Motherhood as a New Beginning

Motherhood has been an interesting journey in personal development.

When I learned that I was pregnant, my many thoughts included:

How will I be able to take care of my baby and not neglect myself?

This is not the timing that I wanted.

I’m finally in a good place mentally, how will I take care of my mental health?

Will I be a good mom?

How will I take care of a baby? (I have never been a baby person)

I don’t want people to see me as weak because I’m pregnant.

Will I still be able to have the career I want?

There were plenty more, but you get the idea.

I’m now nearly two years into knowing my amazing, wonder child.

And I can say with certainty.

I have never been more mentally healthy.

Wanting to be a good parent has pushed me toward healing old wounds.

I exercise more than I have in a decade.

I do crazy things now like make my bed every day and go to bed at the same time.

My days are more purposeful.

I have set and knocked out more goals in the last 2 years than I did in the previous 10.

I read more books than I have since I was a preteen.

My friendships are deeper.

My spiritual life is richer.

I set better boundaries than ever.

I feel like I’ve leveled up several times since becoming a mom.

I don’t say all of that for applause.

I share my story because it is the complete opposite of what I feared.

I spent so much time imagining the worst case scenarios of motherhood.

I pictured martyrdom.

I believed that I would be sleep-deprived until my daughter turned 5 thanks to an article I read.

I painted a scene drained of color and fulfillment.

But I never imagined that as my daughter grew I would grow with her.

Not just into a mother I am proud to be, but as a woman who is closer to the person she aims to be.

I had no idea that my daughter’s mere existence would inspire me, challenge me, to become more than I was.

I feared I would lose myself, but I created a version of myself that feels truer than ever.

I believe that this is possible for all new moms.

I believe that the more we invest in ourselves as individuals, the better we become as parents.

I believe that our children deserve the best version of ourselves we can create.

I believe that we get to choose who we are going to be.

I believe in the power of new beginnings.