Here at The Wholehearted Mom you are going to hear the term ‘wholehearted mom a lot. But what exactly does it mean? And even more so, what does it look and feel like?
Let’s start with the term wholehearted.
To Be Wholehearted
According to the Oxford Dictionary, wholehearted means showing or characterized by complete sincerity and commitment.
So let’s just clear one thing up right away… this is not the definition on which we are basing Wholehearted Mom. To live wholeheartedly is a way of life. We are going to look a little deeper into research.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary wholehearted means “completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic”. Ok now we are getting closer but still not quite there.
Brene Brown did over a decade of research on vulnerability and shame and from her research this unique group of people emerged whom she called The Wholehearted.
Her research showed that Wholehearted people “fully embraced vulnerability and were people who believed what made them vulnerable made them beautiful.” (Be the Change)
The wholehearted live and and love with their whole hearts despite the risks and uncertainty. And they have the courage to bring their full selves to the table.
After reading Brene’s Book The Gifts of Imperfection, I realized that what I was longing for in my motherhood was to become a wholehearted mom. After some research and reflection here is what being a Wholehearted Mom means to me.
Before I share my list with you I want to preface that becoming a wholehearted mom is a journey not a destination. Wholehearted Mom is the North star guiding us on this journey called motherhood.
And although we will never reach the North star if we journey with the North star as our guidepost we will experience a motherhood of calm, clarity, abundance & joy.
Motherhood doesn’t stop being hard but when we come from a place of calm, clarity, and abundance, motherhood brings us joy and feels good. There are way to make motherhood simple (not easy) but simple and intentional.
What is a Wholehearted Mom?
Here is my personal reflection on what is means to become a wholehearted mom and the mother I long/hope to be.
A wholehearted mom is someone who...
- Is able to let go of what others think and embrace her authentic self.
- Gives herself permission to complete the stress cycle and turns inward with kindness and compassion.
- Is aware of her inner world and needs
- Has the courage to express those needs
- Embraces vulnerability
- Has kindness, gentleness, and wisdom flowing from her.
- Lives with intention and is thoughtful
- Has good boundaries
- Can embrace imperfect action feeling free from perfectionism.
- Is calm even when she feels stressed or overwhelmed
- And when she isn’t calm she is able to gracefully apologize
A wholehearted mom is someone who (cont'd)
- Appreciates a minimal lifestyle for the sake of enjoying more of what matters
- Radiates beauty because she knows her value
- Own her story, heartaches and challenges
- Strives to do her best but not perfection
- Free from shame and harnesses guilt to do better next time
- Has the courage to advocate for what matters to her
- Smiles often – because kindness and positivity go a long way
- Is grounded in her relationships
- Enjoys being organized but is not rigid
- Is creative – I believe we were all meant to create
- Moves through life with an abundance mindset
- Take pride in caring for herself and her home
- And lastly, a wholehearted mom parents from a place of love, belonging and courage.
As a community of women striving to become wholehearted moms, let’s keep this list growing! I invite you to comment below – what does the term Wholehearted Mom mean to you?
A workbook to help guide you through the first steps to becoming a wholehearted mom
A free download to help you become a better mom for both you and your children.
- Setting intentions for your motherhood
- Dealing with Mom Guilt/Shame
- Creating more time for the things that matter to you.
- Knowing your worth!
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