I’m not really one to go along with the cliché slogans used for parenting… or life in general… but the term #MomStrong won’t leave my head. I think I like it because it’s not cutesy, and it can be true in so many different ways.
#MomStrong can refer to the physical strength you gain while and after becoming a mom. Who else could carry the infant car carrier, a purse, baby supplies, and necessities you just found at Target, all while unlocking the front door and fending off your poor dog that must have thought this was the day you really weren’t coming back (but you did, so that’s worth 3 barks, a jump and a twirl… ricocheting off your leg).
#MomStrong can also refer to your heart and how much it grows with every little thing your child do. This has to be true because my heart has also never been tested so much as when I’m worrying about teething, a new rash, or whether or not my son feels cool enough in his play clothes at daycare (of course he does… the only way my 2-year-old would feel uncool is… he couldn’t care less about “cool”. He’s FINE!). My strong, growing heart keeps me grounded.
My favorite version of #MomStrong is the strength is my brain and soul. WHO would have ever thought that everyone else would know so much about having a child and want to tell you about it? This has seriously been my biggest hurdle in this thing called parenthood. It’s also been my greatest lesson. Before I was a mom, I was pretty confident. Of course, there were things I didn’t love about myself… but in general, I knew who I was and was pretty happy about it. Then I got pregnant. No lie… it started that early. Everyone had their best advice to tell me. But it was funny… because their advice usually wasn’t asked for, and sometimes it sounded like “oh, you just wait…” (one of my least favorite phrases in the history of ever). How was this helpful? It wasn’t. I should be clear… the people close to me didn’t do this… it was mostly people who thought they had found a new way to relate to me. They were relating to me through negativity and know-it-all’ness… which kind of explains why they weren’t close to me in the first place. These negative know-it-alls unknowingly gave me the best lesson of all though. They taught me to believe in myself, my instincts, and to ask people I trust if I can’t figure something out on my own. They taught me that everyone is different and saying less is sometimes often the best option (This. In so many scenarios. Remember THIS.). And not to give “those people” too much credit, I taught myself who I wanted to be as a person and role model. #MomStrong