TPJ 31: How to NOT Lose Yourself in Motherhood

I was chatting with a friend who’s recently become a first time mom. Her baby is just turning one and she told me: “I’ve really let myself go”... she described how she hasn’t been to the gym since her pregnancy, how she’s enslaved herself in service of her baby and how she hasn’t been out with her girlfriends in months.

If this is you, I’m going to share a mindset shift that will help you break free of victimhood and enslavement parenting - and how your child will benefit greatly from this shift as well.

You’ve heard it before, you’ve probably even said it - my children are my WHOLE world, my kids are my life. I know I have. It’s true that when we become a parent our children take a place in our lives that’s greater than anything that has come before them. We would literally lay down our life for our children. 

While we would sacrifice our lives to save our children should we also sacrifice our life, well-being, and happiness just to care for them?  And if we do so what are we actually modeling for our children? What type of parents will they grow up to be when we choose this path?

Parenting like this can lead to burnout. Maybe it’s time we also focus not just on parenting the whole child but on being the WHOLE parent...here’s what you’ll hear:

[4:29] What is a whole life?

[6:37] Tying our worth to our sacrifice

[9:08] More sacrifice, more work = better parent? (spoiler alert: NO, it doesn’t)

[11:12] This does NOT mean become a narcissist

[14:10] You make me…

[16:46] The solution! Yes please!

[18:14] Nourish yourself 🧘‍♀️

[19:51] Drop “or” - use “and” instead!

[20:55] You are MORE than just a parent

Remember, you are the curriculum. How you show up, including most of all, how you treat yourself, is what your child will learn. Are you treating yourself the way you hope they grow up to treat themselves?

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Show Notes: https://www.theparentingjunkie.com/31