33. Rediscover Your Authenticity in Motherhood: The 6 Words You Need in 2024

This episode is a heartfelt invitation for busy mothers who often feel unseen or disconnected from their own selves.

The essence of living vibrantly and authentically as a mom in 2024 cannot be distilled into a simple formula (motherhood is more complicated than that). However, if you can focus on intentional practices and words honouring your deepest desires and aspirations, you can live a life you don't have to run away from.

Unlike the traditional New Year's resolutions, which often fade away as quickly as they are made when you choose six words you want to embody this year, it gives permission for you to live authentically as a mother. 

This podcast episode for moms is more than just a conversation; it's a guide to rediscovering the joy and courage in motherhood and life. It explores how intentional words and practices can transform our experiences and lead us to a place of genuine presence and connection. Trust me, many of my clients have expressed the same desire but struggle to make it happen.

3 questions that help you choose your six words for 2024:

• Get out your journal or the notes app on your phone and copy and paste these sentence starters in.

• Finish the sentences with your first thought

• I know...

• I trust...

• I want...

• I feel...

• Write as much or as little as you need.

• Highlight the six words that stand out to you

• Ask yourself if these six words are the ones you need.

• If they aren't, reflect on what words you need this year.

My 6 words are allowing, zesty, authentic, breath, cadence, brave, and knowing. Here are some of my reflections about these words:

1. Allowing yourself to be authentic in a world filled with pressures and cookie-cutter solutions is a rebellious act of radical self-love. It's about tuning out the noise of 'shoulds' and 'musts' and tuning into your inner voice. 

2. Living zesty is an invitation to enthusiastically embrace the imperfections and unpredictability of motherhood. It's about finding joy in the little things and expressing oneself fully and unapologetically.

3. Breath is one of the most underappreciated and underutilized tools in emotional regulation for mothers. By focusing on our breath, we anchor ourselves in the present moment, finding a sense of calm amid the storms of life. This simple yet profound practice offers emotional clarity in the tough mom moment.

4. Cadence, the rhythm and flow of our communication, is critical in motherhood. When you pay attention to the cadence of your voice, it can mean the difference between yelling and keeping your cool. It's a subtle art that requires awareness, mindfulness and intention.

5. Bravery is not just found in the grand gestures but in our everyday. It's the decision to choose courage over comfort, live boldly, step into the unknown, and show up for ourselves and our kids. 

6. Lastly, knowing is the most profound form of understanding oneself. It's about connecting with our highest self and allowing that wisdom to guide us. Knowing is found in stopping long enough to hear yourself think, silencing the inner critic and turning up the volume of self-compassion and truth.

7 steps to create a spontaneous collage representing your words for the year

No art skills or experience is required, just your gut feeling and many magazines. 

Art Supplies You Need to Create A Collage:

• Magazines or Printouts: Grab those old magazines or images you are drawn to.

• Scissors: To cut the pictures and words you like.

• Glue or Tape: Stick those pics down.

• Art Journal, canvas or paper: Pick something to be the background.

• Markers or Pens: For doodles or words that need to be written.

• Your Favourite Spot: Find a quiet space where you can hear yourself think – if such a place exists.

How To Create A Collage:

1. Grab all your artsy tools and scatter them on the table.

2. Take a few deep breaths. Don't rush. This is your time.

3. Flip through the magazines and cut out whatever grabs your attention. There is no need for perfection – roll with it.

4. Lay those cutouts on your background without sticking them down. Play around with different setups until it feels right.

5. Once you feel solid in your arrangement of images and words, glue those babies down. 

6. Check out your creation. What vibes are you getting? Any aha moments? Is there anything that needs to be done, added, or removed? 

7. Take a minute to soak it in. What'd you discover? Anything you want to carry with you?

There is no pressure, no rules – just you and your creative expression. 

I am a therapist for moms; I use expressive arts therapy, a transformative, non-clinical tool for self-expression and healing.

Through art, poetry, and journaling, mothers can begin to reclaim their sense of self and rekindle the spark that may have dimmed amidst the demands of parenting. 

Click to download a journal template inviting you on your own creative journey. This process doesn't have to include creating art; it's enough to just show up and reflect on how to become visible to oneself again and a step towards living a life filled with vibrancy and authenticity.

To all the mothers listening, this is your time to shine, to be known, and to live authentically. Embrace the words that resonate with you and let them guide you in 2024 and beyond.

Until next time, Kayla Huszar