Mama Renewed: Sarah Hughes
This month’s Mama Renewed is Sarah Hughes, stay-at-home mother of three children ages 3, 6, and 8. Her journey to self-care and renewal includes some remarkable insights and life changes.
About Sarah
A big part of my journey with Mama Renew has been to appreciate myself and what I “do” since I haven’t worked outside of the home for 9 years! How to describe myself? I love the mountains and the water – being outside rejuvenates me. I love taking time alone even though I crave company – I need both. Oh, and I love to listen to people laughing!
Why Mama Renew?
I joined Mama Renew after a chance meeting with co-founder Jennifer-Lee while at play gym with our kids. I was in the later stages of recovering from postpartum depression and recognized that a Mama Renew group might help me sustain my progress. The timing was perfect.
Mama Renew helped me let go of guilt and understand that all mothers need self-care and support. When I reflect on my depression I can see that between a recent move and the distance from my family in the UK, I didn’t have the support I needed.
New Insights
I have found it very helpful to check-in with myself when I feel stressed, asking myself “What do I need in this moment?” As a result I can often be found taking a mini-me break with a cup of tea – I am British after all! I may still feel stretched, but I am now better at understanding my stress and responding to it.
I now schedule me time such as an hour or two at VanDusen gardens with my journal, and evenings out with friends or my husband. I like to book evenings a month ahead so that I can balance my needs with other family activities.
My mental and physical health are priorities. I get up at 6 a.m. to exercise 3 times a week, and as a result have lost some weight that needed to go. My toddler’s nap times are often used to call or mail a friend or do something that is important to me.
I am feeling ready to live with more creativity and adventure, and have been zip-lining despite a fear of heights! In the future, I am feeling inclined to say “Yes” to opportunities to try something new.
Moving Forward
I have gained so much from my Mama Renew group. I was a little intimidated at my first session to be with such strong, dynamic women, but I’ve come to realize that whether we are a career woman or a stay-at-home mom, we all have so much in common. We laugh outrageously and cry with one another, sometimes in the same evening.
We all agree that having shared so deeply we are less inclined to want to spend our precious time chatting about the weather. It now strikes me as odd that so often our interactions in society are at a surface level. How can we ever hope to support each other unless we are more honest?
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…on very special and rare occasions someone comes into your life who quietly inspires you and makes you feel so damned blessed that you crossed paths. That’s Sarah to me. She’s a freaking gem alright. Thanks gal- you rock
Looking forward to many many more years of tears and laughter together. I’m also looking forward to learning more from such an amazing woman, mom, and wife.
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Sarah, I love the way you write from the heart! You’re such an inspiration in the way you took the workbook and the processes and really lived them. I love it that you put into words what I’d also say about our MR group if I could only express my self as well as you. You without a doubt contribute so much and I’m so glad to be sharing this journey with you! Lets have tea somtime!
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Thank you Sarah for putting into words the way that Mama Renew has transformed you. You have been an example to me of how to take the amazing opportunities that Mama Renew creates and make them meaningful and transformative in a personal sense. I am impressed and in awe of what you have achieved and the evolution that you have experienced. I continue to learn from you. Thank you.
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Sarah…you rock! You truly are the poster-child- an inspiration to all of us in your MR group and beyond. I for one feel so fortunate to have seen the transformation and rediscovery of the fun and loving Sarah behind the Mama! Thank you for sharing your story.
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I have goosebumps Sarah! Thank you for sharing. I am so glad that you found a community you both can grow in and laugh with. You are inspiring! I look forward to bumping into you again soon.
Jennifer-Lee
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