3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms is a podcast hosted by Rachel Nielson, a lover of practical ideas, conversations with kindred spirits, and her two wild miracle children who keep life interesting.
After a long fight to become a mother through adoption and IVF, Rachel truly believed that she would thrive as a mom from day one. Her transition into motherhood was a little bumpier than she had imagined, and she sought the help of professionals for actionable advice.
3 in 30 is for moms who are short on time and brain space. In each 30-minute episode, Rachel and her guests share three actionable takeaways to help you be less overwhelmed and more self-assured in your motherhood. Rachel covers a wide variety of topics– from emotional resilience, to productivity and time management tips, to talking to your kids about racism, disability, mental health, and so much more.

 

We are big fans of your podcast, "3 in 30".  Tell us how you came up with the name, and the inspiration behind the podcast!

As a new mom, I was overwhelmed, just like many new moms are! I turned to podcasts, but I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. Many of the early motherhood-themed podcasts were long conversations between two moms, and I craved something shorter and more actionable to listen to! I wanted the "takeaways" spelled out and easy to remember. That's when I realized…if a podcast like this doesn't already exist, I should create it!

I was a high school English teacher before my kids were born, and I had taught my students to include three main ideas in their essays. This is a format I was comfortable with, so I decided each of my podcast episodes would include three actionable takeaways. 

Even after I had decided on that format, I didn't start my show right away. I was busy taking care of toddlers, and I had a lot of imposter syndrome, thinking, "Who am I to start a podcast?" But a few of my best friends knew about this dream of mine, and I would sometimes workshop ideas with them. My dear friend Candi is actually the genius who suggested that I name the show 3 in 30 because she knew I wanted to share 3 actionable takeaways in 30 minutes or less. I loved how simple and straightforward the name was, and I decided to push past my fears and launch the show into the world. 

I published the first episode of 3 in 30 in October 2017, and I've published over 350 episodes in the years since. The mission of the podcast, and the ultimate goal of each episode, is to help women feel less overwhelmed and more self-assured in their motherhood. I am so honored and grateful to get to do this work.

 

How do you personally define "finding yourself in motherhood"?  Why is this important?

I became a mom after years of battling infertility. (My son is adopted and my daughter came to us through IVF.) After my long fight to become a mother, I truly thought I would thrive in that role from day one, but I quickly discovered that caring for tiny human beings is incredibly demanding and exhausting work! I deeply loved my children, but the rigor of caring for them brought up so many insecurities and past grief that I hadn't healed from. I felt lost and unfulfilled much of the time, and I wasn't showing up as my best self for my miracle children. That's when I decided to go to therapy, and the journey of finding myself within motherhood began. 

I learned how to shift my negative self-talk, celebrate my strengths instead of focusing on my weaknesses, and set boundaries with people and situations that aren't good for me. I let go of a lot of cultural expectations of what a good mother "should" be–and instead became confident in the good mother that I actually am. I did this work slowly, over the course of about five years, and it has changed my life.

I now teach a nine-month program called Self-Assured Motherhood where I teach women how to find themselves (and their joy) within motherhood. The three main pillars of my curriculum are:

Know your Self

Honor your Needs

Love your People

I know that life isn’t neat and orderly, but there’s a reason the “know your self” and “honor your needs” units come before “love your people.” These pillars build on one another, and loving your family becomes even more rich after you've explored your unique values and strengths. When you find yourself in motherhood, you find so much more joy in all of your relationships.

 

How do you encourage self-care / self-discovery among your podcast community?

I use the term "soul-care" to describe the time that a mom takes to nurture her body, mind, and spirit. This is about more than "treating yourself"...it's about caring for yourself as thoughtfully as you take care of every other member of your family. 

I encourage women in my podcast community to think about all of the nurturing and fun things they prioritize for their children–and then allow themselves to prioritize those things for themselves as well: meaningful hobbies; time with friends; nourishing meals; adequate rest and hydration. If you don't consider it "selfish" for your child, then it's not selfish for you either. You belong in your own circle of care!

 

What are some common challenges that mothers face when trying to maintain their identity in motherhood?

Most of us grow up deriving a sense of identity from what we do. We measure our worth by our accomplishments, our job titles, our grades, and the outside validation of others. When we become mothers, our lives often change a lot. We may not do the same things anymore–or we may not be able to do them to the same level because we now have more responsibilities. This leaves us feeling a bit lost and unmoored–like, who is the strange new version of me? 

The good news is, identity isn't about what we do…it's about who we are. As we learn to articulate our unique values and strengths, we realize we can bring those to any role we take on throughout our lives. Motherhood can feel all-consuming at times, but we don't need to be swallowed up by it. We can maintain a sense of who we are, even as what we do shifts and changes with each season.

 

How do you envision your podcast inspiring and empowering mothers to embrace their unique identities beyond motherhood?

Motherhood is a role and a relationship, it's not an identity. Your identity, who you really are at your core, has been with you since you were a child, long before you became a mother. I hope my podcast gives women a sense that they matter…their unique values, gifts, passions, beliefs, and quirks. When a woman is really grounded in her sense of self, she can bring the best of herself to her motherhood–and to every other relationship and opportunity that comes her way in life. My goal for each podcast episode and for all of my programs is to help women get to know themselves more fully. Because when you know yourself and honor your needs, you can love your people so much better!

 

What are your favorite products from Copper Pearl?

I think every mom deserves a Copper Pearl robe… there are so many fun prints and neutral colors to choose from! Our family are huge Harry Potter fans, so of course I went with the Hogwarts print. 

And call me old-fashioned, but I love a nightgown! They are just so easy to slip on at the end of a long day. I love this one from Copper Pearl!