Letting go to welcome what’s next

When I became a parent, I held on for dear life to the old me while trying to welcome this new role and new outlook on life. I was raised in the “you can be anything” generation, so I tried to be a great mom, daughter, sister, friend, wife, colleague, employee, citizen, feminist, the list goes on. In the age of social media, it looked like all the other new moms were having babies and jumping right back into their pre-pregnancy bodies (must be nice), personalities, and passions, while I struggled to reconcile it all. You know how they say you actually can’t multitask? Maintaining multiple different versions of yourself at the same time is like that, on steroids. It becomes untenable.

But what if you can remove that unnecessary pressure to be all things to everyone, by identifying the few things that are most important to YOU, right now? In this moment. And then identify how to live those priorities out, day to day? And instead of focusing on the things you’re inherently going to have to put down or let go of, realizing all that you’re gaining in the process?

These are important questions to ask ourselves, though as parents, it’s so hard to find the time for this kind of deep reflection. Asking ourselves these questions, without having a deliberate conversation about it with a trusted confidante can be lonely, disorienting, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of second guessing ourselves. Doing this work with a coach can be incredibly eye-opening and help you feel like you’re making conscious choices that align to your values, everyday.