#03 What Motherhood Changed in Me

On March 10, twelve years ago, I became a mother.

I thought I was prepared. I wasn’t. Motherhood didn’t just bring a child into my life — it reshaped me. It challenged how I see control, strength, success, and love. Before children, I believed that being strong meant being certain. Having answers. Managing everything well. Motherhood quickly showed me how little control we truly have. You can plan, read, prepare — and still find yourself awake at 3 a.m., doubting every decision you made that day.

A couple of years later, my daughter was born. And just when I thought I had “figured it out,” I had to learn again. Different child. Different temperament. Different lessons. That was humbling. Raising two children forced me to grow in ways no leadership role ever had. I had to become more patient. More regulated. More honest about my limits. I had to apologize when I was wrong. I had to lead without certainty.And somewhere along the way, I realized something important:

Children don’t need a perfect mother. They need a present one.

The same is true in leadership. Teams don’t need perfection. They need steadiness. Clarity. Someone who can take responsibility, admit mistakes, and continue showing up.

Motherhood expanded my capacity — not because it is always beautiful (it isn’t), but because it constantly asks you who you are becoming.

Today my son turns 12. He will never fully know how much he shaped me. And neither will my daughter. But they did. More than any title, promotion, or achievement ever could.