Hello and welcome to this episode #20 and the first in Season Two of the Mother's Quest Podcast! This week's guest, Kathleen Shannon, embodies the qualities of an independent, hard-working feminist. She also has this incredible generosity and openness and has impacted so many women, including myself, by sharing her experiences as a mother and an entrepreneur. Kathleen is the co-founder of Braid Creative & Consulting and the co-host of one of my favorites, the Being Boss podcast for creative entrepreneurs. Through her work at Braid Creative and Being Boss she has helped thousands of creative entrepreneurs from all over the world authentically brand and position themselves as creative experts, cultivate confidence in their business, and blend more of who they are into the work they do. When she's not podcasting, writing a book, or shaping her next newsletter she's hanging with her husband Jeremy and their toddler Fox. In this episode, Kathleen reflects on the impact her mother's total adoration and acceptance had on her, giving her the freedom to be herself along with the secure foundation to be creative and explore. We talk about the challenges of motherhood, the profound experience of her home birth, the sleep deprivation she experienced in her first year, and the tough decisions she's had to make to build her businesses and be fully present for her son She also shares how she's learned to ask for help. Her fiercely independent attitude made it difficult for her to get support from her network. But learning to lean on her support network allows her to make a passionate & purposeful impact beyond her son and in turn allowed her son to learn to love other people and experience opportunities that she alone can't provide him. Kathleen also shares how she invests in herself by prioritizing her health, creating white space, and owning her schedule. And, she gives us two challenges, the first to reach out to someone to care for our child and the second to spend some time with our calendars, designing our ideal week and noticing the gap between the ideal and the real. I loved connecting personally with Kathleen and left the conversation enriched by the spectrum between surrender and control, security and freedom and a sense of excitement for re-designing my time to allow for the full range of both. Topics discussed in this episode:

Kathleen's unusual and early first memory
How freedom within the context of security allowed Kathleen's creativity to thrive
Kathleen's experience giving birth to Fox, which she says felt like seeing God, made her more connected to herself, and is the coolest thing she's ever done
The impact of sleep deprivation and the importance of asking for help
We don't have to be present for our kids 24/7 but we should be fully present in the moments that have the most meaning
A recent example where Kathleen realized she's really making the difference she wants to make
Creating balance, white space, community, and the impact of one on one conversations
The conflict of creating comfort and stability for Kathleen's child while being creative and adventurous
How putting relationships first and business second is what makes partnerships thrive
Connecting the dots between being a mother and being a boss

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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Acknowledgements A big THANK YOU to our "patrons" for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

Erin Kendall of Fit Mom Go, who provided this week's dedication
Niko Osoteo
Erik Newton
Claire Fry
Divya Silbermann
Rachel Winter
Caren and Debbie Lieberman
Cameron Miranda
Fran and David Lieberman
Debbie and Alan Goore
Jenise and Marianne of the Sustainable Living Podcast

If you'd like to make a contribution to Mother's Quest to support Season Two of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution http://mothersquest.com/be-a-supporter/

If you would like to "dedicate" an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

Mother's Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Barbara McQuade joins Tavis Smiley