I’m going to open this post up with a confession:

Before I became a mom, I had a lot of preconceived notions about motherhood and I categorized moms in two groups - those who went to work and those who stayed at home. I always aspired to be a working mom (that’s what I saw my own mother do so gracefully with 4 kids..still don’t know how she did it) and that’s what I made up my mind I would be - a 9 to 5er who would work each day using her degree and put my kids in a childcare program because after all, I personally survived being in one! I also had an idea of what moms who stay home with their kids did and I always thought, my gosh why are they complaining, who wouldn’t love to be home all day? All of these ideas about motherhood remained until….I became the MOM!

Holy Shit.

Talk about a R-E-A-L-I-T-Y check. I quickly realized within a month of having my son and trying to study for the bar exam while nursing, pumping, changing diapers, keeping up with laundry, cooking meals, etc. that motherhood was NO JOKE and that the idea of being home wasn’t so glamorous. But, studying and working from home were also no easier. I hated asking for help, I still do, it makes me feel guilty but it’s something I'm working on and when I DID have help, I found myself with this overwhelming sense of anxiety about what was happening with my baby. They don’t prepare you for any of this in any child prep class or book, but it’s real and I know so many other moms go through the same thing.

So, here I was, with a law degree and no idea how I was going to use it and also still be the MOM I wanted to be. Programs in my area for kids under 2 are extremely limited so finding care for my son in order to go back to work full time wasn’t as easy as I had envisioned. It also all had to make sense financially and here I was fresh out of school and still waiting to hear about bar exam results which limits your marketability for jobs. After months of anxiety over it all, I came to a realization, I didn’t have to fit into these two boxes I had created for motherhood.

This is when I began realizing that so many amazing mamas I know were truly redefining all of the standard definitions and views of being a mom. Both my friends and my blogging community all have different stories and things they do as moms, so I really started to LISTEN and LEARN. These empowering women run their own businesses, work in demanding corporate roles, are designers, creators, and the like, all while balancing their role as MOM. I was amazed at just how many ways there are to do this mom thing and no one way is right. Asking for help doesn’t mean you don’t love your kids and deciding to stay home doesn’t mean you don’t value yourself. Motherhood is an incredibly SELFLESS job and if there’s anything i’ve realized, it’s that.

So why this long winded post (cheers to you if you’re still reading) Because last weekend I had the pleasure of walking in a fashion show for the latest Hustle Like A Mom event by a fabulous mama I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with - Pamela Pekerman. This event brought together 10 hard working mamas from all walks of life and all with different business, lifestyles and stories. Yes walking in the show was super fun, but meeting and connecting with 9 other incredible women who are crushing this MOM thing, was really the most inspiring thing i’ve done in a while! And these women reminded me that I am the BOSS of my job and role as a Mom and nobody gets to decide how I take that job on. For me, I’ve found balance in a part-time firm position and part-time at home with my son (with some blogging thrown in here and there) and it’s making sense and working out. That’s all you need, it just needs to make sense to YOU and nobody else!

Finding your tribe is extremely important and it doesn’t need to be big, it just needs to be people who you know will support, uplift and EMPOWER you and your role as mama - a job that has no vacation days!

I am so fortunate to be constantly adding to my circle of friends and POWER MAMAS who do this for me. Be sure to check out all of the fabulous mamas that were part of this past weekend’s event!

@livlunamasha @pamelapeckerman @lanasavoca @dagmaralometti @tararosenblum @ashleybdaly @nycfitfam @amrikibbler @jobufit @beckyginstore

Also check out my look and details from the fashion show, below:

This Ramy Brook gold blazer was a head turner and so many people loved it. My personal favorite piece was this Paige bodysuit. It’s so versatile and perfect for date night or even everyday, though I’d probably pair a cami underneath. The look was all pulled together with Rag & Bone leather leggings. Now these are def a little pricy so check out some more affordable options as well!

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