Welcome to this episode of The Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Today, I’m joined by mindfulness teacher and founder of The Compassion Project, Belinda Haan. With warmth and honesty, Belinda shares how perfectionism and self-doubt marked her early motherhood years—and how compassion, not criticism, became her most powerful tool.

We talk about:

• Unrealistic Beginnings

How the "Huggies ad" version of motherhood left Belinda isolated, ashamed, and exhausted in her early years as a mum.

• The Deepest Regret

Why self-criticism is often the harshest parenting voice in our heads—and how seeing her daughter clearly helped Belinda rewrite her own narrative.

• Practising What We Preach

How running honest, real-talk mother’s groups made Belinda realise it was time to embody self-compassion in her own life, not just teach it.

• Barriers to Kindness

The nervous system realities that make self-compassion difficult—and how to gently meet yourself when you feel most undeserving.

• Tender, Not Prescriptive

Why self-compassion isn’t a one-size-fits-all script—and how small, embodied gestures can shift your whole day.

This is a conversation full of quiet revelations and radical permission. I hope it reminds you that you are never alone in this—and that kindness, towards yourself, is not something you have to earn. If this resonates, please share it with a mother who needs to hear it too.

ABOUT BELINDA HAAN

Belinda Haan is a mindfulness teacher, creator and humble guide to the full joy, catastrophe and sacredness of life.

As an Ambassador of Compassion with Stanford University, she founded The Compassion Project—a heartfelt initiative delivering practical, research-backed tools to reduce suffering and cultivate compassion.

Its first resource, The Emotional Support for Mothers Toolkit, provides the missing piece of modern mothering with a practical how-to for nervous system support, emotional self-regulation, resilience and wisdom. Grounded in the day-to-day of parenting, it treats mothers as real people—supporting them to meet all of motherhood with more confidence, ease and self-compassion.

A mother of two, Belinda created this work to offer solace, inspiration, and meaningful tools for families everywhere.

RESOURCES:

Website: The Compassion Project

Instagram: @thecompassionproject.au

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