There’s been something weighing on my heart lately that I wanted to come here and share.

As I scroll through social media these days, I keep seeing the sentiment “You’re not stuck at home, you’re safe at home. One word can change your attitude” and I understand the reason it’s being posted, I do. We’re trying collectively to ask ourselves and each other to stay as optimistic as possible. And I do think that is or can be helpful to myself and to the people in my circles.

However, I also know that there’s a lot of life on hold right now.

A lot of expectations having to be managed, changed, scraped. Wherever you are in your journey to or within parenthood, this season has asked a lot of you. It’s seen cancelled fertility treatments, baby showers, doula’s at your birth, newborn photography, moms groups, mental health support, birthday parties, school, classes — for you and yours. And the thing I want to say, more than anything else, is that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to grieve for what you’d hoped for. What you’d dreamed of and imagined. It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to sit in those feelings.

The best advice I have?

Talk about them. Bring them to the light. Share your feelings, your emotions, your disappointments, your grief. Share it with your partner, your family, your friends. Share them because you’re not alone at all in how you’re feeling, or what you’re feeling. Connect with others who are walking through the same chapters of life. Reach out to me for support. Let’s talk about ways to honor your feelings and plan for the days ahead.

This is a HARD chapter. It’s unprecedented. It’s brand new. Nobody has done this before. It’s okay if it looks and feels messy. It’s okay if it involves just getting through each day. I’m here to tell you that however you’re processing the news, the changes, the way your world has been impacted, it’s okay. It’s okay, and I’m here. You’re not alone.

For more conversation, support & resources on Infertility & Postpartum, join me over at Heartfelt Beginnings.