Author, Tracy Moore, describes finding herself facing an unplanned pregnancy at age 33. Her lifestyle had consisted of a career, smoking cigarettes and bar-hopping. She says, “I was one of those people who are pretty sure they aren’t going to have any kids. As a result, I lived my life like someone who doesn’t need to ever grow up.” Yet, here she was being thrust into parenthood. And through her experience, she discovered a surprising number of advantages.

1.  You’ll Get Healthier, Faster — Because of the pregnancy, Tracy made healthy changes in her life, eliminating alcohol and cigarettes. And she also thought better about her food choices.
2. You’ll Get Emotionally Sorted Out — It’s a bit presumptuous to make this blanket statement, however the author’s assertion is basically true. While you won’t be rid of all of your emotional baggage, pregnancy will cause you to focus on another human being, rather than being consumed with your own drama.
3. You Have an Excuse to Get Out of Things — Yes, it seems humorous, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying even the simplest of pleasures. There’s also a serious side as Tracy notes, “It’s a legit reason to stop doing a bunch of bad stuff you always meant to quit.”
4. You’ll Simplify Your Life — “You think pregnancy just made your life infinitely more complicated, but looked at from another angle, it just became ridiculously clear what matters,” says Tracy. Pregnancy certainly presents a compelling reason to re-prioritize your life and eliminate those things that aren’t really important.
5. You’ll Figure Out Your Career — Having a child causes you to examine your career goals. Some women even use this as a reason to have an abortion. But the author offers an alternative point of view, “This baby is not an impediment so much as a very squirmy piece of the puzzle.”
6. You’ll Finally Clean Your House — The emphasis here isn’t so much on the task itself, but rather the significance. It means you are doing what’s necessary to prepare your home for your child. That type of care has a positive emotional influence.
7. You’ll Figure Out Your Finances — This is another step of responsibility. There’s no mistaking the financial impact of having a baby. Pregnancy gives you time to work out a budget. It may mean making sacrifices, but it will be well worth it.
8. You’ll Figure Out Your Relationship — For good or bad, pregnancy will test your relationship. Tracy’s advice is, “If having a kid together on the fly screws up the relationship, you must consider it a sad, but positive lesson learned.” She also notes that it may make your relationship stronger and calls it a blessing.
9. You’ll Embrace a Roll-with-It Kinda Attitude — Any parent knows that you have to be flexible. But the article actually shares how that’s beneficial, “The study, published in the British Journal of Medical Psychology showed that unexpectedly pregnant ladies who rolled with life’s tiny little kicks and punches had vastly greater scores for ‘cementing relationships with their partner, family and friends, of improving their work and social life, and even of getting better housing.’”
10. You’ll Get All Focused — This final point is intangible, but important. In the midst of all the craziness a pregnancy can bring, there’s a sense of pride and fulfillment that only a child can bring to your life. Focusing on that is truly a beautiful thing.