Fellow Moms, There’s a World Outside Motherhood and We Must Find it.

Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash

This past year has sucked for moms. For those of us used to working outside the house, we’re now trapped at home with our children. For those used to working at home, we’ve lost the peace and quiet we once had. As the days blend into the nights, our minds shift from virtual schooling to our day jobs to what to make for dinner. We’re overwhelmed. We’re stressed. And we realize we’re not getting any younger.

Are you with me? Do you feel like this too? Moms during the pandemic have had it tough. Dads as well but this one’s about us.

When the pandemic initially started, we kept groceries in the garage and sanitized everything. We were super diligent about not allowing the coronavirus into our home. As time progressed, we became slightly more lax but the stress has evolved.

Instead of focusing solely on the virus, we are focused on the well being of our families. We are worried about our children. We’re worried about their social interaction. We’re worried about their schooling. We’re printing out schedules and helping them get organized. And we are doing all of this on top of everything else we do. We’re doing this on top of our day jobs. We’re doing this on top of cleaning the house and cooking three meals a day.

We are slammed.

And we’ve been slammed since the pandemic started.

With the current stresses we have, it’s essential we take the time to focus on ourselves. And I’m not just talking about wearing a mask to get a massage. I’m talking about focusing on our well being, our awareness, and our growth. These things are essential for us to feel good.

Sure we all feel great after our hair is done and our nails painted. But that’s all temporary. Eventually you’ll go back to feeling overwhelmed. You will go back to feeling like a fraction of the person you once were.

We’re moms. We give everything to our children. We put ourselves on the backburner. It’s normal. It’s par for the course. We signed up for this.

While we signed up to be mothers, we didn’t sign up to forget about ourselves.