E39 - I thought I'd be further ahead by now

E39 - I thought I'd be further ahead by now

From Moms, Mats and Manuscripts by Ksenia Volkova Tomaz

February 6, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 39

About this episode

In this birthday reflection episode, Ksenia discusses the mixed emotions of self-employment and the pressure to meet societal expectations.

Four years into self-employment, almost two years of this podcast... and instead of feeling settled, I’ve been sitting with a lot of mixed emotions. In this birthday reflection episode, I talk honestly about the thought many of us carry: “I should be further ahead by now.” I reflect on academic conditioning, linear timelines, grief around identity shifts, motherhood and building a business in “hard mode,” and the pressure to measure ourselves by standards that were never designed for our live...

People in this episode

Host: Ksenia Volkova Tomaz

Topics covered

  • self-employment
  • identity shifts
  • motherhood
  • business challenges
  • personal reflection

Keywords

  • self-employment
  • identity
  • motherhood
  • business
  • reflection
  • emotions
  • expectations

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