In the seventh episode of Growing Pains Season 2, we chat with Rachel Lim, mum of one little boy and the founder of the hugely successful local womenswear brand Love, Bonito. We talk about the importance of self-love and how to make time for yourself alongside playing the role of mum.
About the guest – Rachel Lim
This guest needs no further introduction! Rachel Lim co-founded the hugely successful homegrown brand Love, Bonito. The brand is now moving into its next phase – creating an impact on the everyday woman by learning, growing, and developing with her. She’s also mum to a twenty-month-old son, Ollie. Fun fact: Rachel grew up in a big family with lots of cousins!
Key points we covered in this episode to take a listen to…
04:44 – How have things changed since welcoming Ollie into the world? “Things have changed so much!” Rachel exclaims. She shares her decision to postpone having kids, even though she wanted to start a family, and how her perspectives and priorities have changed since giving birth to her son. Rachel also talks about juggling parenthood alongside running a successful business.
08:43 – Rachel dispenses advice on maintaining one’s identity while being a parent. She highlights self-reflection, not comparing oneself to other mothers, mum shaming and mum guilt, and having compassion towards themselves. Rachel also elucidates her top tip of setting aside time to catch up with Leo, her husband.
20:54 – “The biggest investment we can make is ourselves.” Rachel elaborates on the daily commitment she has made for herself. This can be simple, like taking the stairs instead of the lift or reading for 10 minutes daily. She also touches on tuning in and understanding herself better, and her definition of success.
29:39 – How have reframing thoughts (from “I have to do it” to “I get to do it”) helped Rachel with motherhood? She explains how her perspective shifted, which she attributes to Ollie’s presence in her life. It’s all about mindset, focusing on the positive, and what we tell ourselves. Rachel then delves into #RachReflects: how we learn from our reflected experiences and why reflection is essential.
Want to know more? Check out these resources…
Feeling inspired by today’s episode? Our HoneyKids editor Kate shares her take on why self-care is the ultimate holy grail for all mums. You can also pick up ideas and self-care tips for every mum and mum-to-be.
Are you considering sleep training? HoneyKids mummies Samantha and Esther share their respective experiences with sleep training – and not sleep training – for their bubs. Hopefully, their accounts will help steer your decision!
Everyone gushes over a newborn child, but why do they neglect the mother? So let’s herald the forgotten part of childbirth – the birth of a mother. On that note, let’s also have conversations on mum shaming and mum guilt.
Want to know more about Rachel and how she achieves that oh-so-tricky work-life balance? Read our interview with her here.
Watch this space for a special episode dropping soon!