Edu. Experience Unlocked: This One's For the Moms.

Happy Mother's Day! Today is one of the very few times a year, if not the only, where mom's give themselves permission to be the center of attention. Even when just for a moment, there is a brief pause. The hours spent investing in others before ourselves are wholly acknowledged as the ones we aim to serve express their gratitude.

Let's be real here, we spend years of our kids lives being our own worst critic. As moms, we aren't quick to admit when the tape playing in our mind tells us that we aren't doing enough, being enough, or worth enough. Young kids can be adorable, and still are one of the most direct, and at times harsh, audiences. They are also one of the most rewarding. I remember countless times where I'd feel that decisions I had made were most certainly going to be the "reason" my kids would grow up to be (fill in the blank here with your adjective). While I was so busy trying to live up to an expectation that was self inflicted and frankly unreasonable, there they were, moving forward as growing little people.

All at once, the toddler phase ends and you have this bright eyed little investigator of a young school aged child. You wonder if you've chosen the best school, if they have enough friends, and simultaneously put more pressure on yourself to somehow make sure everything goes right (whatever that even looks like!). The school years fly. I can't express it any other way. One day you're at Mother's Day Tea and the next, those same baby faced youngsters are in middle school (and you may be accidentally "bro"!?!?).

The crafts and events become fewer and the concerns change to setting healthy boundaries for these young adults. It's weird to see my girls now and not think of the shock I felt when we brough Mikayla home...like literally, these medical professionals let ME leave with this baby. Are they sure? LOL. This mother's day my daughters surprised me with a lego set and an Andes Mint tart. As my husband and I sat talking with neighbors last night (they have 3 full growns!) we were reminded: they raise you as much as you raise them. Wow. I've heard that before, and my own mom even recalls how I prompted shifts and growth in her when I was a kid, but I'd not really allowed that to become integrated into reality until recent years.

Be authentic in life. Focusing on yourself and personal growth are NOT selfish. This makes us better people, which in turn make us a better mom, sister, partner, employee, friend, human, etc. I'm drawn back to the beauty of children...they're authentic. They may not say what we know is polite, like when my niece calls out "old" people she sees, however, her intention is to make sense of the world around her. To set, and push, boundaries. To live. What if our home being perfectly tidy, dinner being promptly made, and laundry being kept up aren't the keys to success we once thought? I believe we must consider the damages caused by this constant façade of appearances for the sake of ourselves and our children. It's easier said than done to challenge what many of us (yep, me too) allow to become our normal.

So, I challenge you all to turn off autopilot, shake the dust off of your authentic self

, and get out there and start truly living each and every day. Life is too short to spend it stuck in a rut. Change your mental tape, hold your boundaries, and take care of yourself too! You deserve that! If you aren't sure where to begin, reach out! I'm no expert but I believe I am constantly learning too. Together we can make a difference for ourselves and our kids!