MOTHERHOOD: UNEDITED – Advice to My Older Self

Grá @fredtedandcompany shares some thought provoking musings on Motherhood … .

“ Have you ever done one of those “What advice would you give your younger self?” scenarios? Well have you ever flipped it? What advice would your older self give you now? The you that’s a parent of 12, 15, 22 years olds, what insight does that person have for you today?

I had a wake up call while meditating on this question recently. (Apparently I’m someone who meditates now 🤷🏻‍♀️ Hello 30s!!!) And it REALLY struck me how much I was stressing the small stuff.

My future self does not give a single 💩 if the breakfast dishes don’t get done till lunch, my older self doesn’t care how many hours of homeschool we did in a week and she CERTAINLY doesn’t care how many hours my insta-friends did.

My older self doesn’t want to know about Alfie’s counting or my emerging fine lines, she’s not concerned with wether or not the kids had pasta pesto twice in ten days or that I had to rewash a load of forgotten laundry.

My older self is seeing the big picture and she regrets my negativity. My older self wants to tell me to make my kids laugh, to hug them, to sniff them, to read them one more story, to explore with them, to chase chickens with them. To cherish them.

She wants me to remember my husband as more than a co-parent, to listen when he compliments me and remind him just how hard I’m trying when he takes me for granted.

She wants me to take time out, to be curious, to remind me just how hard my husband is trying.

So the coffee’s cold, again, the beds haven’t been made, again and you’ve left the house wearing odd shoes (just me?) So what? What does your future self hear when she sits in the house she used to share with her little children? What memories does she recall in those quiet rooms? We’re living our memories right now! What do you want to remember? Go live it.

Whatever is stopping you, weighing you down, distracting you, get passed it. Do the work, get the therapy and live a life that fills the heart of your future self with absolute joy and gratitude.”
.
Thank you so so much Grá. Adore all of this

*Image from Grá’s Instagram page @fredtedandcompany