Your best friend on parenthood

This will probably be one of many sources of information that you consume

on this beautiful journey of parenthood.

Don’t roll your eyes at me.

You heard me.

I said beautiful.

Although, I should probably just come to expect that you will roll your eyes at me a lot,

because what I’m saying may make you uncomfortable

or you may already be feeling uncomfortable before you even got to this page.

Good.

Growth happens when we utilize our vast skills to find a comfortable place within uncomfortable situations.

And believe me, I also have a hard time with the things that force me outside of my comfort zone.

I push back, get irritated, and mostly,

I get overwhelmed.

I don’t like the feeling of not being fully knowledgeable about a situation.

The feeling like I don’t have all of the puzzle pieces laid out and someone else does.

You know what I’m talking about.

that really icky, scary feeling.

And yet,

it’s seeing clearly in those moments,

taking a deep breath and going: I can handle this.

I know I don’t have all the tools, but I will find them,

they are here around me,

if I just stop and try to calm my intensely beating heart and push calm cool air out of my lungs,

I will see it.

It takes a tremendous amount of effort, but when I do it, I suddenly become knowledgeable in a moment.

I have grown; finding new footing that takes me to the next look out on my journey.

But so often we get caught in a loop.

Repeating the same dependable behavior that never pushes us forward.

The only way I’ve found that we break the pattern, is with a little help from our friends.

My goal is to be like your best friend, on parenthood.

You know which one I’m talking about.

That one that gives you a little shove over to the person you’ve been eyeing all night,

or passes you a tampon when you realize you just got your period.

The one who tells you to buy the red romper because you look amazing in it,

and the friend who drives over to your house with food when you just got some bad news.

I’m the friend who holds your hand during sivasana

And the one who will look you in the eyes and tell you that you’re beautiful.

This isn’t my life story, and I might not even know you.

Instead, I’m going to try to share with you in the same way I do with my friends.

I’m going to share with you some things I wished people had told me and the things I’m learning along the way,

with a flavor of feminism

and a sprinkle of overall humanity.

And my goal is that you feel a little bit more knowledgeable, and a little bit like you can handle what’s in front of you, behind you or still yet to come.

Because at the end of the day,

a rising tide lifts all boats,

and if I can help you,

even if in just the smallest way,

then hey, we all get a little better together.