The point is to feel great about where you are in your new reality and to want to share it. For working moms, this is a great exercise because most women return to their jobs before they’ve had a chance to fully absorb how their lives have changed. And, frankly, who has time for reflection when you are just trying to keep up with all of that pumping and struggling to make it out of the office before your childcare deadline?
Stay-at-home moms who’ve taken a break from the world of work could also really benefit from visualizing a coming out party of sorts in which they reconnect with former colleagues and friends, too. Motherhood can do a number on your head in the sense that you forget who you used to be and all that you’ve accomplished as an individual. I don’t think those achievements should take a back seat. In fact, I think that reminding ourselves of who we were before baby is essential to feeling whole.
In my case, my reintroduction to my old life has evolved over the last six months as I returned to the studios and newsrooms that seemed to define my entire life not too long ago. And now, as a mom of two-year-old twins, that era really is a lifetime ago. But boy did it feel good to run into old colleagues recently and to know that they haven’t forgotten me or my skills. My favorite part was bumping into some old friends who didn’t even recognize me. That felt great. It really reinforced to me how much I’ve grown on this motherhood journey.
So here’s to the comeback—and it doesn’t involve an extreme makeover. It really is a matter of mindset and loving the new you.
The Well Mom Guide to Staging Your Comeback
1. Visualize It.
Today, you may be struggling with dark circles, stretch marks, and remembering where you put your keys (again). But planning your postpartum re-entry to the land of the living is something you should not take lightly. It will happen. So think about how you want it to be. Who will you see? What will you wear? Get psyched.
2. Don’t Rush.
As wonderful as it would be to unveil the amazing post-baby you right away, take your time and recognize that the time it takes to transition into your new role is different for every woman and every family. You’ll know when you are ready to get back into the swing of things.
3. Own the New You.
You are not the woman you were before you spent those hours laboring in the delivery room, so stop apologizing for the mommy brain and instead embrace the new strength and inner calm you’re cultivating now that you are a new mom. You aren’t just a new and improved version of the old you—you’ve been tested.
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