Parenting is all about change - when we become parents, and then as our babies and children grow and we have to keep adapting so we can continue to understand and meet their needs.
And there’s change of a different kind with priorities, lifestyle, relationships, friendships, work and career.
I regularly speak to women whose work lives have changed - from part-time working, to a change in roles or giving up careers because of childcare or money. And I speak to women about the stress and pressure they experience as they juggle and feel like they aren’t getting any of it right.
Of course change can also be positive - the excuse to leave a toxic job, an opportunity to go self-employed, a reason to re-train, or a chance to just focus on your children.
For me starting a family changed my life, not just because of my children but because I started a new career. I had no clue at the time that retraining would spark a real passion for working with parents but it’s become something I live and breathe.
And now that my children are grown-up, I am starting to use this passion, as well as the experience and knowledge I have developed over the last 20 odd years, to work with different organisations and to use my voice more to share and talk about the important issues.
But this takes confidence, something I have been working on over the last year or so. At the beginning of my menopause - another huge period of change - I was hit by a massive wave of anxiety which consumed me for a while - I felt useless and hopeless and I almost gave up my practice.
But I had a strong word with myself - and upped my HRT - and I knew I did not want to waste two decades of expertise by shrinking away in the background.
Having a baby can knock a woman’s confidence, for others it boosts it. It’s all individual and we all have different needs at different times. But having the time to think about what we need so we can make change, adapt to change and build our confidence is important for headspace, so we can manage the challenges as well as any stress.
You can use the free Breathing Space resources for relax and breathe skills so you can bring breathing focus into your day and then use these skills as you need them.
And I am here if you want to talk through the pressure and the juggle of parenting, as well as looking after you so you can look after the needs of your family.