Birth is the emergence of a baby from the body of its mother and beginning their lives as two separate beings.There is NOTHING in the definition about vaginas, epidurals, hospitals, birthing tubs, tearing, medication, open fields, or candlelight.

Every parent likes to believe they can gift their children a life without struggle. That they can prevent challenges from even existing in their children’s life.

And we can’t.

When it comes to motherhood, there is nothing that can prepare you. Not even a board certification in pediatrics.

We are conditioned to avoid pain at all costs. But what if staying so safe for so long is actually…

Instead of getting caught in the crossfire she’s cherry picking her way through motherhood.She’s taking the positive aspects of each and tossing the negative out with the bathwater.

We often view discomfort as something negative. I mean, I get it. But what if we viewed our discomfort as growing pains?

Once we give birth everyone is focused on the newborn baby. Not the mother. And we are newborns too.

And as we go through big transitions in life there is a new version of ourselves we didn’t know what was there. It’s important to take time to get to know the new you. The version that was lying dormant inside you waiting for the perfect time to reveal herself.

As you know from my jokes about my tear in childbirth, it was traumatic. You’ve also probably gathered that I use comedy as a coping mechanism. It’s my favorite. What I mention less is how not ok I was. For a long time.

I spent the first three decades of my life building a “perfect” life. Meanwhile I was miserable. I wasn’t living MY perfect life. I was living the version fed to me through media, society, and what I perceived people expected of me.

I’m sharing my favorite ways to incorporate moments FOR MYSELF even if I can’t be BY MYSELF. This way each day has a moment, or two, of refilling my cup (even if it’s not to the top), instead of everything pouring out.