I started a baby journal the day I found out we were pregnant. I wanted our sweet baby girl to one day get her hands on this journal and feel how much I already love her. But I also secretly wanted to document every single moment of this blessing because after 2.5 years of waiting to start our family I didn’t want to take any of it for granted.

There is something so special about slowing down and soaking in gratitude each day. It allows you to see the small things for what they are and appreciate each and every moment.

Yet, that journal is missing weeks and months of documentation because life took over. ( I wasn’t feeling good, my baby hormones were in full force, [insert any and every excuse you can think of here.] )

In reality, I allowed the daily grind to steal my ability to slow down and soak in the gratitude of this season I’ve prayed years for.

ALLOWING ANXIETY TO STEAL THE JOY

Have you ever had something in your life you’ve wanted so badly? Maybe a significant other, a baby of your own, your dream job, your favorite car, you name it. Yet, even when you receive that thing you’ve prayed years for something still comes in and steals the joy out of that season?

I know I’m not the only one here, right?

As humans, it’s so easy to want what we don’t have. It’s easy to dream big and shoot for the stars, but when we FINALLY have what we prayed for—it’s still not enough.

That was me for most of the beginning stages of this pregnancy. During a season of life that is SUCH a blessing, I allowed fear and anxiety to swoop in and steal the joy.

I was afraid baby girl might not make it past the first trimester. Then I was so sick I could barely get out of bed for most of the second. And now with every kick and hiccup I feel from this sweet baby girl in this third trimester, something changed within me—it was this connection I’ve never felt with my body before.

It was almost as if the anxiety I was experiencing disappeared as I took time to slow down and love on my body and the baby girl growing inside of me.

Let me explain how this shift happened.

MENTAL HEALTH: PREGNANCY AND MOVEMENT

If I’m being honest, I was NEVER afraid of my changing body (even though I definitely have struggled with body image in the past), but what I struggled with the most was mentally getting through days where I simply didn’t have the energy to move.

I never realized how important moving was for my mental health. I knew working out was extremely important to me and has been for years, but I’m not talking about intense workouts alone. I’m talking about moving in general.

Like getting up and going for a walk with Lambeau without fear if someone needed to come with me.

I’m talking about the days where influenza had me out for three weeks and I struggled to even get out of bed. Those days of little-to-no movement were the hardest.

Being active has truly been a part of my life since I was a little girl. Growing up as an athlete, I was always moving. ALWAYS. From out on the farm riding my pretend horse (cough, cough *my bike*) to running up and down the basketball court since the 2nd grade—being active is a part of who I am. And when I can’t be up and moving around letting out my energy and stress, my mental health is hit pretty hard. 

Moving and breathing these days has become more and more difficult.

But with every kick and hiccup this sweet baby girl reminds me what a miracle this God-given body truly is.

Like how in the world is this body—one that I’ve not always appreciated throughout my life—growing a human inside of it? How is that something I haven’t been grateful for each and every day?

As baby girl continues to grow and my level of energy decreases I’m finding a WHOLE new appreciation for my body and the gift of movement. I may not be able to play scout team for my basketball girls, or make it to Burn Boot Camp 5x a week—but I’m finding a new appreciation for slowing down, moving with a purpose, and mindful breathing.

In the past, moving for me meant intense workouts. Which don’t get me wrong, this competitive retired athlete absolutely loves some intense workouts. But as I’m getting older and now have this baby girl inside of me, I’ve realized what a gift simply stretching can be for our mind, body and soul. 

Back in the day, I would laugh whenever I tried to slow down my workouts or introduce yoga into my routine. I’m NOT flexible whatsoever and the thought of slowing my mind down was nearly impossible. I just wanted to push my heartbeat and get in a good hard workout each and every day.

But now, as I’m more in tune with my body in an entirely different way I see how powerful slowing down and moving with intention can be for not only my body, but also my mental health.

This connection I’ve felt is the time I set aside to lay out my yoga mat in her peaceful baby nursery while I stand with my hands on my belly and focus my breath in and around her. It allows me to start my days slow and steady as I appreciate literally every piece of my core. This mindfulness is something I’ve searched a long time for and is something I’m forever grateful I’ve found.

In a world that tells us success is based on how hard we hustle and how much we accomplish, this mindfulness allows me to tune into the blessing within me and the incredible miracle this body of mine truly is. 

Eventually, I of course will get back to running and lifting more consistently, but this season of stretching and appreciating my body is a season I’ve NEVER taken time for before. What a beautiful thing, right?

To be in a season that forces you to slow down and appreciate what is right in front of you. And a season forcing you to appreciate the body and gifts you’ve been given.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this post today it’s this:

You are such a blessing.

Your body is such a miracle.

Now go see the beauty in yourself.

Want to know my go-to prenatal yoga routine?

Try this 15-minute Morning Routine by Sarah Beth Yoga