Rediscovering Yourself in Motherhood: From Overwhelm to Ownership
Motherhood is life changing in some of the most beautiful ways. But let's be real, it can be pretty hard sometimes too.
Danielle Schleese:Now you can wake up one day and look at yourself and wonder, who am I beyond being a mother?
Briana Donaldson:So in today's episode, we wanna dive deep into that topic in the transformative journey of becoming a mom, motherhood, and all that jazz.
Danielle Schleese:All that jazz and finding the essence of who you are. So let's get into it. Let's talk about the identity shift of motherhood and why mothers deal with identity loss in the
Briana Donaldson:first place. Well, I mean, obviously, you become a mom, there's this kind of strange period of time. And I don't know if everyone has this, but I feel like a lot of my friends that have kids will talk about it in this way. You almost have to mourn your old life because You're redefining literally your new life, everything. Completely.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. And it's twenty four hours of the day. You just inherited a new title, a new job role that is literally twenty four hours of the day nonstop when the only thing you had to take care of before that was yourself, pretty much, maybe a pet. But it's all consuming and you have to give yourself that period of time to kind of mourn your old life.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. And there's also that societal expectations of moms too. I mean, that's that's a huge topic as well. Like, when you go into that because it's almost like you expect your life, They expect your life not to really change and function. Like, you have to be at work after a certain amount of time.
Danielle Schleese:Mhmm. Some moms go back as early as six weeks. Three months after that week. It's very different depending where you are. But also having to, like first of all, postpartum hormones play such a huge role and kind of heal from that and, like, shift into and morph into this new person while taking care of this little tiny person that needs you so much.
Danielle Schleese:Yep. And you still have to show up in a way that that, like, wasn't really something that happened almost. Right. And it's just, like, so normalized to have kids and babies.
Briana Donaldson:And But it's life altering. It's literally life bringing. Yeah. Yeah. But it's life altering.
Briana Donaldson:And I mean, I think another massive change when you first have a baby is your body Yeah. Completely And goes through such transformation mentally, you evolve because your priorities shift entirely Yes. When you when you have a child. I mean, for most people, I'm imagining.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. Let's just assume this is majority of women. Yeah. Yeah. We're having children.
Briana Donaldson:And so, you know, your body and your mind are completely At opposite ends of where they were before. Yeah. Years before.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. And will we continue to shift as this baby ages and grows?
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. And you're taking on this whole new role and now you identify as a mom. And
Danielle Schleese:It's literally like a rite of passage. Life changing. It's a rite of passage. Yeah. What I wanted to say before was that it's something that's so normalized and seen as regular that it's it's so such a miracle that we underestimate.
Danielle Schleese:Like, we literally fucking bring life Yeah. Into this world. Like, where does it come from? How does how does it happen? You like Portals.
Danielle Schleese:Portals. It is, like, so otherworldly and cosmic and beautiful and magical. Amazing. And it's just like so like, oh, had a baby. Oh, she's pregnant.
Briana Donaldson:Oh. Yeah. So normal.
Danielle Schleese:Get back on the wheel. Productivity. Let's go. Let's show up and change and get your body back to normal and it's like, that's the thing too, like mothers expect their bodies to jump and bounce right back to being normal or what it was. Right.
Danielle Schleese:But you're and there's so much pressure to do so, but it's like, it's you just literally grew and expanded for nine months. Yeah. Carrying this beautiful thing. And then you sacrifice so much of your body like you're giving, giving, giving, you're giving it life, blood, milk, bones, taking calcium from your bones and to build its bones. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:Such beautiful science. Saw that was like the baby's heart is so connected to the mother's on a frequency level that, like, if the mom has heartbreak, the baby literally sends, like, love or blood to the heart.
Briana Donaldson:Oh my I know. It will,
Danielle Schleese:like, made me cry when I read that. I was like, that's so sweet because it's just mothers and babies are just so interconnected. It's such a beautiful Yep. God, it's, like, the best thing in the world Ever.
Briana Donaldson:Ever. It feels like it's exploding right now.
Danielle Schleese:It does, but it's like even though you grieve that old part of
Briana Donaldson:yourself Nothing can compare to the new version
Danielle Schleese:love of a mother and having these little people.
Briana Donaldson:And I always say, like, I was the first one out of all of our friends to have a baby. Yeah. And I was the first out of, like, all my friends except for one. And I just remember every time someone would get pregnant after, I was so excited for them I know. For for the for several reasons, but the main one being like, wait until you see who you become.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. Like, becoming a mom alters and shifts every part of you as a being and your life and the way you think, the way you feel about yourself, but in my opinion in a phenomenal way.
Danielle Schleese:In an amazing way.
Briana Donaldson:And the most powerful yeah. You are have this whole new depth that you didn't even know existed in life of like You
Danielle Schleese:can't reach unless you go through it though.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. Strength and vulnerability and love. And it's just it's incredible. It's it's the most incredible evolution that I I feel not the most, but it's gotta be one of the most beautiful evolutions that we have as a species and as as women.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. And to counter that, some women don't feel that way. Like, they feel that identity loss per se rather than found For sure. Because you're you're totally kind of detached from all you've ever known and all you've ever been.
Briana Donaldson:Listen. I I only found that strength and that version of myself after a while. I feel like immediately after birth with my first with Aubrey, for the first, like, six, seven, eight months, it was hard. Like, so hard. And I did feel that way.
Briana Donaldson:That was actually the first feeling that I had was the identity loss and like feeling
Danielle Schleese:Like, can see you've had life so changed. Was it after you had her or before? After. After.
Briana Donaldson:After I had her, I was like, I mean, of course
Danielle Schleese:you're nervous going into it when it's your first. We'll see for me going into it with Wilder, I had a period like right after I found out I was pregnant because I wasn't really expecting to get pregnant. Right. I'm just like, oh, whatever. Blah blah.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. And then it happened to be like, woah, woah, what the fuck? Yeah. That was too fast. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:And I'm like, my god. I'm pregnant. No. I'm gonna have a pusher baby out in nine months. What the fuck?
Danielle Schleese:So all of a sudden, I'm like, okay. I got nine months to get shit done.
Briana Donaldson:I got
Danielle Schleese:a month to do what I wanna do. Yeah. And it was like, I was anticipating this massive transformation that I had no idea what I was in for. Yeah. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:Because look at us here now, two babies later, and we're just starting a new project together. I was like, my life is gonna change and be completely over. And I'm like, what have I done in this lifetime? And just like this whole literally, had an, literally, identity crisis Yeah. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:Before I had my son. And I was like, I'm not doing enough. I'm not being enough. I haven't put my signature out into the world yet. Like, I only have MS to accomplish these things.
Danielle Schleese:It's too much. And then you're feeling, of course, all of the pregnancy first trimester hormones, are Narcoleptic. With your brain. Being narcoleptic. And then whatever sick to.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. Which is really cool science coming out with, by the way. Side note about like morning sickness and stuff, how it's connected to your male partner based off of like the genetics and stuff.
Briana Donaldson:Oh, I saw something about that.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. So that's pretty cool. But yes, bringing it back to the identity shifts and stuff. I've really tried to prepare myself and I had no idea what I was. And then once I had the baby, it's so funny because it's like you you're you just kinda know what to do.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. You
Danielle Schleese:do. And it's like, I I think that's my personality too. Like, as we discussed, I'm a very a type and I try to, like, have control over things in my life. So when there's something that I'm like, I know I'm not gonna really have control over, I try to control it even more. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:Just fucks me right up. So
Briana Donaldson:Just fucks you right up. Oh, yeah. Welcome to motherhood, everyone. Just fucks you right up.
Danielle Schleese:And also, there's the guilt. I think another thing connected to the identity loss in motherhood is there's this guilt the moms face, maybe a lot of moms face of always wanting more. Yeah. So it's like the motherhood role, they're like, even for myself, I I could say maybe I felt this way as well or I knew I was gonna feel this way. It was like, I know I wanna be of service and I wanna do something for me and I wanna create.
Danielle Schleese:And I'm like, even though I would love I'm I'm going to be a mom. I want to be a mom. I'm like, I know there's so many other projects and things that I need to do, I need to work on. And I felt like becoming a mom was like this this timeline or this what's that called? Like, ticking time bomb, I guess.
Danielle Schleese:Not ticking time bomb because that sounds bad, but timer. There was, like, a a time limit before becoming a mom that I had in order to accomplish these things versus being like, oh, I'll just evolve and grow into these things as I become a mom. Right. Because I was, like, afraid that I'll become a mom, and that's it. Right.
Danielle Schleese:Now I'm a mom. Right. What's up? I'm a mom. Not saying that being a mom is it.
Danielle Schleese:Like
Briana Donaldson:Or there's anything wrong if that's all you do. Of course. But
Danielle Schleese:But I feel like I'm just trying to connect you to the thought of women who are saying, like For sure. They have this guilt because I should be feeling fulfilled that this is all I really need to do. Right. And can sit in that space and feel comfortable and accept that. But one thing for me that's allowed me to settle into that because obviously you have to question the conditioning and layers of programming of like, why do I feel such a need to perform and do and create other than an actual calling and urge to do so on top of like feeling that guilt and pressure to do so.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. Anyway, so many layers. Oh, yeah. You go into it for hours.
Briana Donaldson:I mean I pretty much am. That's what we're here for.
Danielle Schleese:That's what we're here for. So I think there's, like, yeah, that guilt of wanting to do more and be more, but also having to commit to being to a mom full time and not being able to do that. Yes. But also having that guilt for wanting that beyond what you have, if that makes sense.
Briana Donaldson:Absolutely. I feel
Danielle Schleese:like it took me a
Briana Donaldson:long time to get around to that thought. But So I feel like, you know, what do you feel like are some of the ways that we can reconnect with ourselves while you're a mom? Because obviously, you're saying that you've kind of been able to achieve some of that, right, with working on your projects and still pursuing your dreams and and that sort of things even though you're a mom. So what are some of the ways that you found that were helpful for you to be able to reconnect to those things of yourself?
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. I think we might have touched upon this before, but it's really about reclaiming like personal time for yourself. Mhmm. So you can show up better for others in your life because, I mean, I'm a full time mom at home and I know when there's, I'm starting to get like frustrated or can't show up fully and I'm trying to escape the moment Yeah. Almost more than I am being present in the moment So as I like have to make sure that I carve out those personal days or times or whatever you wanna do, activities with yourself and, like, honor yourself in doing that and making sure that you put yourself because there's such a difference when I could take a step back, do something for me, fill my cup, come back, and then really feel present.
Danielle Schleese:And I feel like I'm giving, like, how we discussed in the community episode previously, having that system Yeah. To lean on. So, like, Sam will take the kids for morning and then Lisa will take the kids and then Marcus and then we, like, and Gabe and we mix it all up. And then having, like, a day just, you know, that's really dedicated to you and, like, your nieces and your nephews and your kids, you can really show up so much because I by getting other people to, like, raise them or be with them, you also can step back into your own time and your own space and, like, give yourself some time to do things for you. Mhmm.
Danielle Schleese:But, again, not everybody has a system like that. Some people who have kids in day care who have full time jobs still can't find time for themselves, and then you have a blip of time with your kid in the evening, and then it's bedtime, and you're exhausted, you gotta prepare for the next day. Like, life is so busy and so hard. Being a mom is It's it's like no
Briana Donaldson:matter what your situation looks like in in some ways, but also, like, literally the greatest thing ever. So it's such a duplicity. It's such a such a complex place to be. So I those memes are so funny when it's like, are you bipolar or are you just a mom? Because you're constantly, like, feeling two emotions.
Briana Donaldson:Like, some of the things that make you feel the most frustrated or that the most challenging in your life are also these little humans that you love more than anything else in the entire world and would do anything for. I think also
Danielle Schleese:finding time to to not only find space for yourself, to, like, pamper yourself and take care of yourself, obviously, but, like, really indulging in something that makes you happy and brings you joy. Mhmm. Like, I remember at one point, it was really difficult for me to answer that question. I'm like, what actually brings me like really true authentic joy? You're looking at her.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. That's bad. No kidding. I'm like, my best friend lives so far away. But even my my my close friends too, unless you're, like, literally my neighbor.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. That's why I forced family to move up there
Briana Donaldson:and then my friends. Tough. I think too when you become a mom, you have to give yourself some grace and redefine what success is for you and having success in life because it's that is going to shift no matter what. And if you fight it, it's gonna be so much harder. Yeah.
Briana Donaldson:And so I think that when you can reframe that and what a successful and fulfilled life looks like
Danielle Schleese:That's so
Briana Donaldson:true. Restructure that image and vision in your mind, it's super helpful because it's gonna it's gotta change
Danielle Schleese:That's such a good point.
Briana Donaldson:You have children.
Danielle Schleese:I think that was a huge thing for me too because when I surrendered into, like, going to my first pregnancy and being like, okay. It's okay if I haven't, like, achieved everything that I've ever dreamed that I would achieve before giving birth. Like, this is such a such a temporary time in my life becoming a mom. I really wanna be present and enjoy the process. Mhmm.
Danielle Schleese:And to me, having, like, a healthy, happy family is success. Yeah. Not having to have, like, a financial reward, like, professional status of any of any kind and not feeling, like, not worthy because I wasn't those things or had those things yet. Yeah. I mean, mind you, I was only 31 when I gave birth to my first child, but, like, just some teens that day were like, oh my god.
Danielle Schleese:That's ancient. That's so old. But to me, I'm like, that's still so young. Like, you're just really starting to like my twenties were your twenties are finding your, like, identity. Right?
Danielle Schleese:And in your thirties, you really start to understand who you are and what you're capable of. Yeah. I think that's a great point, redefining success, what that looks like for you. And you shape your reality at the end of the day in different layers and degrees. Right?
Briana Donaldson:Absolutely. I mean, you know, being a full time mom for as long as I have been, I think that it's really easy sometimes to skew the image of what value is and where your value comes from. And so I think that reframing your systems of how you view so many things, not just success, but how you view your individual value as well.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. And on the flip side too, there's like another kind of way to connect identity motherhood. Like, some people do only identify as a mother.
Briana Donaldson:Totally. Totally. And, like, I believe like, I know a couple women where I'm like, you were born to be a mom. And, like, that is their world and that's their life, and they thrive and they like, it is just amazing to watch how they function. I'm like, this is incredible.
Briana Donaldson:And not to say that I don't think I was meant to be a mom. I absolutely believe I was. I'm love my role. I love being a full time mom. But I also do have other aspirations and dreams and goals outside of just being
Danielle Schleese:a mom thing. She wasn't a mom. Who are you? But maybe she didn't wanna be anything outside of that. Regardless if she wants to or not wants to, who is she?
Danielle Schleese:That's, like, back to identity. Right? Because it's like when you strip yourself of roles and titles and accomplishments But who are you? But that
Briana Donaldson:would right. But I think that that question can apply to literally anyone in any situation, whether they're just a mom or not
Danielle Schleese:because A 100%.
Briana Donaldson:I could say who are you other than someone on a podcast and an artist and
Danielle Schleese:Of course.
Briana Donaldson:All of the But that's, again,
Danielle Schleese:that's a role. Right? That's what I'm saying. Saying who do you identify as? I don't identify as, like, a podcast host.
Danielle Schleese:Don't. Identify as a mother. You can That's just that's That's a part of it. Right?
Briana Donaldson:Something. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:I'm just saying, like, identity can feel so shifted k. Because you become a mother, but then also on the other side of the coin, people can flip that and identify as a mother. Right.
Briana Donaldson:Right.
Danielle Schleese:Feeling like they're that makes sense.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:All I anyway, all I was kind of reiterating was the conversation we had earlier couple of days ago about identities and that being one of the topics or just points of discussion was Yeah. Besides roles and titles, who are you? Yeah. And that goes back to, like, the essence of energy and being and the gifts you bring uniquely. And, yes, having children to pass those things down to is such a blessing and such a gift.
Danielle Schleese:It is such a gift Mhmm. And a miracle because they get to have your knowledge and your tools and your wisdom and your love, and then they become a part of this world, a parts of you. But who are you that you're putting into those kids? And that person's like, is it the creativity, the knowledge, the the beauty? You know?
Danielle Schleese:Oh, yeah. So it's like
Briana Donaldson:little driplets of of things absorbing into them every day.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. So that's why it's so quality to be able to do something like that and have a privilege to do something like that if you can and and want to and choose to. Did you ever feel like you lost yourself, like, part of yourself when you became a mom?
Briana Donaldson:A 100%. You did? I mean, yeah, I feel like I became a full time mom. And But what parts
Danielle Schleese:of yourself did you feel you lost?
Briana Donaldson:My freedom.
Danielle Schleese:That's a good one. Big one? That's a big one.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. My freedom. Yep. My body for a period of time.
Danielle Schleese:True. Your body autonomy.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. Yeah. That's big. My mental energy time. True.
Briana Donaldson:Or like the way just The hormones.
Danielle Schleese:Can mess you up so much, because those are like the things that you don't realize shift and change. They're so subtle because it shifts the way you like experience the world like And respond your brain. To
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. It's wild. You don't even know what's happening. It's just like any degree of mental illness. You can't see it.
Briana Donaldson:So it's hard for people to like wrap their head around it and understanding.
Danielle Schleese:And just to clarify, she's not comparing hormones to mental illnesses.
Briana Donaldson:No. No. I'm saying it it just like the hormone fluctuations, it's something that you can't see. And I feel like that makes sometimes it more difficult for people and even yourself to really get a full grasp on on it. Yeah.
Briana Donaldson:True. It's very subtle ways.
Danielle Schleese:Identity shows that I see myself as identity as a mother. Definitely became yeah. All of a sudden, I was able to fall asleep a lot easier. Oh, definitely. But not deeply.
Danielle Schleese:No. No. Because one baby cry, your ear perks up. But I had, like like, before I was just like me, I'm like, what was he doing all the time? What what did he do with all that time?
Danielle Schleese:Like I ask myself that all doing, the though?
Briana Donaldson:Liter what what what was I doing? I don't know. It's all the time in the world. You give me one hour now
Danielle Schleese:Oh my god. Much time I can get done. Percent of her. Yeah. So I think the ways that I see my identity shift is that I become way more productive, less, way less procrastination.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. Yeah. I really actually like who I become as a mother man because a part of you, yes, you don't really get a choice in a lot of things in a certain way, if that makes sense, but then at the same time you do. You have like very limited time to make decisions. You can be effective.
Danielle Schleese:You cannot. You can sleep. You can be productive. I mean, like, without getting too much into this, like, capitalist society productive way of, like, producing more and creating and doing this. I'm more so mean productive in the sense of, like, I actually can rest better, I would say, when I when I said sleeping better because I know I only have certain amount of time to sleep and get that rest, and I'm going to either do this or that, I'm gonna take the quality of rest over.
Danielle Schleese:Right. That versus like before having kids, was just kind of like Right. Whatever, I'll sleep in as long as I want or I need to go go to bed as late as I want. Yeah. No consequences.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. Like no responsibility really. Yeah. So I think that was a big shift for me and then Oh, yeah. Surprisingly became a lot more clear on my dreams, my goals and myself and identity because instead of having so much of a pressure to do and be something for somebody, I was, like, really inspired more to show up for my kids and better myself Mhmm.
Danielle Schleese:For somebody else other than myself. Yeah. Totally. From a pressure point
Briana Donaldson:of but,
Danielle Schleese:like, I
Briana Donaldson:love love. Definitely. You.
Danielle Schleese:So and I really yeah. I really think I stepped into who I am as a woman. Like you said, when you give birth, you're like, fucking don't mess with me.
Briana Donaldson:Your identity is just so defined in such a significant way. And you, like, take on your true identity probably more in that transformation than anything else could ever do.
Danielle Schleese:It's not my identity, but it is a big part of my identity
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. But I of who I am. You know? Shaping you. Yes.
Briana Donaldson:Like, shaping you and who
Danielle Schleese:you are. Totally. It's a beautiful thing. It's a beautiful gift. Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:It's I think a lot of mothers start to actually find each other through community Mhmm. Of motherhood. Mhmm. Like, it's such a big niche and topic and interest that it's like a it's like a clique. It's literally like this group that exists that it's like your mother.
Danielle Schleese:Oh my god. All of a sudden you have like a genuine connection, like an unspoken bond. True.
Briana Donaldson:Especially when
Danielle Schleese:you see like other mothers with the same age ish, little as you, you can just like look at each other and be like Mhmm. Mhmm. Just hold this space for each other. So, a motherhood community is such a beautiful, beautiful thing. And I think that trans doing that transition into motherhood is so big.
Danielle Schleese:It is probably, like, one of the big if not the biggest transition one can do into their life and identity that it's almost
Briana Donaldson:hiddenly supported. It's, like, hidden ish. For sure. It's like a it's like a what we call the invisible network.
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. Yeah. So there is support there. It's just like, well, now social media makes it more accessible and, like, a lot more communities coming up, but it is just the motherhood community. Like, when Wilder or Lola or is sick or I'm struggling with something with them and I post something and I ask mothers, like, instantly, like Yeah.
Danielle Schleese:Messages, all the moms, and it's coming from such a place of love and support. And it's so beautiful because, like, they have so much knowledge experience. And a lot of women, like we were talking about, don't have that type of culture and community anymore where we grow up with our aunts and uncle or aunts and mothers and sisters and grandmothers all under, like, the same roof or village anymore. So it's like having that kind of network in the motherhood realm is such a beautiful find. And Absolutely.
Danielle Schleese:Haven't existed or even cared to look before. Right. Because, like, I wasn't a mother, I guess. Right. But it's
Briana Donaldson:like like this it's like that secret society. Yeah. Secret society. My mom
Danielle Schleese:is online. Online. Don't fuck with them. Shh. Don't tell anyone.
Danielle Schleese:Most powerful group. Was there anything else about motherhood and identity you feel like you would wanna know about if you were a new mom or, like, if if maybe you're a seasoned mom?
Briana Donaldson:I think that the biggest thing is that it's okay to be totally in love with your kids and love your life and also feel like you need a break. And it's okay to feel like you wanna be with your kids a lot.
Danielle Schleese:About your purse your your preference from, like, what you said the other day where you're like, it's hard not to feel guilty to to To, like, work on my stuff? Yeah. Yeah. Because, like, this is new for
Briana Donaldson:For sure.
Danielle Schleese:I've been
Briana Donaldson:a full time mom for four years. Yeah. And my kids are not used to You're working this much. Being separated from me. Yeah.
Briana Donaldson:So working on this project has definitely because we also have a little
Danielle Schleese:bit of time.
Briana Donaldson:Think, yeah, been tough on on them and me.
Danielle Schleese:Mhmm.
Briana Donaldson:Because we're used to just, like, being attached at the hip Yeah. All day every day, pretty much, which is wild.
Danielle Schleese:It's wild.
Briana Donaldson:Yeah. But but I'm I also realized and, you know, I was saying to you, I told Aubrey when I was putting her to bed the other night, she was like, oh, can you just stay in bed with me? I was like, no, honey. I gotta go to work because we're filming in the evenings. And like, oh, I want you to stay.
Briana Donaldson:And I told her the truth. And she's four and a half, but I was like, I told her the truth. I was like, you know what, sweetie? This is a project that's really important to mommy, and I've been working really hard on it. And this is something I'm passionate about and that I love doing with Danielle.
Briana Donaldson:And so it's important that I spend time on those things for myself too so that I can show up and be a better mom for you too. Mhmm. She was like,
Danielle Schleese:okay. Good night. Yeah.
Briana Donaldson:Okay. I'm like, yeah. I feel like I can if I speak to her
Danielle Schleese:If you show her by example that you are prioritizing your happiness and your well-being and things that bring you joy and that's what's gonna trickle down into her wanting to do the same thing and making Yeah. Like, even what you said, like, with Lily the other day when you're reading her book with the mirror. Yeah. So sweet. Anyway, should we wrap it up?
Danielle Schleese:Let's wrap it up. Let's talk let's just reminisce on the key points here that we kinda discussed to kind
Briana Donaldson:of close off this. Motherhood is going to reshape your identity, but is it does not have to solely define you. Yep. I think that it's okay to feel lost at moments, but just know that taking time
Danielle Schleese:for yourself isn't selfish, and it's actually necessary. Exactly. I'm actually so curious to hear from to hear from you guys, like, what you what you do to give yourself that reconnection and that time. Like, one of
Briana Donaldson:my favorite things is to hear from other moms. It's so true. Like,
Danielle Schleese:wanna hear lots of things. Wanna hear your secrets, like, we'll we'll get into, like, things with kids, like remedies and health and all those stuff and activities. But specifically for today's episode, check us out on Instagram. We're on the all listening streams for major streaming podcast platforms like Apple, Spotify, also video, and then we're at the honey toast podcast on Instagram and TikTok. But on Instagram, come send us a DM, and we wanna know what your stories are.
Danielle Schleese:And come say hi.
Briana Donaldson:How about your identity and motherhood?
Danielle Schleese:Yeah. And when you felt a crisis and if you connected with this episode, let us know. We would love to hear from you and we cannot wait to talk to you again next week. Thanks for your time.
Briana Donaldson:Honey's out.