Have you ever been talking to your child and then realize, OH MY GOD I sound exactly like my mother? Tone and all? Yup, me too.
When I shared the above image on Facebook a while back, it stopped me in my tracks.
My heart sank as I recalled how I had rushed my daughter earlier that day. Did I want that tape playing in her head in a year or ten from now? GULP!
Each day I guide women to speak kindly to themselves, to love and nurture their bodies, and to lean in and trust their magic.
But what was I saying each day to my child? What was my body language saying? How about my tone? Equally important, what could she hear through my energy?
Immediately I knew I was going to do things differently with Miss Hanna. I was going to change how I communicated.
This is not to say that I was a bad mom or that my mom was a bad mom. Quite the opposite. But I wasn’t fully being the kind of mom I dreamed of. I wasn’t always fueling in her the qualities I so believe in — uniqueness, creativity, self-expression, worthiness, truth-seeking, magic, curiosity, playfulness, intuition, connection and a trusting in life.
So I decided to change. And that decision is changing our world.
We are developing our own little lovefest. We are forming rituals that I can tell mean a lot to her — like picking our inspirational rocks each night and then holding hands in silence as we take in their energy. We talk about dreams and goals. She gives me sage wisdom about my business. There is a softening of hearts and a soul connection that surpasses all words.
I share this with you because fine tuning my parenting has made a world of difference in both my relationship with Hanna and the pride I feel in being a mom. And it all stemmed from that quote above. (Thanks Universe for the reset button.)
What we say repeatedly to our children matters. It shapes who they become and what they see as possible for themselves.
I want to be the voice of inspiration and love that sings in Hanna’s heart, lifts her wings and opens her mind to dream-making. Nothing less.
Is every day pure bliss? No. Can we control everything that plays out in our children’s minds? Not a chance.
But that’s the journey we walk as parents. I want to look back and say I did my best. I want the same for you.
