To say that motherhood has been humbling for me would be an understatement. In my pre-baby life, I felt that I was really, really good at taking care of myself, at prioritizing my well being, and maintaining a calm, positive disposition, even in the face of challenge. I remember even saying “I really don’t know why so many mothers don’t take care of themselves. I’ll never be like that.” Fast forward to a few months after my baby was born— and I was doing exactly what I never thought I would do: putting my mental and physical health last on the to do list. And putting myself last meant that I was burning out, fast. I was easily triggered, angry, resentful, and I didn’t feel even a little bit like myself.

Luckily, I did have years of self-care practice in the form of yoga, meditation, and Reiki in my toolbox (even if my toolbox had been buried under a pile of baby-related to dos). The way I was living wasn’t working, and ironically, putting myself last meant that I wasn’t able to show up for my baby the way I always dreamed I would. After yet another overwhelming day as a mom, I finally decided that something had to change, so I dusted off that toolbox to see what I could do for myself--even though I didn’t have “free time” in my day for self care.

Once I started taking care of myself, even just little by little, I began to see big changes in my attitude. Now I felt like I could really be the type of mama that I wanted to be for my baby.

I know this experience isn’t unique to me (even if it felt like it at the time), so I love sharing my practices with other mamas out there. When we fill our own cup, there’s more to give to those we love. And at the end of the day, that is what matters most.