Motherkind

Have you ever looked around at your life and wondered why it feels so hard just to keep up?
In this powerful Moment, Dr Giselle Goodwin shares the personal turning point that changed the course of her life—and the research that followed.
After reaching a breaking point on her 35th birthday while juggling two young children and two businesses, Giselle became convinced she simply wasn't coping. But years later, after completing a PhD in women, work and wellbeing, she discovered something that completely changed her perspective:
It wasn't her that was failing. It was the impossible expectations placed on modern mothers.
Together, Zoe and Giselle explore why so many women feel overwhelmed, burnt out and like they're constantly falling short, despite doing more than ever before. If you've ever wondered why motherhood feels so much harder than you expected, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, understood and far less alone.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Moment
Why so many mothers feel like they're failing

The three jobs modern women are expected to do

The hidden pressures driving burnout and mum guilt

Why motherhood isn't the problem—our expectations are

The one message every overwhelmed mother needs to hear

Watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe.
Loved this episode?
Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode of Motherkind. It helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.
If you enjoyed this Moment, listen to the full episode: Women's happiness has been declining since the 1970s - this is why and what we need to do about it, with Giselle Goodwin
Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.
Connect with Zoe:
Follow Zoe on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok

Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:
Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.

Jurassic Oceans Exhibition at The Natural History Museum. Kids go half price.

During August, the Motherkind team and I try to practise what we preach by slowing down, taking some time off and making the juggle just a little easier over the summer holidays.
So, throughout the month, we're bringing you some of our most listened-to episodes of the year so far.
Can you be an ambitious mother without feeling guilty?
Emma Grede believes you can, and that our children actually benefit when they see us fully expressed, fulfilled and living in alignment with our own values.
Emma is one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, co-founder of SKIMS, CEO of Good American, founding partner of Safely, investor on Shark Tank and author of Start With Yourself. But this conversation isn't really about business. It's about the invisible pressure mothers carry, the impossible standards we set ourselves, and how to build a life that feels true to you.
Together, Zoe and Emma explore why so many mothers feel depleted, how to let go of guilt, and why success looks different in different seasons of life. Emma shares the parenting philosophy that has helped her build multiple global businesses while raising four children and why she believes children don't need a perfect mother; they need one who is fulfilled.
They also discuss work-life balance, career ambition after children, asking for help, letting go of control, sharing the parenting load, and why learning to say no is one of the most powerful leadership skills a mother can develop.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why your children need a fulfilled mother, not a perfect one

How to let go of mum guilt and make decisions with confidence

Why success changes through different seasons of motherhood

How to stop doing everything and start asking for help

The boundaries that protect your time, energy and ambition

Watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe.
Loved this episode?
Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode of Motherkind. It helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Zoe’s conversation with
Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.
Zoe’s favourite Aspire episode with Emma Grede: “Don’t Let Anyone Control You With Money” with Reese Witherspoon
Connect with Zoe:
Follow Zoe on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok

Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:
Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.

Jurassic Oceans Exhibition at The Natural History Museum. Kids go half price.

Do you ever sit down to rest... only to feel like you should be doing something else?
In this Moment, Zoe is joined by psychologist and author Dr Nicola Jane Hobbs to explore why so many mothers struggle to slow down. The answer isn't that you're lazy, bad at resting or doing motherhood wrong. It's that your nervous system has learnt that being busy feels safe.
Together they explore why matrescence can feel like such a shock to our system, how years of rushing make stillness feel unfamiliar, and why learning to weave tiny moments of slowness into your day can help your nervous system feel calmer, safer and more regulated.
Nicola also shares a beautiful redefinition of rest: it's not just lying down or getting more sleep. Rest is anything that helps your nervous system switch off its stress response.
If you've ever struggled with mum guilt or burnout, or found it impossible to truly relax, this conversation will completely change the way you think about rest.
💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why your nervous system can experience slowing down as a threat

Why rest feels so uncomfortable after becoming a mum

Tiny ways to teach your nervous system that slowness is safe

A new definition of rest that actually feels achievable in motherhood

Why resting benefits both you and your children

Watch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe.
Loved this episode?
Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode of Motherkind. It helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.
If you enjoyed this moment, you can listen to the full episode here: If you want to become an instantly relaxed mother, listen to this.
Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet
Connect with Zoe:
Follow Zoe on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok

Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:
Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.

Jurassic Oceans Exhibition at The Natural History Museum. Kids go half price.

Do you already feel the pressure to make this summer magical?
Maybe you're trying to juggle work, childcare, family holidays, the mental load and the constant feeling that you should be doing more. If so, this episode is for you.
In this solo episode, Zoe shares the simple mindset shifts that can help you let go of mum guilt, stop chasing the perfect summer, and focus on what your children will actually remember. She explores why asking for help before you're overwhelmed is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, why feeling guilty doesn't necessarily mean you've done something wrong, and how lowering the pressure can help everyone enjoy the holidays so much more.
If you're looking for practical advice to help you navigate the school holidays with more calm, connection and self-compassion, this episode is packed with simple reminders you'll come back to all summer long.
💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why feeling guilty doesn't mean you've done anything wrong

How to let go of the pressure to create the "perfect" summer

Why children remember how summer felt, not what you spent

The importance of asking for help before you reach burnout

Simple ways to reduce the mental load during the school holidays

How to create more connection with your children this summer

Watch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe.
Loved this episode?
Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode of Motherkind. It helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Zoe’s conversation with with Rachael Twumasi-Corson, The Lie of Work-Life Balance (And What Actually Works)
Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.
Connect with Zoe:
Follow Zoe on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok

Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:
Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.

Jurassic Oceans Exhibition at The Natural History Museum. Kids go half price.

Have you ever shouted at your child and been instantly overwhelmed with guilt?
If you've ever wondered, "Why did I react like that?" or worried that losing your temper means you're a bad mum, this Moment is for you.
In this honest Moment episode, Zoe shares a parenting moment she's not proud of and the powerful insight that completely changed how she understands motherhood anger. She explains why snapping at our children is rarely about the moment itself, what the "drip, drip, drip effect" teaches us about stress and emotional overload, and why your nervous system, not your parenting, is often driving your reaction.
You'll also discover simple, science-backed tools to regulate your nervous system throughout the day, understand what your anger might be trying to tell you, and replace guilt with greater self-compassion.
If you've been feeling overwhelmed, emotionally reactive or stuck in a cycle of snapping at your children and then feeling guilty afterwards, I hope this conversation reminds you that you're not failing. You're human, and there is another way.
💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why snapping at your children is rarely about the moment itself

The "drip, drip, drip effect" and how stress builds throughout the day

How to regulate your nervous system before reaching breaking point

Why anger is often a sign of unmet needs

Practical ways to widen your "window of tolerance"

How to repair after losing your temper without carrying shame

Why anger can become a catalyst for healthier boundaries and positive change

Watch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe.
Loved this episode?
Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode of Motherkind. It helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing.
If you enjoyed this Moment, you can listen to the full episode: A New Way To Look at Your Anger
Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes.
Connect with Zoe:
Follow Zoe on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok

Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’

This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:
Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.