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Every time my mom comes on the show, you ask me to bring her back. You want her wisdom and her perspective, the way she sees straight through to what actually matters… and today, we’re giving the people what they want!

My mom, Sue Shelerud, is intelligent, fierce, persuasive, empathetic, and deeply respected. Over the years, she built her impact face to face in classrooms and living rooms and hospital hallways. She shaped people and held space and asked the hard questions that made them think differently. 

I realized that as I’ve gotten older, we need collectively to learn from women like her, the ones who led in different ways than we do, the ones whose platform looked different, but whose influence was undeniable. The ones who remind us that impact isn’t about how loud you are, it’s about how deeply you show up. 

So today we’re talking about motherhood and identity, about the differences between her generation and mine, about what it means to be a safe space for people, about what gets passed down when you lead with presence and not performance. 

This powerful conversation is for me, it’s for my daughters, it’s for anyone trying to learn from the women who came before us, the ones who did things differently, and the ones whose power showed up in ways we’re only now learning to name.

Time Moves Differently for Mothers

If there’s one truth every mother knows, it’s this: time doesn’t move in a straight line; it stretches, warps, and disappears in the blink of an eye. My mom shared how fast life seems to move now, especially watching her grandchildren grow at lightning speed. 

Her reflection reminded me of how temporary everything really is: how the moments that once felt endless become a blur, and how holding space for presence over perfection can be the most powerful gift we give.

We talked about how motherhood changes us, not in a single, sweeping moment, but in the slow becoming over years of watching, listening, and loving. 

One thing that stood out to me was how my mom mothered each of us individually, tapping into our interests and giving us the permission to explore, even when our passions shifted constantly (hello, 4-H bunny and surgical job shadowing!). 

That kind of mothering takes presence, not performance. And I now realize it’s one of the greatest gifts she gave me.

Navigating the “Letting Go” Seasons

Something that caught me off guard as a mom is how often I find myself parenting… myself. When I look at my oldest daughter, I see so much of me in her—the curiosity, the fire, the independence—and it’s a mirror that reflects both growth and healing. 

My mom and I talked about the dance of holding on and letting go: how every child needs something different, and how trust and independence are the ultimate goals of parenting.

She reminded me that her role was never to keep us close, but to raise us to become who we were meant to be, and to let us go when the time came. It made me deeply grateful for the ways she’s always encouraged autonomy while still showing up consistently and unconditionally.

What’s Different Now: Generational Motherhood

There was a moment in our conversation where I asked my mom what worries her about this generation of mothers, and what gives her hope. 

Unsurprisingly, technology topped the list of concerns. 

From screen time to social media and the way it’s changed connection, we talked about how much more mental bandwidth is required for moms today just to keep their kids emotionally and physically safe.

But what gave her hope? The return to roots. The sourdough, the backyard chickens, the gardening, the simple and slow. She sees in our generation a reclaiming of presence and intention, and a deep desire to simplify and reconnect. 

We also celebrated how involved fathers are today in parenting and how different that picture looks from decades ago. These are the shifts that matter.

What Gets Passed Down (Whether We Know It or Not)

I asked my mom what she had to fight for that I might take for granted, and it brought us into a powerful discussion about gender roles, the invisible labor women carry, and how our family culture has slowly evolved over time. 

What really stood out was the entrepreneurial spirit she didn’t even realize she had: bartering, creating, making things happen without a playbook. Her resourcefulness taught me that anything is figure-out-able and that creativity can be our greatest currency.

It also made me reflect on the quiet ways impact is passed down. My mom never chased titles or audiences, but she shaped lives. She created safe spaces. And she modeled what it means to lead with love, even when nobody’s watching. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave, too.

Evolving Through Every Season

The final part of our conversation was about identity and change. I asked my mom when she last surprised herself with how she changed, and she shared vulnerably about starting therapy for the first time at 66. 

It was beautiful and honest. Proof that growth isn’t confined to any age, and that it’s never too late to peel back the layers and choose healing.

We talked about roles we’ve carried our whole lives, like “the responsible one,” and what it looks like to finally set them down. 

We explored what aging actually feels like versus what we’ve been conditioned to fear, and my mom shared that the greatest gift in this season of life has been time luxury: being able to fill her days with what matters most, on her own terms.

A Love Letter to the Women Who Raised Us

This conversation cracked something open in me. It made me want to pick up the phone and call the women in my life who led quietly, who showed up in the ways that mattered most, and who never needed a stage to create deep and lasting impact.

My mom reminded me that leadership doesn’t have to be loud; it can look like presence. It can look like asking a good question, listening with your whole heart, and giving the people around you permission to be fully themselves.

If there’s a woman in your life who helped shape you—your mom, your grandma, your mentor, your friend—send her this episode. 

Better yet, have a conversation like this with her. Ask the questions. Get curious. Hold space.

We don’t have to do it all to do it well. We just have to show up, listen deeply, and keep learning from the ones who came before us!

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