Halfway Through the Year. Here's Your Permission to Pause.

Saluting all the mums who made it to the end of term

We’ve hit summer holidays, and that’s a major milestone. So before the snack marathon begins, can we just take a moment to acknowledge something: we made it.

I’m raising my tea in recognition of all you’ve juggled, all the packed lunches, PE kits and World Book Day costumes you’ve magicked up out of thin air. All the school uniform and general washing you’ve done to keep everyone in clean pants up to this point. All the dinners cooked and beds made. All of it. It’s ben a lot.

By the time we get to the end of term, it’s not just the kids who are worn out, we are too. We have silently and invisibly made it all happen all year.

Permission to pause and reflect

Maybe the past six months haven’t been about smashing goals.

Maybe it’s just been hanging on in there, which is sometimes the biggest achievement of them all.

But, I bet there are things you’ve done this year that are worth stopping to acknowledge.

Because mums are great at running, doing, planning, grinding on. We’re not so great at stopping to say: “Wow, I’ve made it this far, and that’s no small feat.” Instead mum guilt is more likely to pipe up and say, “Pah, is that all you’ve done.”

So let’s put it in it’s place right now and honour ourselves. I mean imagine if we made an infographic of all the things we’ve actually done in 6 months. It has potential to break the internet!

First, get in the zone

Find 5 quiet minutes today. Put your phone on silent. Close the door if you can. Play a song that makes you feel calm.

Now… Reflect With These 3 Questions:

✔️ What’s one thing you’re proud of from the past six months? (This could be anything at work, with your kids, a decision you’ve made for yourself or an action you took)

✔️ What’s been your bravest moment? (Big or small, it all counts. It could be finally having that conversation you’ve been putting off).

✔️ Find a photo of your family from the last 6 months that makes you smile? (Use it as your screen saver, or print it out and pin in on your fridge and remind yourself why you’re doing all of this.)

A mid-year motivator

I set myself a goal in January of sorting my book this year. By May, I hadn’t written a thing. I looked at the calendar, realised that if I didn’t do it soon it would be pushed to September.

So, I’ve been working flat out on my chapters over the last few weeks. I was up at 5:30am on Monday. Timing and conditions will never be perfect but I want to make progress in the right direction.

What promise did you make yourself back in January?

Not the goals you thought you should have.

The ones that made you feel excited. The things that used to fill your cup before motherhood took over.

Back at the beginning of the year, we all got together for a F*** Mum Guilt community event. We did a quick meditation to reconnect with the things that used to fill our cup before we had children, then had a good chat about how we were going to stop another year going by without any of them happening.

If you did this exercise with us back in January, think of this as your six-month check-in.

If you’re new here, welcome.

Either way, I hope it reminds you that the woman you were before motherhood hasn’t disappeared. She’s still there. She deserves more air time in the second half of this year.

Give yourself a few minutes, put this on and feel the good vibes come in.

I’d love to know what comes up for you.

Share this with a mum who deserves her own salute.