Dear Mama, it all starts with baby steps.
As moms, we spend so much of our time watching our babies, taking care of our babies, watching our babies grow. Our babies are always growing, always discovering, always learning new things.
We spend so much of our time focused on teaching and caring for our babies. Working moms, stay at home moms; we all pour our time and efforts into providing for our little charges.
And we love to see them grow. To watch them explore the world. To discover things for the very first time. And, in their own time, take their very first baby steps.
I’ve been thinking, lately, that maybe, just maybe, we should take a step back and learn from our babies ourselves. Because it seems to me, that babies have it all figured out. They know that everything starts with baby steps.
No one learns to walk in a day. It first takes tummy time, then crawling, then “cruising”, and finally one or two tottering baby steps. Even after those first steps, it will be a while before your little one learns to walk well, and later to run.
And yet, as adults, we forget that everything starts with baby steps.
We get in a rush, and want things to just happen. Right now, without having to wait. We want to take action, to make it happen now, but sometimes it just takes time.
We want our children to mature, to learn new things. Sometimes at a rate faster than they are ready for. As moms, we want them to understand when we tell them not to do certain things. We want to be able to communicate with them.
We want the housework to be done. For our houses to be clean, the laundry and dishes done. We want our businesses to grow, to flourish so we can stay home with our babies. And we want it all done now.
Sometimes we get impatient for things to happen. Or, we get stuck, feeling like the tasks are just too big and will never happen. Our babies turn into toddlers and suddenly the house is never clean. Or your business idea feels so big that you never start it for fear of failure.
Whatever it is, just remember. It all starts with baby steps.
Businesses aren’t built in a day. Laundry is never caught up on if you don’t start the first load. Your house will never be clean if you don’t pick up the first toy, or vacuum the first floor. You will never learn to run if you don’t learn to take the first step.
Whatever your dream is that feels too big, too hard to reach, break it down into little pieces. Look at all the little steps you will need to take to reach it, and start by taking the first little step.
Stop feeling defeated because you can’t just jump to the finish line. Life wasn’t meant to be flown through, to see who can reach the finish line first. Your dreams and goals are achievable, but only if you’re willing to slow down and take the first baby steps.
So, mama, as you’re watching your little one struggle through tummy time, and later attempt over and over to stand, just remember. Your baby didn’t give up on his dream to run. It just took baby steps to get there.
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