⚡️ Issue #16 - Unpopular opinion: You don't need a new you in the new year
Tips to set yourself up for success this Q1, Amazon top finds, and more
Hi there,
I’ll start by saying better late than never because I totally skipped January (and almost February, oops). Anyway, it wouldn’t be the first issue of the new year if I didn’t open with, “Wow, can you believe we’re in 2024? Where did the time go?” lol, so I will slide it in and get it over with. It seriously feels like it was just December 2019, we blinked, and then here we are in 2024.
All that to say, whatever you may be thinking about doing this year regarding your goals, dreams, or passions, do it! Time will pass anyway (and super fast), and when you look back, you will be so glad you took a chance on yourself.
This issue will focus on something other than New Year's resolutions or the whole “New Year, New Me” because spoiler alert: you are already doing great. 😉 Instead, we will focus on improving our lives to maximize rest, wellness, and reduce overstimulation.
Let’s go!
xx
Ingrid
P.S. Don't forget to check in on your mom friends. Just forward this email or share this link.
🛍 This month’s Amazon picks
Forget the Stanley cup everyone is fighting over! This Owala spill-proof water bottle is a #1 bestseller with over 23k reviews.
Listen to Dr. Whitney Casares's (pediatrician and mother of two) audiobook as she unveils a transformative step-by-step plan for modern working moms in her book, “Doing It All.” Discover how to break free from burnout, overwhelm, and self-blame, and embrace a balanced and intentional life.
Are you a social media manager or community builder? I just published this planner to help you strategize and reach your goals. Check it out!
🫶 3 accounts to follow on Instagram this month
Career Contessa (@careercontessa) for all the job search and career advice you need!
Dr. Sara Reardon (@the.vagina.whisperer) for all the pregnancy and postpartum tips AKA pelvic health
Saranya Raghavan (@shelvesofcolor) for all the children book recommendations that are diverse, inclusive, and fun!
Upcoming events:
Are you in or around Monmouth County, NJ? If so, I’d love to invite you to this year’s Monmouth Moms Summit happening on April 11th at Bell Works. With Key Note speakers like Adriana Carrig, Founder and CEO of Little Words Project.
Here’s what is happening in our lives at the moment
Ever stumbled upon the saying, "A rising tide lifts all boats"? I couldn't help but feel its connection to our journey as moms. Picture this: we're the tide, and our well-being is the magic that lifts everything around us.
Just like the advice about filling our own cups first or securing our oxygen masks before helping others, nurturing our tide is essential for smooth sailing. Neglect it, and things might get choppy. 🌊
Let's make 2024 the year we zero in on bettering the areas of our lives that need a little TLC, putting our wellness front and center, and watching our families flourish as a result.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few tips to get you sailing smoothly into Q1:
Maximize rest: Just like a tide that sways gently under the moon's influence, your energy ripples through your family. Prioritize those precious Zzz's to ensure you're a force of positivity, patience, and strength. A well-rested mom is the anchor that steadies the ship.
Nourish the sea within: Nurture your mind, body, and spirit, because a healthy tide brings abundance. Dive into activities that make your soul sing, whether it's a calming bath, a quick walk, or savoring nutritious meals/snacks. You deserve the spotlight in your own wellness show!
Unplug & recharge: Just as the tide ebbs and flows, your daily rhythm needs moments of ebb. Declare a tech-free sanctuary, allowing your mind to reset and recharge. Detox from overstimulation and rediscover the tranquility within. Remember, a calm tide makes for smoother sailing.
Find a creative outlet: Embrace your creativity as the colors that paint the canvas of your life. Whether it's writing, painting, or dancing, your creative outlet is the wind in your sails. Fuel your passions because, just like a tide carrying treasures to the shore, your creativity brings joy and fulfillment to you and those around you.
By taking the time to fill your cup first, you become the rising tide that lifts all boats and setting the example for your family, showing them the importance of self-care.
Here’s to a great Q1!
ICYMI on social
6 Compliments (for you and all the moms in your life) you didn’t know you needed
Join the discussion or read the comments on the one topic nobody warns you about when you become a parent: school drop off/pick up.
Trending articles
🔥🔥🔥 Too many new moms would rather leave the workforce than return to their jobs by Brittany Loggins | Fast Company
Return-to-Office Mandates Are a Disaster for Working Mothers by Joanne Lipman | WSJ
How Jenna Dewan And Working Mothers Are Teaching Financial Wellness by Jennifer "Jay" Palumbo | Forbes
State of Parental Stress & Mental Health: 2023 Report by Oath Care | Michelle Stephens, PhD
NEW! Introducing "mom to mom,” a new interview series featuring moms from our community, who will be sharing their best tips and advice for navigating motherhood.
Meet Bethany Braun-Silva, a dynamic on-air personality specializing in parenting, entertainment, and lifestyle. As the host of "The Breakdown With Bethany" podcast and web show on Mom.com, she brings forth engaging discussions and invaluable perspectives. Bethany is also the author of "Like a Mother: Banish Guilt, Blaze Your Trail, and Break the Rules to Create a Life You Love," a transformative book empowering moms to embrace self-discovery and chart their own path to fulfillment.
WM: You've made a remarkable career pivot. Can you share a bit about what inspired this change and how it has shaped your journey?
BBS: The pivot came from a desire to work for myself, and be my own brand rather than work for a large corporation. I was looking for support within the private sector, and it just never showed up for me and the way that I hoped it would. It was scary to go out on my own, start working for myself, writing for myself, and launching the podcast, but it was totally worth all the hustle and heartache to get to this point.
WM: Your story reflects a determination to live life on your own terms. How has this decision positively impacted your overall well-being?
BBS: I never intentionally set out to break any rules or no live life on my own terms at least not in any sort of loud or bold way, but that’s how things played out for me. I was a 26-year-old pregnant intern, who had just discovered her professional passions, and was so hell-bent on making motherhood and my career work in tandem that I ended up sort of blowing the system up from the inside out. For so long, I did this unconsciously, and then it wasn’t until a few years after the birth of my second son, that I realized that this path that I created was uniquely my own, and I wanted to help other women realize that they could create their own paths to live the life of their dreams, to pursue the career, to raise their children, and to do it in a way that worked for them.
WM: For moms who might be reading this interview and feeling inspired, what words of encouragement or practical advice do you have for them?
BBS: I would say not to wait until you're “ready”. The time to start is now. If you have that fire burning inside you, no matter how small it is, you have to take steps every day to follow those passions. The biggest practical advice I can offer is to find a community (like Working Momkind). Finding a community of women, professional women who are also mothers has been invaluable to me — so I would say to any mom who has a professional or entrepreneurial dream, go out and find a community and start tapping into them for advice and resources. Trust me, they will jump at the opportunity to help you.
WM: Your book, “Like a Mother” is out, CONGRATS! Could you highlight a key message or theme that you aimed to convey through your writing?
BBS: The main message of this book is for moms to learn to love themselves the way that they love all the people around them. When you think of the love that you have for your children, the love that you have for your spouse for your own parents it’s an unfillable well — the limit does not exist. But yet when it comes to showing ourselves love as women as ambitious individuals with flaws and dreams, we tend to fall short. So this book, and my mission in life, is to inspire and encourage women to turn that love back into themselves, so that they can go out and pursue their passions, tackle their big dreams and ultimately fulfill themselves so that they can show up better for their families.
✦Advice you didn’t ask for…✦
You know when you become a mom and your routine feels like it flipped upside down and suddenly all the time you had vanishes into thin air? Well, you’re not making it up. It’s real! It took me a while to figure it out, but after having my second child, I realized that it’s not about having less time, its about using your time differently. This means…
Prioritizing for what truly matters.
Finding products, services, and life hacks that save you time and money!
Doing what works for YOU and YOUR family.
You got this!
💌 As seen on Substack:
What to Cook is written by, Caroline Chambers, a professional recipe developer and cookbook author and mom of two.
shares recipes that dirty minimal dishes, use fewer ingredients, and require less time - but still absolutely rock. No more scrolling around the internet for hours trying to decide what’s for dinner. Caroline’s got you covered!This issue was brought to by Ingrid Zapata Read, founder of Working Momkind. Got a question or suggestion? Leave a comment or get in touch.
Great to see you back in action, Ingrid!