Before we achieve milestones such as relationships, marriage, dream jobs, and cars, we should know ourselves, at least a little bit. A lot of people might say that we haven’t reached particular goals or milestones in life because we simply do not know ourselves as individuals. Some people may have the luxury of learning who they are while experiencing great moments such as weddings and dream jobs, but not me.
Every great mom strives to be a great mom, and not every great mom may feel like she’s ready for the job, yet she’s brave enough to answer the calling. If you’re like me, the life you lived and the person you were before you became a mother is dead and gone, and now you have to find yourself all over again. If you ask me, that’s probably one of the best parts of motherhood. We have a clean slate.
Yes, clean slates sound great and everything, but this one is both a little and a lot more different. It’s like pouring concrete. While we’re pregnant, we tend to become more mindful of the things we put into our body, whether it be food, TV, music, energy, or thoughts — the concrete is mixing. Then once that baby pops out, we begin to pour that mix into our child.
As a new mom myself, I realize that I now need to do everything with purpose and intention. The number one thing I want to teach my daughter is to love herself. I am wise enough to know that I can’t just tell her how to love herself; I have to show her. I have to love myself.
Literally, everything about me is different. From my body to my skin, from hair to my confidence. I have to get to know this new me, embrace her, and treat her right for the sake of my newborn daughter. In a sense, I feel that her life depends on it.
So the real question is, where do I begin?
- Take it One Step at a Time.
Everything good takes time, and this process is not gonna happen overnight. By taking things one step at a time, we can focus on the small wins and, over time, build healthier habits that our children will soon inherit. Monkey see Monkey do.
2. Be Intentional
Pick three things to be intentional with each week, and yes, they can repeat. Three isn’t a huge number, and it isn’t too small to not be a challenge. One thing I love about setting intentions rather than goals is that we can give ourselves grace if we don’t quite make it to where we want to be. It allows us to be human. It allows us to be moms.
Here are some examples
- Self-Care (skin care, exercise/physical activity, healthy diet)
- Spending time with God (reading my bible and prayer daily)
- Showing Gratitude (saying thank you, acts of service, and gratitude journaling)
3. Start Now
There’s no better time than now. Now is the time we have been blessed with, might as well maximize it.
