Yes I’m a wife and a mom, but I’m also still me

Lately I’ve spent a lot of time putting myself out there. Not my physical self or person, but my inner self. The thoughts, heart, and creativity that beat within my heart. I have built and launched a family page, tried to start making something babyish and selling it, and started writing. Sticking myself right out there in the spotlight. Not my cute little babe that everybody likes, but myself.

Why?

I have asked myself this a lot these last few weeks.

Why in the world am I doing this? It would be MUCH easier to just, you know, not. To just keep the pictures flowing of my baby that everyone loves. Everybody responds well to those. That’s easier.

So why?

Because I’m still here.

Yes I’m a wife, and I am a mom, but I’m also still me.

I’m still here.

I still have goals and dreams that go way beyond dishes and the laundry pile.

I am more than a reheated cup of coffee and wiping bottoms.

Make sure you hear me correctly: I am not above it, but I am more than it.

Before I was a wife and before I was a mama, I was me. I am still me, and I’m still here.

I want to see my husband and children grow, love, succeed, dream and achieve, but I also need to want all of that for myself.

As mamas we are called to love hard and lead well. In our actions, in our speech, the way we live our daily lives, and what we set out ahead of us to achieve.

For our family, right now that looks like me being the primary care for our babe, making an impact inside of the home so I can make an impact outside of the home later. Through Hensley, and any other children we add to our family. All while making a few pacifier clips here and there, and word vomiting onto our cute little family website.

I want them to see that I tried. I don’t have to get a book published, or have my own podcast, be a multimillionaire, or have a huge following to show my children what success looks like. I may not be the world’s or society’s definition of successful. But in our home, I am successful.

I put myself out there, I love as hard as I can, lead to the best of my ability, and am never afraid to try anything once.

Not all mamas may have the same goal, and no dream is bigger or better than any other.

So put down your phone (of course after you finish reading this) and stop comparing yourself to the working mama, the stay-at-home mama, the single mama, the married mama, the work from home mama, the make vegan-organic everything, even for the dog, mama

And set your own goals, mama.

If I can do it, so can you.

Scared? I still am too.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

A version of this story was originally published November 2, 2017. It has been updated.