Parents - Feel Like You Are Losing Yourself?
If so, I can totally relate. I went straight from college to marriage and motherhood proceeding to spend the next 25 years focusing primarily on my family. I wouldn't trade it for anything but I definitely would have made some adjustments.
The only thing in life I knew for sure I wanted was to be a mom. I grew up babysitting, was a live-in nanny for a family on the east coast during a summer break and worked in a daycare center in college. I loved kids and couldn’t wait to have my own.
Stay at Home Mom Life
I started my own family at a young age and didn’t really have an opportunity to begin a career at the same time. It was actually more economically feasible for me to be a stay at home mom and I soaked it up with everything I had. It was very isolating at the beginning but I eventually ended up moving to an area that accepted me with open arms. I had a network of fellow stay at home moms and enjoyed the time with my three boys.
I felt very fortunate to have that opportunity but realized for a variety of reasons, I was morphing into everyone else. I dabbled in a variety of hobbies but was not able to commit enough time or energy for them to go any further than that.
As the Kids Grew Up
As the years went on the pressure to branch out was getting stronger. It was assumed that when the boys got older, I would jump out into the world and start contributing to the family financially by creating a career for myself. However, even though I had obtained a college degree, I had never done anything with it and felt as though I had no worthwhile work experience to offer anyone. As this pressure grew, my confidence shrank. Not to mention, the teen years proved to be very imperative that I be home.
Empty Nest Life
Now that I am empty nested and single, I am, at 50 years old, discovering and connecting to myself for the first time for who I am as an individual. It is exciting and scary all at the same time. I feel like, in a lot of ways, I have been catapulted back in time to my mid twenties taking on so many things for the first time, which is why I feel like I relate to and empathize with that stage of life so much.
It’s Never Too Late
No matter what age or stage you are in, I am here to tell you that first of all, it is never too late to regain your sense of self but the earlier in life you start the better. As I look back I realize that I would have been a much better wife and mother had I honored and kept more of myself throughout the years.
Use Your Strengths to Reconnect With Yourself
So, if for whatever reason you are feeling yourself slipping away, there is support. I rely on my natural Strengths everyday to keep me on track of being my authentic self and can help you strengthen who you are while you continue to love, support and provide for your family as well.
