A Mom’s Path from Survival Mode to Something Better

If we haven’t met yet, I’m Amanda Maloney. I live on the South Shore of Boston, Massachusetts, where life is a mix of ocean air, carpool chaos, and the occasional Starbucks run. I’m a mom of two teens, so most days revolve around sports schedules, practices, and figuring out what’s for dinner… again. I’ve been married for 20 years (which still surprises me because I swear I feel 25 most days), and we have a rescue pup named Bruce who’s equal parts quirky and adorable.

I love slow mornings with tea and a walk by the beach… especially when no one needs anything from me. Those moments are rare, but they feel like magic when they happen.

For a long time, I believed I had to do everything… and do it perfectly. That’s something I’m still unlearning.

The Path That Didn’t Go As Planned

My story didn’t follow a straight line. I went to private Catholic schools, where faith was a big part of life, but so was the subtle conditioning to be good, not ask for too much, and stay within the lines. At the same time, I was always a deep thinker, drawn to spirituality, beliefs, and even astrology. I was curious about how people think and why we are the way we are.

School itself was never something I loved, which feels ironic now. I started working early, taking an office job while commuting to college. After earning my Associate’s degree, I took a full-time job in Boston.  Twelve months later, the company shut down, and at 20 years old:

I found myself laid off with a $5,000 severance check… which I very responsibly used to book a cruise with a friend.

From there, I landed at a national IT Staffing firm and worked my way up from administrative roles to a Project Delivery Manager position, earning strong commissions along the way. On the outside, it looked like success. On the inside, it was long hours, constant pressure, and a feeling of always being “on.”

In 2005, I got married and eventually became a mom of two. That’s when everything shifted.

The Part Nobody Talks About

Like a lot of women, I made decisions based on what I thought was best for my family. I stepped down from higher-level roles, picked up part-time work, and did whatever made life function. There were retail jobs, babysitting, and anything that helped fill the gaps.

Behind the scenes, though, there was financial stress, constant juggling, and a quiet guilt that’s hard to explain unless you’ve felt it. Years later, I went back to work full-time, but in a lower-level role, simply trying to stabilize things. Even then, I still felt stretched thin. Most of my time, energy, and money went toward making sure my kids had experiences, especially during school breaks and summers.

From the outside, everything looked fine. But internally, it felt like I was living in a constant state of survival mode.

When Everything Paused

Then 2020 happened. For the first time in a long time, everything slowed down. And in that quiet, I could finally hear my own thoughts.

I didn’t love what I heard.

The Moment That Changed Everything

One night, I found myself searching online for something simple: “how to stay positive.” That search led me to something called Superconscious Recode. I had no idea what it was, but something in me said to click.

That one decision changed everything.

I became a client, and for the first time in a long time, I felt calmer, clearer, and more like myself. Not a new version of me… just more of who I already was underneath the stress.

I went on to get certified, went back to part-time work, and started building my own coaching business (with absolutely no entrepreneurial experience!).

What I Didn’t Realize At The Time

Looking back, I can see something I didn’t understand then.

I didn’t need a better plan. I needed a different internal state.

For years, I had been trying to “fix” my life from a place of stress and overwhelm. And when your nervous system is operating in survival mode, your brain will keep solving for survival. It focuses on getting through the day, managing the pressure, and keeping everything from falling apart.

It doesn’t naturally create calm, clarity, or long-term vision from that place.

That shift – from survival mode into a more regulated, intentional state — changed everything.

What I Do Now - The Something Better

Today, I’m the founder of Abundant Transformations LLC, a Magnetic Mind Certified Coach, and the author of Mom Mindset Mastery: Igniting Your Superconscious Swagger.

I work with women — especially moms and high-achieving women — who look like they have everything together on the outside, but feel overwhelmed behind the scenes. The work we do is about shifting out of survival mode and into a calmer, more intentional way of living, using tools that actually fit into real life.

Why This Matters

If any part of this feels familiar — the constant mental load, the pressure to hold everything together, or the quiet thought of “this shouldn’t feel this hard” — you’re not alone.

And more importantly, you’re not doing life wrong.

Often, it’s not about trying harder or doing more. It’s about recognizing the state you’re operating from, and understanding that you can shift it.

Because when that internal state changes, everything else starts to feel different too.