I met my younger self for coffee. She was 25, with her first baby—a little girl—cradled in her arms, just a few months old.
She opened up about her anxiety, how scared she was of messing it all up. How she didn’t have any mom friends. How the postpartum OCD and anxiety made everything feel blurry and hard to navigate.
I didn’t tell her to just wait until they got bigger. I didn’t tell her to soak it all up or how fast it would go. I simply listened. I sat with her worries and fears. And then I told her—it will be okay.
I told her she’d go on to have three more babies. And somehow, it would get easier—not because it was less challenging, but because she’d become gentler with herself. Softer. She’d learn to let go of control and embrace the chaos just a little more.
I told her she wouldn’t be the same. But these next few years would shape her into someone braver. She’d get better at asking for what she needs and lean on caffeine and friendship in to get through the days.
I told her that even though this is everything she ever wanted, it’s okay that it feels hard.
I hugged her tight before she left. I hope I see her again. I hope she knows she’s not alone.
I shared this on instagram last week and felt it would be nice to share here, too. I have loved this trend going around and felt like it would be a great opportunity to offer my younger, new mom self some compassion and grace. I highly suggest doing it yourself.
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