End-of-Year Reflection on Motherhood
As this year comes to a close, I wanted to pause — not to set resolutions, not to plan the next hustle — but to reflect.
This episode of Breathe, Laugh, Parent is an end-of-year reflection for mothers who feel changed by the year they’ve lived. Not just busier. Not just older. But different — in their bodies, their nervous systems, their priorities, and their sense of self.
Because I can say this with complete honesty: I am not the same woman I was at the beginning of this year.
Table of Contents
This Was Not an Easy Year — And That Matters
From a health perspective alone, this has been the hardest year of my life.
I am still postpartum. Still breastfeeding. Still healing from a significant, almost fatal postpartum haemorrhage. I’ve navigated low iron, PMDD, chronic exhaustion, and the reality of not sleeping a full night in over fifteen months — all while raising two very young children with limited support.
I share this not for sympathy, but for visibility.
Many mothers are carrying invisible weight. And when we don’t name it, we internalise it as failure.
If this year felt harder than you expected, you are not weak. You are human.
Mothering while sleep-deprived is a fundamentally different experience. Your capacity, regulation, patience, and resilience are all affected — and acknowledging that is part of healing, not something to push past.
Choosing Ease Was a Radical Act
One of the biggest shifts for me this year wasn’t something I did — it was how I chose to live.
We made some bold decisions that didn’t necessarily make sense on paper, but made complete sense for our nervous systems and our family. Choosing to live from a place of abundance rather than fear led us to secure a home down the coast — and it has been the single best decision we’ve made.
Life slowed down.
We came back into rhythm.
We spend more time outdoors.
We breathe more.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is choose ease.
Redefining Success in Motherhood
From a Shine Om perspective, this year wasn’t about expansion in the traditional business sense. It was a maintenance year — because raising two young children is work.
And yet, so much unfolded.
The podcast reached listeners around the world, with Australia, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa and NZ taking out the top 5 countries — parents tuning in during feeds, late nights, walks, car rides, and moments of overwhelm. To know that people are tuning in and listening honestly fills my heart with so much gratitude and joy. I am so deeply touched to know you’re listening.
I returned to family yoga and connected with over 150 people in person. I published two books — The Shine Om Mindful Colouring Book and The Family Gratitude Journal — after years of holding them inside me.
I supported families through The Joyful Parenting Project. I edited a book for a friend. I continued creating, quietly and intentionally.
This year taught me something important:
Success doesn’t always look like milestones or growth charts.
Sometimes success looks like staying present when you’re exhausted.
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Looking Back to See How Far You’ve Come
One of the most powerful reflections I did this month was simple: I scrolled back through my photos to January.
And I was blown away.
I saw how small my babies were. I remembered moments I’d forgotten. Walks, naps, laughter, softness. Not the hard moments — but the meaningful ones. Growth doesn’t always announce itself loudly, but it leaves evidence if you’re willing to look.
I encourage you to do the same. With your partner. With your children. Let your nervous system remember what your mind forgets.
Closing the Year With Compassion
As we move toward a new year, I invite you to ask yourself:
- Who was I at the start of this year?
- Who am I now?
- What did I survive?
- What am I no longer willing to carry forward?
You don’t need to rush the answers. Let your body respond.
You don’t need to become someone new next year.
You just need to keep honouring who you’re becoming.
If nothing else, I hope this reflection offers permission — to soften, to rest, and to recognise the growth that doesn’t show up on a checklist.
You’ve done an incredible job getting here.
If this resonated with you, then please have a listen to my latest podcast episode available on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.
