Lost my mojo and get up and get go to get ready like before

[Mimiandme]

Hi, I’m a mum of 1 with a daughter who is 2. Before becoming a mum I use to love getting ready in the morning, make up on, nice outfit and took care of myself. I had my daughter right before Covid, during Covid I got into the cycle of staying in more, not being able to go out and do things, not doing my hair, make up, staying in joggers etc. Nothing wrong with this at all but for me its just changed how I see myself and how I feel. It’s not that I don’t want to dress nicely or do my make up I just don’t have the energy/time/motivation. I caught a glimpse of myself through a window today and I just look a mess. I look like this everyday and I really don’t want to. I just wondered if anyone else has gone through this and what they did to get their mojo back? Or just any advice :-). I know my little girl and husband don’t care at all what I look like and it doesn’t stop me going out and doing nice things as a family but I just don’t feel like myself sometimes. Does that make sense? I want my sparkle back? X

I'm sad no one replied to this. What's it like now, almost a year later? Has your sparkle come back, OP? Perhaps in a different form than you imagined?

Hi, thank you for checking in ❤️. I’m actually doing a lot better and looking back at what I’d written I can see how much has changed and also how I am feeling. I started out by changing up my wardrobe, alot of my pre baby clothes were too small or they just sat differently on me. I wasn’t comfortable in anything so I would just reach or black or grey joggers and hoodies. I did a style analysis online though Style Me Happy which I would really recommend. I’m a ‘spring pear’. I bought clothes to suit my new shape and colours that were recommended. Injecting that bit of colour did actually help, it just made me feel a bit brighter. I started to put an outfit out the day before, just enjoy clothes again and what I was going to wear. I did a lot of reflecting and realised that everything I did before, I no longer did. I use to love clothes shopping, trying new products, getting my hair done etc, putting a new outfit together. I stopped doing that, it wasn’t about dressing up for others, it was about doing it for me, that was my ‘Me time’ and I no longer gave myself that time because I’d sort of put a label on like, well I’m a mum now, you don’t have time for yourself but that’s not true. Do I have the same time, no way 🤣… but I do have my evenings. Before I wasn’t even washing my hair like I did before, I’d do it once a week, go to bed with wet hair or wash it first thing and leave it wet because I was running late. Now I wash it at night, dry it, style it. Paint my nails of an evening, just little a little TLC. I did need a bit of a kick and had to really force myself to make the effort but eventually I got back into it. I look forward to getting ready now and when I’m dressed, I don’t actually like being stuck indoors. I need to get out and about, it’s really important for me. Before I was just isolating myself, living in lockdown life still when the rest of the world moved forward. I think for a while I thought I was depressed and that how I was feeling was my new life but it wasn’t that, anyone who isolates themselves like that, stays indoors, doesn’t get dressed, doesn’t take time out for themselves but runs around after everyone else - they would all feel the same too. Mental health was a big issue for so many during lockdown, it was really hard living like that and for some reason I just continued on with it, I couldn’t work out how to get back into the real world. I am a bit behind everyone else, lockdown only finished for me maybe the start of this year but life is good and I’m enjoying this new chapter. Sorry for the essay but any other mums that feel like this, that might read this, I just wanted to say it can and will get better. It’s not about having to wear make up or wear nice clothes but just about finding out what gave you a sparkle before. Doing those things means I can get outside now, enjoy time with my family, getting a bit of sparkle helps but now I’m shining! :-)

I'm glad you've got it sorted. You are right about living in lockdown - because some people enjoyed wfh or being with their kids and saving money in the commute, we kind of forgot for a while that humans are social creatures and that staying at home too much is bad for a lot of us. It's hard to make a continued effort to look after ourselves physically and wear nice clothes, when the only people seeing us that day are the kids and the furthest you go is the garden!

Good morning OP, I’d like to second what Oops said and say well done for getting back on top like that, so glad you have reclaimed your sparkle! I really like your approach and you sound like a lovely person. I’m very low maintenance myself but I know just what you and I’m sure your post will strike a chord with many mums whether of lockdown or post-lockdown babies, thank you for posting 🌟

I am so, so pleased to read this! Thank you for the update, OP :) I have an almost 3 year old and almost 1 year old and even though I don't feel like my previous self any more, I've realised that's OK. Like you, I'm just trying to find the sparkle in little things. And if I do, very occasionally, get properly dressed up for a night out I feel extra special. Power to all the new mums!