the pressure to “do it all,” and why so many moms are collectively rethinking the systems we’ve been taught to operate within.

If you’ve ever felt like the version of you from before motherhood no longer fits, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone, and that you’re allowed to choose something different.

🔗 Connect with Paige:

Instagram: @mombossfreedom
Website: mombossfreedom.com

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!

Send us Fan Mail

Motherhood is often framed like it's the final destination. Once you become a mom, it can feel like the big decisions are already made. The life path is set. The identity is locked in.

But what if that isn’t true?

In this episode of The Sparkle Project, Emily explores the idea that motherhood isn’t your final form. You’re still growing. You’re still learning who you are. And you’re still allowed to change your mind about the life you want.

Emily shares reflections from her own experience becoming a mom at 23, navigating career shifts, leaving teaching, going through a divorce, and doing the internal work of redefining identity beyond motherhood.

This episode is an invitation for moms who feel stuck in decisions they made years ago. The truth is that circumstances change, priorities evolve, and the version of you today might want something different than the version of you who made those choices. And that’s okay.

✨ Let’s keep the convo going:

Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose
Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod

Subscribe + Review:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!

Send us Fan Mail