You are your Greatest Project
I trust your week is flowing well.
I am often asked about my own journey and why I am a huge advocate for women to practice daily self-care, breath and centering (grounding) each morning. I thought this week I would share with you something I noticed in my earlier years of becoming a mother, in the hope it will help inspire you as a woman to ensure you do give to yourself each day.
The younger me found myself constantly questioning why other mothers and I would talk about not having enough time, lacking self-care, feeling exhausted, having that sense that we couldn’t keep up and we were going under and drowning in our daily demands. As though it was normal—as if being a mother/woman meant we should expect to feel exhausted, busy and get use to putting ourself last.
For some reason it never sat right with me.
I clearly remember early on after the birth of my second child (my daughter now 27) I was so overwhelmed trying to keep everything going, breastfeeding, night feeds, toddler-mum, working-mum, house clean, the list was endless of what and who I was trying to be. One day my Mum said to me, “You seem like you are too hard on yourself.” WOW.
In that simple sentence she gave me a realisation and she gave me permission: Who was I trying to be? Whose standard was I trying to maintain?
After that day I quickly found myself making different choices. They were small and at times challenging or inconsistent but they were choices of doing things a different way, of not being so hard on myself. When I was consistent with the alignment inside myself, life flowed easier, I felt lighter in myself. When I dropped the consistency it didn’t take long until I realised I was back in the “drowning, lost feeling”.
It wasn’t until I had my third child (my daughter, now 22) that I really found my rhythm. When I wanted it badly enough I did have the ability to create time for myself. And when I didn’t have time, (here's a truth bomb) - it was because of my own subconscious self-sabotage patterns. So I tried to stop self-sabotaging (which is easier said than done!!!) I stopped trying to people please everyone. I didn’t always succeed but I kept constant, I kept trying.
Then my fourth child came along (my son who is now 19). That was another game changer! I was so busy loving being a Mum to four beautiful kids 10, 8, 3 and 0 that I forgot about me again. I knew she was in there somewhere, on the backburner just waiting until the kids got older, until the school holidays came, or until I life slowed and I could make time to catch my breath.
“She” waited on and off for about 3 years. She was patient, she was kind some days and quite loud and overwhelmed others. Then one day I heard her loud and clear, it was time to not have “her” on the backburner, but to place her front and centre stage. For if I was her, and she was me, and we did this thing called "life" together I would be the best person and version I could be. The best woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and so forth - I would be my best version of me as a human.
So you see, that is why I am so passionate about asking “Why do women wait?”
Why do women keep thinking a better time is coming around the corner?
Why do we think as a woman/mother/partner you put your personal growth, life, career and healing on hold while the kids are young or until the business is flowing better?
I can tell you loud and clear with four adult children, three grandchildren, extended family and a career life is NEVER on hold!!! So take the time for you NOW, make the step forward, never think it is small or large, never think it is right or wrong. Any mindful step towards caring for yourself is a step in the right direction…….movement. That is what matters!
We are human, we are nature, nature grows, heals, transforms.
As I say in my signature program The Transformation Project - YOU are your greatest Project! Why?
Because you are here to live your greatest Self.
What steps in your life can you take to ensure you take time for you each day? It doesn't have to be huge, start small work your way from there. If you'd like help reach out to me.
Have an extraordinary week working with and on “your greatest project” - YOU and take my wise Mum's advice "Don't be so hard on yourself."
Alli