We Are the Generation of Moms Doing It All — And We’re Allowed to Choose Ourselves Too

I had a moment last week that completely stopped me.

I had the opportunity to go to the Peach Bowl to watch the Indiana Hoosiers play — a once-in-a-lifetime kind of game. I was supposed to go with my husband and my boys.

But my daughter had a volleyball tournament.

Going meant leaving her behind for part of it.

Going meant she would play two of her four games without a parent or family member there — just with a friend.

The guilt was enormous and I almost didn’t go.

Honestly, if circumstances had been even slightly different, I would have bailed and eaten the cost of my ticket without thinking twice. That’s how strong the pull was — that feeling that a “good mom” doesn’t miss things. That being there is always the right answer.

Ironically, my husband got sick and couldn’t drive the boys — which meant if I didn’t go, they wouldn’t go either. And suddenly I was going not just for myself, but because otherwise no one was.

I went.And even knowing it was the right decision, the guilt still sat heavy.

That moment made something painfully clear to me:

We are a generation of mothers who are doing everything — and still questioning ourselves constantly.

The Generation That Is Always Present… and Never Fully At Rest

Millennial moms aren’t lazy.

We aren’t disengaged.

We aren’t checked out.

We are deeply, profoundly present.

According to the Pew Research Center (2023), millennial parents spend nearly three times more time with their children than previous generations. This isn’t a knock on our parents — it’s simply a reflection of how different life looks now.

More school involvement.

More emotional labor.

More logistics.

More pressure.

It’s a blessing… and a double-edged sword.

We love the time.

But we carry the weight of everything else.

Real Moms. Real Life. No Off Switch.

I think about my cousin often.

She has a one-year-old.

She’s pregnant with baby #2.

She has no family nearby.

She takes her baby to work with her.

A sitter comes to the office.

There’s a pack-and-play set up for nap time.

Patient appointments happen around feeds.

She is never without him.

I’m constantly amazed by her — her strength, her dedication, her ability to make it all work.

And she’s not the exception.

I work with over 300 women inside my membership. Most of them are doing all the things.

Working full-time.

Raising kids.

Managing households.

Being the emotional glue for everyone.

Moms working from home with kids knocking on their office doors asking for homework help.

Women answering emails in the pickup line.

Taking calls from the car.Being “on” all the time.

We love the flexibility modern work has given us — truly.

But the trade-off is this:

We are never off.

Smartphones made us reachable.

Remote work made us flexible.

Together, they made us constantly available — and quietly anxious.

And Then We Tell Ourselves to Do More

We are elite multitaskers.

We answer emails in the middle of a workout set.

We have our computers on the counter while cooking meals. (I am guilty of this!) 

We squeeze productivity into every corner of the day.

We even optimize our self-care.

And when we feel tired, stressed, or depleted, we don’t ask for less.

We tell ourselves:“I’ll just do more.”

Eat cleaner.

Work out harder.

Add another routine.

But here’s the truth I keep coming back to:

The problem isn’t effort. It’s the expectation that we should be able to do it all without support — or cost.

Busy doesn’t cancel biology.

Being constantly “on” doesn’t magically fix your metabolism, lower stress hormones, preserve muscle, or protect your energy. In fact, it often does the opposite.

It’s no surprise that millennial women report record levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout (Gallup, 2022).

We don’t quite have the “village” that previous generations did.

Families are scattered.

Support systems are thinner.

So we compensate with presence — because no one else is there.

The Problem Isn’t the Effort — It’s the Plan

The problem isn’t that women aren’t trying hard enough.The problem is that most wellness plans don’t fit real life.

A 19-step routine will always fail a busy mom.

Not because she lacks discipline —but because the plan ignores reality.

Longevity, health, and well-being in this season aren’t built on extremes.

They’re built on supporting the body you already ask so much from.

That looks like:

• building muscle to support long-term health

• eating enough — especially protein

• daily movement that regulates stress

• sleep when you can, not perfection

• fewer habits, done consistently

Not more.

Why STRONG Exists 

This is exactly why I built STRONG.

Not to give women another thing to manage —but to give them a smarter framework that fits real life.

STRONG was never about shrinking, grinding, or doing more.It was built for women who are already doing a lot — and need support that works with kids, careers, stress, exhaustion, and real seasons.

Because longevity isn’t about living longer just to live longer.

It’s about living well inside the life you’re already living.

Strong enough to carry what you carry.Healthy enough to enjoy it.And supported enough to keep going.

A Different Definition of “Doing Enough”

Being a good mom doesn’t mean being everywhere, all the time.

It means making thoughtful choices — and trusting yourself enough to live with them.

It means knowing your kids are okay even when you’re not there.

It means modeling a life where women have identities, passions, health, and joy outside of motherhood — without apology.

Because our kids don’t need perfect presence.

They need regulated, healthy, whole moms.

And that doesn’t come from doing more.

It comes from doing what fits.

This is the lens I use for everything I teach inside STRONG:

Less pressure, more strategy.

Less guilt, more grace.

Fewer rules, better support.

Not because we don’t care —but because we care enough to build lives we can actually sustain.

You’re not failing.

You’re navigating a season no generation has navigated quite like this before.

And you’re allowed to choose yourself, too.

Why do millennial moms feel so burned out?

Millennial moms juggle more roles with less support than previous generations. Research shows we spend significantly more time with our children while also managing work, households, and emotional labor — often without nearby family or a traditional “village.” Constant connectivity through smartphones and remote work also makes it harder to truly rest or disconnect.

Is it normal to feel guilty leaving your kids, even for good reasons?

Yes — extremely normal. Guilt often reflects how deeply you care, not that you’re doing something wrong. Learning to sit with that discomfort instead of letting it dictate every decision is part of growth in this season.

Can you be a good mom and still prioritize your own health?

Absolutely. Prioritizing your health helps you show up more present, patient, and energized. Strength, nourishment, sleep, and stress management are not selfish — they are foundational.

Why doesn’t “doing more” work anymore?

Because biology doesn’t respond to pressure the way productivity does. More workouts, stricter routines, or added stress can increase cortisol, drain energy, and slow progress. Sustainable health comes from strategies that fit real life.

What actually matters for long-term health and longevity for moms?

Consistency over extremes. Building muscle, eating enough (especially protein), daily movement, sleep, and realistic stress management play a major role. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s sustainability.

How does STRONG support women differently?

STRONG was built for women who are already doing a lot. It focuses on efficient strength training, simple nutrition guidance, and habits that work with real life — not against it.

Is it okay if my season looks different right now?

Yes. Seasons change — and your approach should too. Giving yourself permission to adapt is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.

We Are the Generation of Moms Doing It All — And We’re Allowed to Choose Ourselves Too