Ep 245: The Lie We Were Sold: Motherhood, Partnership, and the Cost of Performing

In the first installment of one of our new solo series, Vanessa kicks off with a core theme from her new book The Motherhood Myth: The Lie We Were Sold—the cultural script that says partnership and motherhood should be inherently easy and endlessly fulfilling…and if they aren’t, you must be doing it wrong. Vanessa traces how that story keeps us isolated, ashamed, and over-functioning, and why naming it is the first step to reclaiming a solid sense of Self. We discuss:How a shared season of overstimulation, depletion, and “Who am I anymore?” sparked this bookThe lie itself—and how it feeds codependency, self-abandonment, and the “performing for belonging” loopDominator systems 101: patriarchy, capitalism, and why shame is such an effective control mechanismWhat changes when you build from capital-S Self: less personalization, more ownership, real agencyTwo journal prompts to begin untangling your inherited myths (about “good mother / partner / woman / person”)An invitation to help name this solo mini-series + what’s coming next (“Ego Explosion”) We would love to hear from you:What is the lie you were sold about partnership, motherhood, womanhood—or being a “good” person?How was shame used to keep you performing that role? Don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also follow along on Instagram and YouTube! Connect with Vanessa:Instagram: @vanessasbennettWebsite: vanessabennett.comTikTok: @itsvanessabennett Connect with Dené:Instagram: @dene.loganWebsite: denelogan.comTikTok: @denelogan Again, don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!  If you're interested in being one of our live anonymous coaching episodes, you can apply at the link in the show notes. And follow or subscribe to our IG, TT or YouTube. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.