When it comes to motherhood, it’s normal to have the grandest expectations of how everything will turn out. I remember creating my whole life plan when I was just 16 years old. I was going to be married at 21 and have my first child (singular) at 25. My baby would eat and sleep at the same time every day, and I would have plenty of time to go to work. But, the one lesson I constantly have to learn is that life rarely goes to plan.
Even after my boys were born, I was still wrestling with the tension between my role as a mum and my desire to start a business. I ended up starting Adorn Cosmetics when my boys were only 6 months old, but the combination of sleep deprivation, postnatal depression, and constant mum-guilt turned me into someone I could barely recognise. Looking back, I wish someone had enlightened me about the realities of motherhood instead of presenting a glossy highlight reel. I believe it’s our responsibility as mums to help others prepare for the brutally hard days of raising children while juggling our own desires.
So now, I’m here to share my story. In this episode, I divulge on my own journey about becoming a mum; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I also dive deeper into my tried and tested coping mechanisms for those really tough days and how I’ve learnt to stay true to myself, even when I’m experiencing a severe case of mum-guilt. For all the mums out there who struggle to get through the day or feel torn between their duties as a mum and their desire for something more, this episode is for you.
Discover:
My expectations of parenthood [01:14]
What I wish other mums had told me [09:22]
How I cope with mum-guilt [21:27]
How I balance my duties with my desires [34:51]