WHY I TURNED MY MOM BLOG INTO A HEALTH AND WELLNESS BLOG

Where are you at with activating your dreams? It’s an interesting question to ask moms at this time, considering all that we’re juggling right now. Before I decided to turn my mommy blog into a health and wellness blog, I spent a lot of the time getting through my to-do lists. Making sure that everyone else was OK. Rushing to the end of the day~just making it. Pushing myself to the end of the line.

But what’s left when Mommy has nothing else to give?

Let’s be honest. The ship sinks, and fast. I knew that I needed to do better from a health and wellness perspective. Hello, my name is Chie (pronounced Chia). I’m a wife and mother of two beautiful wild things who are 2 and 6. I’m a former TV journalist. I’m a traveler and lover of artsy things. I’m a new vegan, a new runner and an old lover of spa days. I’m also the creator of Mommafied.com. 

I first shared my blog, Mommafied, in February 2019. I came up with the concept for my blog shortly after I learned that I was pregnant with my daughter, our first child. I’m an L.A. girl and had just finished grad school at USC, when I took a leap of faith. I decided to join my then boyfriend (now partner 4-life Ira) in Louisville, Kentucky to start our family. He was studying at U of L. I started blogging journal-like entries privately, about my experience being a first time mom, thousands of miles away from what I knew. Thoughts like;

“We took a picture the other day and her lil’ tooth buds look like they’re coming down to form her first teeth. I’m so excited. Yet a little sad, her infancy is going by so quick. I pray for her everyday, that God protects her little spirit. She is so free, so happy and so chill. I want her to always keep that attitude, no matter what.”

Although the city is liberal, there’s an underlying Southern culture in Louisville, with lifestyle and traditions that were new to me. Most of the time my daughter and I went on adventures together in the city. Ira was in an intense program that demanded lots of his time. We explored Louisville’s many rolling green parks, art and science museums, saw Derby horses, walked from Kentucky to Ohio over the Big Four Bridge which connects them, and spent tons of time at  the local library. I witnessed my daughter fall in love with reading and words, early, just like me. We thumbed through colorful storybooks, read literature by Black writers, bopped in the car to theatrical audio books, explored Spanish language, and re-read Tikki Tikki Tembo, one of her favorite stories, a million times. 

I learned that advocating for your child’s educational advancement starts early—like before preschool early, if you have the opportunity to raise a brilliant Black child. So does advocating for our health. We learned that our daughter had a variety of food allergies at 3-months-old, after an early scare at a daycare center. After being shuffled from pediatricians and allergists to ER rooms, we spent 3 days in a local hospital. I learned so much from that experience. Mostly that I wanted to better protect my daughter from a childcare perspective, better protect her health, and spend much more time with her, daily~even while being a working mom. 

I created the ‘Nulu Working Moms Group,’ and saw that no matter what the geographic location, most working mothers want the same thing~to spend more quality time with their kids. I survived two layoffs in the media industry, swallowed my pride and worked a minimum pay retail job, enjoyed a brief stint working at my daughter’s preschool, and finally landed the job of my (then) dreams, as a video reporter at the largest newspaper in Kentucky. I didn’t realize it then, but I did all of this while focusing on building a healthy foundation for our family. Both Ira and I were working hard in our own ways to make our unit strong. 

It wasn’t until his program had ended and we moved back to Los Angeles, that I was ready to share my blog. By that time, my focus had changed from the experience of being a first time mom in Kentucky, to a soon to be mother of two. Plus, we were relocating again—heading back to my hometown, for the first time with my own family!

Starting a family was something I’d dreamed about and prayed for, for years. We lived with my grandmother, until we got settled. She’s the rock of our family. Memories of her and my great-grandma’s style of child rearing as a kid inspired my blog’s name and helped me move forward with my idea.   

I remember brainstorming names for my blog. In the process, I started saying the word, Mommafied! It spoke to me because it made me feel like I’d stepped into motherhood activating superhero-like powers, essentially, all that it requires and represents. Mommafied means stepping into the fullness of being an empowered, unstoppable woman and mother. There’s no denying that us moms are some incredibly dynamic, shape-shifting, almost otherworldly creatures at times. The power that we’re given from the moment we’re chosen to usher life in, to then care for and help mold a human, all while being called to excel at many other things, is incredible. Getting Mommafied is all about operating on a higher frequency, and living, loving, and giving as our best selves. 

By the time I turned 40, I’d given birth to two children within years of each other!!! My daughter was four and my son was nine months old. Ira surprised me with a birthday weekend trip to Santa Barbara with the kids, my parents and godparents. They celebrated with us and also helped babysit so that Ira and I could snag some date time. We toasted to my big day with a toast in a cozy wine bar. (The kids sipped on juice, and ate all of the snacks :). That weekend, for the first time in a long time I was able to relax. I remember sitting with my feelings and thinking about all that I had been doing, giving, and needing to release. 

First, I thought that it was the wine (It was the first time that I’d taken a sip since before I’d become pregnant with our son). Then I knew that it was an internal nudge coming from outside of myself. I knew I would need to ‘Get Mommafied,’ step into my power as a whole and realized woman, to keep up with my children’s abundant energy, and provide them with the support and care that they need to thrive, in this interesting world as Black folks. 

At that time I felt overjoyed, surrounded by so much love, grateful for the surprise trip and getaway, and happy to have been turning 40. I was also operating off of that new mom adrenaline, where you’re beyond the point of feeling tired. You are in the exhaustion zone. A huge part of my mind was saying,

“How dare you complain? God is depending on you. Your family is too. Everyone is depending on you.”

Pouring into yourself almost feels too selfish and decadent. Yet, you’re nearly suffocating. You’ve put yourself so far to the back of the line, you forget who you are and what you’re even capable of. What happened to you depending on you? Where does that go? 

It was a turning point for me. I felt a shift. I could also feel my energy moving to a place that was overwhelmed, stressed, and unsure about where to go next, career-wise and keeping up with my family’s needs. I felt like there was no time or place for rest. Working on my blog was my release, my escape. As I poured into it, it gave satisfaction and accomplishment back to me. I knew that I deserved to have one thing for myself, and that was it. 

Over the past year and a half of blogging, I learned how essential it is to put on my oxygen mask first!!! In the midst of this uncertain and evolving time, I’ve decided to go within. I’m deepening my commitment to living a healthier life: mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is how I’ll get back to me, be a better mother, partner and person. And I know that I’m not alone. As I began sharing my story with close friends and on social media, I saw that this feeling resonates with other busy moms.

So Mommafied was reborn! This time it comes to you as a practical health and wellness guide for multitasking mothers who want to lead more whole lives. Through multimedia content, resources and tips I meet moms where they’re at right now; with grace and open arms. I may not be a guru, but I’m there with you. I recognize your wins and challenges because your journey is my own. Together, we can do this. Let’s Get Mommafied!