I thought motherhood would come easily to me. I was really nervous about childbirth but felt overconfident about everything that came after. I loved kids, had experience as a nanny, and had always known I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom with a big family.

But motherhood threw me for a loop.

This year, I am on a mission to find more joy, ease, flow, and magic in my experience of motherhood.

Setting Intentions for the Year

For the past ten years, I’ve participated in Holiday Council, a program led by life coach Molly Maher. It focuses on reflecting on the past year and intentionally dreaming and planning for the year ahead.

At the end of the program, you walk away with:
✨ A theme for the year
✨ Five ways of being you want to embody
✨ Three main goals for the year

This year, I knew that one of my biggest challenges would be reframing motherhood—reclaiming my body, identity, and time.

Now that I’m finished with the birthing phase of motherhood, I feel a deep sense of peace knowing that my body is mine again. But I also recognize that my children’s ability to thrive is directly connected to my own well-being.

The mother I want to be is not a martyr, but an example of an alive, wholehearted woman.

Through this reflection, I realized that my word for the year is Reclamation—which, fittingly, is also the name of another program I’ve done with Molly.

*Note, this is not at all sponsored but I am obsessed with Molly’s work and so excited to be going to her summer camp this year!

The Five Ways of Being

To fully embody Reclamation, I chose five ways of being to guide me throughout the year:

1. “I secure my oxygen mask before assisting others.”
2. “I am the Empress.” (Inspired by the Tarot archetype—abundant, powerful, and nurturing.)
3. “I am protected.”
4. “I am abundant.”
5. “I am intentional.”

My Three Main Goals

1. Getting My Pink Back

If you haven’t heard of Lindsey Gurk and the concept of “getting your pink back,” I highly recommend checking out her work.

Essentially, when flamingos are raising their young, both males and females lose their pink color due to the energy and nutrients they devote to their babies. As their children become more independent, their pink gradually returns.

I know I have a long way to go before I fully regain my pink, especially with young children who are still very dependent. But I also know that this transition won’t happen on its own. It requires intentional effort, and I’m committed to laying that foundation now. Once I finish this year, I am going to gift myself something from Lindsey’s Get Your Pink Back collection.

2. Creating Systems for Ease & Flow

My husband and I are way too stressed and constantly in survival mode. I know that certain changes—like decluttering and streamlining our routines—will make a huge difference in our stress levels.

The goal? To create more physical and mental space for enjoyment.

By implementing systems that support ease and flow, we can shift out of survival mode and rediscover the joy of daily life.

3. Prioritizing Family Fun & Childhood Magic

This is something I’m naturally really good at—I have a deep love for childhood magic—but often, it comes at my own expense.

I’ll stay up all night crafting something special for Isla, only to be too exhausted to enjoy it with her.

This year, I want to:
✨ Unplug from my to-do list and ruminating thoughts.
✨ Embrace “done is better than perfect.”
✨ Remember that the magic comes from quality time, not the quantity of experiences.

Sharing the Journey

I’ll be posting here for accountability—but also with the hope that, as I find ways to reclaim motherhood, I can help someone else do the same.

Here’s to a year of joy, ease, and magic. ✨