Nobody prepared me for this. For that quiet moment when you realize you can’t handle everything. That is as much as you want, that no matter how capable you are, there are days — stages, even years — when you can’t be 100% in everything. That being a mother and growing professionally at the same time is possible, yes… but that reality does not resemble what they sell us in productivity books or social media.

There’s a day you look at your family, your children, and then you look at your desire, your goals, your projects, and you realize you’re going to have to choose. At least for now. At least a little. And it hurts. It hurts because you feel like leaving something aside is like dropping a part of you. (Real maternity)

The Balance That Doesn’t Exist (At Least, Not Always)

I’ve tried to do it all. I’ve tried to work, be a present mother, take care of my home, maintain a healthy relationship, eat well, stay in shape, keep learning, and not forget my dreams… And I’ve ended up broken. Empty. Frustrated. Feeling like I’m not doing anything right.

Because when you try to spread yourself thin, all you end up doing is losing yourself.

And then comes that moment of painful clarity: Who needs me most right now? My family? My career? Me?

It’s not giving up. It’s not letting go. It’s making a conscious decision about what you’re going to dedicate yourself to with more presence for a while. And that’s also a strength. That’s also growth.

Choosing Is Also Loving

I put aside projects, put on hold a career I loved, and turned down opportunities I would have pursued without hesitation at another time. I put my energy, my time, and my attention back on home, on this unique stage of my children’s childhood.

(Real maternity)

And yes, there was frustration. Sometimes the fear of being left behind touched my thoughts. The feeling of shutting down a part of me to sustain another, larger, more important part. But there was also a presence. There was calm. There was a deep connection. There were those small moments—which I know will never return—engraved like treasures.

I know that at another time, when they grow up and need to fly a little more alone, different decisions will come. Perhaps then I will prioritize my personal and professional growth again. Perhaps guilt will creep in. But also, I’m sure, will come pride. Satisfaction. And that fresh air that is also needed to truly be and exist.

Because no choice is final. Because life moves in cycles. Because it’s not about choosing forever, but about choosing for now. And understanding that the important thing isn’t doing everything, but being where you’re needed with intention and love.

You’re not failing, you’re deciding with your heart.

Sometimes we think having to choose means we’re failing. That we’re not enough. But it’s just the opposite: having the courage to stop, to ask ourselves what we want and what we can sustain, is an act of self-love and enormous responsibility. No one wins when you lose yourself trying to sustain it all.

So if you’re at that point today, if you feel like something has to wait for something else to grow, if that choice hurts you, but you know it’s the best for you, for your loved ones, for your mental health… I embrace you. You’re doing the best you can. And that’s more than enough.

One day, everything will fall back into place. And you’ll look back and say: it was worth it.(Real maternity)