Dear *|FNAME|*,
We finally got some warmer weather this week! With temperatures climbing into the high 30s and low 40s, there is water everywhere. This promises to be a very wet and muddy spring. I’ve already made sure my family is equipped with rain boots, and while I briefly considered buying a boat and paddles, I decided that might be a bit extreme.
Because my house and driveway sit on a plateau below a small rise, I don’t just get the snowmelt from my own yard; I get the runoff from everything above us, too. It’s usually wet, but with all the extra snow this year, I’m planning for 6-8” of water for a week or two until the ground can finally absorb it all.
** Mirror of Motherhood
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Nature has a funny way of mirroring our internal lives. At times, we all experience “winter”—a darkening of days with little light or warmth to see us through. Mentally and emotionally, as mothers, this can be exhaustingly draining.
Whether you are physically growing a baby and giving your life-source to the creation of the next generation, or you’re navigating the early days of keeping a fragile being alive, or even if you’re mothering independent kids who need your boundaries and wisdom—the demands on your mental well-being are relentless. We expect ourselves to keep up a “summer pace” even when we are deep in a winter season.
In nature, the thaw brings a traditional impulse for “spring cleaning.” In my house, things get left undone over the winter. I don’t have the energy for purging; the sofa, a kid, and a book always win out over the vacuum and mop. But as the sun emerges, I start to feel that itch to purge—decluttering and scrubbing until the rooms are “smiling” again.
** Mindful housekeeping
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We are going to spend the next few weeks doing some housekeeping of the mind. Our first step into “mental decluttering” is looking at the big picture.
I invite you to take a moment and ask yourself: What does my mind look like right now?
* Is it filled with the clutter of things piled up on you?
* Have dark thoughts been collecting in the corners like dust bunnies?
* Are you afraid that if you start “cleaning,” you’ll find something old and pungent that you’d rather not deal with?
It’s okay if your mental space feels like a “drop zone” right now. The thaw is messy, but it’s necessary for new growth to happen.
https://livingprettyhappy.com/2021/01/13/how-to-declutter-your-life/
** Spring Cleaning at Two Hearts Healing
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I’ve been doing some “spring cleaning” of my own! After a long discussion with my business mentor, I realized that my website is currently a bit like a cluttered room—it’s overwhelming, and it isn’t always clear where you should go next.
I’m spending this month on a total website overhaul. My goal is to transform Two Hearts Healing into a space that is easier to navigate, providing the clarity you need to honor your body’s wisdom.
While I scrub the digital “baseboards” of the site, I’m not going to send you there for a few weeks. Instead, I want to offer you a hand. If you feel like you’re standing in a foot of emotional “runoff” and need help finding solid ground, let’s book a free 15-minute consultation. (https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=33984276&appointmentType=70964149) We can take a peek into that wintery drop zone of your mind together and come up with a gentle plan for clearing the way.
Free Discovery Call (https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=33984276&appointmentType=70964149)
** Community Announcements
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I’ve also been a busy board chair member behind the scenes with the WOMB Initiative (http://www.wombinitiative.org) , and I have some exciting things to share with you:
* Help WOMB Find a Home (https://womenmountainsbirthinitiative.betterworld.org/campaigns/help-womb-find-home) : We are currently renting a space that is just too small for the mothers we serve. We are raising funds for a down payment to purchase a permanent home for our community. [If you feel led to help us plant roots, you can donate here (https://womenmountainsbirthinitiative.betterworld.org/campaigns/help-womb-find-home) .]
* NH Photovoice Project (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepv4azhR08cOM7gNNudy4vr7MLbPAxO874LOEZC4thrrkzOw/viewform) : The NH Perinatal Quality Collaborative is exploring the experiences of Afro-descendant mothers in NH. If you are a woman of color, African American, or Afro-descendant woman who is currently pregnant or has given birth within the past 5 years, we want to hear your story through photography and narrative. You can help shape how birth is supported in our state. [Sign up for the 3-session series here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepv4azhR08cOM7gNNudy4vr7MLbPAxO874LOEZC4thrrkzOw/viewform) ] or email [email protected] with questions.
* Intro to Doulas Workshop (https://www.wombinitiative.org/event-details/intro-to-doulas-workshop-exploring-calling-capacity-sustainability) : At the end of March, I’ll be co-facilitating a workshop for anyone who has ever considered birth work. If you’ve felt a pull to become a doula, come explore what that journey looks like! [Learn more at wombinitiative.org (https://www.wombinitiative.org/event-details/intro-to-doulas-workshop-exploring-calling-capacity-sustainability) ]
https://www.wombinitiative.org/event-details/intro-to-doulas-workshop-exploring-calling-capacity-sustainability
** A Sneak Peak into Next Week
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Next week, we are diving into Hands-on Healing. I’ll be sharing simple, practical techniques for grounding your nervous system when that pregnancy anxiety or “mental load” starts to feel a little too heavy.
Until then, be gentle with yourself in the thaw.