5 things that helped me connect to my younger self after having a baby.
At the start of 2018 - I set some personal goals for myself that I wanted to work towards. For the past two years (ever since I became a mommy to D) mom duties took over every other important part of life. I got completely consumed in taking care of my little one and kind of lost touch with the person I was apart from being a mom.
Right before D was turning 2, it hit me that it was about time I made a few changes for myself. I could have it both ways if I tried no matter how demanding motherhood got and so I decided to make an effort towards self development.
After all being a mom didn’t mean ignoring all the other things in life that made me a happier person right!? This realisation made me pen down everything that I thought I was missing out on.
Once you write things down, it gets so much easier for the mind and body to start working towards those goals. That’s exactly what happened and I was comfortably able to allow things to make a come back into my life.
These are a few additions that have brought so much positivity along. There might be days when I do take a break and take it easy but only because it allows me to bounce back harder!
1)Exercising:
This is something that I’d been running away from all my life. I lost my pregnancy weight because D kept me on toes. Breastfeeding also worked in my favor allowing me to shed those extra pounds even though I ate so much without really having to hit the gym.
Then one fine day when I felt exhausted after climbing a few flight of stairs I realised how working out was not just to “lose weight” but essentially the best gift we can give to our body in order to stay fit and healthy.
Now I no longer have to drag myself to a workout. It’s nothing vigorous but just 30 minutes in the gym doing cardio that completely pumps me up and something I really look forward to!
2) Playing a sport:
Each time I took D to the nearby park, I couldn’t stop staring at the adjacent basket ball and tennis courts and remember my school days. Playing sport was a part of me back then. Coincidentally I found a tennis coach in the same building I stay at. I took it as a sign and started my tennis lessons with her a few weeks back.
Being at that court is like meditation. I’m not thinking about anything else, no distractions, and no concerns for that hour and a half.
Taking time out for gym and tennis has worked wonders not just for my physical and mental health but taught me the most valuable lesson of self discipline. No matter how busy I get at times- this is something I'd always want to prioritise.
3) Avoiding baby talk:
As moms, its only natural that our kids tend to become the centre of our lives. Especially as a first time mom, very often I find myself only discussing "children issues" with my other mommy friends or even the ones who haven't had babies yet.
Now I make a conscious effort to talk about other things with every person I meet. Its no longer just about how I'm dealing with toddler tantrums, what she eats, what she doesn't or her recent milestones achieved. Suddenly there is so much more to talk about and listen to and it feels great not discussing about babies all the time!
4) Reading:
The more we read, the more we learn! It’s a habit that gives more meaning to life. I make it a point to read every single day. Sometimes it may be as little as half hour in an entire day just before bedtime but that’s okay.
Whether it’s news, a book, an article, vogue for my dose of bollywood news or reading others blogposts- it feels good to stay connected with what’s happening other than your own personal life.
It gives a broader perspective to my life and there is something new I get to learn everyday.
Being at that court is like meditation. I’m not thinking about anything else, no distractions, and no concerns for that hour and a half.
Taking time out for gym and tennis has worked wonders not just for my physical and mental health but taught me the most valuable lesson of self discipline. No matter how busy I get at times- this is something I'd always want to prioritise.
3) Avoiding baby talk:
As moms, its only natural that our kids tend to become the centre of our lives. Especially as a first time mom, very often I find myself only discussing "children issues" with my other mommy friends or even the ones who haven't had babies yet.
Now I make a conscious effort to talk about other things with every person I meet. Its no longer just about how I'm dealing with toddler tantrums, what she eats, what she doesn't or her recent milestones achieved. Suddenly there is so much more to talk about and listen to and it feels great not discussing about babies all the time!
4) Reading:
The more we read, the more we learn! It’s a habit that gives more meaning to life. I make it a point to read every single day. Sometimes it may be as little as half hour in an entire day just before bedtime but that’s okay.
Whether it’s news, a book, an article, vogue for my dose of bollywood news or reading others blogposts- it feels good to stay connected with what’s happening other than your own personal life.
It gives a broader perspective to my life and there is something new I get to learn everyday.
5) Self care:
One thing that I’m guilty of ignoring totally are my hands. Just like every mom, they have overworked themselves in the past two years in the process of numerous diaper changes and doing dishes.
Forget getting a mani, I wouldn’t even bother to paint my nails knowing how they would start chipping off the very next day given all the soap exposure. Even stopped wearing my rings with the fear of hurting D while changing her clothes or lifting her.
Getting back to pampering my hands by getting manicures, wearing my rings again and in general taking care of my hair and skin feels so good. Now when it comes to self care routine, I don't procrastinate but just plan it better.
Forget getting a mani, I wouldn’t even bother to paint my nails knowing how they would start chipping off the very next day given all the soap exposure. Even stopped wearing my rings with the fear of hurting D while changing her clothes or lifting her.
Getting back to pampering my hands by getting manicures, wearing my rings again and in general taking care of my hair and skin feels so good. Now when it comes to self care routine, I don't procrastinate but just plan it better.
Starting D’s day care definitely helped me find more time to do all of the above things but most importantly it was the willingness to bring these things back into my life that worked for me.
Now I can safely say that I’m in a happy place where there is a perfect balance between motherhood and my personal well being and that’s exactly where I wish to be!
Is there anything that you did too that helped you reconnect post motherhood? Would love to hear:)
Is there anything that you did too that helped you reconnect post motherhood? Would love to hear:)