Ambitious and Balanced Working Moms

Hosted by Rebecca Olson

Business Kids Family Parenting Education

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Episodes

284

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

This is a show for working moms who want to balance their ambitious career goals with their life as a mom. Being a career driven woman is hard and confusing after having kids but each week, Certified Professional Life Coach Rebecca Olson will share bite-size stories, tips and strategies to help you regain your confidence, make decisions you trust and create a positive mindset that supports the ambitious life you want to live. Drawing on seven years of coaching ambitious working mom in finding work/life balance as well as her own journey as the breadwinner of a family of 4, Rebecca will teach you how to be both successful at work and present with your family. If you never want to choose between your career and being a great mom, you’ll find the answers and support right here. Learn more at rebeccaolsoncoaching.com.

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60 recent

July 6, 202624 min

How Working Moms Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

Over the last few months, I've interviewed dozens of working moms through my research and on this podcast. Their jobs were different. Their families were different. Their lives looked different. But the challenges they faced, and the breakthroughs that created lasting balance, were remarkably similar. In this episode, I'm unpacking the four biggest lessons that every working mom needs to hear. In this episode, we unpack:Why time isn't actually the biggest problem for working moms The mindset shifts every balanced woman had in common How intentional living creates a life with fewer regrets Why self-trust is the missing piece of sustainable balance The four biggest insights from interviewing dozens of working moms Work with me:Join Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book a Work-Life Balance Strategy Call: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-call Book Your Mental Load Reset Call Here (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/strategy

June 29, 202613 min

Can Working Moms Get Promoted AND Have Balance? (Yes — Here's How)

If you've been telling yourself, "Maybe now just isn't the right time to go after that promotion," I want you to hear this. In this episode, I share a conversation I had with a working mom who thought she was questioning her ambition, when in reality, she was simply running out of capacity. We unpack why so many ambitious women shrink their dreams instead of expanding their ability to hold them, and why sustainable work-life balance isn't about choosing between career success and family, it creates space for both. In this episode, we unpack:Why feeling "stretched too thin" isn't a clarity problem—it's a capacity problem. The hidden reason ambitious moms stop pursuing promotions. How survival mode quietly shrinks your career goals. Why work-life balance is the foundation for career growth. The simple mindset shift that helps you build a true "both-and" life. Work with me:Join Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book a Work-Life Balance Strategy Call: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-call Book Your Mental Load Reset Call Here (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/strategy

June 22, 202630 min

Podcast Takeover: 2 Moms Talk Confidence, Guilt, and How They Got Their Time Back

For the first time ever, I handed over the microphone to two badass moms from my Ambitious & Balanced coaching program and let them take over the podcast. No script. No questions. No coaching from me. Just an honest conversation between two working moms about what life looked like before coaching, what finally made them say yes to investing in themselves, and what's changed since.What followed was a candid conversation about confidence, guilt, boundaries, burnout, me time, and learning how to stop carrying the weight of everything alone. If you've ever wondered what it's actually like inside Ambitious & Balanced, this episode gives you a front-row seat.In this episode, we unpack:What finally pushed them to seek support instead of trying to figure it out aloneHow guilt, overwhelm, and negative self-talk were impacting their daily livesThe four types of time that helped them feel more balanced and in controlWhy confidence became the biggest transformation from coachingHow small mindset shifts created major changes at work and at homeWork with me:Ambitious & Balanced:www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalancedBook a Work-Life Balance Strategy Call:www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-callBook Your Mental Load Reset Call Here (with free Quiz!):www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/strategy

June 15, 202649 min

There's Gotta Be Another Way: One Mom's Journey Out of Overwhelm (with Tania Deshpande)

For years, Tania believed success meant grinding harder, working longer, and constantly proving her worth. As a working mom in Silicon Valley, she was exhausted, overwhelmed, and stuck in a cycle of perfectionism, guilt, and never feeling like she was doing enough. In this conversation, she shares the mindset shifts, practical tools, and surprising breakthroughs that helped her create a completely different way of living, one where ambition and balance can actually coexist. If you've ever wondered whether there has to be a better way than constantly running on empty, this episode is for you. In this episode, we unpack: Why high-achieving women often tie their worth to productivity The hidden mindset patterns fueling burnout and overwhelm How redefining success changes everything The four types of time every working mom needs Practical tools for overcoming guilt, perfectionism, and negative self-talk Work with me: Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book a Work-Life Balance Strategy Call: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-call Book Your Mental Load Reset Call Here (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/strategy

June 8, 202616 min

Working mom guilt is keeping you stuck (and here’s what to do about it)

What if the guilt you've been carrying as a working mom isn't proof that you're failing... but a signal that you're unclear on what matters most? In this episode, I challenge the idea that mom guilt is just part of the job description and share why guilt often points to a lack of clarity around priorities, balance, and success. Through real client stories and practical examples, you'll learn how defining what truly matters to you can reduce guilt, increase confidence, and help you feel more in control of your life as a working mom. In this episode, we unpack: Why mom guilt is often a clarity problem, not a parenting problem The hidden connection between guilt and your beliefs about "having it all" How defining your version of balance changes daily decision-making Allison's story of moving from chronic guilt to confidence and calm Practical ways to feel empowered instead of constantly second-guessing yourself Work with me:Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book a Work-Life Balance Strategy Call: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-call Book Your Mental Load Reset Call Here (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/strategy Links and References:Listen to Kelly’s story: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/279 Listen to Allison’s story:www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/280

June 1, 202640 min

A Working Mom’s Breakthrough About Work-Life Balance (with Allison Costelow)

My client Allison shares the moment she realized she’d been living by expectations she never consciously chose, and how redefining balance on her own terms changed everything. In this conversation, we talk about the pressure ambitious working moms carry, the invisible mental load, the myth of the “magic button,” and the surprisingly simple shifts that finally helped her feel calmer, more present, and back in control of her life.In this episode, we unpack: Why “work-life balance” feels impossible when you never define what it actually means to you The hidden expectations ambitious moms are unconsciously trying to live up to How small planning tools created more calm, presence, and control The mindset shift that helped Allison stop feeling like a slave to her schedule Why investing in yourself isn’t selfish — it’s necessary for real change Work with me: Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book a Work-Life Balance Strategy Call: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced-call Book your Mental Load Reset Call here (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/strategy

May 25, 202641 min

Forever Balance: The Principles Behind Sustainable Work-Life Balance (with Kelly Maher)

What if balance actually lasted? In this episode, I talk with my client Kelly, who once believed a promotion would cost her everything at home. Now she’s doing both—leading at work and feeling present with her kids—and the shift wasn’t doing more or lowering her standards. It was learning how to think differently. We break down “forever balance” and why most women feel like they’re starting over every time life gets busy. In this episode, we unpack: What “forever balance” actually means (and why most women never experience it) Why balance isn’t about doing less or lowering expectations The power of clarity—what really matters vs. what you’ve been told should matter How to stop living reactively and start making intentional decisions The simple daily practices that make balance sustainableWork with me: Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book your Break Free From Stress Strategy Call (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/break-free-from-stress

May 18, 202618 min

Working Mom Burnout: Why Summer Is the Breaking Point (And How to Stop It Before It Starts)

Summer can feel like a pressure cooker for working moms. The camps, the childcare scramble, the disrupted routines, the pressure to make magical memories, the guilt of being behind at work while also feeling like you’re not fully present at home — it’s a lot. In this conversation, I’m sharing the real reason so many ambitious working moms burn out during the summer months and the one shift that helps you stop running yourself into the ground trying to do it all.In this episode, we unpack:Why summer creates a unique kind of burnout for working momsThe mental load behind camps, childcare, and “making memories”Why balance is not a destination — it’s an active practiceThe hidden danger of treating your own needs like an afterthoughtHow to reclaim control over your time, priorities, and energy this summerWork with me:Ambitious & Balanced:www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalancedBook your Break Free From Stress Strategy Call (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/break-free-from-stressReferenced podcast episode on “If, Then Commitments”:https://youtu.be/Ib7LjGFtybM?si=XxYQ238eonZ1dJ5F

May 11, 202621 min

Work-Life Balance in the Middle of Uncertainty: Navigating AI Job Loss as a Working Mom

What happens when the career you worked so hard to build suddenly feels uncertain? In this episode, I’m talking about the fear, overwhelm, and identity spiral so many working moms are experiencing right now as AI rapidly changes industries and job security. But instead of teaching you how to “hold on tighter,” I’m walking you through how to stay grounded, calm, and strategic in the middle of uncertainty. I share my own experience leaving the safety of a paycheck to start my coaching business, the mindset shift that changed everything for me, and the exact three things you actually can control when life feels wildly unpredictable. In this episode, we unpack:Why uncertainty itself is not what creates overwhelm How AI disruption is uniquely impacting women in leadership and tech The dangerous trap of trying to control the uncontrollable The 3 things you always have control over in uncertain seasons Practical tools to regulate your nervous system and stay grounded Work with me:Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book your Break Free From Stress Strategy Call (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/break-free-from-stress Download the free Daily Kickstart: www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/daily-kickstart

May 4, 202619 min

Why You're Not Procrastinating (And What's Actually Holding You Back)

You’re not procrastinating… you’re protecting something.In this episode, I walk you through the difference between procrastination and resistance, and how what feels like avoidance is actually your brain protecting your identity. Once you understand that, everything shifts. I’ll show you how to move through that resistance without waiting for confidence and how to finally take action on the things that matter most. In this episode, we unpack: The real difference between procrastination and resistance Why resistance shows up when your identity feels at risk The truth about confidence (and why you don’t need it to act) Alternative “fuel sources” to move forward—like purpose, anger, love, and community The power of a simple 5% move to break through the resistance wall Work with me: Ambitious & Balanced: www.rebeccaolsoncoaching.com/ambitiousandbalanced Book your Break Free From Stress Strategy Call (with free Quiz!): www.ambitiousandbalanced.com/break-free-from-stress