When I became a mom, it was like someone hit “pause” on the old me. My hobbies, my career goals, even my friendships — everything felt suspended in midair while I learned how to keep a tiny human alive.

Somewhere between the diapers and sleepless nights, I started wondering… Who even am I now?

It’s weird to grieve your old self while loving your new one. But it’s real.

I’ve learned that motherhood doesn’t erase who I was — it layers onto it. I’m still creative. Still ambitious. Still silly and stubborn and me — just stretched in new ways.

Balancing motherhood and identity isn’t about “going back” to who I was. It’s about bringing her with me as I grow.

I’m still figuring it out. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe we’re all works in progress — moms included.