Welcome to episode 03 of the 30A Mama Podcast! Thank you so much for joining me on this fun journey to connect on a whole new level! In this episode, I chat with my friend Jackie of Jacqueline Ward Images to get a little advice on how to stay calm and cool in the face of motherhood.
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Episode Highlights
Jackie’s Story
After vacationing in the area and eventually having the option to choose their home anywhere along the panhandle, they landed in South Walton a decade ago. They loved the laid-back lifestyle and settled in to “Mayberry at the beach”. Jackie’s photography business has grown immensely here and her family loves living the coastal life.
Just hang on.
Jackie shares about her current stage of motherhood with teens and reflects back on what it was like to add twins to their family and manage 3 young kids. Now that they’re a little older, Jackie shares how she loves this stage and says they enjoy being active and doing things together as a group.
An Average Day
No day looks the same since Jackie is 100% freelance in her photography business. She works with so many different clients and shares her average day from scrambled eggs in the morning and quiet time to shooting, editing and juggling the family schedule.
Slow Down and Soak It All In
Jackie makes a point to see the Gulf every day and says the horizon can be so calming. She credits The Artist Way by Julia as a big influence in encouraging her to focus and get out of the hustle and bustle.
Relying on Your Village
Jackie shares that her village is a little bit of family and a whole lot of friends. Her girlfriends even came up with a “40 days of Jackie” idea to celebrate her 40th birthday and treated her to 40 days of sweet gifts, coffee dates and appreciation.
Looking for Perfection
Jackie says this pursuit changes with age and she realized by age 30, she wasn’t really into keeping up. She aims to let her kids have enough freedom to learn but reels them back in when needed. She says this when they leave the house or car “God bless you. God keep you. Be sweet and be kind.”
Setting Boundaries
Jackie sets family days and blocks off the calendar so as not to be constantly “chasing” but to enjoy as many quality days as she can. She says she can always add on work but leaves those as buffers. She also only checks email twice each day, batching that task for better productivity and doesn’t allow phones at dinner.
Must-Have Tools
A family Google calendar with color coded events keeps her business and family schedule organized. Netflix, Amazon Video and Audible help fill the air space while she edits client sessions. Educated A Memoir and Rob Lowe’s books are one of her recent favorites.
Best Advice to Keep Calm as a Mom
Jackie shares a funny mom story and says we as moms have to realize our kids start to have their own worlds and their own worries, and not to let little things get under our skin. They start to become their own person and we need to give them the room to grow while supporting and understanding.
Jackie’s Links
Website: jacquelinewardimages.com, Facebook: Jacqueline Ward Images Instagram: @Jacquelinewardimages // Point Washington Medical Clinic
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