The Art of Healing

Written by Sarah Eckstein

Exactly one year ago I gave birth to my son. I had no idea what I was in for; the lack

of sleep, the physical demands of caring for a baby, and the daily fears that come

with becoming a new parent. I was lucky enough to have a pretty good pregnancy

and was able to stay active and continue my yoga practice to the end. I figured once

the baby arrived, I’d snap back within a few weeks. Boy, was I wrong!

Every woman’s post-partum journey is different, but the high expectations that we

(and others) put on ourselves can be universal. Our bodies go through a tremendous

amount of healing in a relatively short time; something I never thought much about.

I made so many assumptions about being a new mom and none of them had

anything to do with what I would need to heal.

Setting goals can be tricky. For many, it’s helpful to set goals, but missing

expectations can lead to disappointment and being too hard on yourself. There are

so many things outside of your control that being too rigid can derail your

confidence. Don’t let expectations rob you of the joy of these precious moments. You

can always press the reset button!

Finding peace is essential to progress. My body doesn’t look the same as it did

before my son was born, but my body has finally healed. I am healthy, but I didn’t go

“back” to what I was. I’m a new, different and stronger person than I was before. I

don’t even want to go back. For me, it’s about taking steps forward as the new me.

What’s a healing process for one person may not be what you need. From the

moment you announce you’re expecting, you become inundated with advice (mostly

well-intentioned). But let’s be honest, it can be overwhelming. Parsing out what’s

important can feel impossible. This is the time to be a bit selfish and listen to your

inner voice. Each time you can stay in tune with your own body and listen to what it

needs is progress. You are getting better and stronger!

Like most things in life, there is no single size for everyone. Listen to your intuitions

and just be you!

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