The Mothering Project

Christina Byrne
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The Mothering Project is for women, carers, and empathetic leaders navigating work, care, and identity — and wondering when exactly the mental load gets its own day off. Honest conversations about motherhood, leadership, and holding it all together (mostly) 

  1. The Mother You Become — Becoming a mother

    3d ago

    The Mother You Become — Becoming a mother

    Send us Fan Mail Becoming a Mother — The Emotional Reality No One Can Fully Prepare You For In Episode 1 of The Mother You Become mini-series, I sit down with Fionnuala for a really honest conversation about the early days of motherhood — the shock, the identity shift, the emotional rollercoaster, the overwhelm… and the love that completely changes you. We talk about what it actually felt like bringing our babies home, the pressure so many women quietly carry, and the parts of motherhood that nobody can fully prepare you for. This episode isn’t about having all the answers. It’s just two women reflecting honestly on one of the biggest transitions of our lives 🤍 In this episode we talk about: – the emotional shock of becoming a mother – postpartum emotions and identity shifts – the pressure to “get it right” – support, self-care and survival in the early weeks – learning to trust your own intuition – the beauty and complexity of early motherhood If you’re in this season now, preparing for motherhood, or reflecting on your own experience, I hope this episode makes you feel seen ✨ Christina x

    24 min

  2. May 18

    Done Dreaming? Here's How to Actually Start

    Send us Fan Mail Ever get that feeling that something needs to change — but you don't know where to begin? In this solo episode, I cut through the overwhelm and shares five honest, practical tips for anyone considering a career change or side hustle. Whether you're burned out, curious, or just quietly knowing there's more for you — this one's for you. In this episode you'll learn: Why burnout is a signal, not a reason to quit — and what to do insteadHow to follow your passion and intuitive pulls without throwing caution to the windThe smart way to test your ideas before you make any big leapsHow to build a financial and emotional safety net that actually supports your transitionWhy community and mentorship are the most underrated tools in a career pivot

    12 min

  3. May 11

    The Return Home: Motherhood, Business & Reinventing Yourself with Fionnuala Wylie

    Send us Fan Mail Our lovely guest is back — and this conversation feels even more needed the second time around. In this heartfelt follow-up episode, I sit down again with Fionnuala Wylie to talk about the transitions that quietly reshape us — motherhood, moving countries, identity shifts, burnout, business evolution, and learning to trust yourself through it all. After spending nine years abroad, Fionnuala shares what it has really felt like returning home to Ireland, navigating change as a mother and business owner, and honouring the version of herself she’s becoming in this next season. This episode is for the women in-between.  The women evolving.  The women questioning what they want now. And maybe needing the reminder that growth doesn’t always look loud — sometimes it looks like slowing down, recalibrating, and choosing differently. In this episode:  Why returning home after years abroad brought unexpected emotional shifts  The identity changes that come with motherhood and business growth The Irish weather chat ;)  Learning to celebrate small wins instead of constantly chasing the next thing  How support systems, routines, and community can hold you through change  The importance of adapting your business and energy for different seasons of life  Trusting uncertainty instead of fighting it  Why the “in-between” seasons often shape us the mostI hope you enjoy this one :)

    39 min

  4. May 4

    From Spray Tans to Brow Boss: Building Two Businesses by Backing Yourself

    Send us Fan Mail Are you sitting on a dream, wondering if it’s too late or too big? Ciara Gallagher’s story is the reminder you didn’t know you needed. From traffic control to building a thriving beauty business, this conversation is all about bold moves, backing yourself, and learning as you go — not before you start. We dive into the real journey behind the highlight reel — the pivots, the burnout, the risks, and the little moments that quietly changed everything. If you’ve ever felt the pull to do something more, this episode will meet you right there. In This Episode  Ciara’s unexpected leap from traffic control into beauty entrepreneurship  How spotting trends (before they explode) can change everything  The role of self-awareness in leadership and building a team  What it really takes to develop products from scratch  Why mentorship and connections aren’t optional — they’re essential  Burnout, boundaries, and building a business that doesn’t break you  The mindset shifts needed to grow and scale sustainably  Trusting your intuition (even when it doesn’t make logical sense)  Resources & Links Brow Era Products — Ciara’s brow product range https://browera.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopjd2mt3wtV-a2ipafR1XxjEfXBFhS0D2DFYxq92up0h7p8ecufConnect with Ciara  Instagram — follow her journey, business insights & behind-the-scenes - Instagram Browera - https://www.instagram.com/browera/

    49 min

  5. Apr 27

    The Quiet Signs You’re About to Change Your Life

    Send us Fan Mail Sometimes life still looks completely normal on the outside… but internally something has shifted. In this solo episode, I’m talking about the quieter signs that often appear before a change in career, pace, identity, or priorities — the things many women feel before they fully understand what is happening. This isn’t about dramatic reinvention.  It’s about recognising what keeps returning, what feels heavier than it used to, and why uncertainty often shows up before clarity does. If you’ve been questioning things quietly, this episode may feel very familiar. In this episode:  The subtle signs life may be asking you to change  Why certainty rarely comes first  How heaviness can be useful information  Why small moves often matter more than big plans  The truth about identity wobble during growth  Why pace change can matter more than career change  How to trust what keeps returning 00:00 Why change often starts quietly 00:24 The subtle signs many women overlook 01:10 Why questioning your life matters 01:36 Sign one: don’t wait for certainty 02:34 When heaviness is information 03:55 Starting before confidence arrives 04:48 Why quiet building matters 05:41 Let values lead before titles 07:42 Identity wobble is normal 08:32 Small experiments create movement 09:29 Sometimes it’s pace, not career 10:37 Most people feel less certain than they look 11:49 Trust what keeps returning 13:10 Why your next chapter may already be beginning My website : https://www.christina-byrne.com/

    14 min
  6. When Life No Longer Fits: Thy Nguyen on Motherhood, Change and Letting Go

    Apr 20

    When Life No Longer Fits: Thy Nguyen on Motherhood, Change and Letting Go

    Send us Fan Mail This week on The Mothering Project, I’m joined by Thy Nguyen /Monzo for a really honest conversation about identity, motherhood, and what happens when life asks you to begin again in a different way than you expected. Thy shares her journey from running a yoga studio to stepping into work that looked very different, navigating motherhood, the pressure of business ownership, and the emotional reality of closing something she had once poured so much of herself into. We talk about what COVID shifted — practically and personally — and the way motherhood can bring both clarity and conflict: what matters, what no longer fits, and how hard it can be to hear your own voice underneath the noise of everyday life. There’s also a powerful conversation around mental load, self-awareness, and the invisible work women often carry — not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. What I loved most in this conversation is Thy’s honesty: about not getting it right all the time, about learning through change, and about giving yourself permission to evolve without guilt. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt themselves changing and wondered what to hold onto — and what they may need to let go of 💛🎙️ Thy - Yoga  https://www.instagram.com/yogawiththy/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVhzv0ICVaR/?igsh=eWRtZGpoNnVoc2Uy

    53 min

  7. Mar 30

    Backing Yourself: Carla on Business, Motherhood and Starting Again, New Chapters.

    Send us Fan Mail Some conversations stay with you because they hold both strength and softness at the same time — and this is one of them. In this episode, Carla shares the story behind leaving corporate life, backing herself, and building a Pilates business that reflects not just ambition, but who she was becoming underneath it all. We talk about the courage it takes to begin again — professionally, personally, and emotionally — and how life can ask us to keep evolving even when we would rather stay certain. Carla speaks openly about opening a studio during COVID, navigating pressure, motherhood, relationships, leadership, and the quieter inner shifts that often happen alongside visible success. There is something deeply relatable in this conversation for any woman who has ever questioned whether she is allowed to want more, change direction, or rebuild parts of her life without apology. It is a conversation about resilience, yes — but also identity, self-trust, and learning that growth often asks us to let old versions of ourselves soften. In this episode we explore:  Leaving corporate life and backing yourself  Building a business through uncertainty  Motherhood and ambition sitting side by side  Divorce, relationships, and personal evolution  Leadership and holding space for others  Why self-care often looks simple, not perfect  Creating a business that feels aligned with who you are now A few moments that stayed: “I back myself to give everything a go.”  “Marriage is a chapter, not a failure.”  “Walking is my daily self-care ritual.” Connect with Carla: Carla Instagram - Instagram Hiit Pilates - Instagram HIIT Pilates Studio | Reformer Pilates Sydney And in case any of you listening want a change of life or career, See this amazing Pilates Reformer Course.  Reformer Pilates Teacher Training | HIIT Pilates Academy (Online & In-Studio) — HIIT Pilates Studio

    1h 3m

  8. Mar 23

    The Quiet Season Before Things Change

    Send us Fan Mail Sometimes life can look completely normal on the outside… while internally, something is quietly shifting. In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on that kind of season — the one where change is happening, but not always in ways other people can see yet. I share a little of what this season has felt like for me: building the podcast, growing my work, getting clearer on what I want to create, and learning to trust what is forming even when there is not yet obvious proof. Because not every meaningful shift arrives with dramatics.  Sometimes the strongest change happens quietly — in ordinary weeks, small decisions, and moments where you begin to trust yourself differently. If you are in a season where something feels like it is moving, even if life still looks the same, this episode is for you. Key Topics  what quiet change can feel like before anything looks different externallybuilding something before you fully know what it will becometrusting your own timingthe role values play when life feels uncertainallowing identity to evolve without forcing itTakeaways Change often begins long before it becomes visibleYou do not always get proof straight away that something is workingInternal clarity matters just as much as external progressQuiet seasons can still be deeply productiveI would really like if you haven't already if you liked and shared with anyone who you think would enjoy it!

    16 min
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About

The Mothering Project is for women, carers, and empathetic leaders navigating work, care, and identity — and wondering when exactly the mental load gets its own day off. Honest conversations about motherhood, leadership, and holding it all together (mostly) 

Information

  • Creator
    Christina Byrne
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Mothering Project
  • Show Website
    The Mothering Project

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