Nurturing you: Setting an Example of Self Care and Self Love

During a cold snap this winter, my two-year-old son and I were walking when we saw a caterpillar. The poor thing was moving along so slowly, like a finger unable to wiggle when frozen. I could see that this caterpillar was putting forth extraordinary effort as I watched the frame-by-frame motion each leg was taking to move along the cold sidewalk. This little guy needed some warmth!

My son and I got the little guy onto a twig as we planned to carry him back inside with us until the caterpillar could warm up enough to move again. My two-year-old insisted on holding the twig as he was, clearly, fully invested in caring for this caterpillar, the concern written all over his face. Gripping the twig tightly so as not to drop it, my son was determined to give the best nurturing care to this caterpillar.

Intently focused on the safety of the caterpillar, my son’s attention was far from his own needs. As he walked, he tripped over a raised part of the sidewalk, having missed what his eyes would have seen had he just taken one quick glance down for his own state and safety. Completely not prepared, my son fell down onto the sidewalk, and with his fall, the caterpillar was flung away.

After helping my son back up, and making sure both he and the caterpillar were okay, I relived the whole scene again in my mind. My son’s inattention to his own needs played out painfully slowly: just like the frame-by-frame motions of the caterpillar only minutes before. After my son fell hard onto the pavement, I was struck by the lesson I had just witnessed.

Just like my two-year-old son with the caterpillar, moms I have worked with often find themselves so intently focused on nurturing their children, trying hard to maintain their children’s sense of safety and wellbeing. Yet they forget to provide that same nurturing care for themselves. I have listened to the pain and sorrow in their words as they describe their desires: deeper connections, peace, patience, confidence, clarity, respect, understanding, and support.

The more you strive to nurture your child–and others–the deeper the need for your own nurturing care.

Just like my two-year-old caring for a caterpillar on a sidewalk full of unknown perils and adventures, you need to fill your own cup with nourishing love. That need for support that happens in postpartum time does not, I believe, go away after birth.

Yet how many mothers out there are suffering from feelings of loneliness, isolation, guilt, shame, regret, and sadness–real and deep pain–sometimes even in the presence of their wondrous children?

My wish is for you–and every mother in this world–to feel nurturing care that is reliable, powerful, and transformative.
I wish for every mother to be held in compassion and forgiveness, fully accessing your insights and intuition.

Having been through the shift myself–figuring it out on my own by feeling my way in the dark–I was compelled to create a path for others to guide themselves along with someone who has travelled before for close support. I have spent an intense period of time crafting–from my very heart and every ounce of my own experience, research, and intuition–a 13-week program of simple reflections and bite-sized exercises.

I have already seen that this program works–not only for me–but for other people too: mothers who have visions of leaving a different legacy and setting a different example than the one they experienced. Each mother I have worked with experienced amazing shifts toward her personal values and visions for motherhood and beyond.

These grateful mothers and I have recognized a deep truth: This is life-transforming care; something only you can give to yourself.

Only you can make the decision to have your own true and full experience of living, loving, and being loved.

You need space to uproot old expectations and limiting beliefs.
You need clarity to plant your own seeds of value and vision.
You need rhythms and rituals of nurturing care for you.

When you start watering your own garden, that feeling of being overwhelmed and “doing it all” will disappear. Just the very act of where you point the watering can makes a difference. Seems simple, right?

Here’s what I know from both personal and professional experience: Mothers will come up with all kinds of reasons not to take care of themselves.

In fact, because so many parents, even conscious ones seeking a path of peace and connection, so often forget their own self-care, I have created a free call around it called “From Holding It Together to Happy, Healthy and Harmonious.”

In this live call with me, I will be outlining the hangups and hesitations women have to tending to themselves with nurturing care. You will come away with a clear sense of exactly how and why you matter and concrete insights about your very own life situations. (Of course, if you can’t make it you can sign up and get the recording.)

My goal is for you to walk away with doable action steps to feel both clear and confident.
Whether you can make the call or not, remember that you are enough and you matter!

As you take care of you, you’ll begin to watch the life around you blossom and bloom in unbelievable ways. And if you need some clarity, understanding, or support making the day-to-day changes in yourself, your parenting, your relationships, and your life, contact me through my website or schedule a free strategy session with me.

Wishing you peace, ease, and nurturing care in all your relationships and especially for you,

~sheila

[This free call is connected to my new Nurturing You program, and the Early Bird pricing has begun! For a short time, you get a major discount and the Connected Communication NVC 6 Weeks Series for Relationships and Parenting when you register. Join other mothers and me on 4 month journey to a joyful, thriving life!]