I am a mom.

I was talking to a dear friend the other day, also a mom, and we were remarking on how sometimes we feel like we are lost. We get swallowed up in being everything to everyone else and it seems like our personalities, voices, even personal hygiene (at times) get forgotten on some shelf somewhere.

Now for me, part of the magic of being a mom necessitates such complete handing over of oneself to a greater good. We have to be there no matter what, love no matter what, and be willing to give everything for our children. They need that, and we need that kind of absolute purpose—but sometimes we forget that another essential part of being a mom is the unique “flavor” each individual mom gives to her children by being herself. We cannot do that for our children if we aren’t being ourselves.

It is important to remember to “feed” who you are. I love music, reading, running, being silly, gardening (love it, still learning), speaking my mind…but as a young mom I forgot that who I am was important to doing my “job,” and I let myself disappear. That was one of the reasons I started running, and it’s one of the biggest reasons I keep running. I get to spend 40 minutes with just me, and I’m getting to know myself again. I am forced to self-evaluate, I am able to give myself a pep-talk, and I get to do something I really enjoy.

We have different people on this blog, each with a unique and very valuable experience and perspective. Each has found something that fills their bucket and has brought them personal growth. I really hope that you have something that does that for you—If you don’t: try running, try walking, join a team or a club, and find out something new about yourself. It is important to LIVE life and to be who you are inside. That’s why we’re here, to BECOME!