I have been inspired to write this blog post today after feeling frustrations arise over the fact that I can’t “do it all”. I don’t have the energy or capacity to do all of the things that my overactive and creative brain wants to do. I don’t have the physical or emotional energy to be everything to everyone all of the time. Motherhood is pulling me in a different direction.
I want to say “yes” to all of the job opportunities that come my way. I want to have steady energy at all stages of the month so that I can continue to strive and achieve, I want to have dedicated time every day to meditate, to practice yoga and to sit in stillness.
But then Sofia rises at 5:30am when I was meant to have “me” time. She runs through the house, knocking things out of place, she pulls everything off the shelves and demands my attention.
I roll, bleary eyed from my bed and feel guilty for not rising 15 minutes earlier to carve out that time for myself.
And herein lies the yoga of motherhood…
Thinking of motherhood as a type of yoga practice has been especially helpful to me of late. I have been inspired to think of motherhood this way after completing some postnatal training with Bliss Baby Yoga.
It is off the mat that the true “yoga” takes place. It is in those moments where we could have responded with anger or resentment towards our mini alarm clocks who have a knack for making us feel disheveled before the sun has even risen, but instead we feel an inner calm.
Knowing that we are, in fact, in control of the way we react and respond.
It is taking a moment to breathe deeply or complete a moving meditation as our little humans climb all over us or dance around our feet.
It is knowing that we aren’t perfect, we aren’t robots and that it is ok to show human emotion.
It is taking time to stretch as our babies practice tummy time.
It is savoring the taste of our morning coffee as we watch our children play.
It is listing down three things we are grateful for each day.
It is knowing that we are, in fact, completely whole in our own special way and just because we can no longer dedicate hours upon hours to self-care it doesn’t mean that we can’t carve out moments of stillness and mindfulness.
So, this is me giving you permission to go slowly today and to notice those moments of unity, where your mind and body feel at ease.
Know that yoga is so much more than a physical practice and that the yoga of motherhood will expand you more than a headstand ever could.
