Before I was a mum...

I smiled, but not as widely as I do now. I lived, but not as bravely as I do now.

I used to feel like something was missing.

I had life rules: not to get married young, not to have kids until I was in my 30s, to maintain my career.

And with the breaking of each rule came true satisfaction and freedom.

I regretted not trying my hand at writing.

I was happy with my job, though, and I put more effort into that than anything else.

Steve and I rarely, very rarely, argued.

I didn't do anything particularly crazy or funny. Just went about my days quietly.

Except this: one day I said, 'Let's do the Overland Track'. So we trained, and we did it.

Five days of hiking in the wilderness taught me more than 23 years of day-to-day life had.

No one ever told me I couldn't do anything - except me.

Steve showed me how to be calm(er), how to shrug things off, and how to channel that energy into challenging myself.

I knew I wanted to be a mum. I didn't think I'd be a particularly good one, though.

And I certainly never knew that motherhood would change my life in the ways it has.

This is part of Laney's challenge, March to Your Own Beat.