MOTHERing — there’s so much noise around what being a mom should and could look like.

and i swear, all of the differing opinions are growing louder by the minute.

labels are shoved down our throats in the form of curated content — influencing us to find our way into a box.

are you a SAHM, working mom, SAH working mom, homesteader, homeschooler, trad wife?

a feminist or traditionalist?

how about a crunchy mom?

a trying to look refreshed mom?

did you bounce back?

do you take care of yourself? workout? prioritize self care? get procedures? treatments?

love your body as is?

screens or no screens?

do you plan activities? stay on a schedule? cosleep? sleep train?

village or no village?

daycare? nanny?

financially independent? reliant on your partners income? a bread winner?

breastfeed? pump and bottle feed? combo feed? formula feed?

are your kids your purpose? are you going after your goals and dreams?

deep inhale now exhale

f*ck.

it’s all too much, isn’t it? the questions and expectations.

we were never meant to consume all of this information, in this amount.

what started as connection, has quickly turned into a disconnect within ourselves.

one fueled by anxiety, pressure, confusion, guilt and shame.

don’t get me wrong. we need perspective and connectivity to grow and survive. to feel less alone.

but could we all agree that maybe we’ve taken things too far?

distracted by trying to find answers… addicted to passing the time… while (knowingly or not) trying to fill a void.

what we need isn’t more information (although knowledge is power)…

what we need is to put the phone down.

heal our inner child.

touch grass.

meet a friend for coffee (irl).

move our bodies.

listen to our gut.

put ourselves out there.

be open to signs from god/the universe.

find new hobbies.

push ourselves.

do what feels good.

have hard conversations.

reclaim what it means to mother and BE a mother.

to honor our intuition and to come together as women.

there is no box. we get to change our minds. be messy. learn as we go.

it’s complex and there are so many dualities within this space and season of life. have grace for yourself and begin to shut out some of the noise.

you were made for freedom and art and play and joy and depth and space. you were made to exist safely in your mind and body as you explore what it means to be human. outside of being a mother, and within.

this is mothering. disrupting the norms and finding what feels true.

empowered by choice and fueled by love.

i see you and i am so happy you’re here.

you’re doing great and you are enough.

xx

d

Photos: Sara Welch