As women, we can often have many roles and responsibilities that require our attention and focus. With all of these things, we can frequently not focus on ourselves and our needs. I have noticed the importance of staying connected to our true selves especially since I have taken on roles of a wife and mother. Below you will read my experience with staying connected to myself so I don’ t get lost in the shuffle.
On this morning, I am the only one awake so I began to think about my life over the past four years. Let’s go on that journey together. In the early spring of 2010, I met my husband. From that period of time, my life has been in fast forward in a good way. A year later, we got married. On the first day of February 2013, our son was born. From there, I was learning to balance being a woman, wife, mother and entrepreneur. In May of 2014, we announced our second pregnancy and later learned we would have a baby girl. In the midst of all of the exciting and wonderful things, I have realized how I have changed and how I have felt like I have lost so much of the person I was prior to 2010. I have even looked in the mirror and asked myself “who is this woman”. I became determined to embrace the woman I was evolving into and hold to parts of the woman I already was. If you can see yourself in this post, the following tips will help you connect with yourself and not feel lost in the shuffle.
1. Find those things that you want to hold on you and fight to keep them. One of those items for me is my purse. A friend of mine had a son and she said that her diaper bag has now become her purse. I quickly disagreed and as much work as it had been to carry a diaper bag and a purse I have done it. I felt the purse defined me as the woman I love. Now I don’t change out my purses to match my outfits daily as before but I have it daily as a reminder.
2. Do those extra things when able to make you feel like you use to. I will take those extra minutes to put on my makeup, “put on some clothes” and heels on Sundays.
3. Be consciously aware of those moments that you don’t feel connect or like you want to feel.
4. Take out time for yourself frequently.
5. Listen to the opinions of others. One day I showed up for a meeting at work and a colleague brought it to my attention how much motherhood has changed my dress and appearance. I had gone from a well groomed, loved to dress, girl to a wear whatever is the most comfortable girl. It was an eye opening experience for me as I realized this is not what I wanted to become. That week I made small changes and I felt like I was back. I walked in the next week and stated “she’s back”.
You have to find what works best for you and do that. We are ever changing and evolving as women but for me it is very important that I stay connected to myself and not get lost in the shuffle of the roles and responsibilities of being a wife and mother.
From one empowered woman to another…
Natolie Gray Warren, Cofounder of W.O.M.E.N.
Girl Talk 