Research Monitor Weekly Newsletter - 25-Jul-12

The Tug of Two Worlds: Embracing Matrescence and My Return to Work

It's been a little over two months since I stepped back into the office after my maternity leave. I remember the mix of emotions I felt that first morning - excitement, guilt, exhaustion, hope. Since then, I've been quietly carrying the weight of two worlds; the one at home, where I'm learning to be a mother, and the one at work, where I'm expected to pick up right where I left off. for weeks, I debated whether to share my experience - wondering if anyone would understand, if it was too personal, or if my words would even matter. But today, the feelings bubbling inside me are too strong to ignore. So, I'm putting them down on paper, not just for me, but for every mother who's walked this road in silence. Because if there's one truth I've come to know deeply, it's this: being a working mom is the hardest job a woman can have - and the most invisible one too. You never really know how heavy it all feels until you're living it - trying to show up fu...

🍎 A Spoonful of Love: Tiny Bites, Big Milestones

The past month has been such a special chapter in my motherhood journey: we started introducing solid food to my little girl, and what a journey it has already been! At just 7 months old, she has begun exploring flavors, textures, and her own tiny routines around eating. For her, every bite is an experiment--a playful, sensory adventure. for me, it is a mix of pride, excitement, and sometimes even longing, because I don't always get to be there for every meal; those tender emotions only a mother can feel. During the week, my husband and I are at work, so her nanny takes care of most of her meals. we prepare her meals carefully at night after work--boiling, mashing, keeping everything simple and gentle for her small tummy--and in the morning, we give her nanny clear instructions on what to feed her and when. Even tough we are away, a part of us is always with her through the meals. But the highlight of our weekdays is always her afternoon snack, when one of us come home and give her...

Magic in the Mundane: How I Learned to Love the Ordinary

There was a time I found myself waiting--waiting for a milestone, a breakthrough, a big change. I thought joy came from monumental events, grand gestures, or ticking off a goal. But then something shifted. I began to realize that life isn't made up of grand fireworks. It's a collection of small, fleeting, everyday moments. And then we learn to romanticize those moments, life suddenly feels...more alive. What Does It Mean to Romanticize Life? The word "romanticize" might make you think of unrealistic expectations or sugar-coating the truth. But to me, it's not about pretending life is perfect. It's about shifting my perspective--learning to see beauty in the little things, and experiencing the present moment more fully and with intention. It could be as simple as lighting a candle before dinner, listening to soft jazz in the background, or sipping my morning coffee slowly instead of gulping it down while rushing. It's the small acts of mindfulness that inv...

Celine Salloum

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