What I Learned from Postpartum Depression: Your Greatness Is Ever Present

Mar 11, 2020

See the video here:

https://rogerstv.com/media?lid=237&rid=7&gid=273551

It’s amazing how life works. You haven’t thought about or talked about a particular subject or life experience in months, and then all of a sudden, it’s in your world everywhere you turn.

I haven’t thought a lot about my two bouts of postpartum depression, however recently, it’s been all around me. In a good way – from an awareness building and stigma busting perspective.

First, I read Tonia Jashan, award-winning entrepreneur of Sipology by Steeped Tea, share her postpartum depression story. And on LinkedIn of all places. Yes, a professional network was her go to mode to share her story. You go girl.

An hour later I’m on the phone with a woman getting a reference, and she shared she had just come out of hospital for PPD. Just like that. No stigma, no hesitation, it’s just a fact. She shared it so openly. And I shared mine. And because she shared it, I could stand for her greatness as I was her 15 years in the future.

Then a colleague involved in the filming of a Rogers TV episode on my experience with PPD reached out to me. It’s like the universe was telling me something. And you know, if it tells me something, I have to tell you. That’s just what us speakers do…we talk about stuff!

I have had PPD. Not once, but twice. It’s forever impacted my sleep. It made it tough to bond with my babies when I was going through it. It put tension on my relationship. However, on the other side (one might argue the #flipsideoffailure), I have a level of empathy and compassion I never knew I had. And I sure as heck got serious about changing our life immediately when one of my children’s mental health tanked (you may have learned about our story before).

We can’t wait for Mental Health Awareness Week to talk about mental health and wellness. Imagine how much easier others could detect, manage and recover from psychological setbacks if we were open about our own.

From a professional standpoint, the more we talk openly and share how it impacts our careers and businesses, the more empathetic we’ll be to each other in the workplace too. Let’s share our story, as strong powerful successful woman, and how despite PPD, we are still great at what we do. It doesn’t change us. In fact, the experience might transform us for the better (but be patient with us until we’re better please.) 

To have PPD, it doesn’t make you a less grateful mom. It doesn’t make you a less competent professional. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. 

It means you’re human. 

Ten percent of women will experience PPD during pregnancy, after the birth or even a time after the birth of our child. That’s a lot of women in the workplace, and frankly, a lot of partners standing by watching the person they love suffer. What are we doing for them? Are we recognizing their greatness while they’re distracted and worried and confused about how to help the person they love?

Your greatness, by the way, is not present despite your PPD. It’s there with your PPD. It is ever present. Even when you don’t feel it. It is there. 

Want to check out more resources about how you can recognize other’s greatness? Check out these articles:

• How Do I Give Recognition That’s Sincere?
• Finding Passion & Joy in Your Life
• The Genuine Human Connection: Authentic & Meaningful Conversations