Episode 20: How Childhood Shapes Parenthood a Conversation with Alexa Leigh Mufson

Alexa Mufson is the founder and CEO of Alexa Leigh Jewelry and a mom of three - ages 9, 6, and 3. Before this episode, Alexa and I actually recorded one that got lost (I know!) - so this is our second take. Honestly, I welcomed the redo because I can get totally lost in conversation with Alexa. She’s so open to diving deep into parenting, exploring her own childhood, and coming up with tools that work for her - and that’s exactly what I hope this podcast inspires more parents to do. Before we recorded, I asked Alexa what she wanted to talk about, and she shared something close to home: one of her sons has been experiencing anxiety. It’s something she remembers from her own childhood - and still feels at times. In our first recording, I suggested she try the “worst case scenario” exercise, something I personally use when I’m feeling anxious. So often when our kids (or we) are overwhelmed, the instinct is to say “don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” but there’s real power in facing the fear and asking, “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” Alexa has since used that exact approach with her son when he’s anxious about being late. She’ll pause and say, “what are you afraid will happen if we’re late?” And in doing so, she’s giving him the gift of resilience - a set of tools he can carry with him for life. Some other moments that really stood out: Alexa shared a bedtime ritual she’s created with her kids - especially her middle son, who feels things deeply. Every night, they go around and share three feelings from the day. She even shares her own three feelings which also helps her kids feel "less alone" in their own. It came from her own memories of lying awake at night as a child, anxious with no outlet. Now, she’s created a space for her kids to release those feelings, and in doing so, she’s healing something in herself, too. She also opened up about her own experience with postpartum anxiety, specifically a rare hormone-related condition where she’d get intrusive thoughts every time her milk let down. It was her mom who first noticed it, which helped her name and prepare for it before her second baby was born. Naming it gave her power over it—just like she’s now helping her son do with his own worries. We talked about how powerful it is to raise emotionally intelligent kids—and how that starts with modeling it ourselves. From labeling emotions to creating safe spaces for expression, Alexa is doing that daily. It’s not just about managing anxiety; it’s about understanding feelings, connecting through them, and building emotional awareness that will serve her children far beyond childhood. Alexa describes herself as a “recovering perfectionist.” Recently, she handed over control of her professional @alexaleigh Instagram account to her team and is focusing on her personal account @alexamufson. While she said it was to separate business from personal, I can’t help but see it as a big step in her journey away from perfectionism and into trust and delegation. There’s so much more in this episode - it was so open, honest and heartfelt. I adore Alexa, and I think you will too. I’m also so excited to share that we’ll be partnering again on our separation bracelets just in time for back-to-school. Spoiler: there may be a version just for boys this time around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices