91. What do you WANT Mother’s Day to be?

Mother's Day has come and gone - so how did it actually feel? In this final episode of our impromptu three-part Mother's Day series, Sarah reflects on her own evolving relationship with the holiday, shares the surprising and somewhat heartbreaking origin story of Mother's Day, and invites you into a post-holiday inquiry that matters far more than any bouquet or brunch. Because if there was any charge, resentment, or pressure wrapped up in this week for you - that's not something to push past. That's the gift.

Key Points

• Why Mother's Day has become "just another day" for Sarah — and what that shift actually signals about her inner work
• The surprising origin of Mother's Day: created by Anna Jarvis for personal reflection and intimate family connection, then commercialized so aggressively that Jarvis spent her life savings trying to abolish the holiday she created
• The $25 billion commercial juggernaut Mother's Day has become — and why that matters for how we relate to the day
• Why being triggered by Mother's Day is often a direct reflection of needs that aren't being met on a regular basis (not just one day a year)
• The powerful insight from a mom in The School of MOM community: "I'm only triggered by Mother's Day when I feel burned out or I'm not making time for myself"
• How resentment is an expectations-in-waiting — and what your Mother's Day feelings are actually pointing toward
• An invitation to design your family celebrations on your own terms, not Hallmark's
• A post-Mother's Day reflection framework: How did it feel? How do you want to feel next year? What needs to shift between now and then?
• Celebrating six years of The School of MOM — launched on Mother's Day 2020

Quotes

"The trigger is the gift. If you're coming into Mother's Day and there's a lot of pressure on it, that means those needs are not getting filled outside of this one day a year."

"I don't need a day to be appreciated. I don't need a day to advocate for time for myself anymore — because that is just part of my being now."

"Expectations are resentments in the works."

"I'm not waiting around for someone else to give me permission to go for a walk or get a massage. It's just part of what I do now."

Resources Mentioned

• Episode 89: The Grief for a Mother Who's Still Alive SPOTIFY : https://open.spotify.com/episode/4kP528ObM87oS9uZhHQ9bH?si=pkUYRBr5QoiL8QOiYZ1OBA or APPLE : https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/89-the-grief-for-a-mother-whos-still-alive/id1771757923?i=1000763998127
• Episode 90: When Mother’s Day Is a Trigger (and Why That’s Not a Bad Thing) SPOTIFY : https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MRgYiDvClmZlE16NVjpVH?si=KliK-l2VQHeqtxfHLgEZJw or APPLE : https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/90-when-mothers-day-is-a-trigger-and-why-thats-not-a-bad-thing/id1771757923?i=1000766202575
• Flourished Mother Map : https://theschoolofmom.com/map
• Radical Flourishing — doors opening end of May: https://theschoolofmom.com/radical

What's Coming Next

If this episode stirred something in you, sit with it. The post-Mother's Day reflection is where the real work begins. And if you're ready for support in tending to what came up — Radical Flourishing doors are opening at the end of May. This is the container where the shift Sarah described actually happens.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "Mothering Ourselves Mindfully." We look forward to sharing more insights and inspiration in the upcoming episodes!

www.theschoolofmom.com

Instagram @the.schoolofmom

Book a breakthrough Call