When I have time for me, I’m a better mom – Noelani Love

Noelani began designing jewelry as a young girl, growing up in North Carolina. During her college years in Virginia, this hobby began to turn into a passion fueled by her desire to create beauty with her hands. She followed her lifelong dream of moving to Hawaii to learn about her Hawaiian culture and, organically, Noelani Hawaii began to grow into what it has become today… a small, conscious company that grows as Noe herself grows.

Noe has many other passions that allow her to share her light with others and empower them along the way – She teach yoga, birthing classes, and assists pregnant women in labor as a doula. She loves surfing, singing, writing, and spending time with her ‘ohana on the North Shore of Oahu. As a mother, designer and yogini, she creates to inspire, believing in the healing power of our intentions along with the gifts of this earth.

Q: How was your life before having your son Aukai?

Before I had my son Aukai, I was living a pretty simple life. Enjoying the beach and and spending time with friends surfing/going to clubs to dance, and just starting my jewelry business. I wasn’t actually thinking too much about my future… more just learning about myself and enjoying living in Hawaii. I grew up in Charlotte, NC which is pretty conservative. So I feel that by moving to Hawaii, I was able to relearn how to be myself in a space of freedom and less judgement.

Q: Many moms, after having their first child, were so excited about that experience. But then, they found that their time is no longer theirs. They actually feel guilty to make consistent time for their Yoga practice or what they love. They feel like they are neglecting their kids.

Did you have the same fears and challenges when you realized that you no longer have 100% of your time for yourself?

I had a really hard time in the beginning as a new mom. I didn’t do a lot of yoga beforehand, but I did surf and enjoy my freetime.  I did feel guilty by taking time for myself, and my mother-in-law really enjoyed making me feel guilty. She made it very hard for me to take time for myself. (I think a lot of new moms struggle with the mother-in-law, but it became very apparent when I became a mom).  I struggled with finding time to shower, eat, or even sleep. I had post partum depression. But what really helped was connecting with other moms and  spending time with them. As a young mom, most of my friends were not having children yet, so I really enjoyed making new friends that understood the challenges of being a mom.

Q: What made you believe that it’s possible to make time for your Yoga practice and passions while still being a loving and supportive mother for your kid?

I realized that the only way for me to stay happy and sane was to take time for myself. When I have time for me, I’m a better mom. Once I realized this, I began to share that information with my son before I left for yoga or a beach run to let him know I would come back a happier mom.

Q: Was Yoga only a practice that you enjoyed, or was it much deeper than that? How did it help you with your parenting and relationship with your son?

Today’s version of yoga to most people is mostly “asana” or just physical postures. I’ve been focusing a lot more on the breath practice of yoga as well as the mental focus and the spiritual side of yoga. I also feel a strong connection to all other beings and the universe as a whole. The philosophies of yoga has helped me to better understand the laws of the universe and how to navigate sharing the ways of the world with my son.

Through the practice, I feel that it’s helped my parenting in that I learned how to take deep breaths for myself, and am currently teaching Aukai how to take deep breaths for himself when he gets overwhelmed or upset. We also enjoy doing some yoga together in the mornings because he is very active and yoga has helped me a lot in relieving tension in my body. So I enjoy sharing these tools with him to support his journey.

Q: Can you share a little bit about the life you are living now? Your family, your businesses and passions and your connection to Spirit?

Right now, I’m focused on being the best mom to my son as he nears his preteen years, and enjoying playing with him while he still wants to play with me. We surf a lot together and play in the ocean, we cook together and we homeschool. My business is expanding and I’m seeing how I can create broader impact in the world with my experiences and the knowledge I’ve gained. I’m feeling really connected to Spirit and my ancestors and am constantly asking for guidance 🙂

Q: What was the deepest inner transformation you experienced through your journey as a Yogini Mom?

Oohhh you had to go there 🙂

This has been a hard one for me, and I think I’m almost all the way through. But forgiving my ex and myself for our divorce and loving both of us for the experience and the gifts that were created from it. There was a lot of anger, resentment and guilt associated with our relationship when it dissolved. It’s been a long road to forgiveness and ultimately self love, but I think that is the eventual goal for all beings… and we are just starting to discover that. We are really at an evolutionary turning point and things are shifting fast. I’m really grateful to be living at this time and place right now in the Universe, to be bringing back the focus to love.