It’s true, I’m a young mom! I’m 22 and instead of staying up late studying for midterms at the college of my dreams, I’m spending my nights trying to get my tiny human to go to sleep. Instead of spending my 20’s touring the world, I’m taking my whole world on a walk around the apartment complex just to have a change of scenery. At 21, I wasn’t throwing up because of all the alcohol I could legally consume, I spent days and nights by the toilet with morning sickness. While my peers were out, worrying about grades and what to do Friday night, I spent two and a half months sitting by my baby’s bedside in the hospital.

You could say my life looks very different from most people my age. I grew up as a people pleaser, and my life plan was far different because of that. Getting married young was unpopular. Having babies before finishing school was a disaster. At least these are the things I was told, and so my life plan was to go to school, date, get married my last year of college, start the perfect career, then have a baby when we were financially established.

The day I decided to abandon the world’s perfect plan for me and follow my heart was the best choice I ever made. As a people pleaser, I actually felt a little embarrassed at what people would think! Looking back now, I can’t believe I almost let acquaintances, even strangers, keep me from the most love and happiness I’ve ever felt!

“The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste if time.” Edwin Bliss

Even after letting go of the perfect plan the people pleaser in me held on to, motherhood held a whole new level of perfectionism. Especially in the social media world, there seem to be perfect mothers who have it all together. Perfect house, perfect marriage, perfect makeup, clothes, children, kitchen.. The list could go on and on. However I’ve realized in my pursuit of perfection as a young mom that nobody has it all together.

I now strive to focus more on just keeping myself and my family healthy and happy. As a preemie mom, that really has been an all-consuming task. But so worth it!

When I look into my daughter’s eyes I see so much promise, so much hope for the future, and not a care in the world about what people think. And in those moments I feel the pull to perfectionism I think about that same promise and hope I felt when I became a mother. My goal is to help her keep that light for as long as possible, and to be there to remind her of it in those moments she needs most.

I absolutely love being a mother. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Xo,

Kristina M