In this episode I talk with guest host Sherry Duson, MA, LPC, LMFT about The Mom Story. Every mom has her own Mom Story even if you're not fully aware of it. Concious or unconcious The Mom Story is still playing in the background of your mind. A common theme of the Mom Story is "Am I a good mom or a bad mom?"

Typically, when your daughter leaves home and you feel her absence, is when you start to become aware of the first draft of the Mom Story . The first draft tends to be full of negative emotions. This is when the resentments and disappointments surface from your years of mothering. The first draft is when you feel you lost more than you gained by being a mom. It's when you admit to yourself that parenting is/was hard.

The good news is that the first draft is just part of the story. You don't want to get stuck in the first draft because you will be stuck in negative emotions. This is not good for you or for your relationships with your teens and family. To become aware of your first draft story takes courage, self-reflection and some soul-searching.

Now that you have your first draft you want to integrate this into the second draft of the Mom Story which is a more complete and conscious story. The second draft takes a new set of eyes but you'll find that you have actually gained more than you have lost by being a mother.

Too often our Mom Story is tossed about on the turbulent waves of life and our teens turbulent emotions. In other words we feel dependent on our family to shape our Mom Story. Often we are waiting for validation and appreciation. It's time to not be dependent on anyone else to shape The Mom Story. It's time to own your story.

Your Mom Story is so important because it shapes how you feel about yourself and how you feel about your relationships and it sets the course for your future.

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