I don’t know about you, but by the time I had been a mother for 3 years, I had lost my energy and my JOY of being a new mother. I looked back at those three years to try and figure out what happened… When I took the time, I could see perfectly. I had given up my own needs to take care of my children and spouse (at the time). By this time I had a 3 year old and a 1 year old who did NOT sleep and I was running on fumes. I know what you’re thinking – yes, welcome to Motherhood, it’s hard, it’s ugly, it’s draining, and beautiful all at the same time. And I agree with you.
Input and Output…
First of all, I noticed my body was unwell because of all the processed and sugary foods I had been feeding it. Once I learned the harmful effects of sugar I started implementing small changes in my diet. I switched over to a more whole-food approach for not only myself, but also my family. It wasn’t easy to detox my brain from sugar, but I found a solution that helped to keep me on the right track! I started with simple cook books like this one, and tried to stick to the outer edges of the grocery stores.
Then, I prioritized movement. The output. I learned the benefits of yoga and pilates and made a goal of MOVING at least 3 days a week for 15-30 minutes each time. Creating and accomplishing goals is such a great feeling when you’re a new mom! Even though I was tired from having a newborn, working out helped decrease my tension and stress so I could stay positive, and LESS reactive towards my kids.
Write it out…
The third way I started taking better care of myself was to make simple lists of what needed to get done that day. Not just a daily list of chores, but a list of THREE items to make my day feel “accomplished.” Some days it was menu planning, meal prepping, and cleaning the dishes. Other days it was more personal to me: work out for 30 minutes (or whatever allotment of time I could dedicate), drink my Red Drink before 2 o’clock, and read a book for at least 10 minutes. All of which made my day a success!
The last step I took to take better care of myself and my needs was to change the negative thoughts I was having as a mom. The research I did on negative self talk amazed me in how they can actually turn negative thought patterns into positive ones. I thought of myself as pretty savvy in the natural world of things, but this was something I had only scratched the surface of. So, I grabbed a journal and started to break down the walls I had built up for so long. So get yourself a Journal and get to writing out your thoughts and fears.
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