This week our family celebrates Emery’s first birthday – a milestone in his life and on my mothering journey. As I reflect on the ups and downs and the twists and turns of the past year, I’m reminded of all of the wisdom gained from the beginning of this journey. Parenting is filled with life lessons – often hidden in the challenges – lessons that help us grow and that can support us with many of Life’s challenges, within and beyond parenting.
Your heart, your intuition, knows best. Life is filled with new experiences and the internet filled with information (good and bad!). Often new experiences leave us wondering: Is that normal? What do I do? It’s easy to access loads of information, from experts and others – it can be overwhelming – how do you decide what’s right?
No matter the situation – you’re feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, it’s taking longer to conceive than you’d thought it would, a new symptom has popped up, baby’s not sleeping as well as he was – the key is uncovering reliable and relevant information, and, before taking action, take a few moments to check in with your heart, your intuition and ask – what’s right for us? There are many approaches to life, health and parenting and many solutions to the challenges that come your way – find the one that feels right for your family.
Stay nourished – body, mind & spirit. Change and challenges can be exhausting – no matter what they involve – health, relationships, work, finances, parenting.
- Stay focused on manageable goals for staying nourished. Some days will be more difficult to eat healthy, some nights you’ll get less sleep. Choose a nap over the laundry. Keep the kitchen stocked with healthy, easy to make snacks (raw veggies & hummus, raw nuts & seeds, your favourite smoothie ingredients).
- Ask for help – from family, friends, neighbours and your healthcare team. If you’re like me, you were taught to be independent – to do what you need to do, on your own. The reality is, as humans, we thrive in community, we have a natural drive to help one another. It’s OK to ask for help when you need it – and sometime down the road, there’ll be opportunity for you to pay it forward.
- Find a few minutes a day to breathe healthfully – my favourite time has been while nursing our little one in the rocking chair. It’s amazing how revitalizing it can be.
- Stay connected with Nature – her rhythms and energy are calming, relaxing and comforting. Take a walk in the woods. Hug a tree. Sink your feet in the sand, oceanside.
Change is inevitable – let go and go with the flow. As little ones grow and develop, eating habits, sleep and activity shift – just when you think you’ve caught on to a pattern, it changes again. This can be exciting and challenging. I found, the harder I tried to create a routine or hold on to one that’d developed, the harder and more frustrating my days (and nights!) became. A good reminder in the face of any change, to let go and go with the flow – trust the process – release expectations – and everything gets easier.
I am constantly in awe of all I am learning along my mothering journey – some lessons are brand new, some are good reminders of previous learning – all are a vital part of Life. May you take in Life’s teachings everyday, as you continue your journey to health.