2.5 Nurture: How to Mother Yourself

Mothering Yourself: Essential Tools for Self-Love and Compassion

In this episode of SolSocial with Dr. Makeba and Friends, Dr. Makeba discusses the importance of self-mothering. She offers four essential tools to help individuals nurture themselves: listening to what they need, offering themselves comfort, letting go of perfectionism, and being their own support system. By applying these practices, individuals can bring more peace, healing, and self-love into their lives. The episode underscores the idea that self-care starts from within and encourages the audience to be as compassionate and nurturing to themselves as they would be to a child.

00:00 Introduction to Self-Mothering

00:40 The Power of Self-Mothering

01:32 Tool 1: Listen to What You Need

02:38 Tool 2: Offer Yourself Comfort

03:42 Tool 3: Let Go of Perfectionism

04:53 Tool 4: Be Your Own Support System

06:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Transcript

Dr. Makeba: 0:05

Welcome back to SolSocial with Dr. Makeba and friends. I'm Dr. Makeba, and today we're going to explore something deeply important, something we don't always talk about enough. How to mother yourself, whether you realize it or not, you are already carrying within you the capacity to love. Care for and nurture yourself in ways that no one else can. Today's episode is all about learning to tap into that power, the power of self mothering, and how it can bring you the peace and healing you deserve. It's about nurturing yourself just as you would a child, offering yourself love, compassion, and care in every moment. You are more held than you realize. Even in the moments when you feel alone, uncertain or overwhelmed, there is a part of you that knows how to nurture, how to soothe, how to heal. It's the same part that wants to be mothered, loved and cherished. That part that just needs to know that everything is gonna be okay. But here's the secret. We can give that love to ourselves. We can mother ourselves in the ways we've always needed. And when we do that, it changes everything. So today I wanna share some ways that you can begin to mother yourself with compassion, tenderness, and grace. Tool number one, listen to what you need. Mothering yourself starts with listening. What do you need? So often we push our needs aside because we're too busy taking care of everything and everyone else, but just like a loving mother, would you need to check in with yourself? I want you to take a moment right now if you can and ask yourself, what do I need in this moment? Maybe it's rest, maybe it's nourishment, or maybe it's just five minutes of quiet. Whatever it is, honor that listening to yourself is the first act of self mothering. You deserve to be heard. The person who needs to hear you most is yourself. So let's take a moment right now to just listen. Tool number two, offer yourself comfort. When life feels hard, we often look to others to find comfort. But what if I told you that you could offer that same comfort to yourself just like a mother would comfort her child in times of distress? You can soothe yourself with gentle, loving actions. Here's a practice I want you to try. When you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, place your hand on your heart. Take a deep breath and say to yourself, I am here for you. I. Am here for you. I am here for you. It may feel a little strange at first, but it's incredibly powerful. You're reminding yourself that you are safe, that you are loved, and that you don't have to face everything alone. It's a simple gesture, but it can make a world of difference in how you feel. Tool number three, let go of perfectionism. We've all heard the phrase, nobody's perfect, and yet we still hold ourselves to impossible standards. Impossible. Part of mothering yourself is learning to let go of those unrealistic expectations and embracing your beautiful, imperfect humanity. Just be perfectly imperfect. Think of a mother's love. It's not conditional. A mother doesn't love her child less because they make mistakes. She loves them through it, and that's the kind of love you need to give yourself. Let go of the need to be perfect. Let go of the pressure to have it all together all the time. I want you to practice saying this, I'm doing my best and that's enough. I'm doing my best. And that's enough. I'm doing my best, and that's enough. When you let go of perfectionism, you create space for compassion and growth. Tool number four, be your own support system. Sometimes we expect others to fill the emotional gaps in our lives. We look to friends, family, and partners to make us feel whole, supportive and validated. We are social beings and it makes sense that we would reach out to others. Yeah, know these relationships. They're important, but we can't rely on others to give us the love and support that we can give ourselves. Being your own support system means showing up for yourself in the way a loving mother would. It's about being your own cheerleader, your own protector. Your own source of strength. When something goes wrong, don't beat yourself up. Instead, ask, how can I support myself through this? You'll be amazed at how resilient you become when you start relying on your own love and support. The beautiful thing about mothering yourself is that it's always available to you. You don't have to wait for someone else to care for you. You have the power to do it right now by listening to what you need. Offering yourself comfort, letting go of perfectionism and being your own support system, you'll begin to feel more at peace, more whole, and more connected to yourself. You deserve to be loved and that love starts within. Remember to nurture yourself daily. You deserve the same love and care that you give to others. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of SolSocial with Dr. Makeba and Friends. If this episode spoke to you, I encourage you to share it with someone who needs a little extra love today. Subscribe and leave a review to help others find their way to this space of healing and self-discovery. You can also connect with me on Instagram at Dr. Makeba for Love, 2, 2, 2 for insights, updates, and inspiration. And remember, all eight episodes of this season are ready for you, so feel free to continue the journey and binge the next one. Until next time. Take a moment to mother yourself and remember that you are always loved and held. I'll see you soon on SolSocial with Dr. Makeba and Friends Loving Life.