Finding yourself with creativity
Many mothers feel like they lose themselves a little in the journey to motherhood. Perhaps it’s an important stage so that you can rise, like a phoenix from the ashes, as a new and improved YOU!
But in that moment, when you are lost, it can be overwhelming. It can be easy to keep putting your children first and to stay lost for too long. Sometimes you keep sacrificing your own desires until you don’t even know what your desire is anymore. I realised at some point I didn’t even know what music I wanted to listen to anymore!
You may feel like you don’t even know who you are.
You may almost feel as though you don’t exist.
As safe and comfy as it can be in that chrysalis, at some point, you will need to emerge. Your children want to see your beautiful wings. Your wings will inspire your children to grow wings too!
So how do you ‘find’ yourself? Where do you even start?
I love the idea of nurturing your spirit with creativity. Mothers are intrinsically creative. Creation is the ultimate act that defines us as mothers.
Most of us think of creativity as sewing or crocheting or knitting. But creativity is much broader. It can also be cooking or music or writing. Playing cards or board games or even video games can be creative. Maybe you want to dance or sing or go on an adventure in nature. Maybe you want to go ice-skating or join a team sport.
It matters less how you indulge your creativity and more that you do it. When you don’t know what you want any more, you might have to practice wanting. You might need to try something on for size. It might not work, you might not like it. But each time you try something new, you are exercising your desire muscle again until you find yourself.
I took drastic action and, quite literally, joined the circus! And guess what? Nothing bad happened.
In fact, my kids loved it! And they wanted to see videos of me climbing the silks and doing tricks on the trapeze. I even did a show!
Once I got a taste of it, I couldn’t stop. I had to quit circus whilst I was pregnant but I didn’t want to lose touch with my creativity. So I started piano lessons, with my baby on my back.
More recently I celebrated finishing creating my new online course Postpartum Education and Care Professional Training by starting a miniature craft project. I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s been really fun to try something new!
Birth isn’t just about making babies, it’s about making mums too. Your creativity nourishes you AND it nourishes your children.