How do you think being a mother will or has changed you?

I am:

• Less OCD
• More flexible
• A better problem solver
• Comfortable of letting the little things go

Along with all the good, it also made me frumpy! It's a funny thing, I wear baggy clothes trying to hide the baby weight, spend less time getting ready, no longer going after the latest hip/trendy outfits. All of which would be fine if it didn't bother me, because that was the "old me". So Norm and I started dissecting this and it came down me feeling that I just never got back to my old self. I forced myself into thinking that being a mother, I had to act and look like one...whatever that means. In the past few months, I have been taking baby steps to be "me" again...and it feels great! But what I realized was that it wasn't parenthood that made me change, it was me just not thinking about myself enough because I was always thinking about everyone else. I love taking care of everyone, but it doesn't mean that taking time out for myself can't be part of the equation as well.

Name something you know today that you wish you knew 10 years ago?

For me I really wish I understood the meaning 'don't sweat the small stuff'. I don't have regrets in life (or at least very few) but I do wish I would have spent less time worrying about certain things that now seem to be menial to me. So much more content with myself and my life now that I have learned to let go a bit more. Still have OCD tendencies but just not as bad...

What does feminism mean to you?

My sister asked me last week if I thought I was a feminist and my answer to her was no. I believe in equality. I used to think in my younger days that I was a feminist but at the end of the day all I really wanted was to accomplish my goals that I set out to do regardless of my gender. Not sure what that makes me, but I do give credit to the women in history that have paved the road for us to be able to do the things we do today.

What do you think?