Whilst I was never a fan of white noise, I must admit that since Madi started sleeping with it I have found that my sleep has also improved. Whether it is humming through the baby monitor speaker or in our room accompanied by the babe herself, the perfect loop of fuzzy sound is a sure way to put you to sleep.
I have been thinking a lot about the background noise that's supposed to soothe and calm us into a night of rest and I feel like this ongoing repetitive sound is much like the voices that fill our social media, WhatsApp messages and life in general. Whether by choice or not, we are continuously bombarded with opinions and posts in our day to day life. With having Madi I have found that the white noise of motherhood has by far been the hardest to navigate.
Everybody seems to have a different opinion and a different approach to daily parenting challenges. It is near to impossible to make an educated decision without having any experience, as every approach is sold with such conviction that the only thing that results is confusion and a sense of being overwhelmed (well, for me at least). The white noise of life does anything but soothe. I feel like it fills us with anxiety and uncertainty. Anyone with me on this?
There is always someone telling us what to buy, what to wear and what to eat.
For the moms, "breast is best" but nurse your 18 month old and you might get a funny look.
"Start solids at 4 months,no at 6!"
Baby led weaning is the best way to avoid sensory aversions but oh my word "how can you handle the mess your child makes"!
How do we go about making decisions with this din?
Well, that's my point, it's tough! For me it has been a learning curve. With people pleasing tendancies and an innate drive to do things the "right way" it has been impossible trying to gage what is best for my family, and more importantly for Madison, with all the voices spinning around in my head.
The white noise of society is anything but soothing, but learning to see it as white noise rather than allowing it to control your narrative is the key to a happier self.
I have found that eventually, you have to let the white noise hum in the background as it should and instead listen to your inner voice. The one that, if you listen close enough, knows what is best despite all the other voices telling you what to do.
The white noise of society is anything but soothing, but learning to see it as white noise rather than allowing it to control your narrative is the key to a happier self.
You don't play white noise to sing-a-long or dance too. You play white noise to focus. Focus on what's in your mind rather than the sound around you.
Whether it's decision making for your business, your baby, your relationship or your lifestyle, yours is the only voice that matters.
So as we step into Spring amongst the blooms and the bees, I urge you to make this month a fresh start by listening to your own inner voice rather than all the white noise that surrounds us daily. As Madi turns one whole year I look back and think that this may have been my biggest lesson from the past 12 months. I am still not sure if I'm listening to myself properly, but I am trying to care less about what others think, and for now that's all I can manage.
So happy spring beautiful daisies. I can't wait to celebrate the sunshine and flowers with you this month.
All my love,
