15 | Scrolling Away Self-Worth: How Instagram Shapes (and Warps) Our Motherhood Stories

In this episode, I’m peeling back the glossy filter of Instagram to look at how it really affects our self-worth as mothers. Have you ever caught yourself comparing your daily reality to someone else’s perfectly curated feed? I know I have.

Instagram encourages this ‘superego’ version of ourselves—a version that’s flawlessly styled, always patient, endlessly creative. It’s the kind of idealised mothering we see in popular accounts like Ballerina Farm. But the more I look, the more I see how these pristine portrayals distort our perception of what it means to be a “good” mother. It leaves so many of us, myself included, feeling that whatever we’re doing isn’t enough.

In contrast to this, I’ve been exploring the concept of the ‘good enough mother,’ an idea introduced by psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, which celebrates the resilience and strength that emerge through imperfect parenting. This real-life mother doesn’t need to be flawless to foster a strong, connected family—she just needs to be present and engaged. So, what happens when this ‘good enough’ reality is placed next to Instagram’s relentless highlight reel? Does it make us doubt ourselves, or could it help us reclaim our stories?

I’m diving into the ways Instagram can warp our sense of self, especially as women and mothers, and what I’ve discovered about the balance between sharing authentically and simply living our lives, flaws and all. Join me as I unpack my own experience with this struggle and share insights on how we might untangle our self-worth from social media. Together, let’s take a closer look at why the real, unfiltered moments might just be the ones that make us truly enough.

If you’d prefer to read this post, you can do so here. (Written posts are published and emailed to subscribers at 2pm Mexico City time on Wednesdays.)

Warning: This podcast is not a highlight reel. (And I think that's a refreshing thing in a world of superficiality and false pretences.)

Go behind the scenes of my life as I build an online business, raise a family with intention, live abroad in a new country, and unpack trauma, programming, and reparent myself openly in the public realm.

In every episode, you’ll get insights into the depth of what it really takes to build a business, whilst being a present mama, living a life outside the box, and doing the work it takes to be who we’re meant to be.

My Mama Summer is my journey to becoming whole.

You can get the written version of this podcast in your inbox each Wednesday at ⁠⁠mymamasummer.com⁠⁠ and subscribe to the audio on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.

Your Host

Aimee Q Devlin is an Australian writer, online business owner, and mother currently living in Mexico, committed to personal growth and evolution, and uncovering how slow motherhood looks in a fast-paced world.

Aimee is the co-founder of the Online Freedom Hackers community where she and her husband Brendan Murphy (⁠https://truthiverse.com), mentor unconventional parents to build freedom-based businesses that buy back their fun, family, and freedom in 5-10 hours a week. Get started here: ⁠⁠https://links.onlinefreedomhackers.com/mymamasummer