Jacqui Lewis - Founder of The Broad Place
Becoming a mother changed me through the unwilling yet non negotiable surrender of control, as well as the breaking open that I felt, with a deeper love and presence than I had previously experienced.
Tahnee McCrossin - GM Superfeast & Yoga Teacher
Motherhood has taught me that I could pay more attention. Years of yoga practice and I thought that I was good at the details. Turns out I was blind until I noticed the world through her eyes, beauty and wonder magnified. I never thought the mundane could be so divine but she taught me that I didn't need to look any further for the magical and the mystical. Her body and my body (and all our bodies) are more wonderful and more vast and more capable than I could've imagined. Motherhood taught me that love could expand infinitely without form. Motherhood has also redefined time for me: someone told me the years would be short but the days would be long. I never realised how long a day (or a night!) could be. Redefining time and my placement within it meant that I could know myself in a whole new way, losing and rediscovering her to each stage, losing me and rediscovering me at each stage. This bittersweet dance has made me simultaneously softer and stronger.
Julia Ashwood - The Vista
Surrender is the first word which comes to mind. Surrender to love... as a mother I found myself at my most vulnerable. The act of motherhood is about selflessness, and there will be days of pure exhaustion, where you think you can't keep up... but it’s hands down also the most beautiful, crazy ride you’ll ever take, and your children are your greatest teacher. I thank my lucky stars most days that I am lucky enough to be a mumma.
Peta Kelly - Author
Becoming a mother changed me, for sure... but more I'd say it evolved and expanded the 'me' I already was. There's a story that suggests that when we have kids, our life becomes about self sacrifice, putting things 'on hold', being flat out exhausted all the time and while those can certainly be true of #mumlife... I believe motherhood is intended to be the summer of our life... a time of thriving creativity and personal discovery. Our wombs become activated in an entirely new way when they inhabit life and birth these brilliant beings. Despite the sleepless nights and chaos that is part of the fabric of motherhood, I feel energised. I feel creatively lit in a new way not despite of my kids but because of them. I am clearer on what kind of world I want to contribute to and I feel a deeper sense of urgency to live my most aligned and thrivey life because I know they're learning what is possible for them through what I believe is possible for me. When I became a mumma, loving myself became urgent, especially for my daughter. I dropped a lot of dogma when I became a mumma... all the rules I was abiding by that weren't mine. I wanted to strip off all that wasn't 'me' as if I was ripping my clothes off to go skinny dipping. It just felt so urgent, to liberate myself as the most important gift I could give my kids. The milestone of 'becoming mum' gifted me so much clarity about 'my stuff'... About what was next in line to be faced loved and healed. Becoming mumma made me more intimate with my lineage- honouring and respecting the women that came before me and also healing the things that I had the tools to heal, when perhaps they didn't. It feels like an opportunity to choose the parts of our 'DNA', the story of my lineage that I wanted to evolve on from. So that I can thrive even more and so my kids could thrive even more than me. There's no bigger opportunity on Earth than motherhood, not only cos we get to guide and 'get out of the way of' these little legends.... but because it's the most in ya face personal development course we can ever do.
Nathalie Solis Pérez - Doula
Becoming a mother has changed me on multiple levels and has added such richness to my life. With my first I felt so empowered by the positive birth experience I had but simultaneously shocked when I realised how little support we have after birth and during our parenting journeys. Recently giving birth to my second has made me feel even more confident that mothers can do ANYTHING (if you can gestate, birth and sustain/nourish a little human being with your own body you are simply miraculous!!) and I feel very grateful for the abundance of love, support and care around me this time. Being a birth doula I was obviously a lot more prepared and organised this time around! All in all motherhood has allowed me to become more empowered, strong and fierce yet also more gentle and patient, especially with myself! I love how motherhood adds this new dimension to our life and transforms us on every level! As a mother you also realise how much you need your community and fellow mama friends.
Amber Le strange - Actress
Becoming a mother has softened me and showed me I am capable of stretching beyond what I thought I could give, how deep I could love and how much I could hold. Being a mother has granted me compassion for others and an understanding of women like nothing else could have. Being a mother has helped me heal parts of my own childhood. It is the hardest and most rewarding job on earth. #raisearevolutionary
Caroline Wolfe - Meditation Teacher
Becoming a mother has been the most challenging and equally expansive transition of my life. An acceptance of selflessness and total service is not effortless but is the deepest spiritual practice I’ve ever embarked upon!
Sophie Willing - Model
It taught me how to love myself again. To respect honour and be proud of the woman I have become. My children are my biggest teachers and I couldn’t be happier to have created so much love!
Amanda Callan - Founder Church Farm and Naturopath
Motherhood changes me in many ways every day, but most of all it changed how I spend my time. In a good way. Time is precious and limited when you have humans to look after, so I’m not going to waste it on things that aren’t worth it. Like watching the news, or caring about stuff that doesn’t matter, or buying random things that don’t make me happy. As long as I have my family, friends, good food and nature around me life is magical
Jana Brunclicova - Naturopath
Two things have changed as I move through the journey that is motherhood – that I try to open my heart ever wider, and that I let go, let go, let go. Motherhood is a journey of loving and letting go for me. As a woman I said ‘I never knew I could love someone so much’ upon becoming a mother. There is an intensity to maternal love that can catch us off guard. Our whole body – and our subtle body – is ready to sacrifice on our child’s behalf. We may be torn by this, exhausted, even resentful, as we long for sleep and solitude, while at the same time we want nothing more than to hold our child. Black & white , yin & yang - polarities attract. Learning this balance is the biggest lesson motherhood brought in for me and biggest change in my life - letting go of the unnecessary things, waving in what I believe is important for me and the child now and future.
Kirsten Shanks - Founder Orchard st and Naturopath
Motherhood brought acute awareness of inextricable link between us all; the thread of collective consciousness. There is no separation. We’ve all been someone’s child, someone’s beloved. With this, witnessing the suffering of others has become almost unbearable. Motherhood opens your heart.
Jody Scott - Health Editor at Vogue and writer
Before I became a mother I thought my children would be like little satellites who revolved around me. It’s actually turned out to be the opposite. But I love being a slave to their little rhythms. It’s made me more patient and less self absorbed. And I am much more present, possibly because there is so much going on in the moment! I don’t have to overthink anymore. It’s definitely never dull or lonely around here.
Hannah Gibbs - Director and Designer at Nagnata
After a rather traumatic start to motherhood, with our little boy arriving three months early, my introduction to my new role has been a rollercoaster of anxiety, stress and emotion. But from the day he was born I felt like my life has a new purpose. I’m sure this would have been the case too if he came full term. I find that I’m approaching all areas of my life from a new lens. A much more calm one. Grateful for all the little things. A level of contentedness and wholehearted love that I feel from looking at him every day.
Leah Fraser - Artist
When I had my first child I felt changed on a molecular level, like all the cells in my body had been rearranged and put in new places. It also changed me on a practical level, in that I felt more reserves of endurance, love and resourcefulness than I ever had in my life. I would never have thought it possible but when I had my second child it all shifted again and I feel parts of myself opening and closing like eyes in the sun. Being a mother is a humbling, heartbreaking, breathtaking and body shattering experience - every single day.
Sahar Zadar - Healer
We are born of love, love is our mother. - Rumi
Becoming a mother is a rite of passage, and a path to love that is honest, pure and eternal. Motherhood will change, transform and heal you. It will test you and ask you to show up in ways you never imagined possible. While also teaching you the true meaning of compassion and love. The moment I held my child for the first time, I felt everything change. The love you feel is beyond words. You are given the most precious gift. A child for you to unconditionally love, protect, and serve for the rest of your life. I believe a mother’s journey is unique, yet I see an inner strength, wisdom, and love that guides us all. It is a profound experience when you start to trust your innate knowing and let love guide your way. It is the power of love that has changed me. And love is the essence that heals all.
Paloma Rose Garcia - Paloma Salon and environmentalist
It changed everything. It’s the deepest understanding and feeling of love one can experience. Raising a child + helping guide it through life then motivated me to better understand my values and what is most important to me.
Felicity Evans - Imbibe
Becoming a mum has really changed me in every way! It’s taught me about resilience, strength and grit. It’s also taught me patience and it’s helped me to see the bigger picture, given me moment to moment awareness. To live in Presence and to surrender control over things we can not change and what’s really important in life. Becoming a mother has given me strength and revealed the power of what it means to be a women, both physically and mentally women are powerful beings.
Kate Dalton - Mayde
For me to grow and birth a baby and then be her mother, has been the most empowering experience. It’s been a huge change and it’s changed me as a person, though It’s been the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. I used to measure the success of my days by how many things I ticked off my to do list. Now somedays all I get done is be Alfie’s mum and it’s the best, I never thought I would be ok with that! Alfie has taught me patience and surrender. When I was pregnant I was worried I would lose myself and my identity, though that has completely shifted. I love being a mother and now I just balance both, being a mum and running my company Mayde tea.
