Motivation: Do you mother yourself?

Something very, very BIG happened to me this week… much bigger than what I thought my career would’ve presented me with just 10 months after having my first baby. Of course I’m not allowed to talk details about it, but I’ve been walking on air with a wee bit of disbelief about the sequence of events this past month and the result that they could possibly lead to in the near future. With this luck, however, came the usual butterflies and slight second-guessing regarding my skills and instincts. And right then (being the stronger, more self-satisfied woman that I now am, thanks to having a baby) I decided to STOP the self-doubt. What would I tell my daughter should she need similar guidance like this when she’s older? I’d pump up her ego.

As a kid, my own mom would (and still does) pump up my ego when it’s go-time. For every competition, event and performance throughout my life (from trying out for the 6th grade talent show, to voice auditions for college music programs, to interviews for jobs), I’d get a special note. And not the sappy kind… the tough, you-can-do-it type of note with attitude that reminded me who I was.

This time, I was alone in New York City and needed a plan to motivate and ‘mother’ myself. Of course I had the sweet supportive email from Hubby and good luck wishes from friends and pep talks from my own family, but sometimes you gotta have an extra push from yourself to really turn things solid. So, I did exactly what I’d imagine I’d tell my baby LadyP to do should she be in a similar situation when she’s older and flying solo the night before a big opportunity: I’d tell her to write down the qualities that you need to exude (for the task you need to complete) and read them aloud to yourself in the mirror. With a smile.

So that’s what I did. There’s something beyond powerful about putting something in writing. It’s permanent. It’s assured. And it works. (I think Oprah talks about this?) Result: I’ve never felt so happy, confident and proud of myself (professionally) than I did on that particular day of reckoning. Having a certain depth of emotion (that came to me with motherhood) gave me the know-how to effectively mother myself and believe it when I needed it most. (Granted, I have no control over the final outcome of this particular career adventure, but I’m grown up enough now to know that the only thing I can control is myself.)

And then (to maybe thank LadyP for her inspiration) I marched my tushy down to Times Square, navigated my way through the crazy-tourist souvenir shops and bought this cute little guy.

(Yes, it’s a puppy-in-a-purse. We named him Yorkie. He was a hit!)

Don’t forget about mothering yourself… sometimes we all need it.

HAVE YOU EVER MOTHERED YOURSELF? DID IT WORK?