There is a quiet guilt many mothers carry
It sounds like this
I should be grateful
I should not want more
This is what I asked for
And yes you love your children
With your whole heart
With a kind of love that is fierce and endless
But that does not mean you have to disappear inside that love
You are allowed to want something for yourself too
A dream
A career
A creative outlet
Moments of stillness that belong only to you
Motherhood Is Not the End of Your Identity
Becoming a mother may have shifted your world
But it did not erase the woman you were before
She still lives inside you
With her own desires and hopes and curiosities
You are not selfish for missing her
You are not wrong for wanting her voice to be heard again
You are not just a mother
You are a whole person
Your Needs Still Matter
It is easy to get lost in the giving
You give your time
Your sleep
Your energy
Your body
Your attention
And you do it out of love
But love does not mean you stop mattering
You do not have to sacrifice your entire self to be a good mother
You can show your children what it looks like to dream
To rest
To explore
To grow
That is a gift too
Wanting More Does Not Mean You Love Them Less
You can crave adult conversation and still cuddle them to sleep
You can enjoy your work and still cheer at every school play
You can take time alone and still show up every day with a heart full of love
Your capacity for love is not measured by how many things you give up
It is measured by how fully you live while holding space for those you care about
You Deserve to Be a Priority Too
You do not have to wait until they grow up
Until the house is quiet
Until you are less tired
To start showing up for yourself again
Start small
Read a few pages of a book that has nothing to do with parenting
Revisit a hobby
Call a friend
Write down a dream you are not ready to say out loud yet
This is your life too
And you are allowed to live it fully
Tell Us Your Story
Have you ever felt torn between motherhood and your own identity
Have you rediscovered a part of yourself recently
What does living beyond motherhood look like for you
We would love to hear from you
Use the anonymous form here to share your story or reflection
Because when you speak your truth you give others permission to do the same
—
With love
Whimsical Edit
