admin A Little Reminder To Take With You Today If You Are Struggling In Motherhood…
Do you have that little voice in your head shaming you for not loving the season of motherhood you are in? Or do you find yourself constantly feeling guilt for wanting to take a break from your children? Do you sometimes struggle with not wanting to mom some days? I have been there, too! I promise you are not the only mama struggling in motherhood.
Sometimes when I’m in a challenging season and I feel like all I do is struggle, it can feel like there is no room for gratitude. And since I find myself talking mainly about my struggles in motherhood on this account—it can feel like people are judging you for not being grateful to be a mom or for constantly complaining—none of which is true.
Just because I open up about motherhood struggles doesn’t mean I am not grateful to be a mom.
Talking only about the beautiful parts of motherhood doesn’t help the mom who feels alone in her struggle.
And also, you can be in a completely overwhelming season of motherhood and be overwhelming grateful to be a mom and love being a mom. They can both exist at the same time!
What has helped with the mom guilt and when I am struggling in motherhood for me is…
Journaling:
Journaling down what is hard or what I am struggling with followed by what I am grateful for (and be specific not just grateful for my kids—ex. Grateful for the belly laughs today). Just knowing that you can practice gratitude and validate your feelings at the same time makes all the difference.
Prayer:
Asking God to help you distinguish from that helpful guilt or if it is that false guilt that you need to tell it to go and not believe it. An example, you are feeling guilty over too much TV time or not enough veggies or fruit. If it’s every once and awhile, then that is more than likely false guilt and totally okay. I am a huge advocate for screen time especially if you need the break! Take that break mama! If it’s been an everyday maybe that is a helpful guilt to offer more fruit and veggies and less TV time. So work that change into your daily schedule. In that process of change, make sure you don’t beat yourself up and give yourself some grace!
Affirmations:
Affirmations have been huge for me. I actually plan on devoting a whole blog post for biblical affirmations for mamas. In order to find affirmations for you and your personal life, you can write down the mom you want to be and make those affirmations for yourself! For example, I struggle with being present so my daily affirmation is, “I am capable of being a present mom to my children. I will not let distractions or thoughts take me from the present moment.”
Moms and guilt go hand in hand. But thinking positive and being grateful always helps.