The joys of parenting

When my wife tested positive for pregnancy in July 2021, I was shi**ing myself - pardon the expression. Being someone who's grossly future-focused, I wondered how I would organize the different parts of my life post parenthood - work, cleaning, cooking, staying in shape, etc.

Now we sit in August 2022. I'm currently lying in the play gym with my 5 month-old son. I can wholeheartedly say that I have experienced the most fulfilling moments of the last 5 years in the last five months. Sure, there are times during the day when I still get frustrated, when I wish I could have slept a bit more soundly. On the flip side, there are times when I have my son in my arms, and it is just the most beautiful moment. It is something that cannot be expressed in words. I think the definition of parenting is best explained in the book, "The Pebbles of Perception".

There are a couple of mindset shifts that have helped me enjoy this new phase of life.

Time perspective

One has to master the psychology of time to enjoy parenting. When you're with the baby, it helps to focus on the present and enjoy the little things. When you're not feeling great, it helps to focus on the past and look back on these joyful moments and also keep an eye out for the future - that there will come a time when you will get your sleep back.

Letting go of time

It helps to let go of managing time, to not think of time as a resource that needs to be fully utilized. The book, "4000 weeks", helped me realize that. It is okay to let time use you instead. Now is not the time to crank out the most productive work. Now is not the time to spend most of your waking hours on the computer. It is the time to spend moments with your son that will never come back.