Hi {{ Name | there }},
A 2024 study conducted with 10,000 women found that 78% of mothers put their family's health before their own.
I've been one of them.
There was a time I thought health was a luxury I couldn't afford.
Not when I was breastfeeding at 2 AM.
Not when Slack messages piled up faster than I could open them.
Not when every minute felt like a tradeoff between my kids, my team, and myself.
But I've learned this: Self-love is strength.
And this is a key pillar at Career Mama.
Every high-performing mom inside the community adopts the mindset that taking care of ourselves is foundational, not optional.
Why?
Because when we nourish our mind and body, we are able to amplify our impact while setting a powerful example for our kids.
When I don't take care of myself, everything else breaks down. I snap faster at my kids. I second-guess decisions at work. I get sick, which takes me out of the game completely.
But when I prioritize my health, I conquer overwhelm faster and achieve more.
That's why I stopped waiting for "free time" to focus on my health.
Instead, I've built small systems that make it easier to show up for myself every day, even if imperfectly:
#1 Redefine what health looks like
I used to think being healthy meant 1-hour workouts, eating clean every day, and a 5-step night routine.
Now?
It’s sometimes 20 minutes of movement.
A protein shake and water before my morning coffee.
My breakfast is cottage cheese and 2 boiled eggs (with 1 yolk).
Protein and vegetable-focused meals that we’ve meal prepped so I can eat before I get hangry. I minimize processed foods and read food labels before purchasing.
Health isn't all or nothing. It's something every day.
#2 I schedule time for health, like every other priority
Weighted vest walks, workouts, and doctor appointments are all on my calendar.
I decline calls or requests that overlap.
Just like I wouldn't ghost a customer or skip a pediatrician appointment, I don't ghost myself either.
Though while I do try to protect my lunch hour, most days I’m eating lunch at my desk and multitasking.
#3 I forgive myself when I fall off
As a mom with young kids, I've felt pressured to 'bounce back'. I've had to mentally resist this and remind myself that health is about caring for myself and my family, not meeting society's appearance standards.
There are weeks when sick kids derail everything, or I'm unable to move things around due to intense work deadlines.
I no longer treat that as a failure. I treat it as life, and I focus on getting back in the rhythm.
If you're in a season where your own needs feel selfish or unimportant, this is your reminder: Your health isn't a tradeoff. It's what powers your ability to show up for your team and your family.
Maybe consider starting with one thing? Something that doesn’t require too much effort to be incorporated into your routine.
A 10-minute walk. A full night's sleep. Some self-time reading a book.
Want to know which food brands I buy and what I eat everyday to get healthy? Reply back and I’ll send you my exact plan.
Cheers,
Shivani
P.S. As a mom, I learned about self-love and to recognize my value at work from other high-performing moms. That’s why I’m so excited to (hopefully) speak at SXSW on the “Motherhood is a Power Move: AI Can’t Replace a Mom’s Skills” panel with my friends and rockstar leaders including Bobbie’s Co-Founder, Salesforce’s SVP of Cybersecurity, and the Chairwoman of the News Product Alliance.
We'll have an unfiltered conversation to share strategies and mindset shifts we've used to: Stay visible without overextending, turn “mom skills” into executive strengths & master work-life balance with tools and tradeoffs.
If this resonates, we’d love your support. 🗳 SXSW uses public voting to pick panels - and your vote matters.
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Thank you so much for helping to get this important conversation to the main stage!
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