It’s like I become a machine when I need to be, whereas before, I would sometimes sit and ponder why life was such a pain in the ass. Now I just do the thing. If it’ll truly benefit me or my daughter, it’s getting done. I always had strength and tenacity, but I have an easier time motivating when I have a family to look after.

My biggest challenge as a mom? To simply allow. Being a mom means allowing so much imperfection. It’s allowing for another human to take control of your body, then make demands on your life… I think the hardest thing for me has been to slow down and know that everything will be ok. That I don’t have to “make” everything ok, which is how the more masculine side of me deals with change or stress. Being a mother is the epitome of femininity and contradicts the “do, do, do and do some more” lifestyle a lot of women live these days. As a pregnant women you are doing, just by virtue of BEING. That’s amazing when you think about it: you are a creator. You don’t have to try, just be. That extends to after the child is born, that same creative, receptive power. Its soooo tempting to push against it, to extend effort and make sure everything looks the same it did before, whether that’s your body or your laundry pile. I’m constantly telling myself, “It’s ok. What needs to get done will get done.”