(Some post yoga Bubby Love)

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror the other day and wondered…What kind of mom do people think I am? I know there are so many types we hear about: Helicopter moms, Pinterest Moms, Soccer moms, Glam moms, Sporty Moms, and more. I’m definitely super Crunchy-essential oils, elderberry syrup, homemade baby food, cloth diapering, doulas during both my births, etc. But I’m also tattooed and pierced, like a Hipster Mama, I’m crafty and creative like a Pinterest Mom, I am passionate about exercise and good food, and I live in my Activewear, but does that make me a fitness mama? I’m not perfectly tanned and toned and buzzing around like I feel that would imply. I’m a Homeschool Mom, but not like that. The truth is, I’m all these things and more, and there’s no one “type” of mama that describes all of who I am.

It’s hard as a Mama to find our identity between the snuggles, the booboos, the meals, the diaper changes, the messes, and everything else our days are full of, and the tendency to try to label ourselves and each other this way is a symptom of that. We wonder “Who am I? Do I know? Well, who is she? She seems like she knows. She seems like she has it together. Why don’t I?” And so we start to spiral into comparison, breeding insecurity, then resentment- of that mama who seems to have it together, or at the very least looks like she does, of our spouses, who don’t lose themselves in this new role, because their day to day hasn’t made a monumental shift, of the kids, who have, for all they’ve given us, taken away who we thought we knew we were before them, not to mention the changes to our bodies. Most of all, we resent ourselves, because we aren’t who we think we should be.

But mamas, we are so much more than who we think we are and who we think we should be. We can be all the types of mama at once and embrace the crazy tapestry of our individuality. How many times have we told our kids that the ways we are different are what makes us special? We have forgotten that in a world of celebrity mamas and social media feeds that only show us the highlights of each other’s lives. We have lost sight of the fact that God made each of us perfectly imperfect, gifted supernaturally, loved beyond measure. I’m challenging myself, even as I challenge you, to abandon the comparisons, the striving to be what and who I think I should, and instead take some time to discover and embrace who I already am.

I know you don’t have a lot of spare time, Mama, but do this for yourself. Get your spouse to help you by taking the reins for awhile regularly so you can rediscover and awaken YOU.

Ask yourself:
-What am I passionate about?
-How can I make space in my life to pursue this? Daily, weekly, monthly?
-What am I gifted at?
-How can I make sure I’m using this in a meaningful way?
-What can I do for myself regularly that would make a difference in my outlook and help me feel refreshed and recharged?

Let’s do this for ourselves, our spouses, and for our kids. They deserve the best we have to offer, and we deserve the freedom to be our best selves.

What kind of mama am I? A real one. No label, no box, no comparison to the Mama that you are. I’m an awesome mama. And so are you.