Episode 78 marks the final chapter of The Modern Moms Roadmap to Balance podcast, and while endings can feel bittersweet, this one is also full of growth, intention, and self-awareness. In this heartfelt solo episode, I reflect on what this show has meant to me, how it’s evolved, and why it’s time for something new.
When I first launched this podcast, I was deep in the messy middle of motherhood, navigating nap schedules, partnership struggles, and the constant question of how to “balance” it all. Like so many women, I was trying to meet everyone’s needs while figuring out who I was in the process. This podcast became a space where I could unpack those questions and invite you into honest, healing conversations about motherhood, boundaries, self-care, and everything in between.
But over time, something shifted. The idea of balance started to feel too narrow, too polished, too much like another thing we’re expected to master. What I’ve learned, both through this podcast and through working with my therapy clients, is that balance isn’t a fixed destination. It’s not something you arrive at and maintain forever. It’s fluid. And chasing it can leave you exhausted and disconnected from what you truly want.
That realization brought me back to self-awareness, the deeper work of understanding who you are underneath all the roles you play. And for me, that work led to a powerful truth: I’m not just a mom, and this show was never just about parenting. The conversations that kept coming up, the questions I was hearing (and asking) were rooted in identity, fear, desire, and transition, especially around turning 30 and rethinking the life you thought you’d have by now.
I’ve heard from so many women who feel stuck, scared to change direction, and unsure if they’re “allowed” to want more. They’ve followed the rules, checked the boxes, and still feel like something’s missing. That’s where the next phase of this journey begins.
I’m thrilled to introduce my new podcast: Unapologetically 30. This show is about what it means to come into yourself more fully in your 30s and beyond. It’s about releasing the guilt, the people-pleasing, the pressure to have it all figured out. It’s for women who want to live on their own terms and need a reminder that they’re not alone in that.
Unapologetically 30 will feature stories, interviews, and reflections about real-life pivots, perfectionism, relationship dynamics, fear, and freedom. It’s a podcast for anyone who’s ever looked around and thought, “Is this really it?” or, “What if I want something different now?”
In this episode, I also share how you can stay connected from subscribing to the new show to joining my email list for journal prompts and behind-the-scenes updates. The episodes from Modern Moms Roadmap to Balance will remain available, and I hope you’ll continue to revisit and share them. They were built with love and intention, and I know they’ll continue to serve others in their season of motherhood.
This final episode isn’t just a sign-off. It’s an invitation. To reflect on how far you’ve come, to give yourself permission to evolve, and to walk with me into a new, more expansive chapter. One rooted in clarity, courage, and self-awareness.
✨ P.S. I just launched a new blog to go along with the podcast. Check it out for even more honest conversations, insights, and inspiration in this next chapter!
About the Podcast Host
Thank you so much for joining me this week on today’s episode.
I love hearing about your insights and aha! moments from the show.
Kayla Nettleton is a TX-based licensed therapist, business owner, and mom of 3.
In her private practice, Kayla helps women break free from cycles of anxiety, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. Her holistic approach guides clients toward authentic, fulfilling lives by reconnecting with their intuition, setting boundaries, and building confidence.
Kayla also works with couples, especially parents balancing marriage and family. She offers both traditional couples therapy and focused intensives (6 to 18 hours) to help partners address key issues like communication, trust, and intimacy.
Through empathy and effective therapeutic tools, Kayla helps couples reconnect, thrive, and create healthier, more supportive relationships. Her practice transforms self-doubt and disconnection into growth, healing, and lasting change.
Find Kayla on
TikTok: therapy.with.kayla
YouTube: The Modern Mom’s Roadmap to Balance Podcast
Email: kayla@kaylanettleton.com
Free Consultation: Schedule a Free 20 minute therapy consultation here.
Want to hear more?
Catch up on past conversations, guest interviews, and more from the podcast.
Episode 77
► Click to Read the Full Episode 78 Transcript
Kayla: Hello. Hello everyone and welcome to this very special episode of the Modern Moms Roadmaps Balance Podcast. I’m your host, Kayla Nettleton, and this episode feels a little different and it’s a little bittersweet because today I’m officially closing this chapter of the podcast. And before we talk about what’s next, I just wanna pause and say. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much for being here.
Kayla: Thank you for listening. Whether you’ve been here since the very beginning or just stumbled onto this podcast recently, you’ve been a part of a community of women and moms who are just trying to figure it out, find balance in motherhood, find balance in our relationships, and everything in between.
Kayla: Over the course of this podcast, I’ve heard from so many of you, the messages you’ve sent. The conversations that we’ve had on Instagram, the way you’ve shared episodes with friends, it’s meant so much. This podcast has been such a special space for me to connect with you, and I don’t take that for granted.
Kayla: When I first started the Modern Moms Roadmap to Balance podcast, I was in a season of trying to figure out how to balance motherhood and what that even meant. Like so many of you, I was juggling kids. My marriage work and my own identity. I wanted the show to be a resource, a place where we could talk about the messy parts of motherhood, the honest parts of motherhood, and find some hope and practical tools along the way.
Kayla: And I think we’ve done that. We’ve talked about boundaries and self care, relationships, perfectionism, burnout, and so many of those things that so often weigh us down as moms. But here’s the thing, motherhood and balance they started to feel like it wasn’t enough. It felt like a box that I had outgrown.
Kayla: What I realized through this podcast, through therapy with my clients and through my own life, is that balance isn’t a destination. It’s a moving target, and sometimes chasing balance can actually leave us feeling even more behind.
Kayla: So over the last year. I started to feel a shift. This podcast was still meaningful, but I felt pulled in a new direction. I realized that so many of the conversations I was having both here and with my therapy clients weren’t just about motherhood. They were about identity. They were about hitting 30. And that fear of looking around and wondering, is this it? Did I make the right choices? And what if I wanna change my mind?
Kayla: I can’t tell you how many women I’ve sat with who feel stuck, who feel like it’s too late to change course because they’ve already invested so much in the path they’re on, and I felt that too. That’s what it clicked. This isn’t about leaving moms behind. It’s about widening the lens. It’s about making space for the conversations that keep us up at night in our thirties or when we’re about to hit our thirties. The fears, the choices, the relationships. The milestones we thought we’d have figured out by now.
Kayla: So that brings me to what’s next. I am beyond excited to introduce you to my new podcast, which is called Unapologetically 30. This is a podcast about embracing who you are right now, even if your life doesn’t look the way you thought it would by now. It’s about rewriting the stories we tell ourselves about being behind. About milestones, about what it means to be enough.
Kayla: You’re gonna hear stories about incredible women, including therapists, creatives, and other people just like you, who have made bold choices, taken micro steps, and learned how to create lives that actually feels like theirs. We’ll talk about fear, perfectionism, boundaries, relationships, and all things we wish someone had told us when we were younger.
Kayla: The heart of Unapologetically 30 is this. You don’t have to apologize for where you are or for wanting something different. You get to choose. You get to grow, you get to change your mind.
Kayla: So while this is the last episode of the Modern Moms Roadmaps to Balance podcast, it’s really just the beginning of something new. If you found value in this podcast, if you’ve ever felt seen by these conversations. I think you’ll love Unapologetically 30.
Kayla: Here’s what I’d love for you to do. Make sure if you haven’t already, subscribe here to this podcast so you don’t miss the first episode of Unapologetically 30. All of these podcast episodes from the Modern Moms Roadmaps and Balance Podcast will still be here, so you will not lose access to them. You can still come back to them later. You can still send them to friends. Those will still be here.
Kayla: Next, I want you to join my email list because I’ll should be sharing behind the scenes updates, journal prompts, and ways you can be part of the conversations that is not necessarily directly in this podcast.
Kayla: And if you know a friend who’s been struggling with this whole, what’s next in theories question? Share the new show with them. Sometimes all we need is one good conversation to feel less alone.
Kayla: Again, thank you truly for being part of this journey with me. This podcast has been a gift and I cannot wait to step into this new chapter with you. So this isn’t goodbye. It’s just a transition from Modern Moms roadmap to balance to unapologetically 30. I’ll see you there.
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