In this episode, Sarah Norris introduces the concept of Mama Island, a metaphorical place where mothers can explore and challenge themselves. She explains that the island represents a space of self-reliance, problem-solving, and reflection. Sarah also introduces the term 'Mummers' as a way to make all mothers feel welcome on the island. Throughout the episode, she emphasizes the importance of letting go of expectations, creating space for reflection, and thinking for oneself. Sarah encourages vulnerability and practical problem-solving, and she looks forward to engaging with the audience and learning from others.
Key takeaways from this episode:
- Mama Island represents a space of self-reliance, problem-solving, and reflection for mothers.
- Letting go of expectations and embracing vulnerability are key to finding happiness as a mother.
- Practical problem-solving skills developed on the island can be applied to off-island life.
- Engaging with the audience and learning from others is an important aspect of Mama Island.
You can find out more about Sarah and how to work with her by clicking on the links below:
https://www.instagram.com/thebabydetective/
https://www.babydetective.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/babydetective/
You can find out more about Sarah and how to work with her by clicking on the links below:
https://www.instagram.com/thebabydetective/
https://www.babydetective.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/babydetective/
Sarah Norris - The Baby Detective (00:00)
Hello and welcome to Mama Island, episode number three, The Power of the Island. So, why an island? I can almost hear you wondering what on earth is this strange woman talking about with her mama island? Just imagine for a moment that you had been cast away on a tropical island with your baby. No mod cons, no phone.
No internet, no Google, no mum's group, no friends, no family. No healthcare, no one to ask for advice, just yourself. A few tools and some basic odds and ends that were washed up on the beach with you. How would you survive? You'd survive by doing what your ancestors have done for millions of years. You'd take care of yourself and your baby by being practical,
and by becoming a problem solver. You'd look around for shelter, fresh water and food, and you'd get on and make yourself a camp no matter how tired you were because you had to. Over time, you'd become independent and self -reliant. Your confidence and problem -solving skills would grow and you would gain a new perspective about what really matters. Now,
Imagine you were rescued and you could transfer all those strength and skills to your current life. How much better would your life be? That's what I want for you. And what better setting could there possibly be for us to work on understanding, exploring and challenging ourselves and our life as mamas than on our island?
So why Mummers? Well, I've seen and read enough to believe that mothers in all cultures are struggling. So I wanted to find a way to make you all feel welcome. A mum and mum felt either too British or American, but mumma felt both gentle and strong and seems universally understood and accepted. So on our island, you
are.
Nearly mamas, new mamas, multi mamas and many mamas. How do we get to the island? By using the same willing suspension of belief that we use for cinema, TV, theatre to enter and explore new worlds. By allowing ourselves to have some fun and be a bit silly sometimes and be thoughtful and vulnerable at other times.
by letting go of everything that is getting in our way or holding us back. We also need to be willing to work on the belief, however tentatively, that things can change. Even if we don't know how yet, believe me, when I say there is always a way. Thinking about my own life and my family's lives, and what I've realised is that most of our problems,
start in our heads or our hearts and parenting is no different. By trying too hard, by following other people's advice, trying to please everyone and by taking on too much, we are getting in the way of our own happiness. We need to let go of doing it right, of being insta -perfect, of being afraid to ask for or work towards what we really want.
There really is no right or wrong way of thinking, feeling or doing just what's right for you and your family in your situation. We need to get our heads and hearts straight by finding a quiet, safe place to breathe, calm, think, feel, take up space, broaden horizons, dare to dream, gain perspective, play devil's advocate.
and explore every single aspect of life as a mama. We need to give our hearts time to speak and our heads time to listen. Our current lives are too crowded with people, opinions and expectations. And that's why so many people go on retreats for silence, for yoga, for writing, art, business, et cetera. This island
is our
precious retreat and its simplicity and basic nature will make it easier to see the complications we carry around with us all the time. So how will it work? Well, you can bring your baby or leave them safely and guilt -free at home. You can't bring any phones or devices. We talk to and listen to ourselves and each other.
There's no online community to fall back on, so you have to think for yourself. As you get used to doing this, you will get clearer on what really matters to you. And stronger and more self -reliant, and you'll develop skills and strengths you can apply to off -island life. As you listen, you can imagine yourself sitting with a group or off on your own, or just there with me. You are free to be who you really are, but also,
how you were feeling at this particular moment. I'm an introvert, so I'll probably be imagining sitting with just one person or a very small group of two or three, because that feels lovely and manageable to me. It's safe to be vulnerable here. You don't have to pretend for a single second that you are anything other than the real you. Allowing yourself to hear and feel your own personal truths,
with the understanding that only good will come of your honesty and that if that leads you to breaking down walls we are all here to help you build them back up better and stronger and more beautiful than before. You'll never be alone again. For me, allowing you all in to my innermost world of my imagination, the place where I retreat when the world is too much and I'm overwhelmed or frightened, makes me feel vulnerable.
You might mock my silliness when I speak from my heart and share my innermost feelings, but I'm willing to take that risk because I believe it will be worth it for all of us. But we won't just be sitting around our campfire talking. To survive and thrive in the basic conditions on our island, we need to be practical and focused on problem solving. So we'll be learning, plotting and planning and finding ways to change what needs to be
changed.
so we can get real life results that create balance, fairness, progress and resilience to take back to our off -island lives. I'll guide you as much as I can and we can help each other, but luckily our island happens to be the meeting place for ocean currents from around the world. So from time to time there will be learned or wise people whose boats get conveniently blown off course to our island.
Then,
If we are very nice and share our marshmallows and cocktails, we can persuade them to share their knowledge, insight and wisdom with us around our campfire so we can explore different topics from different viewpoints. And I already have a few wonderful guests in mind for when we're settled on our island.
I have a list of things that I want to share with you, but I'd also like to know what's on your mind. What do you think we could be talking about? So please DM me on Instagram where I am at the baby detective or email me. Sarah at baby detective .co .uk.
