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You do you, Boo!

Boo! It’s me, Brittany! Here I am: Unshowered, no makeup, stretch pants and a nursing bra (black top, navy bottoms. Fashionistas would have a field day with this one). I have a toddler who has been wearing the same pajamas for days. I have been waking up at 4:30 am three days a week to go to the gym so I can have one hour of my day to myself. I have laundry piling up in the laundry room (4 ginormous piles to be exact). I only give my infant formula in the middle of the night (because fed is best). In so many ways other moms might think I have failed, but I did commit to completing a blog post today - and here I am! I showed up. I did that for me.

My life doesn’t look like this every day, but it is what it looks like today. Why? Because I’m learning that every day is different and I have to show up every day for myself in different ways. I am learning that I have to stop judging myself for being true to my needs. I have cared about what other people think for far too long. Mentally, I can’t handle it anymore. I am happy to say that as I was reflecting on this exact topic, I realized that I am seeing a change in the world. 

Whether I am deciding to discuss a specific blog topic, or choosing to sit on the couch and cuddle my infant over folding socks, or texting my friend that I will come over in my pajama pants, no makeup, and my hair in a bun, I feel this new movement to do just as I see fit. I feel supported by close friends, family, and even strangers to simply be myself, to do me. I’m calling this the Boo! Movement (well, it’s my twist on it)Let me explain…

How often have you heard someone recently say, “You do you, Boo!”? I hear this from friends, family, and the women talking on the phone at the grocery store. For me, this means that I work daily to do things that make me happy, to show up for myself and my needs (whether they are emotional, physical or spiritual). If I want to hang out in the backyard with Gus in my pajamas instead of vacuuming, I do that. If I choose to make my one productive task of the day be showering and drying my hair, I do that. If I don’t want to go to my great aunt’s birthday party, I don’t go. If I feel frumpy, I make a nail appointment and ask my husband to stay home with our boys. If my husband and I need a date night, I call one of my sisters and ask them to babysit. I am standing up for myself (to myself) and refusing to succumb to the expectations that the world has set for me on how I should look or raise my children or be a wife. I’m doing a better job of listening to myself and my needs.

We always have to remind ourselves that every day is a new day with a new set of needs. We have spouses and children and colleagues who will impact all of our days. We can never forget that we are first and foremost a person with our own unique set of needs. Every day we need to wake up and say, Boo! It’s me! This is who I am today and here is what I need, like a ghost surprising someone in an old creeky house (let’s face it, sometimes we look in the mirror and see something just as scary as a ghost ;) ).

Whether you are a mom, dad, student, senior professional, make sure you stay true to yourself. Make sure you show up for yourself everyday, even when you are your scariest self. Enjoy this new era of not feeling forced to make up excuses for who you are. Do you, Boo!

To whoever started this Boo! Movement: Hey, Boo, thank you! I will do me. And I will choose to show up for myself and be true to myself on a daily basis.

If you enjoy my blog, please consider purchasing a children’s book to support working moms: Freckle Faced Gus and A Stay-at-Home Dad?