If you are a perfectionist or recovering perfectionist, motherhood might just kick your butt in the worst ways. Motherhood requires you to give up control of everything:

when you eat
when you sleep
when you shower
how clean your house is
when you get your work done
how to manage others (babies are not manageable, neither are husbands)
how to manage emotions (cause an exhausted, hormonal mama has no emotional regulation)
how your body looks/feels

You can’t control any of it AND you’re supposed to be actually enjoying some of it. WHAT? HOW???

Adaptability is the gift of motherhood. But, I’ll be the first to tell you it does not feel like a gift to a Type A perfectionistic kinda gal. Adaptability might be your worst life skill. In fact, if you dislike spontaneity, last minute change of schedules, going with the flow, figuring things out on the fly, motherhood will knock you down. And you won’t be able to get back up until you learn to become more adaptable.

No one tells you about the very necessary skill of motherhood. You just see everyone around you being all adaptable and you’re thinking, “how the hell do they do it?”

How do other moms not lose their minds when naptime doesn’t happen?

How do other moms keep their cool when they have to cancel something fun because of a sick kid or a massive tantrum?

How do other moms go with the flow and take the punches so effortlessly?

Some of them do not control freaks by nature like you and me. And some of them have learned to lean into the unpredictability of motherhood – which I know sounds just awful, but it’s actually really helpful. Improving your adaptability will help you enjoy motherhood and get out of your own way when things change on a dime (like every hour of #everydamnday.)

Listen in to hear how you can start taking small steps to become more adaptable and start building confidence around your ability to go with the flow like all your zen mama friends.

Links Mentioned:

Get on the Wait List for Shameless Mom Con in Seattle, WA: Shameless Mom
Join me at Inspired Mama in Grand Haven, MI

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Parashat Ki Tavo with Rav Dovid Gottlieb