The Sparkle Project

Emily Rose MacDonald
  • 5.0 (23)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

The version of motherhood we're sold looks nothing like the one we're actually living. That's by design. The Sparkle Project is for the moms who are done pretending otherwise, and ready to reclaim the parts of themselves that got lost along the way. Hosted by Emily MacDonald, a single mom, feminist, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, each episode digs into the identity shifts, invisible labor, and systemic failures that make motherhood so hard. You'll hear from the experts, advocates, and real women who are finding their way back to themselves, so you can feel less alone in the hard parts and more like yourself in all the rest. Somewhere between the mental load and the mom guilt, your shine is still there. The Sparkle Project is your space to find it. (Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast) 

  1. 1d ago

    Unsupported and Unseen: How a Lack of Postpartum Support Breeds Martyrdom and Disconnection

    With the Lindsay Clancy taking center stage in the current cultural conversation, this week's conversation is adding to the discussion about how a systemic lack of postpartum supports impacts moms, families, and society at large. In this episode, Emily explores what happens when one of the most vulnerable seasons of motherhood teaches you that you’re supposed to handle everything yourself. Emily digs into the connection between inadequate postpartum support and the patterns of martyrdom, mom guilt, and self-sacrifice that can follow us into later stages of motherhood. She talks about why prioritizing yourself can feel so uncomfortable, how early experiences in motherhood can influence what you believe you should be able to handle, and why understanding where these patterns came from can be an important part of reconnecting with yourself. In this episode: The gap between prenatal care and postpartum supportHow the lack of support becomes normalized in early motherhoodThe connection between postpartum experiences and maternal self-sacrificeWhy asking for help can bring up shame and mom guiltHow martyrdom contributes to losing your sense of selfWhy prioritizing yourself benefits more than just youThe role of awareness and self-compassion in reconnecting with yourselfWhether you recently had a baby or you’re years beyond postpartum and wondering when you stopped feeling like yourself, this conversation offers a new way to understand why changing these patterns can feel so difficult. If this episode resonates, share it with another mom who needs this conversation. And if The Sparkle Project is supporting you in your motherhood journey, subscribe and leave a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Episode Topics: postpartum supportlack of postpartum supportpostpartum care for motherspostpartum mental healthmotherhood and identitylosing yourself in motherhoodfeeling lost in motherhoodreconnecting with yourself after motherhoodmaternal self-sacrificemotherhood martyrdommom martyrdommom guiltputting yourself first as a momprioritizing yourself as a momasking for help as a mommotherhood burnoutsupport for new momspostpartum recoverypostpartum anxietypostpartum depressionpostpartum mental health supportmotherhood and self-worthfinding yourself again after having kidsrediscovering yourself after motherhoodsense of self after becoming a momidentity loss after having a babySend us Fan Mail

  2. Aug 11

    The Identity Shift No One Warns High-Performing Moms About with Alexis Adams

    You spent your whole life being the woman who worked hard, achieved your goals, and built an identity around being capable. Then motherhood arrived - and suddenly the strategies that always worked stopped working.  Many ambitious women enter motherhood believing they'll simply add "mom" to everything they've already built. Instead, they find themselves questioning their identity, battling perfectionism, and wondering why they no longer feel successful in the ways they once did. In this episode, Emily sits down with licensed mental health therapist and coach Alexis Adams to unpack the challenges high-achieving women often face in motherhood. Together they explore the hidden pressure to perform, the emotional patterns that keep moms stuck, and why the answer isn't simply doing less. Alexis also shares her POWER framework for creating lasting change, helping moms move away from reacting out of fear and toward living with greater intention. In this episode, they discuss: Why high-achieving women often struggle with identity after becoming momsHow patterns of perfectionism and people-pleasing show up in motherhoodWhy success before kids doesn't always translate into confidence after kidsAlexis's POWER framework for breaking reactive patternsWhy self-awareness alone isn't enough to create changeLearning to pursue ambition without sacrificing yourselfIf motherhood has left you feeling unfulfilled and unsure of yourself, this is one you don't want to miss!  🔗 Connect with Alexis: Instagram: @confidently.alexis Website: www.confidentlytherapy.org ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

  3. Aug 4

    Create a Lighter Life: Joy, Gratitude, & Ease in Motherhood with Morgan Jackson

    Have you ever wished life felt a little lighter? In this episode, Emily is joined by Morgan Jackson, founder of Light 56, to explore how small, intentional habits can help you experience more joy, gratitude, playfulness, and peace in your everyday life. Morgan shares the mindset shifts that transformed her own life after a difficult season and explains why feeling lighter isn't about doing more, but actually noticing what truly brings you joy, giving yourself grace, and creating simple rhythms that help you reconnect with yourself. In this episode, we cover: Why life and motherhood can feel so heavyWhat it really means to "feel lighter"Morgan's LIGHT Framework for living with more intentionSimple habits that help you build lasting changeHow to embrace imperfection and still make meaningful progressFinding joy in ordinary, everyday momentsThis episode is an invitation to consider what light is needed in your own life, and shift towards bringing more of that energy into your day-to-day - all to create a life that feels aligned with your truest self. 🔗 Connect with Morgan: Instagram: @lightfiftysix Website: www.light56.com ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

  4. Jul 28

    Vacation Mode: The Invisible Labor Behind Summer Fun

    Summer is supposed to feel fun and relaxing... so why does it often leave moms feeling completely exhausted? In this episode, Emily is uncovering the invisible labor of summer as a mom. From planning vacations and coordinating childcare to carrying the mental load of keeping everyone fed, entertained, and happy, summer often creates more work and stress instead of less. If you've ever felt guilty for counting down the days until school starts, questioned whether you're doing enough to make summer "magical," or wondered why everyone else seems to be enjoying the season more than you, this conversation is for you. Emily unpacks the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers during summer break and shares a fresh perspective that can help you release some of the pressure for the rest of the season and beyond. If this episode resonated with you, share it with another mom who could use the reminder that she's already doing enough. ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review! Send us Fan Mail

  5. Jul 21

    Your Body Knows the Way: Reconnecting to Your Innate Power with Sara Putney

    Many moms move through life feeling disconnected from themselves, stuck in survival mode, or wondering where their sense of self went after motherhood. In this episode, Emily is joined by Sara Putney, trauma-informed somatic breathwork facilitator, host of The Modern Matriarch Podcast, and founder of Remothering Mamas, for a powerful conversation about reconnecting with your body, your nervous system, and your innate power. Together, they explore how somatic healing and breathwork can help you move beyond autopilot, reconnect with your true self, and begin breaking generational patterns without relying on willpower alone. In this episode, they discuss: Why so many moms feel stuck in survival mode and disconnected from themselvesHow the nervous system influences our emotions, reactions, and sense of identityHow body-led healing complements traditional mindset work and therapySimple practices to build a stronger mind-body connectionWhy tuning into your body can help you make more aligned decisionsThe ripple effect of healing yourself for future generationsThis conversation offers gentle, practical ways to begin listening to the wisdom your body has been holding all along.  🔗 Connect with Sara: Instagram: @remotheringmamas Website: www.remotheringmamas.com ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Episode Topics: somatic healingsomatic breathworkbreathworkbody-led healingnervous system regulationnervous system healingmind-body connectionreconnecting with yourselfself-discoveryself-trustinnate powerhealing journeymotherhoodidentity after motherhoodmotherhood and identitysurvival modeemotional regulationgenerational traumachildhood traumatrauma healingtrauma-informed healingreconnecting with your bodybody awarenessintuitionhealing for momsSend us Fan Mail

  6. Jul 14

    Why Modern Motherhood Feels So Overwhelming (& How to Trust Yourself Again) with Kaitlyn Dove

    Mothers today have more access to resources and information than ever before, but the result isn't necessarily greater confidence in our parenting journey. Instead, many moms feel overwhelmed by the constant input. If you find yourself questioning every parenting decision, carrying constant mom guilt, and feeling like you've lost trust in yourself, this conversation is for you.  Kaitlyn Dove, a therapist, coach, and mom of two, is joining The Sparkle Project to explore why motherhood feels so emotionally loud in today's world. Between social media, Google, AI, comparison, and the pressure to get everything "right," many moms are left feeling disconnected from themselves and unsure of their own instincts. Kaitlyn shares why rebuilding self-trust is one of the most important things we can do as mothers and why awareness, not perfection, is the foundation for lasting change. In this episode, we discuss: • Why modern motherhood feels more overwhelming than ever • How social media, Google, and AI can undermine self-trust • The connection between mom guilt and unrealistic expectations • Why awareness is the first step toward breaking generational patterns • How motherhood changes your identity and why that's okay • The importance of defining your own values before seeking parenting advice • Practical ways to reconnect with yourself in everyday motherhood If you've been feeling overwhelmed by modern motherhood, this conversation will remind you that you don't need another parenting script. You need to reconnect with yourself. 🔗 Connect with Kaitlyn: Instagram: @thenurturedtheory Website: www.thenurturedtheory.com ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Episode Topics: modern motherhoodoverwhelmed mommotherhood in the age of social mediatrust yourself as a mommom guiltmaternal mental healthmotherhood burnouthow social media affects motherhoodparenting adviceparenting confidencemillennial motherhoodidentity in motherhoodmotherhood identityemotional overwhelmparenting in the digital agecomparison in motherhoodmotherhood expectationsbreaking generational cyclescycle breakingmotherhood and mental healthpostpartum identitymotherhood coachingtherapist for momsreconnecting with yourself after motherhoodmotherhood and self-worthmotherhood mental loadfinding yourself after becoming a momparenting without comparisonovercoming mom guiltSend us Fan Mail

  7. Jul 7

    The One Shift That Makes Self-Love Finally Feel Possible

    If you've ever felt like you need to become a better version of yourself before you deserve self-love, this episode is for you. In this solo episode, Emily shares the perspective that transformed how she thinks about self-love and why it has nothing to do with being perfect. Instead, it's about the small decisions we make every day that either reinforce self-sacrifice or build genuine self-love over time. This episode covers: What self-love actually meansWhy self-care alone isn't enoughHow boundaries build self-worthThe daily choices that shape your relationship with yourselfWhy loving yourself helps your children learn to do the sameYou deserve your own love and care, and this episode is one small step towards a life of more self-love (and all the good things that come with it). ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review! Send us Fan Mail

  8. Jun 30

    How Community Helps Moms Reclaim Their Identity After Motherhood with Julia Lotin

    Motherhood changes everything, including the way we see ourselves. But what happens when the support you expected never arrives? And how do you reconnect with yourself when you're carrying the mental load of caring for everyone else? In this episode, Emily sits down with Julia Lotin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, maternal mental health advocate, and founder of Melanin Mass Moms, to explore the powerful role community plays in helping moms navigate identity shifts, isolation, and the journey back to themselves. Julia shares her own experience of feeling alone as a new mother, why she created a community that now serves thousands of moms of color, and how support systems can become a critical protective factor for maternal mental health. Together, they discuss the reality of modern motherhood, the pressure to do it all, and why many moms struggle in silence even when surrounded by people. The episode explores: Why so many moms feel isolated, even when they have supportThe connection between community and maternal mental healthWhat it really means to reconnect with yourself after having childrenThe power of culturally affirming support spacesWhy asking for help is a crucial act of self-carePractical ways to begin building your villageSmall daily practices that can help you feel more like yourself againIf you've ever felt disconnected from yourself, longed for a village, or wondered how to start finding your way back, this conversation is for you. 🔗 Connect with Julia: Instagram: @journeytoselfservices and @melaninmassmoms Website: www.journeytoselfservices.com  ✨ Let’s keep the convo going: Follow Emily on Instagram → @honestlyemilyrose Follow the podcast on TikTok → @thesparkleprojectpod Subscribe + Review: If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow mom and leave a 5-star review!  Send us Fan Mail

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About

The version of motherhood we're sold looks nothing like the one we're actually living. That's by design. The Sparkle Project is for the moms who are done pretending otherwise, and ready to reclaim the parts of themselves that got lost along the way. Hosted by Emily MacDonald, a single mom, feminist, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, each episode digs into the identity shifts, invisible labor, and systemic failures that make motherhood so hard. You'll hear from the experts, advocates, and real women who are finding their way back to themselves, so you can feel less alone in the hard parts and more like yourself in all the rest. Somewhere between the mental load and the mom guilt, your shine is still there. The Sparkle Project is your space to find it. (Formerly Worthy Mother Podcast) 

Information

  • Creator
    Emily Rose MacDonald
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    283
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Sparkle Project
  • Show Website
    The Sparkle Project