Have It All

In this episode of Have It All, I sit down with Arti – mum of two, Nutritionist, and Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant – to talk about the juggle of working two jobs during school hours, raising a young family, and navigating big life transitions along the way.

Before motherhood, Arti was in a high-pressure recruitment role, working across nine retirement villages and managing a busy team. But becoming a mother shifted everything – from fertility struggles and the grief of losing her dad during her first maternity leave, to making the tough decision to step back in her career for the sake of balance.

We talk about what it’s really like to cram a full-time workload into school-hour days, the motherhood penalty she’s seen play out in her years as a recruiter, and the confidence gap many women experience when returning to work after having kids. Arti shares the realities of imposter syndrome while building her own business, the importance of negotiating terms upfront (because if you don’t ask, you don’t get), and why support systems – from family to girlfriends who “get it” – make all the difference.

This is such an honest conversation about the trade-offs, the sacrifices, and the strength it takes to build a career while raising a family. And it’s also a reminder that “having it all” doesn’t look the same for every woman, or every season of life.

Make sure to follow Have It All to keep up to date with new fortnightly episodes. And give this episode a like… if you like!

LINKS

• Follow Have It All on IG @haveitall.podcast
• Follow Arti on IG @nourishmemama.nz or visit her website https://www.nourishmemama.nz/

Mum guilt. We all feel it — but what if it’s not actually guilt at all?

This week I’m joined by Francie, a mindset coach for mums and mum of two, to dig into the invisible load of motherhood, the “perfect mother” myth, and the subconscious patterns that sit underneath what we call guilt. Spoiler: many of us are really carrying shame or grief.

We talk about:
✨ Why the invisible load of motherhood is so exhausting — and often goes unseen

✨ How the “perfect mum” myth sets us up to fail

✨ The self-abandoning patterns that lead to burnout and resentment

✨ Why emotional regulation is essential for both mothers and kids

✨ Generational shifts in parenting (and why our mums’ experience still lingers in us)

✨ Practical tools to manage the cognitive load and release pressure

✨ Why asking for help is a strength, not a weakness

Francie’s perspective is both practical and compassionate — reminding us that taking care of ourselves isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing, constantly battling that inner critic, or weighed down by mum guilt, this conversation will give you new language, fresh perspective, and real tools to lighten the load.

Make sure to follow Have It All to keep up to date with fortnightly episodes. And give this episode a like...if you like!

LINKS

My guest this week is Julia – a freelance creative director, copywriter, and mum of four.

Julia and I dive into what happens when women try to build a career in an industry that was never designed with mothers in mind. From being a burnt-out agency copywriter, to navigating the confusion of returning from maternity leave, Julia shares honestly about what it feels like to step off the “ladder” and rethink ambition on her own terms.

We talk about:

• The lack of support for women returning to advertising after having kids

• Why part-time work still feels like career suicide

• The quiet exodus of mothers from creative departments

• What sparked the Mums in Ads campaign

• The emotional toll of juggling four kids with freelance life – and the moments of perspective that come with it. As Julia put it: “I’ll see something with my kids and think, I remember this. You forget that what you’re experiencing in the moment, they’re on the other side of you experiencing it in the moment.”

• And the question we always circle back to: can women really have it all?

Julia puts into words what so many of us feel but rarely say. Let me know what parts of this episode stood out for you.

Sargam's story is unlike any I’ve heard on Have It All so far. What was meant to be a six-week trip to India in early 2020 turned into an eight-month stay when COVID-19 changed the world overnight. Suddenly, she found herself navigating early motherhood, distance from home, and the uncertainty of a global pandemic all at once.

In this conversation, Sargam shares what that time looked like: the mental health challenges of being far from her support system, the small daily practices of gratitude that kept her grounded, and how that season reshaped her perspective on work, family, and ambition.

What stands out most is the way Sargam talks about ambition.

For her, being ambitious doesn’t have to mean climbing the corporate ladder or chasing the next big role. Instead, it’s about creating a life that works for both her and her family, supported by workplaces that truly value parents.

We also talk about what supportive systems at work can look like, how communication around parenting needs can shift culture, and why the conversation about the “motherhood penalty” urgently needs to evolve.

Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

You can also follow @haveitall.podcast on IG

In this episode of Have It All, I sit down with Jaz – a hairdresser, makeup artist, actress, content creator, marketing coordinator, AND mum of two – for a conversation about what it really means to juggle a creative career, parenting, ambition, and identity in today’s world.

From early morning drop-offs to late-night auditions, Jaz shares the realities of building a multifaceted life while raising kids and navigating a world that often makes ambitious mothers feel like they’re asking for too much. She opens up about the unpredictability of the acting industry, how she and her husband manage the juggle with their shifting schedules, and why support systems and community matter more than ever.

We also unpack the tension many women feel between career and caregiving, the role of social media in shaping (and warping) our expectations, and the question we keep circling back to: can you really have it all – or is it more about having what matters most?

We talk about:

• The reality of work-life balance in creative industries
• Ambition and the quiet judgement mothers still face
• Why support systems matter (and how to build them)
• Social media, identity, and showing up as your real self
• Self-kindness in the chaos of early motherhood

Follow Jaz and her beautiful fam on IG @jazmynearia

Follow Have It All on IG @haveitall.podcast

Let me know what you thought of this episode!

This episode is for the ambitious mums – the ones who love their kids and their careers, and who feel a little lost when they step away from either.

We talk about the quiet doubts many mothers have but rarely say out loud:

• What if I don’t want to stay home full-time?
• Why does no one question dads the way they question mums?
• Can I be ambitious and a present parent?

This episode is an honest look at the real sacrifices of motherhood – physically, emotionally, professionally – and how many women are learning to make choices that honour both their families and themselves.

Topics we cover:

• Identity, ambition & returning to work
• Mental load and asking for help
• Support systems at work and home
• Financial realities & outsourcing
• Letting go of guilt — and owning your choices

🎧 Have It All is a podcast for modern mothers navigating the beautiful chaos of family, career and self. New here? Make sure you scroll back for more episodes, and follow along so you never miss one.

Today’s episode is a special one, and slightly different from usual!

I’m joined by my best friend, actress Courtenay Louise, who is pregnant with her first baby. While she’s not YET a working mum, she’ll likely to return to work at some point after baby – you might know her as Monique from Shortland Street, one of Aotearoa’s most recognisable TV roles.

We recorded this episode just after Courtenay publicly announced her pregnancy (after keeping it private for seven months!), and this conversation goes deep into her journey: from being totally career-focused in her 20s, to slowly warming to the idea of becoming a mum in her 30s. We talk about flip-flopping on the “should we or shouldn’t we?” conversation, what changed, and how she’s navigating the emotions of impending motherhood after years of not being sure.

We also touch on what it’s been like working long hours on set while pregnant, why she chose to keep the news private, and how she’s feeling about what's next — including the question on everyone’s mind: Will she go back to acting?

If this is your first episode of Have It All, please go and listen to a few others, and leave a comment t let me know what you think!

I record this podcast from my home studio aka my lounge, around the juggle of my regular job and my two kids. Your support means the world!

• Follow Courtenay on IG https://www.instagram.com/courtenaylouise_/
• Follow Have It All https://www.instagram.com/haveitall.podcast/

How do you make it all work — raising little kids, staying connected to yourself, contributing financially, maintaining a relationship…and maybe even renovating a house?

This week on Have It All, I’m joined by Skye Ross — a full-time, stay-at-home, part-time working mum (her words, and I love them). Skye and I talk about what it really looks like to balance motherhood, freelance work, and the emotional juggle that happens when you start to question, “Am I doing the right thing?”

Skye shares the story of her epic home reno (a total labour of love), how she and her partner approached finances and childcare, and what it felt like to navigate identity in the thick of motherhood. There’s a moment where she describes her “crisis thoughts” — when the pre-kids version of herself shows up to ask what the hell she’s doing.

We talk about the comparison trap, creative work, self-care (hint: it doesn’t always mean time alone), and the illusion of having it all. And we touch on something I think a lot of us will relate to: the slow journey of remembering who you are outside of being needed all the time.

Links mentioned:

• Skye's podcast Motherness

• Ten things I wish you knew about your child's mental health by Dr Billy Garvey
  

For anyone struggling with feeling present, battling mum guilt, trying to figure out the balance, or feeling stuck in the cycle of mental load, burnout, and more guilt – this episode is for you.

This week I’m joined by Becs Bradley – mum of two, Head of Learning in postgraduate education, and coach for women navigating the chaos of work and motherhood. We recorded this late at night (for Becs – she’s based in the UK!) but the conversation flowed effortlessly.

We talk about so much in this episode:

• returning to work after an unexpected pregnancy
• the weight of the mental load
• what burnout can look and feel like
• and the identity shifts that come with motherhood.

Becs shares so honestly about her own journey – and with the lens of someone who’s coached so many women through the exact same thing.

There’s so much gentle wisdom in this one, and I hope it reminds you that you’re not alone in whatever season you’re in.

Follow Becs on Instagram: @becsbradley_coach

Let me know what you think in the comments!

In this episode, I sit down with Shrenika, a mum of two boys, a paediatric nurse at Starship, and the founder of Little Beat First Aid.

We talk about the messy middle of motherhood and work, and how those worlds constantly shift and realign as our kids grow.

Shrenika shares what returning to work looked like for her after each baby and how, after her second, she felt torn and emotional, like she was being pulled in two directions. She talks about quitting nursing altogether for a while, and how she found her way back to work by creating something that worked better for her family and for herself.

We explore the loneliness of being home with babies, the tricky flex of older kids who still need you, and the unique challenges mums face in healthcare roles. We also talk about balancing a “real job” with the business hustle, and how the idea of success can shift so much from your 20s to your 30s and beyond.

In the end, maybe it’s less about balance and more about figuring out what’s enough for you right now.

Links

• https://www.littlebeat.co.nz/ 
• https://www.instagram.com/little_beat_first_aid