A Mother’s Day Manifesto

Rewriting the story of Motherhood

Oh, Mother’s Day. That one day a year when you get to pee alone. Maybe.

We’re told it’s a sacred celebration of “the most important job in the world.” But if motherhood is so revered, why does it feel like America loves moms in theory but abandons us in practice? No paid leave. No childcare support. No healthcare. And once you take time off to raise humans, good luck being seen as "experienced" in any other job.

As little girls, we were sold a story: that motherhood is our divine purpose, that we should pour endlessly from our cup and smile through the depletion. That our children’s joy is all the reward we need. We were given babydolls to practice, as if a piece of plastic that doesn’t move and makes no sound could prepare us for tiny humans who express every single emotion in real time while we have no time to feel our own.

Don’t get me wrong, Mother’s Day can be beautiful. They crawl into your bed with homemade cards and big hugs, and we melt. We’re good at gratitude. We’re great at making others feel cared for, even when they’re trying to care for us. And if we are asked about ourselves, we say we’re “fine.” We apologize for our own needs. We justify, hustle, and compare. And when we are able to sneak in a break it’s usually doomscrolling which often just makes us feel worse. (Checkout this week’s episode of Mommy Has Questions where we discuss how to “control the scroll.”)

But what if we rewrote that old story of motherhood? What if we stopped celebrating the martyrdom and claimed our secret truth, the fact that we are Goddesses. After all, we create life. LIFE!!! What if the next time we looked in the mirror we didn’t see a frumpy version of our old selves but instead saw a superhero in stretchy pants?

Instead of quietly carrying the invisible labor that holds up the global economy, what if we wielded our power as matriarchs and started a movement that uplifts everyone? To break free from the old story, we have to write a new one.

No surprise here, but I love the process of writing. Getting the details right. Diving deep into the emotional truth of a story. And lately, I’ve realized I need to do that with my own inner story. The one I tell myself about who I am and what I deserve. That’s when I started working with Amelia Randolph Campbell, a coach who helps women rewrite the narratives that hold us back. Through her brilliant work, I’m learning to claim my power one conscious shift at a time. Because if we want to change the world, we must start with changing ourselves.

So how do we start rewriting the story of motherhood? Well, maybe this Mother’s Day we let go of any obligations. ANY obligations. Not just in theory, but in practice.

Want to spend the day with your family, go for it! Don’t? Then don’t. Do nothing. Stay in bed. Watch your favorite show. Order from your favorite restaurant. Don’t clean up. Don’t explain. And regardless of what you want to do, take up space. Tell your people, “This is what I want today.” And mean it. Want to be alone? Find solitude. Go for a solo walk. Lock the bedroom door. Check into a hotel. Take yourself out.

Be celebrated without doing the labor. Ask your partner or friends to plan something for you. Not with your input, not with your oversight, but only with your enjoyment in mind. Let go of mom guilt. Seriously. It’s not a virtue. It’s a toxic thought that keeps us small. Say yes to pleasure. A long bath. A new book. A nap in the middle of the day. Champagne before noon.

Be seen. Wear something that makes you feel radiant then look in the mirror and see the changes you’ve undergone from girl…to goddess!

Choose what you want. It’s your story, and YOU are the hero. And if at all possible, for one day, don’t do anything for anyone else. Break the pattern. Honor yourself. Have some fun. Get some rest. And let’s all raise a glass, a coffee mug, or even your middle finger (no judgment) to the new Mother’s Day, or “Goddess Day”. A day where we stop performing and start receiving. Where we reclaim our superpower to create life. This time creating our own lives just for ourselves…where we take up space like the radiant, divine women we are.

✨ Join us May 21st for our next Among Other Things Monthly, where we’ll celebrate all of our allies, including ourselves. Because sometimes, the best ally you have… is you.

Got an idea for connecting with your inner goddess? Leave a comment. Enjoy our content? Consider pledging a subscription. Sign up for future AOT events here. Follow us on Instagram here. And learn more about our writer, Tiffany Hodges.