For Us: Reflecting on the Journal's Creation

For Us: A Self Care Journal for Mamas is the first collaborative project that we, 1134 Press, have published. Between life’s responsibilities, Bri “Bam” Mobley and I worked diligently for over a year to create a special journal for mothers’ journey in self-care and love. 

I am not a mother, but I know so many amazing women that are. Working on this project was a way for me show my gratitude to all those women who have helped shape me into the person that I am today. It takes a lot to raise children and mentor others. Taking time to replenish yourself mentally and spiritually is not just a practice for those who don’t have children, yet, we expect (demand, even) for moms to put their wants and needs last. As Mobley said, “How are you going to pour into your little one if you’re pouring from an empty cup?”

In early discussions about what For Us could be, the conversation always returned to the idea of a room. We wanted this journal to feel like a vibrant room filled with flora and fauna, affirmations, a safe space to question, forgive, and reflect. There are too many aspects in life where women, especially mothers, don’t have autonomy over their spaces, be it internal or external. For Us attempts to achieve just that—a room of your own to be as loud or quiet as you want. 

As a person who has kept a journal since I was eight-years-old, I was surprised by the transformation that my personal journaling underwent while working on this project. Yes, For Uswas made for moms, but prompts such as, “Here is the tribe I can call on for help” and “What kind of woman do I want to be in the world,”struck a chord in me. It is our hope that For Us will do the same for you.