(Originally published at Degrees of Maternity on January 3, 2023

2023 it is! New hopes, dreams, and outlooks are percolating in these online airways. And, I’m no exception to pivoting at certain times of the year. But, I’m not looking at what I’m about to reveal to you as a New Year’s Resolution. No, not at all. As a matter of fact, my new outlook has been months in the making. I just didn’t know it the time. And now that the months in the making have elapsed, a new undertaking miraculously presented itself to me and I’ve been secretly embarking upon this mission and will be for the rest of 2023 (and more than likely beyond).

But, the secret’s coming out in this communication to you. Want me to go ahead and cut to the chase and tell you right now?

Hmmmm??????

Well . . . I’m not. You have to get through the “prelude” first.

Here it goes:

The Name and the Connection to the 2023 Outlook 

What’s in a name?

We’ll a lot, if the name is “Degrees of Maternity.” It’s a loaded name. And here’s why – it means something more far-reaching that a lot of people don’t catch. “Degrees” is often associated with the credentials you earn after completing a program of higher education. And, “maternity” is often associated with the period of time a woman experiences between the time she conceives and gives birth.

And those associations are 100 percent correct, but what about an additional meaning of “degrees,” having to do with levels or the broader meaning of “maternity,” having to do with motherhood in general – no matter whether that mother is pregnant or well past the childbearing age. Which is why I can comfortably fall into the latter category of mothers and still emphatically wear “maternity” as a badge of honor.

I’m a proud mother of three precious children – two of which are adults. And as I’ve told them before, “I don’t care how old you get, I’m still your mother and you’re still my babies.” Furthermore, my children have been the main impetus for starting me on this creative writing journey I’ve been travelling on for 4 years, to date.

But with the broader meaning of “Degrees of Maternity,” my mothering didn’t just start and stop at the time my three children filled my womb and my mothering doesn’t just start and stop with my own children.

Check this out.

Here’s why the  “degrees” (or levels) in Degrees of Maternity fits into who I am and what I do.

I mother all the time, in different levels of involvement and intensity, in different facets of life, with different participants, and using different methods of delivery. I mother my children, other peoples’ children, other adults, and honestly, anyone who needs it and will accept it from me. I mother in person, over the phone, and long distance. I mother in verbal interaction, written interaction, and physical interaction. And, I mother online at Degrees of Maternity.

Mothering exists on so many levels in defining who I am and what I do.

Now, I’m not your mother – unless you’re one of those three children of mine I just referred to -- but, I want you to feel a sense of being nurtured, encouraged, genuinely cared for, inspired, educated, and motivated to grow and improve in your personal as well as professional lives, when you visit Degrees of Maternity. All actions of endearment a good mother aspires to exhibit to her children.

So in essence, I want you to feel “mothered.” And, I’ve always felt like I was meant to be that person to rise to that calling. And did you just catch how I weaved maternity (or motherhood) from Degrees of Maternity into the narrative?

Hey, you can call me Jana, but I wholeheartedly answer to Degrees of Maternity, as well.

And the connection between the name (bolded above) and the 2023 Outlook? Well, let’s just say that a whole lotta mothering/maternity (on more of a therapeutic level/degree) is about to be served here at this blog site. More to come in the “Focused Outlook for 2023” section below.

The Big 3 Connection

If you recall, the Big 3 consists of doing those things you’re good at, doing those things you enjoy doing, and doing things that benefit others. In 2022, my focus was geared toward the creative entrepreneurship side of things and working out the Big 3 toward that end. And while I’m still a creative entrepreneur and will be functioning as such in my own creative world (creating reading/writing incentives and educational tools as well as providing content writing services), my blogging communications will be on more of a personal level in 2023, and the Big 3 will be accentuated with that in mind.

Let me explain how.

What I’m good at:

Hey, I already covered this one in my discourse above, but I’ll briefly mention it again. I’m good at “mothering” others. And no, I’m not tooting my own horn here. I humbly let other people toot it for me. And it’s not just immediate family members who give me my flowers. Of course, when you really think about it, immediate family are the best individuals to validate your expertise in such a role. (They know you in your best and worst forms.) But seriously, I’ve received compliments on the outside for my mothering skills, as well. And I thank my Heavenly Father for it all. He’s the one who’s helped me in this lifelong mothering journey I’ve been travelling on.

In a lot of ways, I truly believe this “mothering” vibe has been quite natural for me because I had a beautiful example of what mothering should look like from my own Mother. I think her mothering aura rubbed off on me, because she’s the kind of person that genuinely loves on people in any circle of influence she resides in. (I've had the pleasure of witnessing that phenomenon all my life.) And get this – she was a Kindergarten and first-grade teacher in the public school system for over 30 years. So, she not only mothered in her personal life, but she mothered in her professional life, as well. And a lot of folks (in and out of her home) have benefitted from that mothering.

Wouldn’t you know that many-a-person has stated that I take after my Moms? Hmmmm . . . like mother, like daughter.

What I Enjoy/Love Doing:                                                        

Also, I just knew at a very young age that I wanted to be a mom. I think more so than I envisioned being a wife, even. And true to how I was raised, I did make sure to go the wife route before becoming a mom. Nevertheless, I was baby crazy before being bride crazy as a little girl. I can’t say that it was a fascination with dolls that made me that way, because I really didn't jive with the whole “playing with dolls” thing. I was more into the real babies.

Let’s just say that I babied my little brother who’s 5 years younger than me, as soon as he was born. I was his second momma. And I didn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity of becoming the professional neighborhood babysitter just as soon as my school-aged self was responsible enough to.

So, mothering comes naturally to me and is something that I absolutely love doing. Even for those in my online family. Just know that my role here at Degrees of Maternity involves some cheerleading and supporting you in your growth journeys, so please let me do me. You know how us "mothering" types like to do.            

How to benefit others:

I’m going to be focusing on YOU the person rather than YOU the creative and/or YOU the entrepreneur. And here’s the deal: YOU can’t take care of others (through your business) if YOU don’t take care of YOU the person -- FIRST.

So, first things first. Let’s focus on the personal side of life in 2023. I want to help in bringing some much-needed personalized care on individual and even relationship areas of your life that need some attention, babying, and nurturing. Oh, and by the way, writing will be involved in that care. (More to come in the “Focused Outlook for 2023” section below.

Important Housekeeping Items

• The new blogging schedule is as follows: twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Blog posts will be more action-driven in 2023. They will continue to be informational but will also have more CTAs (calls to action) throughout. Knowledge is power, but carrying out that knowledge in practical life application brings about wisdom.
• You’ll want to join the DOMinators News family, made up of those wonderful individuals on my email list who’ve signed up for the Degrees of Maternity monthly newsletters. The important stuff I have to roll out for those on my email list is going to be so valuable to you individually and for the relationships you’ve established in your life. It’s the kind of life-improvement content that will bless you time and time again if you're following its messaging. So please, pretty please, and with a cherry on top . . . DON’T MISS OUT. You can join by clicking on the link below.

https://chipper-designer-6567.ck.page/bb55b586c9

Focused Outlook for 2023

Bet you thought I was going to reveal-dump a year's worth of goal-setting highlights in this blog post, didn't you? I could have easily thought the same thing, since I referred you to this section a couple of times, drumming up the anticipation. However, I can’t say too much this early in 2023. It's just the start, and you know how I can be motivated to pivot a course of action if I think it might serve you better.

But I do plan on providing some meaty outlook details in the next blog post. Giving you the most up-to-date briefing of content to come at this beginning point in the new quarter. And, the one golden nugget of info I can safely give you today (without any reservations) is to tell you that the online mothering I plan on doing in 2023 has everything to do with WRITING THERAPY and its healing properties, leading toward healthy and more quality communication with self and others.

Now, how's that for starters?