Episode Details

Mother's Day has come and gone - so how did it actually feel? In this final episode of our impromptu three-part Mother's Day series, Sarah reflects on her own evolving relationship with the holiday, shares the surprising and somewhat heartbreaking origin story of Mother's Day, and invites you into a post-holiday inquiry that matters far more than any bouquet or brunch. Because if there was any charge, resentment, or pressure wrapped up in this week for you - that's not something to push past. That's the gift.

Key Points

• Why Mother's Day has become "just another day" for Sarah — and what that shift actually signals about her inner work
• The surprising origin of Mother's Day: created by Anna Jarvis for personal reflection and intimate family connection, then commercialized so aggressively that Jarvis spent her life savings trying to abolish the holiday she created
• The $25 billion commercial juggernaut Mother's Day has become — and why that matters for how we relate to the day
• Why being triggered by Mother's Day is often a direct reflection of needs that aren't being met on a regular basis (not just one day a year)
• The powerful insight from a mom in The School of MOM community: "I'm only triggered by Mother's Day when I feel burned out or I'm not making time for myself"
• How resentment is an expectations-in-waiting — and what your Mother's Day feelings are actually pointing toward
• An invitation to design your family celebrations on your own terms, not Hallmark's
• A post-Mother's Day reflection framework: How did it feel? How do you want to feel next year? What needs to shift between now and then?
• Celebrating six years of The School of MOM — launched on Mother's Day 2020

Quotes

"The trigger is the gift. If you're coming into Mother's Day and there's a lot of pressure on it, that means those needs are not getting filled outside of this one day a year."

"I don't need a day to be appreciated. I don't need a day to advocate for time for myself anymore — because that is just part of my being now."

"Expectations are resentments in the works."

"I'm not waiting around for someone else to give me permission to go for a walk or get a massage. It's just part of what I do now."

Resources Mentioned

• Episode 89: The Grief for a Mother Who's Still Alive SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4kP528ObM87oS9uZhHQ9bH?si=pkUYRBr5QoiL8QOiYZ1OBA or APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/89-the-grief-for-a-mother-whos-still-alive/id1771757923?i=1000763998127
• Episode 90: When Mother’s Day Is a Trigger (and Why That’s Not a Bad Thing) SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MRgYiDvClmZlE16NVjpVH?si=KliK-l2VQHeqtxfHLgEZJw or APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/90-when-mothers-day-is-a-trigger-and-why-thats-not-a-bad-thing/id1771757923?i=1000766202575
• Flourished Mother Map: https://theschoolofmom.com/map