Dear Stressed Momma,
I see you. I am you. I've been a bit MIA lately. I decided for my own sanity I needed a breather from social media. I needed a breather from politics, Covid, friends, and family. I needed to focus on myself and my mental well-being. I needed a chance to find myself again as a mom and wife. I've been so wrapped up in the state of the world that I forgot for a moment to breathe. So that is what I have been doing lately. Breathing.
Do it with me. Inhale, Exhale... Deep breathes.
Feels good, doesn't it? We all need that sometimes and I guess I forgot that. See, life has a way of sending zingers our way. Sometimes for the good and sometimes not so much. I've had both recently. On March 12, 2020 I got the call that my daughter's school was closing. I was teaching and I scrambled to get someone to cover my classes. I honestly thought I would be back in a day or two. I had no idea that Covid was going to end up helping to close the doors of the private school where I worked. I had no idea that I would be home with my kids every.single.day since March 12th. (Spoiler Alert -- They are STILL home with me!) I had no idea where my life was going to end up and I was rolling with the punches while learning to teach virtually during a pandemic.
Fast forward to a new job (which I absolutely LOVE but am still getting used to) and a new home where we all have enough room to work and learn from home. Yet with all that great stuff there is still so much stress going on. We all know that every cloud has a silver lining and my job and home are definitely the silver lining but that dark cloud can loom pretty low overhead sometimes. I wrote before of my mental health struggles so some of you might know that my clouds can be pretty stormy but I work hard to get through them. Taking a breather was part of that.
Slowly, I am working my way back. Slowly, I am finding myself again. I have made some changes in the way I think and the things I do. I am working on making some of those changes tonight as I write this.
In the end, I guess I just want you all to know that I get it. I feel it. I live it. I breathe it... so I stopped for a moment and hugged my babies a little tighter and let go of the outside world for awhile. I am feeling better because of it. I am working hard to be a better mom, wife, teacher, neighbor, and friend. I am working hard to be that publisher mom for Macaroni Kid I started out as. Mostly though, mostly, I am working toward breathing.
Thank you. Thank you all for supporting all of us moms (and dads) out here trying to be superheroes.
Let's work on boosting each other up and reminding each other to breathe.
Peace, Love, and Macaroni,
Nicole
