You were a person before you were a mom.
Remember her? She had plans. Ideas. Hopes. Dreams. Places she wanted to go… things she wanted to try and do.
Maybe you’ve been feeling lately like you’ve lost touch with her?
She can easily get concealed… under piles of burp cloths, diapers, wipes, laundry to wash, groceries to buy and put away, errands to run, deadlines to keep up with, work to do…
But she is still there. Just waiting.
Maybe she can’t come back out in quite the same way. I mean now there are little people around who have to be kept alive.
But every now and then you get a glimpse of her in the mirror. Or in something shoved to the back of the closet or a drawer. Or when you open an old box of keepsakes and she’s just waiting to greet you there.
Want to hear something amazing about her? She’s made better by who you are today. In this season.
You’re deeper now. Probably a little softer, too. You have extra dimensions you wouldn’t have had before.
You have wisdom and knowledge no one could have taught you except the babies that came from your body.
You’re worth knowing.
You’re more than piles of clutter you shifts from surface to surface. You’re more than the clothes that are neatly put into drawers only to be ruffled up five minutes later. You’re more than the endless plates and bowls of snacks you retrieve. You’re more than tired eyes, day old hair, and cold coffee forgotten in the microwave.
In the quiet, when you’re rocking a baby… or when your small ones are asleep in bed… or when it’s just you and the hot water of the shower… here are three ways you can start that journey back to who you used to be (made better now by who you are today):
Three prompts to help you connect & blend the old and new you:
- What’s a hobby you haven’t had the time or energy to do lately? Think about ways you can either re-introduce it slowly, or a way you can pursue something similar. For example, if you used to paint but that’s too much effort right now, what if instead you try drawing with pencil and paper?
- What used to be your favorite way to spend a Saturday? How can you take the feeling that activity gave you and replicate it in a small way in your current season? Maybe you used to really enjoy trying new restaurants for brunch. Can you ask your partner or a family member to give you an hour away so you can hang out at a cafe?
- Get some pen and paper or open a blank note on your phone and write 5 things you miss about your pre-baby life. Now write down 5 things you love about your current life. Look at both lists. Where can you bring a crossover from list one to list two?
Every season of raising babies has its own challenges and constraints. Which means developing the ability to adapt and be flexible is your best form of coping.
Be gentle with yourself. Life can’t return to how it was… but it can definitely be just as amazing and more fun than you could have ever imagined.
If you want even more ideas on how to reconnect with the old you, here’s a freebie for ya. It’s 12 ideas for finding yourself again. I’ve tried all of these over the years. They’re all worth a shot!
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