I’m Just a Mom

Is that Enough?

Lately I have been feeling this deep, burning desire that I have to do more. That I have to be more. More than just a mother. More than just a wife. More than just a daughter. I feel like I have some work to do in this life to make the world a better place, and being a mother simply isn’t satisfying me. It doesn’t make me feel like I am doing enough.

Recently I watched an episode of Super Soul Sunday with Oprah and she had Marianne Williamson on her show.  The particular book Oprah was discussing was Marianne’s book, Return to Love, which was, at the time, celebrating its 25-year anniversary. As I was sitting there and listening to what Marianne had to say, her words were deeply resonating with me, and right in line with what I am currently exploring to help myself grow more.

I started to realize that perhaps what I was doing was enough. This was a new concept for me because I constantly feel like I’m not doing enough.

I think as a mother it is easy to let society tell us that we need to look like this and do it like that in order to “have it all together”.

How many times do you hear about this super mother who does it all and you wonder, why can’t I just keep the darn kitchen clean? Why can’t I have it all together too? Before you know it, you are overworked, overtired, forgetting about yourself, and putting all your time and energy into your work, kids, home and leaving nothing for yourself.

While I have been doing a good job of taking care of myself through working out, meditation, having “me time”, getting enough sleep, and so forth, I have been putting a huge amount of pressure on myself to figure it out, NOW. As if the clock is ticking.

As I mentioned earlier, I have a deep desire to find out what my purpose is, and how I am going to manifest the life I truly desire. What something Marianne said in the book, hit me like a ton of bricks. The overall theme that spoke to me the most was that choosing to be love, light, positive, caring, however you want to word it, is all the world needs from some of us.

Not everyone needs to be the next Mother Theresa, or even Oprah. Not everyone has that in their life path. And not everyone needs to have that.

Some of us can simply change and affect those around us by showing up as our authentic selves and being kind to other people. Us mothers who feel like we aren’t doing enough, well let me tell you, you are doing enough.

Imagine that every little thing, decision, action, words that come out of your mouth, imagine that all those things impact those around you. Imagine that what you do as a mother is imprinting into your children, which is the future of this planet. What I started to realize, and I get chills as I think about it, is that me being a mother would simply be enough to impact this planet if I continue to choose love in everything I do. I am trying my best and with that I am trying to teach my children to be kind human beings. To love others, to reach for their dreams, to believe in themselves, and to understand that it’s ok to be themselves. I am trying to teach my daughters that who they are is enough. So, I better start with accepting that I, myself, am enough.

The next time I think that I need to be doing more and finding what lights me up, I kindly remind myself that what I am doing is impacting future generations.

I am choosing to do things differently. I am choosing to raise my children differently so I can support them in their growth and uniqueness. I am choosing to be kind to others, support my friends, love on other people, say hi to our neighbors, wave at people driving by, hold a door for a stranger, and to put it more simply, I am choosing love as often as I can.

While I can’t say I am perfect, because no one truly is, I try to release the judgment I have on myself when I fail to do this and just try again next time. It’s part of being human. But for the sake of my joy and my children’s future, I am choosing to make a difference by simply being enough for myself and my family. By simply being enough for those close to me. Every little thing affects everything, and that is simply enough. Being a beautiful soul that radiates love and where people are glad to have known you and have you in their life, that is simply enough.

The next time you mess up, the next time you didn’t get it quite right, or the next time you feel like you have to be doing more, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you were born enough. All you have to do is remember what an amazing person you are and that whatever you do impacts those around you. You’re raising the next generation of leaders and forward-thinkers. And that’s pretty incredible.