117. Balanced Madrehood: Rediscovering Your Passions Beyond Motherhood

In this fourth episode of our special 8-episode Balanced Madrehood series, I touch on another crucial challenge modern Latina moms face: reconnecting with who they are outside of motherhood.

When we become moms, our identity shifts almost overnight. Between sleep deprivation and the mental load of running a household, it's easy to lose touch with the woman you were before - the parts that had nothing to do with taking care of others. I share my personal experience of going months without engaging in activities that once defined me, like running or even reading a book uninterrupted.

In This Episode, You'll Hear:

• Why reconnecting with your passions isn't just about having fun, it's essential for your wellbeing and identity
• The common barriers that keep us from pursuing our interests
• Practical strategies for reintroducing your passions into your busy life as a mom
• How rediscovering yourself actually benefits your family by making you a more present, patient, and joyful mami

Remember, madrehood isn't meant to be an all-consuming identity that erases everything else about who you are. It's meant to be integrated into your full, complex, multifaceted life.

Resources Mentioned:

• Balanced Madrehood waitlist: vivalamami.com/balanced-madrehood

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Transcript

Jessica: 0:01

Today we're continuing our special series on creating a more balanced motherhood experience. In our previous episodes, we talked about reclaiming our time and why self-care isn't selfish. Well, today we're tackling something that many mama struggle with, and that is reconnecting with who you are outside of motherhood. Remember the things you used to love doing before kids. The hobbies, interests and passions that made you light up for many of us, those parts of ourselves have gotten so buried under the endless responsibilities of madrehood, but here's the thing. Rediscovering those passions isn't just a nice to have. It's essential for your wellbeing and identity. And so in today's episode, we're going to have a quick one, but powerful one as we explore how to find yourself again amid this chaos of motherhood. But before we dive in, I want to remind you that in the show notes, there are two links. One, where you can suggest different topics, topics like these or any topic that you want me to talk about. And I also have another link. on proposing a guest, or if you know of a potential guest that could benefit in being on the show, feel free to share their information as well. I think that it's so important to share our stories and for people to share their expertise. And that way, Mama, your motherhood journey can be better informed. And that way you can create the best version of this wonderful And oftentimes chaotic journey of ours. And I also want to remind you to please rate and review the show it's so important for me to receive feedback and what you think of this show so that way people can find Viva La Mami and that way Latina moms Don't feel in isolation as it relates to their motherhood journey. So don't forget to rate and review. If you are listening through Apple podcasts, otherwise you can also rate this show on Spotify and know that I'm here to build this community for you, for us, because it is needed. All right, let's dive into the episode./

2:25

Welcome to the Viva AMI podcast. I am your host, Jessica Cuevas. I am a mother of two on a mission to help redefine the meaning of Mad Hood. As a modern Latina mom, mad hood can be a complex journey interwoven in two identities that often make us feel. AMI is committed to providing you with knowledge, tools, and support to navigate the challenges and triumphs of motherhood. As Latina moms on the show, we'll be discussing culturally relevant topics that will help inform and empower you in whichever season you are in on your motherhood journey. We'll be joined by Latina moms, experts and professionals who can offer advice, practical tips, relatable stories, and honest conversations. So bring your cafecito as I invite you to be a part of this space as we create about the exciting and challenging parts of being a mommy. A.

Jessica: 3:29

I am sure you've already experienced this, but for me, I have definitely felt this. As soon as I became a mom, Something happens almost overnight. Your identity shifts and suddenly you're not just. You anymore. You are someone else's mommy. And while that new identity is beautiful and meaningful, it can also be all consuming. And between the sleep deprivation and the mental load of running a household, it's so easy to lose touch with the woman you were before Madre Hood. The parts of you that had nothing to do with taking care of others and I've been there after having my two kids. I went months, honestly, longer than I'd like to admit without doing many of the things that once defined me, like the social activities I used to do with friends or date nights with my husband, or running along the Lakeshore Drive in Chicago and. Even the simple pleasures like reading a book uninterrupted, and I noticed something. The longer I went without connecting to those parts of myself, the more depleted I felt. It wasn't just exhaustion from the demands of motherhood, it was a deeper kind of emptiness that came from losing touch with my core self. And this is something. That I work with in our balanced Madre hood coaching program because so many of the mamas who join our program express the same feeling, and that is having the sense that somewhere along the way they've lost themselves and they're desperate to find their way back. So why is it so important to reconnect to your passions and interests? It's not just about having fun, although that's certainly, you know, true. It goes much deeper than that. First of all, your passions are so important to your identity, their expressions of who you are beyond your roles and responsibilities. When you engage with activities that light you up, you're reconnecting with your authentic self. Second, having interests outside of mahood gives you perspective. It's so easy to get lost in the day-to-day challenges of raising children and having other areas of engagement helps you maintain a broader view of life. Okay. And finally, and this is a crucial one, reconnecting with your passions, refills your cup. It gives you energy and joy that you can bring back to your family. When you're fulfilled in multiple areas of your life, you're a more present patient and joyful mama. And so in our balanced motherhood coaching program, I help moms identify the passions they've lost touch with and create practical strategies for bringing them back into their lives. Even with the constraints of busy schedules and limited energy, I. So if reconnecting with our passions is so beneficial, why is it so challenging? Well, let's talk about the barriers that get in our way. The most obvious barrier is time between work, childcare, household management, and everything else on your plate. Finding time for your personal interest can seem impossible. Then there's energy, even when you do find a free moment. You might be too exhausted to do anything and you just like collapse on the couch and scroll through your phone. Maybe I'm totally guilty of it. And then guilt is another major barrier. And especially as mamas, we feel selfish for wanting to do things just for ourselves and especially activities that may take time away from our families. And there's also this identity confusion. After spending so much time in mom mode, you might not even remember what you used to enjoy or there's probably things that might no longer resonate with you anymore. These barriers are real and they're challenging, but in balanced motherhood, we will work through each of these obstacles with practical strategies tailored to your specific situation. And so let's talk about practical strategies to start with in recreating and reconnecting your passions. Well assess which of those passions might fit in your current season of life. Some might need to be modified or scaled down, and that's okay. For example, if you used to love weekend long hiking trips, maybe you start with short nature walks. If you were passionate about painting, perhaps you begin with small sketching, involve your family when possible. Some passions can be adapted to include your children, which eliminates the either or dilemma. If you love cooking, involve your kids in age appropriate kitchen tasks, and if music is your passion, have your family dance parties or jam sessions. And then look for community resources that support your interests. Many libraries, community centers and online platforms offer resources that can help you engage with your passions, often with childcare options or in family friendly formats. And then finally be patient and flexible. Your relationship with your passions may evolve as you move through different seasons of parenthood. The goal isn't to recreate your pre motherhood life exactly as it was, but to find new ways to honor and express the core parts of who you are. And so as we wrap up today's episode, I wanna remind you that madrehood is not meant to be an all consuming identity that erases everything else about who you are. It's meant to be integrated into your full, complex, multifaceted life. By reconnecting your passions, you're not taking anything away from your family. You're actually giving them the. Gift of a mother who is fulfilled, inspired, and authentic. If today's episode resonated with you, and you are ready to make full reclaim of your identity, beyond hood. I invite you to join the wait list to balance motherhood. This three month coaching program is especially designed for Latina moms who want to create a motherhood experience that honors all parts of who they are. And so let's work together to rediscover your passions. Create practical strategies of incorporating them into your life and build a supportive community of like-minded mamas who understand your unique challenges. To join the wait list, visit viva la.com/balanced madre hood. That is balanced with a D at the end Madre Hood. And you'll be the first to know when doors open for enrollment. In next week's episode, we're going to explore how to set boundaries with your familia, another crucial step in creating a more balanced motherhood experience. All right, mama. I promised that this was a short episode. I hope this was a good one, IMO on the next episode.

11:06

Thank you so much for taking the time outta your busy schedule to listen to the Viva AMI podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode, will you do me a favor and follow the podcast and leave a rating and review? Hitting that follow button and reviewing my show will allow other mommies like you find this podcast. Your review will also tell me if you enjoy the show. So I would truly appreciate your thoughts. Don't forget, please share this podcast, tus Amiga. Also make sure to follow me at viva ami on Instagram or visit viva ami.com. Please note the information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. Okay. Thank you for joining INS in the next episode.