March Thoughts: You're Doing Great Sweetie!

“Oh you’ve got your hands full”

“You’re so busy”

“You seem overwhelmed”

“You must be exhausted”

File the above under things that a working mother doesn’t want to hear. Are they helpful? No. Are they slightly offensive and make it seem like I’m not managing my life in a way that is appropriate? Yes.

I have always said that people fill their life with what they can handle. A working mother of one is no more or less stressed than a working mother of six. And a mother who works in a 9-5 office environment is no more or less busy than one that works in the creative field or those that make their home and family their 9-5.

I certainly agree and am a huge advocate for consistency, setting a schedule and a pace, and finding the balance. But right now, with a six month old, those things are a bit harder than they were before. It doesn’t mean that they don’t happen and that I’m not able to be successful day to day with my multiple roles, it just means that there is a bit more chaos in the execution. And that’s ok.

There is beauty in the chaos. Sure, it’s beyond exhausting and yes I do have my hands full. I think that’s it’s easy to point to those things as negatives. But they’re part of the process. Or at least part of my process.

As I do round into the second half of Rowan’s first year of life and finding my footing back into the swing of work after time away, I do find myself returning to the routines. Utilizing my daily and weekly planning and time blocking methods that help stabilize. The workouts and habits that are for me and help ground me. I’m excited to return back to a place of not feeling stretched.

But for now I’ll just keep swimming,  ignore the quotes above and remind myself, and the other mamas out there feeling the same, that we’re doing great sweetie!

Cheers!

E