20 mantras to elevate your mind.

Are you a sucker for a good motivational quote? #same.

As much as I love to write, when I'm faced with a challenge it can be hard to find the words to articulate my feelings. I recently started a morning meditation and have found mantras to be an amazing way for me to connect with myself and set intentions for the day.

I've created a list of declarations that ignite my soul and reflect the mama and person I want to be.

Here are a list of my personal mantras / intentions that help ground me in parenthood, partnership and my profession:

I speak from the heart to nurture honest, joyful relationships.

I listen without judgement, and seek to understand.

I acknowledge and challenge bias in myself and my community.

I offer praise in moments big and small.

I lead by example, empowering others and bringing them along.

I create collaboratively, because creativity loves to be shared.

I prioritize with purpose, and release what no longer serves me.

I am open, ready and willing to give and receive love.

I am happy in my body, it is strong and beautiful.

I have everything I need to live abundantly.

I pause and reflect so that I can nurture my inner peace.

I give voice to my dreams, and celebrate those of others.

I acknowledge effort, and inspire persistence.

I look for the lesson in hardship, and grow from challenges.

I seek progress over perfection.

I am the architect of my life.

I am courageous and I stand up for myself and others.

I am grateful for the present moment.

I am exactly where I am meant to be.

I am the best mama for my family.

Do you have a personal mantra that you incorporate into your daily routines or mindfulness practice?

Quick plug: If you're looking for some guidance, I recommend checking out the stoic app. It's a great resource for guiding a mindfulness practice and offers some ideas on affirmations and journaling prompts.

nurture the spark.

When I came up with the idea for om nom mama, I secured the domain right away. I felt excited, empowered and capable. I had a vision: to create a space where I could share easy, family meals that were nourishing and fun. I made a logo. I had MOMENTUM.

Emphasis on "moment". Then I got stuck. I got busy. I got tired.

Many parents can probably relate. It's hard to dedicate yourself to "extras" like hobbies and passion projects when the day-in and day-out leaves you feeling drained. But hear me out... the moments you feel depleted are exactly the moments you need to invest back into yourself.

When I was pregnant a friend gave me a bit of familiar advice: "Sleep while you can." I almost rolled my eyes. Then he added, "It's exhausting, but don't worry. Somehow you'll find that you can always dig a bit deeper when it comes to your kids."

TRUTH BOMB, right? We do dig deeper. We give endlessly, selflessly to show up for our children because we want to give them everything we can. And in doing so, we realize we have so much more to give than we could have ever imagined. I'm grateful to have this superpower. But I'm most grateful to have learned what my heart and soul are capable of.

That's what parenting teaches us: how important it is to show up. To try and fail. To learn and grow. To show up again the next day. To set an example. Not on how to be perfect... but how to be present.

So, I decided to stop being stuck. To throw something out there and see what sticks. To create, to share, because... I can. And that's a joy worth celebrating.

With om nom mama, I want to share my journey as a mom who's doing her best to navigate parenthood, career, and self-discovery. Follow along as I share easy-to-make recipes your toddler may or may not eat, musings on motherhood, and reflections on imperfect parenting. Because we're all just doing our best.

greetings & salutations.

oh hello there.