I learned to embrace motherhood, rather than fight against it

I’ll never forget how strange it was to start my life as a stay-at-home mom. I went from being a full-time college student, working, and constantly on the go…to a completely opposite pace of life. I stayed home all day with a baby. No one was grading or evaluating me. No one expected anything from me. A paycheck wasn’t involved. No one cared if I had been up all night or if I stayed in my pajamas all day. Suddenly, I was invisible to the outside world (or so it felt). It was WEIRD for me. I had a hard time finding a new rhythm of life. Taking care of a newborn was far more challenging than I ever imagined. I loved my baby, yet I struggled with my new role as a mom.

My thoughts continually went back and forth from my old life to my new life. I knew I wanted so badly to be a mother, but I was having a hard time accepting all of the challenges and changes. Everything was different than before—my body, my thoughts, my schedule, my purpose. Even though I understood how important motherhood was, and I knew it was my obligation to rear my child in the best way possible—I still found myself wishing it was easier. I wanted to be able to enjoy the blessings of motherhood without all of the “hard stuff.”

Soon enough, I recognized my need to end the battle in my head. No more wanting motherhood to be easier. No more wishing it was different. Instead, it was to time accept and embrace motherhood for what it was—a sacred calling that the Lord needed me to fulfill. 

Gordon B. Hinckley taught,