Motherhood is… a lot. A lot of love, a lot of noise, a lot of snack requests, a lot of days where you wonder how the hell you got here.
It’s beautiful, it’s exhausting, and some days, it feels like I blinked and my entire world became just this—kids, routines, wiping things.
And yet.
Lately, something’s been shifting. Something small but loud in my head. Like a tiny knock on the door saying, “Hey, remember me? The person you were before?”
I do. I think.
So, while my kids still own my world (of course they do), I’m also starting to… stretch. Reclaim pieces of myself. And it feels weird. And kind of amazing.
Taking Time for Yourself Without Feeling Like a Monster
I used to think taking time for myself was a luxury. Like, sure, wouldn’t that be nice—maybe in another lifetime where kids didn’t need snacks every four minutes and the laundry didn’t breed overnight.
But I’ve realized (the hard way) that if I don’t? I start running on fumes. And burnt-out Mom Me is not the best version of me.
So now, I do it. I steal time.
An extra long coffee break when Ben has the kids. Wandering through a bookstore with no one asking me to buy them a toy. Daydreaming about Spain (which has become my new favorite pastime).
The guilt still knocks, sometimes. But I ignore it. Because when I take that space? I come back better. More patient. More me.
And my kids? They feel that. They don’t need a martyr. They just need Mom, fully present.
Surrounding Yourself With People Who Get It
Motherhood can feel weirdly isolating, even when you’re never alone.
That’s why having a circle—even if it’s tiny—matters. Friends who don’t need perfectly clean floors to come over. People who won’t judge if your kid is in a Batman costume at the grocery store (again).
And, okay… maybe Ryan too.