Balancing Motherhood and Your Authentic Self

{Note: I’m experimenting with a my tagline. What do you think of the new tagline I’m play with today?}

Mommy Mystic (@mommymystic) introduced me to Holistic Mama (@holisticmum) on Twitter today and I wanted to share two inspiring things I found on Holistic Mama‘s blog.

1. Mindful Mama, Authentic Self

I found a moving post that truly spoke to me as a mom. Holistic Mama wrote about those natural moms, the ones that are fulfilled all the time by the time they spend with their children. She described them as being able to “do copious amounts of floor-time” and “they don’t concern themselves much with their own needs”.

Floor time kills my back, so I quickly new I did not fall into this category.

Then she wrote about another group of moms. A group of moms I could relate to. I felt as if she was in my room and somehow she knew my deepest emotions and secrets. This is how she described “a mother who is a different creature“…

“Then there is a mother who is a different creature. She spends a lot of time pondering her children and their lives. She analyses her choices. She is not content with having someone else raise them (sometimes, to educate them). She wants to be with her children but she can’t sit through lengthy floor-time. She has many personal needs and sees all the needs of her child. She desperately needs to give expression to other aspects of herself. Alone time is almost always for creativity (in the broadest sense). She is not fulfilled by her mothering role. She is a mindful mother, but she is more. She often struggles with the conflicting aspects.

The latter is me. I’m attempting to find balance and peace with this. And to see the different aspects not as conflicting, but as simply different, challenging (which is a good thing), but ultimately all symbiotic.”

Powerful powerful words! I love being a mom. I love my children beyond measure. And, I am more. I am a mom and I am more than a mom. In this culture, I often wonder if it is okay for me to be saying that. Why does it feel as if I am going to be judged for even writing that? I do struggle with these conflicting aspects…which is why I believe as moms, we need to CREATE A BALANCE.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

If you can relate to Holistic Mama’s words, I strongly recommend heading over to Holistic Mama’s blog so you can read the entire post (there much more to this amazing most). At the bottom of her post she writes “There are others…let’s connect. (add yourself if you’re this mama type). I already added myself to the list along with the following 15 amazing moms…

Jump on over and join us!

1. Mel @ Clutter to Shine
2. Kristy @ Mommys Gems
3. Janice @ Crystal Child
4. Randi @ Mystic Witch Earth Mama
5. docwitch @ Dark Side of The Broom
6. Lisa @ Edenwild
7. Lisa @ 5 orange potatoes
8. Stacy @ Mama – Om
9. Tracy @ Tracy Stokes
10. Alexis @ Taking the Lid off the Sun
11. Angie @ The Artist The Mom
12. Melissa @ Blended Not Stirred
13. Jen at Under The Big Blue Sky
14. Lisa @ Mommy Mystic
15. Jo @ Shapeshifting

2. Thankful Anyway Thursday

Holistic Mama also has a weekly post called Thankful Anyway Thursday, which is an opportunity to find gratitude and thankfulness in…”the crap”. It’s a chance to be thankful for the stuff that initially upsets you, annoys you, or generally makes me go, ARGH! She encourages us all to find thankfulness in confusion, stress, anxiety, and ruts.

I love the idea and plan to join her on Thursdays (and will blog about it on Thursdays when I can).

Click here if you would like to join her too!

If you are a mom and feel as if you are also more than a mom, share your thoughts in the comments section. Let’s create a converation.