In Episode 74 of the Chasing Brighter Podcast, we got raw and real about something too many moms are quietly suffering through: the happiness gap. Research shows that American mothers are among the least happy in the developed world—and it’s not because we aren’t trying hard enough. It’s because we’re trying too hard to meet impossible expectations.
This conversation digs into:
- The Council of Contemporary Families’ 2023 report showing U.S. moms report significantly lower happiness than moms in other nations.
- What “mental load,” “emotional labor,” and “decision fatigue” look like in real life.
- How the culture of hustle and perfection is breaking us down.
- Why even the most helpful partners often miss the invisible responsibilities moms carry.
“It’s not just doing the thing. It’s remembering to do the thing—and that’s what makes it so heavy.” – Kelly
We also share 4 game-changing strategies to lighten the load:
- Delegate the outcome—not just the task
- Use systems instead of memory (hello shared calendars!)
- Share the mental inventory with your family
- Set boundaries & redefine what a ‘good mom’ looks like
For more on these ideas, check out:
- The Mom Load Is Real – NYT article
- Mental Load & Fair Division of Labor – Insights from Eve Rodsky
- Our conversation with time management coach Megan Sumrell in Episode 52
This episode is a love letter to every mom who’s ever said “I’m fine” when she’s actually falling apart. You don’t have to carry it alone.
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