Since the birth of her little bundle of joy, Dukun Diva actress Juliana Evans’ life has never been the same. Though Juliana embraced motherhood with pride and love, she admits that everything has changed in her life but, for the better.
Juliana Sophie Johari Evans, who is married to YAM Tengku Shariffuddin Shah Tengku Sulaiman Shah, gave birth to her daughter Tengku Kamiliah Shariffuddin, known as Mili, on July 12, 2019.
As an actress, host, model, and now, founder of online jewellery business Jevans Jewelry, Juliana had her own struggles and faced many changes and challenges but she took it all in her stride.
However, when she gave birth to her child, she discovered that being a mother is a whole new and different experience.
A new journey in life
Although she anticipated there would be changes and challenges when becoming a mother, she felt a little surprised.
“I have experienced so many changes throughout my life, right from my school days, career, during my studies abroad, and during my many travels around the world. However, nothing beats the moment I stepped into motherhood,” she confessed.
“Motherhood has changed me, wholeheartedly. It’s just amazing. It’s very rewarding to become a mother and to have a child. My life has changed for the better,” admitted Juliana.
Changes were not limited to the physical or her priorities in life. They had an impact on her heart and mind, too. “My perception had changed. My lifestyle and my body had changed. A lot had changed, especially, my maturity,” she explained.
She remarked that it was nothing like the maturity she had developed from childhood to adulthood. Instead, she felt that her sense of maturity was much deeper.
Unforgettable moment
Reflecting on the tough and yet special moments during her child’s birth, Juliana described the delivery as bittersweet.
“It was unforgettable. First, the pain, and the relief that came after. I will never forget the pain of bringing her into this world. It also reminded me of how strong I am. I went through pain and suffering. I had to go through a thunderstorm before the rainbow,” she said.
After becoming a mother, she recalled her own mother’s sacrifices while raising her. “I realised how much my mother had sacrificed for me and my brother, and it only made me love both of my parents so much more,” shared Juliana.
Juliana’s mother is always her go-to person for advice on motherhood. “I wanted to be as good as my mother. I am very amazed about how hands-on she is.”
Balancing career and life
The 32-year-old is a woman of many talents, and also spoke about the difficult task of balancing motherhood with work, a situation most working mothers around the world had to struggle with.
“My daughter turned one when the pandemic struck the nation in 2020. The situation gave me a chance to be with my daughter all the time,” said Juliana.
She took the opportunity to work from home, as Jevans jewellery was sold online.
“I found so much joy working from home, spending time with my daughter, and watching her grow. I believe it was the best opportunity for me, as I don’t know if I will have such opportunities in the future. It’s a blessing in disguise,” she admitted.
“When she is awake, I am with her, taking care of her and playing with her. I don’t work throughout the day. I will work only when she has her afternoon nap, which is about three hours. Within those three hours, I would work as much as I can.”
At night, Juliana will prepare food for dinner for her daughter and play with her until 9.30 pm or 10pm. It’s only after that, that she would concentrate on her work.
“I think it’s a challenge to find the time to work. At times, I find that I have a busy life as I am constantly occupied with one thing or another,” she said.
Juliana’s own situation helped her to understand the immense pressures and challenges of working mothers. “I admire mothers who take care of their children by themselves. It’s almost impossible to run an online business if you are really taking care of your children all by yourself,” she said.
She recognises that she has a privileged life and constantly feels grateful for her support system. Juliana respects working mothers for their struggle, effort and hard work to take care of their children while being committed to their job or career.
“I feel blessed to have a nanny to help me while I am running my business. If I don’t have another person to take care of, it would have been really hard to work at home or even to go for film shooting. I feel blessed to have a good home, a good husband, a good family, and good workers to help me to stay happy at home. It’s a blessing,” she said.
Love of her life
Juliana described Mili as a very adventurous, chirpy, happy-go-lucky child. “What I love about her is that she is curious and she doesn’t walk but she wants to run,” she revealed.
“She is not afraid to try new things and she is always listening to me and her father. She is very well-disciplined.”
Juliana also appreciates her husband for being a pillar of strength and being actively involved in parenting their daughter.
“He is a very caring person and he puts her first in any situation and I love that (about him).”
