Mother as an archetype. "What is she talking about? I'm out." Stay with me here. :) In the whirl of all the Mother’s Day sentiments, I want to take a different approach. This isn't about your mom or my mom, being a mother or not. Let’s look at the idea of mother, a symbol, separate from our own experiences. What does this evoke? Nature, life, love? From this view, I believe Mother’s Day becomes an opportunity to look at how you nurture and nourish yourself. Happening at the height of Spring, signifying the end of frost warnings in parts of the United States (although not always accurately), Mother’s Day can be the beginning of something new, a reset of sorts. New growth. New perspectives. New behaviors. It can be a chance to reflect on how you have been showing up for yourself. For everyone.
Let’s talk about COMMITMENTS...
I have two children and like so many other mothers throughout the ages, I made an unspoken commitment to show up for them always when they were born. I do not show up perfectly. It is often quite messy, tired, grumpy, or distracted. I am not always overjoyed to show up, but I do and have been for over 16 years. And while many would say, “fine, but you have to show up for your kids (pets, plants, friends, partner fill in the blank)”, the reality is that it is a choice. I am not willing and do not want them to suffer the consequences of me not showing up for them, so I choose to do this every single day.
Take a moment now to ask, are you showing up for yourself? Do you sidestep or ignore commitments you make to and for yourself? How would your life be different if you showed up for yourself more consistently? For the next 24 hours? 30 days? Year? Decade? What would change? Are you willing to suffer the consequences of not taking care of yourself? And there are SO MANY consequences. Grab a piece of paper and write your answers down.
I know I feel completely different when I honor the commitments I have made to myself. I sit in silence for 15 minutes in the morning, eat well, drink plenty of water, spend time outside, move, get enough sleep, and make time for love and connection. When I do what I say I am going to do, I feel stronger both mentally and physically. Trust in myself grows. My mind is quieter. I can show up better for my people. These are the times I show up for my kids and feel fun, inspired, connected, and loving. I feel like me.
While this might sound magical, it can be hard and is definitely a PROCESS. Again, I don’t always want to show up. I want to sleep an extra 15 minutes. I want to eat ALL the sugar. I don’t want to exercise. However, my commitments bring me back to my values and what I have prioritized as non-negotiable, even if it's not perfect. Perhaps even more important when it's not perfect. Maybe I sit for five minutes, but I sit. Maybe I indulge in some sugar but I make sure I have some good quality protein too and don’t let this derail my efforts. I definitely enjoy the treat and don’t waste time with guilt. I recommit quickly because I know that these commitments done consistently are moving me in the direction I want to go. These actions make up the foundation of dynamic, resilient health.
So take some time this Mother’s Day to decide. What are you committing to? What do you value? How are you going to nourish yourself? How do you want to show up for yourself when you are struggling? Make this doable and actionable. Small, consistent steps will take you far.
As a health and nutrition coach, I support people in this process. What would it be like to have someone by your side who SO completely believes in you and is there to help you realize your biggest and wildest dreams? Your biggest and wildest self?
Sending nourishing love to all. May you take a moment to plant the seeds of possibility and transformation and then take inspired action.
XO,
A
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