Seen on Saturday

Hello amazing reader-of-my-blog!

I have not posted since Christmastime, because I've been focusing energy in a new direction. BUT, I've still been thinking of you and hoping you're feeling supported and loved.

I wanted to show you an example of what you get in your email inbox every Saturday morning: my weekly encouragement I call Seen on Saturday.

I call it Seen on Saturday because as a mom, I'd always feel frustrated on Saturday mornings when I hoped/ expected to sleep in, but I was still a mom with plenty of demands. So it's just a chance to lock yourself in the bathroom and feel some real encouragement before you go on with the rest of your day.

 So here's the one I wrote today. If you want to get these in YOUR inbox, simply email me at holdthemom@gmail.com or DM me on instagram (@holdthemom) and I'll add you to the list!

 Hello! I hope you have felt loved this week.

I'm writing this on Valentine's Day 💕🥰.

I've had mixed feelings about Valentine's Day since getting married. Hope, resentment, excitement, joy, frustration, numbness.

The thing that can make it trifficult (to quote Bluey 💙) is the expectations.

Expecting yourself to be low-maintenance and not need anything for Valentine's Day.

Expecting him to read your mind and get you a thoughtful thing without you asking / hinting.

Expecting the day to be about you and your relationship and not about your baby / kids who still need a lot from you even on that day, darn it!

Expecting you and your husband to have pure love for each other, untainted by misunderstanding and drama.

Expecting to be surprised. (that one is kind of ironic, do you see it?)

These expectations can lead to resentment if unmet.

These expectations can lead to frustration if things go differently.

But I have really really good news for you.

You are your own Valentine.

❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷❤️🩷

Even this morning I said to myself in the mirror, "Hey Valentine!" with a genuine smile, looking right in my own eyes.

See, I know what I want and need. I know what I wanna hear. I know if my neck feels stiff and needs massaging. I know which particular kind of chocolate I'm craving. I know the insecurities I have in my own brain that need comforting.

And I'm always with me. This Valentine's Day and forever.

I'm not suggesting you don't use this holiday to interact and build other relationships. Of course do that. But instead of resentment, frustration, numbness...

if you want to

you get to choose connection with yourself.

And when you feel held and loved and safe in your own body, by your own thoughts about yourself,

THAT's when you show up as that amazing, confident, vibrant wife you want to be.

THAT's when you show up as that capable, fun, present mom you want to be.

Because it's easier. And it's genuine. And you just feel better all around.

So.

💖Happy Valentine's Day💝

and I hope your true Valentine (you) remembers to say a few of those things you need to hear today, and every day. (Some ways of doing that are journaling, or mirror-talk.)

I hope she gives you what you need, whether that's alone time, a nap, that treat (guilt-free!), that conversation you've been putting off but you know it'll help you, even a long hug to your own self.

Because you deserve it. You're incredible. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

And the person you actually want and need to hear it and receive it and feel it from the most is actually you.

Love you,

Diane Epperson

Hold the Mom 💕

PS: If this just seems so foreign, if you sort of believe me and want to try to repair that relationship with yourself but you feel stuck, just reply to this email and we'll set you up with a free 30 min connection call on zoom and get you started. 💕

If you want to get these in YOUR inbox, simply email me at holdthemom@gmail.com or DM me on instagram (@holdthemom) and I'll add you to the list!