Locked Out, Let In

The Pajama Shuffle

Picture this: I’m standing on my porch. Pajamas, slippers, coffee mug in hand. And the door? Firmly locked behind me.

My neighbor waves. My coffee cools. And my pride? It slips away faster than my chance at looking like a competent adult that morning.

What began as a humiliating moment turned into a lesson about humility, help, and the surprising gift of being “locked out.”

Humor in Humiliation

If you’ve never been locked out of your house, let me assure you: it’s a comedy show no one asked for.

The awkward shuffle of pretending you meant to stand outside in pajamas.

The frantic patting of pockets you already know are empty.

The desperate hope the cat has learned to open doors.

Spoiler: the cat did not.

The Power of Asking for Help

For moms especially, asking for help can feel like failure. We’re conditioned to juggle everything — meals, homework, work emails, emotional crises — without dropping a ball.

But standing barefoot in your driveway at 8:00 a.m.? That strips away the illusion real quick. Sometimes you need to knock on a neighbor’s door and admit: I can’t do this alone.

Motherhood as Humility Training

Motherhood is basically one long series of humbling events:

• Kids announcing in public that you “forgot to wear deodorant.”

• Teachers hearing about your questionable driving playlists.

• Being schooled in Minecraft by a 6-year-old.

It’s relentless. But it’s also refining. Humility keeps us human.

Growth Through Community

Here’s what that pajama morning taught me: thriving doesn’t mean being self-sufficient all the time. Thriving means connection.

We are stronger when we let people in — to hold doors open, to pour backup cups of coffee, to remind us we don’t have to carry it all alone.

🔎 Affirmations
Use these as reminders when pride whispers, “Do it all yourself.”

• It’s okay to ask for help.

• Connection makes me stronger.

• Humility opens the door to thriving.

Closing Reflection

Being locked out isn’t the end of the world — it’s an invitation. To laugh at yourself. To lean on others. To remember that thriving isn’t about perfection, it’s about participation.

Sometimes being locked out is how we finally let others in.

💬 Member Chat Prompt
👉 When was the last time motherhood humbled you? Share your story — because our collective bloopers are where the best wisdom hides.

🌻 Ready to keep the conversation going? Join the Thrive Momma Community here  and find your circle of moms who get it.