Good Things Take Time: Part 2 of 2

What Moms Would Tell Their Younger Selves

Read about MAMMA-MIYA’s origin story in Part 1 here. 

 

Being a mother doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your dreams or compromise on your ambition. But pushing yourself beyond what you can do at that point doesn’t help either.

Is there a perfect balance, a higher plane or an alternate universe where time will stand still while you demolish your task list?

Will you get a brain download when you’re sleeping, so that when you wake up, you’ll know exactly how much of what to do, and you can dust your hands at your empty list before sunset?

Aash and Namz also spoke to “sorted” moms while building MAMMA-MIYA to get to this answer. These moms had, through experience, hindsight and the generous counsel of other moms, successfully managed their multiple roles and priorities with a sense of lightness and intention, and felt fulfilled by it.

The question the founders asked these moms was: if you could, what would you tell your younger self? This is what they said.

 

As a mother, you’ll have more things to do than you can keep up with. Prioritize what matters most to you.

 

Take some time out for yourself, everyday, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

 

Your strengths are unique to you. Own your strengths, believe in your own magic.

 

You’re a woman first, then a mother, wife, professional, daughter, friend and so on. Make time to prioritize yourself, and fill your own cup.

 

Regularly ask yourself, what is truly important to me? It’s okay to not know the answers immediately. Many of us are still discovering the ways becoming a mother changed us. But it’s important to know what you want and to put it down somewhere.

 

Make personal goals. Start small, and cross them off one by one. Do it regularly for long enough, and you’d have built a healthy routine.

 

Being organized makes the journey easier and the day to day more fun.

 

The days are long but the years are short. Be present.

 

There is no such thing as a perfect balance. Find the harmony or rhythm that works for you, for this stage.

 

When you decide to do something for yourself, commit to it by structuring time for it in your day. When that time comes, dedicate yourself to that task fully, be present in it. The rest of your day will still be waiting for you when you’re done, anyway.

 

Balance is like a wheel. For it to turn, all its sides need to be tended to. Nurturing your personal growth and happiness will also make you a better mother and a more confident working woman.

 

If you cannot change the situation, try and change your attitude towards it.

 

Gratitude, towards yourself and others, is a powerful tool that can energize and inspire you.

 

In many ways, MAMMA-MIYA is a productized version of their learnings and advice. Features like top 3, the self-care section and Brain Dump were born out of these insights.

 

Take a moment to yourself, every day. A moment where you are your own priority. Just you. Not your baby, not your work .. not your filthy house, not anything. Just you. Whatever you need, whatever you seek, reconnect with it in that moment. Then, recommit.
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus