Season: Five Minute Friday

Maternity leave is officially over and this week I returned to work. I’m slowly emerging as a writer once again and looking forward to things coming up this season with my business. I am jumping back into my Five Minute Friday writing group today. The prompt this week is Season.

With the return to the classroom this week, I am shifting seasons in my life from my cozy maternity leave. Five days in as a working mom and I am already missing those cuddles and smiles. I’m fortunate to work in a school that values me as an educator and that has given me space to emerge at my own pace. For the most part, I’ve been given room to get my feet wet and I’ve treated this first week back as a “First Week of School” and it has helped me ease into my role.

I’ve set three goals for this season:

1. Be Present

I have a tendancy to get wrapped up in planning for the future and missing what is in front of me. May I stay in the moment and recognize each season and each day as a unique gift that I will never get again.

2. Give Grace to Myself and Others

As an Enneagram 1 I can be very hard on myself. I’m skilled at setting intentions for each day, but if something gets in the way of meeting those I can be hard on myself. This can also carry over to how I view others. With such a self-critical lens it’s hard to give grace to others who fail to meet those same expectations. May I remember that as a human it’s okay to not check every single box. It’s okay if the laundry pile gets neglected for a day or if I have to resort to carry out in order to fit a meal into my busy days. This is just a season.

3. Be Curious

This goal is one that my counselor recommended I explore. It means giving myself permission to not know all of the answers. Also, instead of passing judgement on myself for what I used to view as failures I should instead consider the reasons behind what occurred and approach these circumstances with curiosity. Sure, the laundry has piled up, but why have I allowed this to happen? Is it because I’ve been tired? Or maybe have I been soaking up every moment at home with cuddles, smiles, and naps with my baby boy that I’ve been missing all day? What is more important–laundry or my baby?

If you are a parent, chances are some of these things resonate with you. You’ve been in a season where returning to “life as normal” is a giant feat and you mourn the time you spent with a newborn. I’ve been down this road several times now and each time I’ve brought new wisdom on the journey with me. I am far from perfect, but I do believe that going into this new season of life being present, full of grace, and curiosity will help me better navigate the emotions that accompany this tough time.

The Ameri Brit Mom