The sweet spot of motherhood is found in the mess.

It’s in that pile of laundry on the floor that keeps accumulating every couple of hours.

It’s in the dirty dishes sitting in the sink waiting to get cleaned.

It’s in the mess of worries and tasks in her head that she keeps putting off: the dinner menus, the appointments, the birthday gifts, the homework, etc.

It's on the floor covered with Legos, dolls, and Paw Patrols that she steps on with her bare feet while she muffles curse words that her toddler repeats.

Because instead of doing loads of laundry, she was playing Hide ‘N Seek with her kids, laughing so hard her insides danced.

Because instead of loading the dishwasher, she was running around outside and enjoying the afternoon with her kids. The fresh air and vivid hues of the sun relieved her anxiety and brought new life into her soul.

Because instead of completing the long list of task after task in her head like a robot, she took breaks for fun and made memories with her children in-between. A great way to fight the worry, too.

Because instead of cleaning up that floor covered in toys, she was too busy chasing her children around pretending to be a dragon. And after she hurt her foot, one of her children came up to her with outstretched arms, and she felt soft lips pressed against her head. Then she heard, "Are you okay, mama? I love you.”

She was okay.

Because life happens when we accept the mess.

So, we mothers need to be our authentic and imperfect selves--because to make room for a love that knows no boundaries, there needs to be no boundaries holding us back.

So, instead of struggling to straighten, fix, or cover up the mess, let’s find joy by embracing it.

Because the sweet spot of motherhood is found in the mess.

This post originally appeared on the author's Facebook. Her book "Living FULL: Winning My Battle with Eating Disorder" is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2O4mJId