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What if you were pregnant right now?
This is one of the most powerful questions I’ve ever asked myself or my clients because it takes us straight to the heart of self-care, self-trust, and self-love.
Try it. Just for today or perhaps a whole week. From sunrise to sunset – act as if. Tend to yourself as if you were also tending to a growing life – because you are.
In pregnancy, we become infinitely more compassionate with ourselves. We meet our needs with an ‘of course sweetheart’ instead of a ‘no, you really shouldn’t’.
When we’re pregnant we give ourselves permission.
We are more present and allow our body to guide us to what is right.
Ask yourself, if you were pregnant right now, would you rest when you’re tired? Would you eat what and as much as your body is hungry for?
Would you start taking time each day to connect to your body or to be quiet? Would you take more walks? Would you mend or end any relationships?
If you were carrying a baby, what would you say ‘yes’ to and what would you more effortlessly meet with a ‘no’?
Would you continue to push yourself as hard as you do now? Would you continue to talk to yourself in the tone that you do now?
We don’t need to be pregnant to treat ourselves with such kindness and responsiveness. We don’t need a baby growing in our belly to love our belly. We don’t need to be pregnant to eat what we’re hungry for, to rest when we’re tired, or to trust the natural rhythm of things.
What if your needs and your wants were just as precious as a new being?
Because they are.
I´m sorry to say that was not the case for me. I still pushed myself to the limit.
Learnt a bit the second time around and didn´t try the Wonder Woman approach but still …
So, so true. Thank you for this wisdom & beauty. <3
Wow. Beautiful post. SUCH an inspiring question to ask ourselves when we are thinking about self-care. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Rachel, what a beautiful post! Such a nice, gentle reminder to care for our bodies and selves. Thank you!
So true and beautiful. My OB used to always remind me when I was pregnant to listen to my inner voice and respect it. A good lesson I never forgot even after I gave birth. I am grateful now that I am 50! Thank you for sharing.
We don’t need a baby growing in our belly to love our baby! Sigh. xo
Gorgeous post, Rachel, really gorgeous.
beautiful.
Is this really true, though? For me, pregnancy was about worry and stress and feeling sick. Guilt about not enjoying it, not being able to do the things I used to do. In my experience, pregnancy isn’t really a magical time for many women but a time when we are more vulnerable and acutely aware of that fact.
I had a really awful pregnancy (the kind I don’t talk about to newly pregnant or trying to get pregnant women because I don’t want to scare them), but I still felt the intent of what you are writing here. Because even though it was awful, I still gave myself permission to be tired and other things that you listed.
This is a beautiful way to approach nurturing our own bodies and lives. And I think that giving myself the gift of living with this mindset (even though it doesn’t mirror my own pregnancy) could be a really healing thing for me.
Yes! So loving this post Rachel.
Thanks Vivienne…This way of thinking has really helped me. xo