I feel like the weight of motherhood has gotten me down lately. And it's not that I don't enjoy every day getting to be the mother of two amazing little babes and having the blessing to be at home with them everyday to raise them, it's just life can be a lot sometimes. It's the everyday tasks of being a maid of the household, a nurse to sick children, a chauffeur for rides everywhere, an organizer for everyones schedules, a chef for every meal of the day plus cleanup, a teacher, a comforter . . . the list goes on and it's a 24 hour job that sometimes goes without a single thank you. Plus on top of this you are also a wife to someone that you love very much and that is a relationship that needs time in itself as well. So I have been thinking about this a lot lately and wanted to share some of my thoughts on how easy it is for us moms to feel like we have completely lost ourself in serving everyone around us all day long and what we can do to get ourselves back and maybe even feel like a woman again.
1. TAKE AT LEAST 10 MINUTES a day of ALONE TIME [this is a great way to start the day so you get off on the right foot. set your alarm before the kids wake up and do something for yourself whether it's meditate, read a book, write in your journal, stretch, or even taking the time to pray]
2. PLAN OUT YOUR DAY HOUR BY HOUR and make a to-do list with a goal for that day. [I have found that my day goes so much smoother when I have it planned out and know everything that I need to get done, plus I have fun things planned out for the kids so they are entertained and have a fun day]
3. SCHEDULE TIME FOR DATE NIGHTS as well as girls nights [because getting together at the park doesn't count as quality time with your girlfriends when you are chasing kids around. You need friends to relate to and share motherhood stories with - the good and the bad. They say it takes a village to raise a child and that starts with mothers leaning on each other and building one another up.]
4. PAMPER YOURSELF ONCE IN A WHILE. [I love to get ready and look nice, but I feel like a train wreck some days as a mom with food stains all over me and bags under my eyes so sometimes we just need someone to remind us that we can be beautiful and feel like a woman while still being a doting mother. this could be as big as a day to the spa or something simple like painting your own nails, taking a bubble bath or getting a blow out from the dry bar. I think any pampering that makes you feel better about yourself is something worth investing in.]
5. DEVELOP YOUR OWN TALENTS AND HOBBIES [keep learning and growing as a person. you want to offer your children the best version of yourself and that includes the ambitious person you were before you had kids so remember to keep learning new skills and hobbies and go to classes to learn something new when you have the time for it. Don't forget that you can keep progressing and growing as a person all while raising your little ones to be great people too.]
