Breaking the New-Mom Norm

There seems to be this cultural norm going around giving new moms permission to be frantic. By this, we mean people (mostly other moms) tell new moms that it’s okay and “perfectly normal” to be constantly worried, anxious, neurotic, fearful (insert your typical new mom adjectives here). Now don’t get us wrong – we understand the concept and sentiment. BUT – why do we want permission to be less than our best?

We think it’s time to break the new-mom norm – actually, it’s kind of the every-mom norm (there are tons of seasoned mamas who feel these same things and live the same way). We don’t want to be anxious mamas even if that is typical of most mamas,new and seasoned alike. Believe it or not, we have the ability to expect good things to happen, to have wisdom without being fearful, to believe for the best and not constantly doubt. We can define a new norm.

Yes, there are a gazillion things that can come out of nowhere, go totally wrong and ruin your day – if you let them. BUT we have the choice to take inventory of everything that goes right every single day. One mantra we newlymoms live by is:

You become what you behold.

In other words, if you behold (focus on, think about, meditate on) negative worries and what-ifs – you become negative. And you engage this downward spiral of negativity, attracting negative things – thoughts, people, circumstances, etc.

Standard mom-advice goes something like, “Your feelings are perfectly normal. Don’t fight them.”

 

Well, guess what? We want to fight them. We’re not saying to bottle up your feelings. We are saying that we are going to stand today and choose not to accept the permission society gives us to be worried, anxious, fearful, neurotic, etc.
No, thank you. Let’s be the generation of hopeful moms who have expectations of good things on the horizon- the moms who break the norm.

Who’s with us?