When I became a stay at home mom, it was a huge shock to the system. Matrescence, the process of becoming a mother, is a load in and of itself. But stopping work at the same time - after working for half my life - required a huge mental shift I wasn’t prepared for. It took me a long time to realize that the baseline had changed. When your job is solely being a parent, your deliverables are more like dirty diapers than emails, well-balanced meals vs PDFs. You don’t necessarily have adults around to banter with or learn from. Sadly, it took me an even longer time to realize that it was ok that all I had the capacity to focus on was motherhood. I had this narrative cycling in my head - I’m Ivy League educated, I’m resourceful, I should be able to run a side hustle like all these women I see on the socials. But we all have the capacity we have, and we aren’t better or worse as a result. Capitalism has programmed us to believe you have no value if you’re not working, but after 6 years at home and a shitload of shadow work, I’m here to tell you that your work as a parent is of the most important kind. The hearts and minds you cultivate at home can literally shape the future, and your influence in that process is unparalled. It is incredibly toxic that our society has reduced the labor of parenting to something we could be ashamed of. I know that I could not have started what I’m building here @nontoxnina at any time before now. I’m still nurturing my seedlings; my care and attention are still primarily needed at home. It requires all the energy I’m not already pouring into my kids to manage my mental health so I can stay present and joyfully engaged with them. So, when I have control over my time, you better believe I’ve been investing it in me. One day the balance will shift. I will be able to reallocate how I spend my time, and I intend to spend more of it here. Will you join me for the journey? And share your experience along with me?? PS. Check out my stories for inspiring accounts that helped me get to this place ✨ . . . #matrescence #sahm #sahmlife #breakthestigma #shadowwork #nontoxic #reelsinstagram #explorepage #reels #parenthood #balance #balanceisthekey