These nourishing notes on motherhood will leave you feeling soul-full.
– KEYS SOULCARE
Just like soulcare, motherhood isn’t just one thing. The joys, wisdom, and sorrows of parenting are awe-inspiring journeys that foster self-awareness and intentionality. But who better to tell it like it is than the superwomen leading the mothership?
Here are some super mom quotes surviving and thriving as a mom from some of your favorite lightworkers.
“For me, motherhood came with a litmus test: is what I’m doing important enough for me to spend time away from my baby?” — Alicia Keys
In More Myself, Alicia shares the many ways that motherhood pushed her to see things more clearly, including her priorities and boundaries. “Parenting, complete with its 2 a.m. feedings and pumping in the studios to ensure Egypt always had enough milk, pulled me toward a new frequency,” she adds. “I was intent on doing what was best for my child, which, by default, was best for me.”
“[I’m inspired to work with mothers because] my postpartum period has felt earth-shaking at times.” — Hillary Lopes
The health advocate and breathwork facilitator knows it takes a village to raise a child. As a mother to triplets, Hillary has a deep appreciation for community and a compassion for mothers who need that extra boost of support. “If I’ve got all this love and support surrounding me, and it’s still this challenging, I can only imagine what it’s like for women that maybe have one less pillar of support — from far away grandparents to less resources in general,” she says.
“Motherhood has taught me that you have to be vulnerable.” — Jaycina Almond
Jaycina Almond spends her days assisting mothers with their moment-to-moment needs. From formulas to rideshares, the Tender Foundation founder knows how hard it is to ask for help, especially as a young mother. “Being vulnerable with other people has been a harder thing for me; I think it comes with a little bit of outside shame and stigma [surrounding] being a young mom at 20,” she explains. “You’re like, no, I’m going to prove everybody wrong. I can do this. I still struggle with being vulnerable enough to ask for help. But, I’ve been trying to get better.”
“There are no limits, just pivots.” — Kareema Bee
Motherhood can often be seen as a limitation, but for Kareema Bee, it’s been an extension of her “no.” As a content producer, filmmaker, and writer, Kareema sees parenting as an opportunity to go further, with her daughter in mind. “Being a new mom has taught me — and I repeat — that my work is not my worth,” she shares. “Knowing that I am responsible to someone motivates me to do the things that scare me even more, but not without considering its effects. Opportunities have come my way that I’ve been waiting for my whole career. And, for the first time, I am accepting my right to say no.”
“For many women from Black and Brown communities, there is a great burden placed upon us to be domestic goddesses. We are judged on how we ‘keep a house,’ how many meals we can prepare, and if we display motherly instincts. We are also expected to train our daughters in this manner so that they, too, can be desirable to a man.” — Iliah Grant-Altoro
Mothers nurture the next generation of leaders and healers. For Iliah, that means breaking generational expectations and gender roles. “I made the conscious decision to raise a feminist son in his full masculine identity, and his masculinity includes cooking, helping with household chores, and crying whenever he needs to,” the multi-hyphenate storyteller explains. “It’s playing with cars, superheroes, and being wild and rambunctious; it’s also playing with baby dolls and ‘cooking’ in his play kitchen.”
What does motherhood mean to you? Share the wisdom that shapes your journey in the comments
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