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The scene: I’m in the jungle, enjoying the dappled light flickering through rainforest canopy. J and the big kid are swimming. Little kid’s asleep. A restful moment. But then I realise I’m surrounded by monkeys… and they’re not there to dazzle me with their cuteness.
As they creep closer, eyeing up my clear plastic pouch like it’s a Tesco meal deal, I suddenly remember someone saying something about monkeys and babies. And I panic - I forget that it’s monkeys with babies that are dangerous and instead I’m convinced they’re after my baby. Cue full-blown Mama Bear mode.
I start roaring at them. J’s shouting from the river, ‘You’ve got this!’ while I’m fending off a full-blown monkey ambush. I end up carrying both kids, screaming and sweaty, up a hill while monkeys chuck nuts at my head! One even tried to block the exit - like it was a game of Monkey Mario Kart.
But here’s the weird bit: at dinner that night, I asked everyone what their favourite part of the day was... and when it got to my turn, I realised mine was that. The monkey madness. The bit where I was terrified but we made it through. And I thought - woah. That is not how I would’ve thought about it a few years ago.
This is what I mean when I talk about mindset.
Don’t get me wrong: I didn’t enjoy the monkey ambush. But I did feel proud afterwards. Because despite the fear, the chaos, the overwhelm, I kept going and I sorted it.
A few years ago, I’d have struggled to shake that off. I’d have come home rattled, and probably turned it into a whole story about how I’m not cut out for this.
But this time? I saw it as a challenge. And I felt good that I’d risen to it. Not because it was easy but because I’ve been teaching my brain to look for growth, not failure.
I think it’s unbelievably cool that we can train our brains to respond differently. We can rewire our default response from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘This is hard… but I’m doing it.’
Just as we teach our kids that mistakes are learning opportunities, we can teach ourselves that challenges are evidence of our strength - not proof that we’re not good enough.
So if you’re in the thick of the Easter holidays right now, clinging to sanity with a half-eaten hot cross bun and the remnants of a broken routine, remember this:
You might not be loving it. But you’re doing it. And when it’s over, you’ll look back and think - I did something hard. I held it together. I didn’t run away from the jungle.
And that’s something to feel proud of.
Jabari Jumps
Gaia Cornwall (Author)
(Candlewick)
This week’s book speaks so clearly to this idea of fear and courage. Jabari has finished his swimming lessons, and today’s the day he’s going to jump off the diving board. He says he’s ready. But as he climbs up, it gets harder to stay brave. He lets other kids go ahead of him. He takes deep breaths. And with a little encouragement from his dad, he finally finds the courage to take the leap.
This story is such a warm, honest look at what it really feels like to try something scary - and how we don’t need to rush through the fear to be brave. We can pause, take a breath, and still do the thing.
Perfect for kids who get nervous about new things - and parents who want to model that bravery doesn’t mean being fearless.
This week, your challenge isn’t to love every second. It’s to notice the hard thing you did - and name it.
Maybe it was keeping your cool when your child melted down over getting their breakfast in the blue bowl and not the red one.
Maybe it was getting through a long solo-parenting day without roaring at them.
Maybe it was doing something scary - big or small - and coming out the other side.
🧠 That’s your evidence. That’s mindset in action.
One small shift. One big message: You’re doing it. You really are. ☺️
Until next week!
Becca x
🌟 Mum, You’ve Got This: A Mindset Reset is a two-hour workshop just for you.
It’s a space to pause, breathe, and work through the stories you’ve been carrying, so you can come out the other side feeling steadier, stronger, and more like you.
We’ll talk about:
How you respond to challenges
Where those responses come from
And how to gently shift them into something kinder, braver, and more helpful
🗓 Saturday 17th May, 10am–12pm (GMT)
Pop the kettle on. Get someone to watch the kids. I’ll bring the mindset magic.
Book your spot here. 💕
