I’ll never forget Christmases with my Nan. Every Christmas morning, we’d get in the car to pick up my Great Aunt.
I could always sense the tension in my Nan. I remember asking, “Why do you invite her if you don’t enjoy her company?”
She’d always say, “I have to—she has nobody else.”
But my Great Aunt was tough. She huffed and puffed about everything. Nothing was ever good enough. It was soul-destroying for my Nan. Yet, she still did it. She felt it was her duty.
I looked up to my Nan as a hero. She was the one who always helped, no matter what. She could say, “I tried my best!” I saw it as something to aspire to—to be good enough.
But at What Cost?
Let’s be honest. When we give and give, we can end up feeling exhausted and resentful. We bury our frustration and hurt to keep the peace, but that doesn’t make it go away. It just festers inside us. It stops us from enjoying the moment. It can even make us ill.
What if There’s Another Way?
What if this Christmas, we choose to shine our own light instead? What if we realise that we’re not responsible for everyone else’s feelings—only our own?
Loving ourselves, setting healthy boundaries, and speaking up for what we need doesn’t make us selfish. It makes us strong. It sets a beautiful example for our kids too.
This Christmas, Remember This:
You deserve to be heard and respected.
Your worth isn’t measured by how much you give or endure.
When you shine your light, you don’t take away from others—you inspire them to do the same.
So, mums, let’s remember our own needs this Christmas. Let’s show our children that being good enough doesn’t mean losing ourselves. It means being authentic, setting boundaries, and knowing that we are already enough.
You are worthy. You are enough. Shine your light.
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Join MUMS SEEKING MORE—a supportive community where you can share your experiences, get encouragement, and learn to shine your light together.
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