Hi!! I’m Julia. I’m a mum, a sister, a daughter and a friend. I’m also a single mum and a blogger, podcast host, author and mentor for single parents. I’m especially passionate about empowering other single mums and helping them find their feet on their new single mum path. Tell us about your business or creative pursuits? I became a single mother in 2013 when my daughter was just a few months old, and I created Single Mother Survival Guide in 2016 to assist newly single mothers in all things they may need to know about. It aims to inform single mothers on relevant issues, support single mothers on their journey, inspire them, and motivate them to create the happy single mother life that they want, by providing a community for single mothers, and providing honest and inspirational content through my website, blog, podcast, and social media. I also do one-on-one mentoring for single mums and am launching my online course for single mothers next month. What inspired you to get started? When I became a single parent in 2013 I felt such a range of emotions. I felt despair, shame, and like a failure. I felt as though I’d let everybody down (especially my daughter). No one dreams of being a single mum. No one says “when I grow up I want to be a single mother #lifegoals”. But what I felt the most was that I was completely alone. Obviously I knew I wasn’t the only one going through it, but I didn’t really know any single parents with babies. I tried to find books to read about single parenting, and there really wasn’t a lot out there. The most I could find was the odd chapter in a parenting book. I desperately wanted to connect with women who had been through the same thing. So the first thing I did was create a mothers group for single mums in my local area. There are now over 400 mums in that group. Through that I got quite involved in the single mum community and as the years went on, and after I healed, I realised that I LOVED connecting with women who had just become single mums. I loved helping them. They were always so relieved when they found my mother’s group because they too had felt alone. It doesn ’t matter how many friends or family you have, at the end of the day you crave talking to people who have been through the same thing. My passion for helping single mums had started and from there I wanted to help single mums not only in my area, but on a national, and even a global scale. I am genuinely passionate about helping single mums get back on track and feel supported, and not alone. And that’s why I started Single Mother Survival Guide. What is your biggest goal? In my personal life it’s to raise my daughter feeling happy and confident in herself, and maintaining a really good relationship with her. For my business I have two – I want to help empower as many single mums as I can and ensure they don’t feel alone and that they have got this! AND I really want to help put a stop to the negative stigma of single mothers. I don’t want new single mums feeling ashamed, or like society will be looking down on them in their new single mum status. What has been your greatest achievement to date? Business wise – talking about single motherhood on The Daily Edition was pretty cool, as was getting published in the Huffington Post. But my greatest achievement for me by a long shot has been all the lovely emails and messages I have received from single mums (and some single dads too) around the world telling me that my blog and podcast has resonated with them, and helped them feel that they do have this, and that they aren’t alone. And how happy the single mums are that I mentor after they’ve finished their mentoring programs, and that they now feel empowered. During the times when you feel lacking in motivation, what helps you get motivated? My greatest motivation for me in my business is always thinking back to my goals. Supporting, informing and motivating single mums is my passion and what drives me. I think single mums in business also tend to be extra motivated because there is no one else to rely on financially. Who inspires you? All the other amazing single mums kicking goals that I speak to on a daily basis. What is your magic place, where you go to relax and unwind? The beach and swimming in the ocean. Even just seeing the ocean is food for my soul. What advice would you give your younger self? Don’t worry so much about the future. The Universe will guide you. You will get through every challenge, and you will learn from it, and it will be OK. What is your life motto or positive affirmation? The Serenity Prayer – “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”. What was the key for you to overcome a challenge? A positive mindset, finding myself, believing in myself and trusting myself. Have you ever had a disappointment that ended up leading you to something wonderful? Although my relationship with my daughter’s dad didn’t work out, I am so grateful that I met my ex because otherwise I wouldn’t have my beautiful daughter. And my now work helping single mothers (which I just love) came out of becoming a single mother. I definitely didn’t foresee that! What do you like to do with your free time? I don’t have a lot of free time because I’m a full time single parent plus I have my own business. I do however ensure I get at least 30 minutes of me-time a day. And usually in that time I either do some pampering or read a book. I also try to ensure I have some sort of a social life, and get together with my friends when I can. When my daughter is with her dad for a few days every couple of months I love to catch up on sleep. Social Media Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/singlemothersurvivalguide/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/singlemothersurvivalguide Website: http://www.singlemothersurvivalguide.com  

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