As mums, we are forever instilling independence into our children and delight in their individuality. As young, single women, it was important to identify our own individuality and we thrived from it. However, as the role of ‘mum’ is adopted, we automatically forget about the things that we personally enjoy and quickly learn to disregard our own individual needs and desires.
When you have young children, life begins to get hectic and daily challenges quickly define your role as The Mum. However, if you continue to be consumed by this single position in life, you will soon start to feel resentful, frustrated and unfulfilled with life.
As women, we celebrate our ability to multi-task and enjoy vast elements of life. Mums should not forget this and must not, therefore, ignore their own needs. Time out and self-care are hugely important for all women. It fuels confidence and self-esteem and instils balance in life.
Allow yourself some individual time to satisfy your own needs. We all have goals and ambitions in life and we should not ignore these simply because we have entered motherhood. Choose a night or time at the weekend solely to fulfil your desires and to recharge your batteries. A happy mum creates a more contented, light-hearted household – an environment in which children and relationships prosper.
So, find your confidence, balance and joy, and celebrate your own individuality today. It will make you a calmer, happier and more loving person in the long-term.
Tags: calmer, confidence, frustrated, happier, individual, individuality, motherhood, mum, resentful, unfulfilled
Love this post! When I had my first son, I suddenly turned from “Catriona Welsby, general all-round happy person” to “Ben’s mum”. I loved being “Ben’s mum”, but after a while I also wanted my own identity back. I had had enough of phoning other mum’s and saying “Hi there, Ben’s mum here” in order for them to know who I was. Where did Catriona go?!
I re-discovered and celebrated my own individuality by starting up and running my own online businesses (now very successful). So whilst I still love being “Ben’s mum”, I am also very happy to be “Catriona Welsby, business owner”. Finding our own identity doesn’t make any of us less of a “mum”, but more of a well-rounded, happier woman.
Hi Catriona,
Thanks, I couldn’t agree more with your comments and I’m delighted you rediscovered the real ‘Catriona’ again and are feeling happy with all the roles you fulfil so successfully. It is certainly very true that if mum is happy then all the family are happy too! Ben is a very lucky boy!
I wish you future happiness with your family and building even further on your business success.