Why do I feel different from the person I used to be?

Motherhood can reorganize time, attention, relationships, ambition, and the sense of who gets to matter.

7 MIN READ

WHAT RESEARCHERS KNOW

Major role transitions can alter self-concept, relationships, priorities, and the stories people tell about their own lives.

WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN

A changed identity can involve grief, expansion, ambiguity, or relief. None of those responses proves that you have lost yourself; they may be part of making sense of a changed life.

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

There is no correct way to feel about a changed identity, and no fixed timeline for recognition or grief.

THE 30-SECOND VERSION

Identity shifts after motherhood are common, complex, and not automatically a problem to solve.

MAKE IT EASIER

Make room for the parts of yourself that did not disappear but have had less room to speak.