Meet Tessa Bowman, Mom + Certified Nutrition Consultant, Balanced To a T
We are so grateful that Tessa shared her story with us…
“Hi, I’m Tessa. I’m a wife and Mom and three boys with a passion for holistic living. I educate families on creating healthier homes through simple non-toxic swaps. I hope to empower Moms to take the health of their families into their own hands.”
Connect with Tessa Online
Our ‘As Strong as the Mother Next to Me’ weekly spotlight highlights and celebrates Moms in San Diego and across the globe who believe in building up and supporting moms.
We are excited to share Tessa’s story with you today!
How did you get started with your current role?
I started learning about non-toxic living 12 years ago when I went back to school to become a nutritionist. I was shocked to learn how many chemicals we are being exposed to daily here in the US in our food, water, personal care products and more. I knew almost immediately I wanted to help others lower their exposure to toxins and have been educating on it ever since! My job as a nutritionist has evolved from being focused on prenatal health to creating non-toxic homes. My day-to-day is researching products, creating posts and blogs, and doing virtual and in-person Healthy Home consultations here in San Diego. I also guest write for blogs and appear on podcasts to talk about non-toxic living tips.
What does “As Strong as the Mother Next to Me” mean to you?
We all have different stories, beliefs, and values but at our core we have much more in common than we don’t. And in a real sense I believe we are all one. So me supporting the Mom next to me and helping her be strong helps me thrive just as much as it helps her.
What strategies do you use to stay connected?
It’s really helpful to find a group of women that you can check in with regularly. I’m in a group of 15-20 women and we meet virtually 2-3x a month and have open dialogue on the app Voxer. It’s an intentional group where we study a different virtue every month. We spend time reflecting on what’s going on in our life and how we can live more intentionally. We grow together and hold space for each other. Finding an aligned group like that, even if its only 1-2 women can make all the difference when you are having a hard time. And let’s face it, there are lot of hard times in Motherhood.
How do you involve your children in your professional life, if at all?
My business life flows into my personal life a lot and so I include the boys in everything I do. From taking our shoes off in the home, to opening windows daily. They know many of our health-focused values. Cooking healthy food is a core value for us so I have them help me prep, cook and bake a lot. For certain projects, like Pouches for a Purpose I talk about below, I had my son help fill the bags. Any chance I get to include them in my business, I do.
Can you share an example of a collaboration with another mom that was particularly successful or fulfilling?
In April 2020 I did a collaboration with other Moms I worked with called Pouches for a Purpose. We donated non-toxic goodies to nurses, doctors and first responders. This was right at the beginning of the pandemic when we didn’t really know what was happening and they were working insanely long hours with gloves and masks. Each pouch included a Baby Balm (for dry hands), Lip Conditioner, a face moisturizer sample, and special treat. That felt really good to show appreciation for their dedication and hopefully bring some joy to them during such an uncertain time.
How do you define strength in motherhood?
I define strength in motherhood as knowing when to ask for support. So many of us think we are supposed to handle everything on our own but really, we need community. I look at other cultures and how they live in a more communal way. They seem to be so much more at ease. When everything doesn’t fall on you all the time, you have more space to do what you want to and are more fulfilled. Getting help doesn’t need to mean hiring a full time nanny. It just means getting clear on what you want on your plate and figuring out what you can pass off. Asking for help can be having the teenage neighbor watch your kids for 45 minutes so you can go for a walk. Carving out time on a weeknight to go do a new pottery class. Doing a kid swap with another Mom so you can go grocery shopping in peace. The more we can create space to take care of our needs, do things that spark joy and feel grounded, the stronger we can be for ourselves and our family.
How do you celebrate small victories in motherhood and business?
Making sure I’m going slow enough to take time, reflect on the victories, and acknowledge myself for showing up and getting it done!
How do you think societal perceptions of motherhood have changed over the years?
I think there is so much more freedom and flexibility for women now. Looking at a few decades ago to now, the rise of female entrepreneurs is astounding.
How do you balance self-care with taking care of your family and business?
I try to make sure I’m creating time for business and self-care! I consider myself a self-care pro (haha!) and have always naturally carved out time for myself. As someone who gets overstimulated easily (hello 3 young boys) it is extremely important for me to have these practices to keep my nervous system regulated. I do guided meditations in the morning and write down or list in my head things I’m grateful for. I go outside to get the sun on my face in the morning and sometimes go for silent morning walks. I spend time with friends regularly. I either lift weights or walk everyday. I do monthly chiropractic care. I get into nature, work out, do monthly facials, breathwork classes. I love to try new classes like soundbaths or doing a fun cardio dance class. Next on my list is trying a pottery class.
How did you build your community of moms around you?
I have a great mix of friends from high school, college, and my more “holistic friends”. Once I had my first son, I got really clear on my values and put them out there. That attracted Moms who are raising children in a similar way. When I meet new Moms, I tell them what I do and that opens the door to spark conversations about things we have in common. For example, I put my boys in an outdoor nature school which automatically attracts more holistic families. Having friends that you feel you can be your authentic self with is priceless. My close friends are my biggest cheerleaders when it comes to my business and personal life. As Moms, we are all busy, and we don’t have time to waste spending time with people who don’t fully support and accept us for who we are.
How important is it to you to surround yourself with other moms professionally and personally?
It’s essential. Luckily it’s just a very natural fit as I have a lot of wonderful Mom friends. Specifically for my business, my audience is about 98% Moms so I’m in constant contact with Moms. Being so in touch with other Moms, I understand many of their pain points and how to simplify healthy living for them.
What piece of advice would you give another mom who is struggling with balancing motherhood and business?
No dream is too big. If you have the heart and drive, you can accomplish anything you believe that you can accomplish. Anything. Get really clear on what your values are and make sure those align with your goals. I believe that our most important work is at home, so I prioritize my family and put my business second. There will be a time when I can focus more on work. But for right now when my boys are still so young, they come first.
Do you have a non-profit or cause that you want us to know more about? And why are you so passionate about this?
I really like Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. They are focused on breast cancer prevention, which is sorely lacking in the Breast Cancer fundraising space. Almost everything supports treatment. There is so much we can do to prevent cancer and we need more education and awareness to help women lower their risk. Over 90% of breast cancer is environmental, which means that its not usually genetic. Knowing we have so much control over this by making healthy lifestyle changes is powerful. This is a very personal cause to me as my Mother had breast cancer and my sister is currently undergoing treatment for it now.
What challenges do you face as a mother and businesswoman?
As a Mom and business person I can let overwhelm hit me pretty hard. There is so much going on all the time and it can be tiring figuring out what to prioritize when it comes to working, doing all the things around the house, and being present with the boys. I recently listened to a Brene Brown book, the Gifts of Imperfection, and she said the test is, no matter if you did 100 things or did nothing today, can you go to bed at peace with yourself? Realizing our worth isn’t dependent on what we “accomplish” daily but rather who we are showing up as daily.
Tell us about a challenging time in your business or in your role in motherhood and how you overcame it?
I have recently have been experiencing health issues that affected my mental health in an intense way. I experienced huge bouts of anxiety that I’ve never experienced before, lasting weeks. Being open about it and allowing people to support me has made all the difference. I felt really alone in it for a while and talking to others has led me to some really great external support from practitioners I never would have connected with. One really big part of this journey has been slowing down. Creating time to be in silence. Not always listening to books or podcasts. Going outside daily and appreciating nature. Setting boundaries and being particular about who I spend time with to protect my peace.
What are some of your favorite resources managing your business and/or home life that have saved you time?
There are so many great tools now for managing all the different platforms. I personally love and use Canva for all things, Many Chat for IG, and Tailwind for pinterest!
Can you share a moment when another mom’s support made a significant difference in your life?
I can’t think of a huge event but here is what I’d love to share. I am continually grateful for all my Mom friends and even followers I don’t know personally on IG who promote my business, connect to me potential clients, and share my work. It is such an easy thing to do to share someone’s post or send along a blog post. It’s second nature to me to freely support and promote other businesses, especially other Moms running businesses. I wish more women understood how much it really helps other people’s businesses to take these small actions.
Would you like to offer anything to our readers?
Sure! 15% off code for my eBook and 15% off a virtual or in person consultation using code SDMOMS
MOMination
We become better women, partners, leaders, and friends by empowering and lifting each other up. Thank you Tessa for MOMinating this women below who has inspired you.
Allie Hobson
I nominate Allie Hobson. She is a fabulous Mom of two boys and incredible entrepreneur. She runs a nutrition business and co-owns a high quality supplement company. They are launching a kids line soon. She tirelessly works to help people (mostly Moms) achieve their health goals from the inside out.
Tori Williams
Allie is a wonderful Mom and Vet. She differs from other vets as she specializes in a holistic approach in caring for your pets. She created a one of a kind “paw-sha” tools for dogs to help improve their health and reduce pain!
We are thrilled to bring back our weekly spotlight that will highlight and celebrate Moms in San Diego and across the globe who believe in building up and supporting moms.
We hope that if we can debunk the idea that you have to take on this journey alone, as a community of moms, we will all walk away stronger, inspired, and raise stronger children and become better partners. We’d love to hear from you!
