I hope you are having a beautiful day with your family this Mother’s Day.
Being a mum is the best job in the world isn’t it… but it is also one of the toughest. Am I right?
I have focused today’s blog on embracing the tough and making it beautiful… just like we do during childbirth.
If you can be conscious of these 5 points below (I know there could be many more) then you will be able to consciously embrace the depths of beauty that exists on the motherhood path.
Light always has a shadow side.
And if you can see both sides yet favour the good and the positive, then you are on the way to motherhood mastery.
Here are my top 5 toughest things about being a mum:
- Sleep deprivation!!!! Welcome to life after birth. If you are in the 1% that has a child who can sleep through the night in their first year… all I can say is, we envy you!
- Frustration to get anywhere on time. I don’t know about you but getting to school on time can be one of the most stressful moments of my day. Kids just don’t live by the clock – they live in a state of wonder and learning that is lived moment to moment.
- Attachment parenting and instincts can be confusing at times. I didn’t realise that over-attachment can have many negative side effects on our children and setting boundaries is absolutely essential, yet can be very hard. Sometimes we have to be the mum that our instincts are telling us not to be, but put those boundaries in place.
- Your relationship with your partner will be challenged. You have to do so much work on yourself as your child grows – they challenge us to adapt and grow with them. This also means that partners have to adapt and grow too, and if they don’t, it can put a lot of strain on your relationship and family harmony. People change and grow at different rates and in different ways so be prepared to be patient and persistent.
- One hug will never be enough, and there will never be enough memories to help you through the absolute grief of letting them go. I can’t begin to tell you how intense it is at the teenager phase when your child no longer needs or wants to be around you as much. It is so critical they have their emancipation phase and develop their own identity – just like the toddler phase – but geez it hurts like hell!
So why on earth do we do it and put ourselves through all of this?
Because of Love! It’s all for Love.
Just because something is hard or painful, we don’t need to resist. It is also beautiful and enriching, empowering, mystifying and wondrous.
So hail to all the beautiful mothers out there who are living it and doing it tough.
This week, we have a great giveaway for a lucky mum from Pukka tea this Mother’s Day.
Don’t you find that having a cup of tea is like a cornerstone of daily self-care? I don’t have time for a full Japanese tea ceremony but I love the pause that a good cuppa brings. It can be an invitation to mindfulness and nourishment and I often joke with my Soul Mama’s that their new definition of self-care in that first year will simply be finishing a cup of tea while it’s still hot!
xxx Nadine