I don’t know who I am anymore

Published: 14th of March 2021

I was recently having a conversation with another mum friend who proclaimed, “I don’t know who I am anymore”. After having a baby and spending almost every second with them, her world was full of agonising over nap times, endless teething and struggling with weaning.

Understandably when you’re immersed in looking after children, you can lose a sense of who you are.

A New Year on the horizon doesn’t have to mean a New You. In fact, you could change your perspective, that becoming a parent is more of an Upgraded model!

• Try thinking about the skills and qualities you’ve developed on maternity or shared parental leave

Perhaps you’ve....

• Conquered a Christmas supermarket shop on no sleep
• Discovered a superhero patience in the middle of the night with a screaming newborn
• Honed your intuition to know when your baby is up to no good (usually scaling the stairs in our house!)
• Negotiated potential conflict with a partner over raising your child

Whilst you wouldn’t necessarily go into detail in a job interview about your quick response time with an explosive nappy, the skills are still relevant and it’s worth recognising the amazing job (and yes, it is a JOB!) that you’ve done this year! This only builds on the existing skills and strengths you possess.

Your priorities and values may well have changed since becoming a parent. This point of transition brings an excellent opportunity to think about what matters to you and what you want to achieve over the next year.

Maybe you’d like to work for a more flexible employer or perhaps it’s an opportunity think about setting up a new business venture? Or perhaps you’d just like to feel more confident returning to your previous job after maternity leave?

Coaching could be a great way to draw out your skills and accomplishments from your work and family life and talk through your values and priorities for 2020 with your Upgraded parent identity. We’re called Baby Steps Coaching because it’s about breaking these big goals and ideas into achievable and realistic steps.

Please get in touch for a FREE 60 Minute Career Strategy session to see if coaching can help you.

Most importantly for the New Year ahead, be kind to yourself. To care for others, you need to ensure you look after yourself as well this festive period and beyond into 2020.

P.S. Have you joined my FREE Career Clarity for Working Parents Facebook group? It's packed full of top tips to keep you motivated and on track for moving forward in your career.