Follow along as we post a new prompt from Womanhood Unwrapped here and on our Instagram for the next twelve days leading up to Christmas day.

If you’re a woman turning forty-two-years-old soon, you’ve already crossed the threshold into your mid-forties, or you’re just curious and planning for the future, here are some of the ways I’m striving to live a fulfilled and fabulous life at forty-two years old.

Jill Rose is an experienced life coach and owner of Jill Rose Coaching. She works with women to help them reclaim their joy. And Jill truly is a joy to know. Additionally, “life coach” really doesn’t fully express what I feel makes Jill such an incredible woman leader, business owner, and mother. But instead of me blabbering on, let’s get to the interview!

This year, we’ve collected our favorite products and gift ideas for the women in your life, so you don’t have to go hunting all over the place for the perfect gifts.

Here it is, The Womanhood Unwrapped Holiday Gift Guide for Your Favorite Women. Or, as we like to say, the Ultimate WU (Womanhood Unwrapped) Girl. 😘

Over the eleven years I’ve been a parent, and yes, to all of you grown-and-flown moms out there, I’m sure you’re thinking, “Oh, honey, you have no idea yet!” All the same, over this decade plus, I’ve learned (often the hard way 🥴) a number of valuable lessons about parenting two very unique little humans.

Whether you’re a new mom of two, a mommy to more than two, or are going through a tough time with parenting your kiddos, I hope this list helps bring you some peace, insight, and a laugh or two (no pun intended 🤪).

I wasn’t always a conscious, gentle parent. I was raised by a single mom with three kids under the age of 7. My childhood was marked by her struggles, her pain, and the harsh parenting techniques she inherited from her retired military stepfather’s overpowering, colossal presence. Here’s how I healed and began to parent in a conscious and loving way.

Mothers in today's society, at least in the United States, are expected to be there for their children's every need. They also ought to work for personal or financial reasons and take care of all household needs. Of course, there are the outliers. The mom's who work and have a partner at home take care of the family's day-to-day concerns. But in general, women now are expected to take care of everyone and everything but themselves. It's the #Momlife expectation that's, in fact, grinding us all to the bone. And that unrealistic expectation is causing severe burnout and depression across the board.

Instead of resolutions, I believe that you need a plan. And not just any plan, not some loosey-goosey list of high faluting things you’ll never accomplish, or a gushy statement of acceptance that is actually just stunting your growth. I mean a real personal strategic plan that looks at your accomplishments, strengths, weaknesses, and realistic goals for the new year. Will you accomplish all of your pursuits in one year? Likely not, and that’s OKAY! A well-thought-out personal strategic plan isn’t about pressure or dooming yourself for failure; it gives you an incremental path from point A, where you are, to point B, where you want to be. And at the end of this year, if you sit down and create this personal roadmap again for your life, I will bet you that you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come!

It’s not every day I get to interview a woman-owned philanthropist and winemaker. Dani of Dani Gold Wines is a mom, wife, owns a wine company, and loves to give back to the world and her community. Read her interview now.

My kiddos are nine and six years old now, so I feel like I right in the middle of the ‘raising children journey.’ Although, someone with adult kids is welcome to correct me on this. And I know the teenage years are coming and will change the dynamic drastically. Therefore, I am definitely working harder these days to enjoy my little humans, and appreciate how much they have grown already. But there are still those days (or should I more accurately say, moments every day), that I do not enjoy. These are the ones I look back on and feel guilt or regret for not being more patient, or listening more. But I think it’s time to normalize the rollercoaster of emotion that comes along with parenting. Stop trying to enjoy every moment, but enjoy the important ones!

Etta Loves was born, and this year launched their US presence as well! Creating the only baby products in the world designed alongside an Orthoptist (A.K.A. expert in children’s vision) -- putting science at the core of everything they do, Etta Loves, and Jen its founder have a truly unique mission. Read her story, and how she manages life as a working mom.

If you’re reading this, hoping to gain some insight into your hopes and dreams for your son or son’s futures, I endeavor to give you the following:

• A glimpse into how this modern working mom (me!) is trying to raise my son

• Camaraderie in the son-parenting journey

• Solace in the knowledge that we’re all doing the best we can

• A community of like-minded parents hoping for better for their sons in this complicated world

What do I wish for my son? So many things, but here are the ones I pray for the most.

The biggest lesson that motherhood has taught me is to give more grace. I have learned to let go of this idea that I’m going to be a perfect mother. I’m going to make mistakes. I’m going to fail. Really great things happen when I can forgive myself for that, or ask for my kids’ forgiveness when I need to. I actually get the opportunity to show my kids how to fail and make mistakes and learn from them. Read the full story.

Listen to the interview with founder of Entreprenista Mama, Elisabeth Thomas, and Mommin’ Podcast founders Jessica and Megan, about mom life, having a career and marriage.

For International Women’s Day, and Women’s History Month, instead of recapping, or analyzing, or storybooking the past, I decided to talk to some incredibly wonderful and independent women I know now for this post. I also included some of my own comments too -- for good measure 😍.

What first drew me to the Caden sisters. Sisterpeneurs and founders of Belly Bandit and Proof created two mission-based companies. Their mission: to design garments and underwear for women tired of feeling insecure after giving birth, wanting to be confident in the face of unexpected leaks, and needing to feel good about their bodies. Both companies were the product (no pun intended) of real-life challenges!

Jodi, Cari, and Lori are breaking barriers that often hold women hostage and doing it together!

To change our perceptions of women, who they should be, and how they should express themselves, we first must understand why it's so damaging to tell people to be 'less emotional.' We women cannot advance the archaic, sexist institutional behaviors that lay like a layer of ice over our emotionally numb hearts without re-finding our emotions, our instincts, and our power through sensitive thoughts and actions! More on the Entreprenista Mama blog

2020 was a year of chaotic change, and 2021 will be the year of intentional transition. Things will continue changing for us on a local, national, and global scale, and it's up to all of us to be open and ready for those transitions. I am taking that mentality to heart both personally and professionally, which I believe deeply will be the key to success for this coming year and years to come. Read more from Priya Amin, Founder of Flexable, on the Entreprenista Mama blog.

New year’s resolutions can create a love-hate internal tug of war. Let’s stop that vicious cycle in 2021, and support ourselves by creating loving, transparent, and trusting intentions, goals, and resolutions. Read the full blog with interviews from 10 different women, and more!

I'm the first to overthink things. I'm the first to run through all the scenarios, possible pitfalls, and potential positive or negative outcomes. But as a woman, who's also a mother, wife, and serial entrepreneur, I had to learn early in the launch of my first business, a super challenging lesson. It’s all about perfectionism, and when to let go. Read more on the blog.