Agents of Change

It’s International Women’s Day today so I am writing a post to the type of woman I know most about – the mother. Not all women are mothers, and that’s fine. I’m just writing about what I know best.

And beyond just writing about motherhood I will write about my experience of motherhood, with my own children. No more or less valid than anyone else’s experience, just different.

I want to let the mothers out there know that they are agents of change. You may not change the world at large, but your actions have the power to change the life of your partner and the lives of your children. And maybe even reach a little further beyond that, if you’re blessed in that way. I know, because I’ve lived it.

I have spent many years unhappy. Many years not looking after myself and putting myself last. But somewhere along the line I began to truly change. Yes there were periods in the past where I would eat well, exercise and lose weight but it never lasted. About a year ago I started to commit to looking after myself. I started to run regularly, as well as going to Zumba classes. Then late last year I sacrificed something I loved (Spanish classes), for a time, so I could start practising Yoga. My plodding away, pounding the pavement, stretching and twisting on my mat, dancing my heart out has changed me, but it has also changed my family.

Just this week I gave a talk at my Spanish class. I was able to talk about my hobbies (seven I mentioned in total, four are active, and three are more cerebral – how’s that for balance!) and the family members who share them with me. A year ago, if I had given the same talk, I would have had one active hobby (Zumba) and no one in my family who shared an active hobby with me. Now I can talk about two of my children who love to run with me, and one who loves to do yoga with me (sometimes I have up to three kids trying to copy my yoga-stretch-cool down after a run!) Even my hubby, Mark has taken up hockey again after a ten year break. Now hockey is not my thing but I do believe that me getting out and exercising regularly has had an influence on his desire to be more active.

Now, my body may not be changing as much as one might expect for someone who’s normal week looks something like this: three runs or long walks, a Zumba class and a yoga class, plus daily yoga practice (and the next thing to add is some more strength training). I’m ok with that. I wouldn’t mind losing a few kilos – it will mean less stress on my joints when I run – but weight loss is not the goal.

Mark and I often talked about needing to be more active as a family, but it wasn’t until I changed myself that I could actually change my family.

Now we still have a long way to go and I think that changing/improving our nutrition is the next thing on my list, but (again) it has to start with me. I can’t expect the kids to do stuff (or eat stuff) I’m not willing to eat myself. No even better, I have to be eating it myself.

So, to all you Mums out there, be the change you want to see in your family. It won’t happen overnight (especially if your kids are older) but it will happen.