Iskra Lawrence knows the importance of surrounding yourself with likeminded women to support you through your goals, both those personal and professional.
The British model, 33, is a mom to a baby boy born in April 2020, who she shares with partner Philip Payne.
In an exclusive chat with HELLO! while promoting Soap & Glory's newest Fresh as Fig line, and in time for International Women's Day this March 8, she opened up on what empowers her about being a mom with a full-time job, the conversations and compromises she has with both her son and her partner, and more.
Touching on how motherhood propels her in her professional life and vice versa, Iskra explained: "I love having those healthy conversations with [my son] and him seeing his mom and his dad being passionate and having goals and dreams and going after them."
The Saltair founder continued: "I think I get to have really great conversations with my son about compromise and about sacrifice and about how hard work can get you things that you're dreaming of." She also noted how it's having "ambitions in life" that can "drive you and give you purpose."
"I would be denying myself something so important in my life, if I stopped working, that's something that's always driven me," she further shared, adding: "I get to show him the things I'm proud of that I've achieved, the glass ceilings that I broke, when people told me I wouldn't be able to do it." Plus: "My husband says all the time that one of the things that he's [most] attracted to is my ambition."
© Jennifer GraylockWhile of course Iskra finds family is "the reason you wake up in the morning," she emphasized: "Sometimes, you also need something for you, and that can be just really motivating. It can keep you just moving forward."
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Still, that's not to say she's exempt from feeling mom guilt when her busy schedule becomes harder to manage, and that's when she relies on moms in the same boat to keep her inspired, and prevent her from struggling with unfair comparisons.
© Getty"I think it's really important to surround yourself with other moms that are working as well," she said, before recalling: "At one point, my closest friends were stay at home moms, and it did make me feel more guilty, I think because I compared myself a little bit [when] they were able to be at every single thing."
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"I think you do want to find your tribe of working moms, so that you can relate to them, and vent to them," she maintained.
© InstagramPlus, she added that having to work the extra mile to find that "harmony" in her schedule and honor all of her aspirations makes her feel all the more grateful when she achieves them. "You're going to feel guilty, but then you're also going to feel accomplished."
Iskra explained that it's because of her occasional time away from her son that she won't dare to take the time that she does have with him and her family for granted. She further said: "All I want to do [when I'm home] is be with him and be super present and be completely phone free," and declared that if you're "in a really positive place and feeling fulfilled and motivated," then ultimately "it's going to be good enough, your child just needs you as much as you can give."
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