Although motherhood is amazing we can forget who we are. Here are some tips to help us take pride in who we are again.

 

Looking in the Mom Mirror: How We Can Take Pride in Who We Are Again

One of the most difficult things we can experience as a parent is a sense of pride in who we are. As moms, we can feel like, despite the efforts we are putting into every aspect of our children and family’s lives, we are neglecting ourselves in the process. Gradually, as we look in the mirror over the years, we can become somewhat fed up with what we see staring back at us. 

We may try to change by having a healthier diet or undertaking a new exercise routine, but we end up going back to what we were doing because the routine hadn’t settled in or we lost motivation. Being proud of who we are is a vital aspect of feeling happier and more content with who we are, which will give us the motivation to do more. So what does it really take to feel proud of who you are? 

Gain Perspective

Perspective is one of those things that everybody’s got an opinion on! But there are things in our lives that we should stand back and realize that we did well in. Because if we don’t like something about ourselves, for example, how we look, we can feel the inclination to make big changes that we think will make us feel better about ourselves. Anybody that’s had concerns with their weight may be looking at different types of liposuction, but we have to remember that liposuction is not a weight-loss treatment per se. 

If you really want to feel happier in who you are, you need to pat yourself on the back if you’ve done something that was greater than your expectations. If you have a good perspective of what you have accomplished, whether it is losing a bit of weight or even making an amazing meal, these are the little victories that will help you accomplish more in life. 

Take Pride in the Family

If we don’t feel like we are accomplishing everything that we could, sometimes we must look at what we have done to create a far more effective family unit. Being proud is not just about who you are, but the things you have achieved along the way. Taking pride in your family is a simple way to take pride in yourself. Your children have accomplished so much, and you brought these into the world or you have raised them to be the best human beings they can be. You might think there have been times when you were not the best mother, but it’s important to remember that nobody is perfect 100% of the time. 

We have to recognize that we are all prone to having bad days and when we start to take pride in who we are as a mom and realize that we are only human, it’s these moments that make us understand how we’ve done so much that has accumulated over time to create a family unit that we can be proud of. 

If your child has stood up for themselves in school against the bullies in the right way, that’s down to you instilling values of assertiveness; or if your child has worked late into the night to create a project if they are happy with, this is down to your lessons in determination. You can think that it’s down to them, but the fact is you had to create an environment that has set the precedent. 

You might have been hard on yourself over the years, which has resulted in your children being tougher on themselves, but the other side of this coin is that they are more determined to get things right. We can talk about perfectionism, but as far as a behavioral trait is concerned, working hard to get something right is far better than not working hard at all! 

Accepting Who You Are, Not What You Think You Should Be

We are only in competition with one person: ourselves. In order to take pride in who you are, you’ve got to realize that while there may be people out there you admire, the solution is not in trying to be them, but about understanding that you’ve got your own inherent strengths that allow you to be a better version of yourself. 

We can always take inspiration from others to inform our journey as a parent, but we have to remember any solid habit will take at least three months to embed, which means that, while you are learning how to be more decisive or how to become fitter and healthier, you are still relying on the things that make you you. And we must remember that while we may not like who we are or have the yearning to be somebody else, as we develop new skills and qualities we incorporate these into our psychological makeup and they become a part of who we are. 

We can absorb other people’s attitudes and behaviors and “mishmash” them with our own, and this is why we can’t dream about being someone else, because:

1. There is no point. 

2. There is no point because you are you, and that is a fantastic thing! 

We learn to take pride in who we are as a mother because we take pride in who we are as a person. While there are things that could benefit from fine-tuning, this is what life is all about. It’s about the journey, the self-development, and realizing that around every corner, there is a lesson to be learned. 

If you don’t feel proud of who you are as a person, you have that inner drive to want to better yourself, so you’ve got a fantastic foundation in which to thrive. 

Some parents feel content in who they are and just carry on, but those that really want to develop their abilities have something special. We all need those moments where we take stock and relax, but if you really want to take pride in who you are as a person, it’s about looking at those achievements, no matter how small they are, but also looking toward the future as being full of opportunity.