Self-Care Isn't a Reward. It's the Oxygen Mask.

Mom guilt is a real thing.

I joke with my friends that the minute you give birth, motherhood guilt is implanted in your soul. Sounds dramatic, I know, but sadly accurate.

I have three kids, and it doesn’t matter what age they are; for me, they seem to be at the centre of the decision-making portion of my brain. I know that they should be because they are my kids, but in all honesty, I’d like that part of my brain back, for myself.

In a conversation with a friend, we talked about being pulled in different directions, between work, kids, house, friends, spouses or partners, that it’s hard to find time to think about yourself. Sounds like an old story, but it’s not.

As women, we know about self-care, we know it’s necessary, and most of us are pretty good at it.

I take walks, I read, and I exercise, that’s my self-care.

I’d like to think that self-care is done when you need it, not when you have time for it. There’s a little piece of me that feels like I should accomplish something to deserve the walk, the book, or the workout. I tell myself that I enjoy those things better if everything else is done. Everything else will never actually be done.

Hence, I remain lost in my deservedness, but that’s a story for another day.

But here’s the truth I’m slowly learning—and maybe you need to hear it too:

Self-care isn’t a reward. It’s not the treat at the end of your to-do list.

It’s the oxygen mask.

The non-negotiable. And not because you’ve earned it, but because you exist.

Motherhood doesn’t erase your humanity. If anything, it demands that you nurture it more fiercely.

If you’re ready to start reclaiming your sense of self, beyond the guilt and the “shoulds”, I’d love to walk with you.

Through Life Experience Coaching and my Rootwork program, we’ll gently explore the stories behind the overwhelm so you can reconnect with who you truly are.

Click here to get started.