Bouncing Back: How to Feel Like Yourself Again After Baby
As we celebrate International Women’s Month, we honor the strength and resilience of women who navigate life’s rollercoaster of emotions and challenges. It’s a delicate balance juggling love, family, career, and personal goals while adapting to the ever-changing seasons of life. Motherhood, in particular, reshapes everything. It’s a profound transformation that shifts priorities and redefines identity.
For many women, the journey back to themselves after motherhood and life’s setbacks is a quiet, unspoken battle. And just when you think you’re finding your rhythm, life can shake things up, sometimes all at once. TJ Galicia, formerly known as DJ Kisses of ABS-CBN’s MOR 101.9 For Life, knows this all too well. Life has thrown her unexpected changes like retrenchment, motherhood, and a pandemic all at once. For TJ, this shakeup came as a relentless triple whammy.
After building a dedicated following as a weekend morning show DJ, she found herself jobless due to the network shutdown, while still adjusting to dreadful, sleepless nights of being a tired new mom and stuck in pandemic isolation. It’s in moments like these that anyone can wake up feeling out of sync, faced with the challenge of relearning life from scratch.
Just like a song that needs to be remixed to fit a new vibe, finding your rhythm again is about relearning life at your own pace and allowing yourself to transform into someone you never met in the mirror before. TJ shares how you can begin to find your rhythm again after life has shaken you to your core.
1. Accept That Your Rhythm Will Change and That’s Okay
Motherhood, career shifts, and life’s curveballs often force you to march to a different beat. The rhythm that once guided your life may no longer fit, and that’s okay. Instead of resisting the change, permit yourself to embrace this new tempo. Recognize that slowing down, pausing, or even starting over is part of your transformation.
2. Replay What Sparks Your Joy
After major life changes, it’s easy to lose touch with the things that once fueled your passion. Take time to rediscover what brings you joy, whether it’s pursuing creative projects, learning something new, or simply enjoying quiet moments. For TJ, shifting from a fast-paced media career to motherhood required her to look inward and celebrate little wins. This journey led her to reignite her passion for storytelling through ForMamaTV — a heartfelt project where she captures the raw and beautiful journeys of moms navigating motherhood. Through this platform, TJ not only found her groove again but also found purpose in helping other moms like her feel seen, heard, and empowered. By exploring new interests or rekindling forgotten passions, you’ll start to feel more like yourself again.
3. Build Your Band, Gather Your “Support Crew”
Finding your rhythm is easier when you’re surrounded by people who lift you up. Their support will give you strength when you feel out of sync and remind you that you’re not alone. For TJ, it was a difficult lesson learned, but she realized that “it’s okay to ask for help.” Be it through heart-to-heart conversations or shared moments of laughter, your “crew” will help guide you back to your rhythm.
4. Show Yourself Grace – It’s not a Sprint, It’s a Dance
Perhaps one of the hardest lessons to learn was to be patient with oneself. Rebuilding yourself after motherhood and major setbacks is a journey, not a race. In life, there’s no hurry to find your footing. Remember, being kind to yourself is key. Show yourself grace, forgive yourself for taking it slow, cherish the stillness, and trust that your rhythm will return.
5. Drop the Mic and Celebrate the New You
As you find your rhythm again, you’ll realize that you’re no longer the same person you were before. And that’s a beautiful thing. The challenges, the growth, and the quiet victories have shaped a new version of yourself: a woman who has faced life’s toughest moments and emerged stronger, more resilient, and ready for a new chapter. Embrace this transformation and step into your next season with confidence.
Today, TJ thrives in the advertising industry as a creative producer, drawing from her decade of experience as a scriptwriter and producer on major TV networks. She stays connected with her fellow DJs from MOR 101.9, keeping the bond alive with the team that once felt like a true Kapamilya. She also continues her passion for storytelling through ForMamaTV. With a new season in the works, TJ is once again using her voice to uplift and inspire, proving that finding your rhythm doesn’t mean going back to who you were, it’s about embracing the woman you’ve become. Now using her real name, TJ, you can find her on social media as Just TJ, where she continues to inspire others with her journey.
