
Special Bonus with Rachel Nielson: "The Simplest Shift to Find the Magic in Your Motherhood"
About ProgressShow Notes
What if the secret to loving motherhood isn't enjoying every minute, but recognizing the small, golden moments that make motherhood feel magical? Rachel Nielson, host of 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms Podcast, founder of Flecks of Gold Journal, and special sponsor of this Conference, wants moms to start looking for the tiny flecks of gold tucked into their days with their kids instead of waiting for the huge nuggets of joy. This is a practice that saved Rachel's young motherhood when her expectations of cotton candy and angel babies met the cold hard reality of colicky newborns and fiery toddlers. Learning to locate the small, golden moments shifted the story Rachel was telling herself about her children and her parenting, and it's continued to support Rachel (and so many other moms) as her kids have grown, alongside their struggles. With practical tips and simple mindset shifts, Rachel encourages every mom to stop trying to "enjoy every minute," and to instead focus on a single moment that documents daily why you love motherhood as much as you love your kids.
FREEBIE for all: Find Your Magic in Motherhood Mini Course A 5-Day mini-course to help you find your magic in motherhood.
BONUS raffled off to one participant: One Free Flecks of Gold Journal!
Get 15% your Flecks of Gold Journal with the code MORE.
Rachel Nielson is a motherhood educator, podcaster, and mom of two. As a former high school English teacher, she has a gift for making complex ideas clear and actionable—a skill that shows up in everything she creates. Rachel's own path into motherhood came through adoption and IVF, and she expected to love every minute of it. Instead, she found herself lost in postpartum depression, wondering why loving her kids and loving her motherhood felt like two entirely different things. So she started the 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms podcast, where she's since interviewed more than 350 parenting and self-development experts, searching for the core principles behind a motherhood that actually feels good to live. What she learned along the way became the Self-Assured Motherhood Framework, the foundation for her live program, and the Flecks of Gold Journal for Moms. Everything Rachel creates is designed to help women find joy in their own unique motherhood, not the one they think they're supposed to have.
FOLLOW ON IG
WEBSITE
OTHER LINKS
UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed
PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker)
CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from About Progress
In this Growth Spurt, I share a moment from narrating my audiobook for Sticky Habits when I spotted small errors that survived countless rounds of editing. Spiraling into self-doubt, I had to remind myself that even masterpieces like Harry Potter and Oppenheimer aren't perfect — and that mistakes aren't just unavoidable, they're a necessary part of the path. The only way to avoid mistakes is by not trying, and that's the biggest mistake of all.
How many times have you caught yourself scrolling and immediately thought, "Oh no, I did it again. I seriously need more self-control"? I've done this too. We all do. But what if scrolling isn't proof that you lack discipline? In this episode, I talk with Ruby Ryba, author of How to Stop Scrolling, about a much more compassionate way to use our phones less.
Ever wonder why you feel like you have to hustle for everything, or why one critical comment can undo a whole good day? In this clip, Jessica Hottel gets honest about growing up in survival mode and how those early beliefs followed her into adulthood: the approval-chasing, the trouble resting, and the shutting down when she felt triggered.
After months of interviews for my book Sticky Habits, one question kept coming up: "How do you make time for self-care habits?" And it stopped me in my tracks. We love to say "just make time," but honestly? I think that reeks of toxic positivity. I spent a year and a half waking up at 5:00 AM to write my book while walking, doing strength training, and running on fumes — and it nearly broke me. You will never make time for everything — need, good, or worthy — and that's not just okay, it's the whole point. So let's talk about what it really means to make time for what matters, without losing yourself in the process.
Have you ever looked around your home and thought, "I'm just bad at this"? I've been there too — wrong-size rugs, bad paint colors, the works. In this episode, I talk with interior decorating educator Dani Watson about why perfectionism — not lack of talent — is what really keeps us stuck. Dani shares her own messy learning journey and teaches us that decorating is a skill anyone can build.