STOP Trying to Do It All and Do THIS Instead | Joey Djia

You’ve been trying to do it all. And somehow you still end up feeling guilty, scattered and not fully present anywhere. The problem isn’t that you want more. It’s the belief that you have to carry all of it at once.

In this episode of The Balance Theory, Erika sits down with Joey Djia, singer-songwriter, content creator, founder of baby and parenting brand Little & Co and mum of two sets of twins, to unpack the reality of being an ambitious working mum who also wants to be a deeply present one. Joey shares what it was like to raise four babies one and under, how motherhood changed her capacity but not her ambition and how she handles mum guilt while building businesses from home. This is not a guide to doing it all perfectly. It is an honest conversation about holding two truths at once.

If you have ever caught yourself thinking:

"Did I even hold them today, just because I wanted to?"

"Why do I feel so guilty taking a day to work?"

"I'm here with my kids, but my brain is on my inbox."

"Will having kids mean putting my dreams on hold?"

"Being a mum is everything to me, but it's not all I am."

Then this episode is for you. In this conversation, Erika and Joey cover:

• What it was really like finding out she was having twins, twice, and raising four babies one and under

• How Joey went from X Factor and a record deal to forensic science, teaching and building her own businesses

• Why her ambition didn't change after kids but her capacity did, and how she's learning to work with it

• The honest truth about mum guilt, including why taking a day to work can feel like leaving your kids behind

• The part of her pre-mum identity she consciously protects and the fear that drives it

• How she shows up as the version of herself she wants her kids to learn from, even on the chaotic days

• What motherhood triggers taught her about her own childhood and the invisible load

• Why some kinds of help are still hard for her to accept

• What she wishes she knew about C-sections, plus the most unnecessary and most worth it baby items

• How she balances being present with capturing content and her dream working mum set up. You do not have to choose between the mum you want to be and the life you want to build.

Filmed at Pivotal Conversations Studios

⁠@pivotalconversations⁠

Book a session: ⁠https://www.pivotalconversations.ai

SPONSORS

Thank you to the sponsors who made today's episode possible:

📚 WALDEN: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit https://www.waldenu.edu/

🧑‍⚕️ TALK SPACE: Get $80 off your first month with promo code 'SPACE80' at https://www.talkspace.com/

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST 📸 Instagram - Joey Dija

🛍️ Little&Co

TIME STAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(03:46) I’ve had 9 lives

(07:14) Is singing still important to you?

(09:17) I had 4 babies 1 and under

(18:08) What I underestimated about going from 2 to 4

(19:55) I wish I knew this about a C-Section before I had one

(23:46) An ordinary day in our house

(26:44) I'm a walking contradiction (to be honest)

(29:03) What motherhood triggers do you have?

(36:58 ) Are you good at asking for help?

(40:13) Truth about mum guilt

(42:14) Switching from work mode to mum mode

(44:44) What part of your pre-mum identity are you protecting?

(45:48) How was your ambition changed by motherhood?

(55:34 ) Why did you start a business?

(57:01) The most unnecessary baby items

(1:00:33) Raising 4 kids not 2 sets of twins

(1:02:50) Unsolicited CRAZY advice I've received

(01:06:26) Balancing being present and capturing content

(01:11:34) Ideal working mum set up

WHO AM I? I’m Erika, an Australian living in Dubai, a mum and the creator and host of this podcast. After almost a decade in law, I’ve stepped into a new chapter centred on what I love - helping people understand themselves, grow and build lives that feel aligned. As someone with big ambitions, I’m passionate about pursuing what matters and to do so, we need to create our own lives