the balance of career and family, and why you get to have both.

I still can’t quite believe I get to write these words, but here we are. My books are now closed to new counselling and coaching clients (with a waitlist open).

Even as I type that, there’s a part of me that pauses. Not because I’m unsure, but because I’m in awe. This little business of mine, which once lived only as a quiet dream in the corners of my heart, is now full. Full of the most beautiful souls. Clients who are not just showing up for a session, they’re showing up for their healing, their growth, their deepest becoming. People who are doing the brave work of coming home to themselves, and somehow, I get to walk beside them.

It’s surreal. It’s humbling. It’s sacred. And it’s also a reflection of something much bigger, something I want to speak to today. Because behind this full practice, behind the work that now holds so much meaning and purpose, is a story that I know many women will understand. A story about choosing between what we long for and what we love. Between purpose and presence. Between career and family.

Or at least, that’s the story we’ve been told.

I’ve heard it for years. The idea that you can’t have both. That you either pursue a career and sacrifice time with your children, or you become a devoted mother and put your dreams on hold. That if you want softness in your home, your business must be hard and fast. That fulfilment can only come from one place at a time.

But I no longer believe that. Because I’m living proof that you can have both.

Not perfectly. Not without hard days or tears or moments of doubt. But truthfully, honestly, beautifully, you can hold both.

I run two businesses. Mindful Soul Collective, where I support beautiful clients through holistic counselling and coaching, guiding them through healing that encompasses the mind, the body, and the soul. And Adore By S, my lingerie boutique, a space that celebrates confidence, empowerment, and self-love, especially for women who have felt overlooked or unseen.

These two businesses ask different things of me. They invite me into different roles. One calls on my depth, my ability to hold pain and facilitate growth. The other calls on my creativity, my love for beauty and embodiment, my desire to remind women they are worthy of feeling radiant in their own skin.

And in the midst of both… I’m also a mother.

A mother to two beautiful boys who stretch and soften me every single day. Who call me into presence in ways that no work ever could. Who remind me of what truly matters.

So I know the juggle. I know the exhaustion. I know the guilt that creeps in when you miss a moment at home because you were immersed in your work or when you pause a project because a tiny hand needs you right now. I know what it’s like to wonder if you’re doing enough in every area and to still feel like you’re falling short.

But I also know this... I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.

Because what I’ve discovered is that building a business doesn’t mean abandoning your family. And choosing to be a present, loving parent doesn’t mean letting go of your ambitions.

It means becoming intentional.

It means working in seasons. It means letting go of perfection and embracing rhythm. It means creating boundaries and holding space and asking for help when you need it. It means checking in with yourself often, asking what matters most right now, and being willing to shift when the answer changes.

Some days are filled with deep client sessions, writing blog posts like this one, managing orders for Adore By S, responding to emails, and dreaming up new offerings. And then there are other days where nothing gets ticked off the to-do list because I’ve been wrapped up in cuddles, art supplies and chaos and the beautiful mess that motherhood brings.

There are moments when my work flows effortlessly, and others when I feel pulled in too many directions. But even in the mess, there is magic. Because I’ve stopped believing that I need to choose. I’ve stopped holding myself to the idea that success looks a certain way. I’ve stopped apologising for wanting both, a thriving business and a full, present family life.

I’m allowed to want both. And so are you.

You are allowed to chase your dreams and hold your babies close. You’re allowed to light up when you talk about your work and still long for slow afternoons at home. You’re allowed to build something powerful and still choose to live gently.

And I know… I know it’s not always easy. We live in a world that glorifies hustle. That expects women to be everything to everyone and then questions them when they try to be something for themselves. That often doesn’t understand what it means to hold space for others all day and still have energy left for bedtime stories.

But I also believe we’re rewriting that story. Every time a woman chooses to do business differently, more intuitively, more soulfully, more in alignment with her values, we carve out a new path. Every time a mother chooses to honour both her calling and her children, we make it possible for the next woman to believe she can too.

There is something deeply powerful about living a life that reflects your truth. A life where your business honours your heart. A life where your family is a source of fuel, not friction. A life where your work expands you without emptying you.

For me, that looks like spacious mornings. It looks like working fewer hours but with more focus. It looks like building a business that aligns with my energy, not the other way around. It looks like honouring my own healing and capacity. And it looks like creating boundaries that protect both my clients and my family.

It also looks like celebrating the seasons when I am full. Like right now.

Because the fact that I’ve had to close my books? That is a milestone. A moment I once dreamed of, back when I wasn’t sure if this would work. Back when I was still figuring it all out. Back when I wondered if I could actually build something sustainable and soulful and still be the kind of mother I want to be.

And the answer is yes. Yes, you can.

It might not look like what others expect. It might be slower. Softer. It might mean choosing depth over scale. It might mean doing things differently. But it is possible.

So if you’re in that place right now, torn between two parts of your heart, wondering if you have to choose, please let this be your reminder that you don’t.

You get to have both.

You get to build a business that feels like a reflection of your soul and still be there for bedtime kisses and early morning snuggles. You get to create impact in the world and also choose rest. You get to rise in your work and stay grounded in your home. You get to hold space for others and also be held in love, in joy, in softness.

You get to design a life that feels like yours.

And if you’re already one of my clients, thank you. Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for trusting me, for letting me hold space for your healing, for your return to self. It is the deepest honour. Truly.

And if you’ve been watching from the sidelines, wondering if this is possible for you too, I want you to know that it is. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to do it perfectly. You just need to start listening to the part of you that whispers, “maybe there’s a different way.”

Because there is. I’m walking it. And I promise you… it’s worth it.

With love & support,

Shorina | Mindful Soul Collective

Holistic Counsellor, Wellbeing Coach & Business Mentor

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If this resonated, I’d love to support you further! You’ll find everything you need, from free resources to information on working with me, right here.