Hello Baby! Goodbye Brain?

What happened to my degree?

Motherhood rearranged my life. I even wondered what happened to my brain! I used to work 40 hours per week, now I was on call 24/7 as a mom. I was no longer hailed for the great things I did. My newborn was not saying: “mom, you changed the mess out of my diaper. You should receive a promotion.” Neither did he say “You handled my stomach bug so well you even caught it for half a day! I think you should get the day off mommy.”

With the change of environment, there was a change of intellectual stimuli. I kept expecting to have the same encouragement I received in graduate school and at work. Encouragement was there but in a different way. Sure, no one is giving out awards for mopping. The reward I will get is the boosting impact I make in my children’s lives, day after day.

The Bible teaches us that children are heritage from the Lord, they are a reward (Psalm 127:3). When my efforts to get a good GPA and earn a great position in a company are gone, my seed will still be in this earth. The legacy I establish for for my children need to be my goal. It is also very important to be happy in the now and not feel like you’ve been put on the shelf for a few years. Here are some tips:

1 • Work the other Part of your Brain - take a class you’ve always wanted to take. Carve opportunities for yourself such as starting a business. Your brain will thank you for using all its potential. Plus, you will be setting a great example for your children.

2 • Take Care of your Health - A healthy mom can take great care of her children, so take your vitamins or a walk but remember that you can’t give what you don’t have.

3 • Surround Yourself with Positive People - Positivity is contagious. You need that when you doubt that what you are doing is making a difference. Turn down your critics and turn up the volume on the people who love you and who are encouragers.

4 • Pray - Prayer is like water to the soul. You can ask, receive, interceed and simply ‘be’ in prayer. God is just a prayer away and He loves you. (Read my eBook Tweeting with God for more Prayer tips)

I want to assure you your brain is not gone. By being a mom, you have amazingly boosted its power.

* I originally wrote this post for my friend Nichole over at ButterscotchSundae.com but I wanted to make sure I shared it with you here. Enjoy!