The Little Things That Bring Me Back to Myself
It’s funny… I had planned to write this post almost two months ago.
But motherhood has been filling every corner of my days, and somehow it took me until now to finally sit down and finish it.
Having my almost three-year-old girl and six-month-old boy is more than I could have ever dreamed of. It is the greatest joy of my life.
But if I’m being honest, there are some days where I realize I haven’t checked in with myself. I haven’t paused long enough to ask, How am I doing?
As summer slowly fades and the September air begins to cool, I’m feeling this gentle pull back toward myself.
Not through a dramatic reset.
Not through a long list of goals.
Just by weaving little things back into my days that have always made me feel like… me.
Tiny rituals that fill my cup, ground me, and remind me that underneath “Mom,” I’m still Whitney too.
I’ve realized I don’t actually need more time to myself. Most of these things I am doing with one kid next to me and the other strapped in the carrier with me.
What I really need is to just need to notice the little moments that bring me back to myself.
The ordinary ones.
The ones that have quietly been there all along.
Morning tea before everyone wakes up
I’ve always loved slow mornings.
Long before I had children, mornings felt sacred to me. A warm mug in my hands, now delivered to my bedside from Aaron, soft light coming through the windows, a few uninterrupted moments before the day began.
Now they look different.
Sometimes I only get five quiet minutes before I hear, “Mama!”
Sometimes Skyler is awake before the kettle has even finished boiling.
But whenever I do get that little pocket of stillness, I soak it in.
Not because it makes me more productive.
Simply because it reminds me that a few moments for me are so worth it before the day begins.
Maybe your version isn’t tea.
Maybe it’s coffee on the porch, a morning walk, or simply sitting in silence before everyone else wakes.
Whatever it is, I hope you protect it.
Wearing clothes that make me feel like myself
Motherhood has definitely made me appreciate comfort.
But I’ve also realized how much getting dressed affects how I feel.
Not for anyone else.
Not because I’m headed somewhere exciting.
But because putting on an outfit I genuinely love reminds me that I haven’t disappeared underneath leggings and laundry.
I’ve always loved beautiful clothes.
Pieces that feel effortless.
That little spark of creativity still belongs to me.
Even if the only place I’m going is preschool drop-off and the grocery store.
A home that feels peaceful
I care about creating a home that feels peaceful.
Windows open.
Music playing.
A candle burning in the evening.
Flowers on the kitchen table.
A place where our family can exhale.
Creating beauty in ordinary life has always been part of who I am.
Motherhood hasn’t changed that.
If anything, it’s made me value it even more.
Maybe for you it isn’t flowers.
Maybe it’s making your bed, lighting a candle, watering your garden, or finally clearing off the kitchen counter.
Whatever helps your home feel like a place you can exhale… that’s worth holding onto.
Music playing while I cook.
This is one of those tiny things that can completely change the energy of an ordinary evening.
Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated.
The kitchen doesn’t have to be perfectly clean.
But put on music, open the windows, and suddenly cooking feels a little less like another thing on the list.
Sometimes Coco dances.
Sometimes I dance.
Sometimes Aaron joins in.
And those are the moments that make our home feel alive.
Going outside
Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I usually don’t need a solution.
I just need to go outside.
Bare feet in the grass.
A walk around the neighborhood.
Watching the trees move in the wind.
Feeling the sun on my face.
Nature has always been one of the places I hear myself most clearly.
These days, my walks usually include a stroller, little hands picking up rocks, or stopping every few minutes to admire a flower or a bug.
They’re slower than they used to be.
But maybe that’s the point.
My children have taught me to notice even more.
Maybe your version isn’t a walk.
Maybe it’s sitting on your porch for ten quiet minutes, working in your garden, or simply opening the windows and letting fresh air fill your home.
Moving my body
This is one I’ve been slowly finding my way back to.
Not because I’m trying to change my body.
Not because I’m chasing a certain version of myself.
Simply because I remember how good it feels to move.
Some mornings it’s ten minutes before the kids wake up.
Some days it’s fifty minutes at Pilates.
Some weeks it’s only a couple of workouts.
But lately I’ve stopped focusing on what I should be doing and started celebrating that I’m doing something.
Every time I move my body, I leave feeling a little more grounded.
A little stronger.
A little more connected to myself.
I’ve missed that feeling.
Taking care of my skin.
I’ve realized that my beauty rituals aren’t really about beauty anymore.
They’re about taking a few minutes to care for myself.
Everything shower after the kids go to sleep.
10 minutes of my red-light mask.
Washing my face.
Applying my skincare and eye masks.
A simple makeup routine.
Taking my time instead of rushing through it.
There is something grounding about having a small ritual that belongs entirely to me.
Laughing with Aaron
Before we became parents, we were simply two people who fell in love.
I never want to lose sight of that.
In the middle of schedules, logistics, and all the conversations that revolve around our children, I love the moments where we find each other again.
The inside jokes.
The late-night conversations after the kids are asleep.
Laughing until one of us cries over something that wouldn’t make sense to anyone else.
Those moments remind me that our marriage deserves tending too.
None of these things are particularly revolutionary. They are honestly pretty simple.
They’re not habits to master or another list to keep up with.
They’re simply little ways I come back to myself.
And lately, I’ve realized that’s enough.
I don’t think motherhood asks us to become someone entirely new.
I think it asks us to become more of who we are.
More patient.
More stretched.
More open.
More tired.
More grateful.
More grounded.
And somewhere inside all of that, the woman we were before is still quietly there.
She just looks a little different now.
She drinks her tea while listening for little feet upstairs.
She wears beautiful clothes to preschool pickup.
She puts on music while making dinner.
She finds peace in open windows, fresh flowers, birdsong, and walks around the neighborhood with tiny hands tucked into hers.
She celebrates a ten-minute workout because it’s enough for today.
She’s still here.
Maybe softer.
Maybe stronger.
Definitely changed.
But still herself.
I’ve learned that coming back to yourself doesn’t always require more time.
Sometimes it simply requires more intention.
If you’re in a season where life feels wonderfully full…
Where you’re pouring so much into everyone else…
I hope this reminds you that you don’t have to wait for a weekend away or a quieter season to reconnect with yourself.
Sometimes it’s as simple as opening the windows.
Buying yourself flowers.
Putting music on while you cook dinner.
Taking a ten-minute walk.
Moving your body for a few minutes.
Getting dressed in something that makes you smile.
Making a cup of tea before the house wakes up.
The little things may seem small.
But over time, they become the way we find our way back to ourselves.
As we step into a new season, that’s my quiet intention.
Not to become a better version of myself.
Not to do more.
But to keep making room for the little rituals that help me come home to myself, again and again.
I’d love to ask you…
What are the little things that bring you back to you?
Fall Favorites
A few favorites I’ll be reaching for all season long…cozy layers, simple rituals, and everyday essentials that make fall feel a little slower, softer, and more intentional.
