Feeling Lost in Motherhood? Find Yourself Again in the Most Unexpected Place

You make breakfast and pack lunch, you get the kids ready for school, head to your job, try to get a workout in, and come home exhausted. But then there’s the cooking, planning, and cleaning to do. It’s never-ending. You begin to wonder when there will be time left for yourself. When the kids are grown, maybe?

While being a mother is the most important job you’ll ever have, it doesn’t mean you have to get lost in the dirty-washing pile and play-dates. All that does is allow your identity to become consumed by a to-do list. Then before you know it, being the “perfect” mum is all that you know how to do. In fact, 70% of mums admit they feel they’ve lost themselves in motherhood, according to a poll in the Maverick Mums Facebook page.

Make time for yourself again. 

Do you dream of a future when you can relight your more independent side? That adventurous soul that has been dormant for so long? To go back to the fun, spontaneous someone you loved before her well-being came second to everyone else’s? It’s not just possible, it’s well-deserved. 

Just over three years ago, my dad died suddenly at age 60. He had an outstanding mortgage and a huge pension he never had the chance to enjoy. I was lost. I didn’t know who I was anymore. My father was known in our family as the “maverick” - a typically unorthodox or independent-minded person - which he was, through and through. I wanted to honour him; to somehow make some sense of his death so I dug deep into that brave part of myself, and set off to Namibia. I found that the ample space, the open skies, and the much-needed digital detox reminded me that being a mother is only one part of a woman’s life.

Get outside of your comfort zone. 

It was a life-changing experience and not as an overstatement. I mean it truly changed the trajectory of my life for the better. Getting outside my comfort zone helped me grow in confidence and empowered me to be the person I believe I was truly meant to be. I realised that life isn’t to be led waiting for a chance at tomorrow. It’s not for waiting for the day you have money to blow, waiting for your kids to go to uni, or waiting for a life-altering event to permit you to be you.

The truth is, life should be about living out your dreams no matter who you are. What we want for our children is that they follow their passions in life. So we must lead by example. We must show them a mum who’s living her dreams; who’s happy and full of life. We must refill our cup in order to serve everyone else’s. I want you to give yourself permission to be the woman you used to be; the one with a sense of adventure, with a spark of light, with a wild side. Say yes to yourself and watch how the newfound enthusiasm radiates positivity and strength into the lives of your children.

Join a community of like-minded mums. 

That’s how (and why) I built Maverick Mums. We aim to be free of the mum guilt and be in a safe space to explore what makes our hearts sing. The community exists to support and empower mums to reconnect with their authentic selves. If you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to, not the one you’re ‘supposed’ to, you need an organised escape with us.

The Maverick Mums Matriarch Adventure is a 10-day quest with a small group of mums from all walks of life who need a moment away from the hustle and bustle of motherhood. It includes tracking elusive desert elephants in wild Africa which is what started it all for me. We awaken each day to a glorious sunrise and take time to experience a tech-free world with your fellow travellers, building life-long friendships laughing by the campfire. Going together in this sisterhood -- a group of matriarchs -- is best to support one another in a raw, simplistic way that can only be created when you strip away the complications and responsibilities of everyday life.

You will return home feeling empowered and ready to take action and to make changes to your life. I believe wholeheartedly in the Maverick Mums community and the transformational power of this wilderness experience. If you do too then I’d love to chat some more and tell you all about it!