As a mother, being in a happy and peaceful state allows you to have deeper, more meaningful, satisfying and connected relationships with your children. It creates more ease and flow in your day to day parenting.

This state of mind enables you inspire your children to feel happier, and you can gain their true cooperation. Your children are happier and more cooperative, then everyone is happy. Isn’t this enough to make a commitment to yourself, to do whatever it takes to be happier and more peaceful all the time?!

Feel as good as you can, as often as you can!

This sounds really easy but it’s so difficult, isn’t it?

Especially if you work outside the home in a full-time job. It’s a major challenge to balance work with family. Are you feeling stressed, rushed and tired a lot of the time?

What does your “happy place” look like? What does it take for you to get there?

It doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Sometimes you need an afternoon off to get a massage, or curl up on your favourite chair with a good book and a glass of wine after you put the kids to bed. But everyday self-care can be done in any moment; sometimes all it takes is just a few deep breaths and just a little shift in thinking.

Here are some suggestions:

Recognize your stressors and do whatever you can to minimize them or cut them out entirely.
Exercise – do some sort of exercise every day, even if it’s only for about 10-20 minutes. The key is doing exercise that is the most fun for you.
Find something to be happy about in each moment. Truly live in each moment and enjoy it!
Let go of the need to control others’ perceptions, opinions and just BE you. There is no need to prove yourself to anyone.
Cultivate empathy for yourself. You are doing the best you can.
Trust your intuition. Go with what feels right, what your natural instincts are telling you.
Ask for help. Just pick up the phone and ask a friend or family member for what you need to make your life easier.
Ask yourself: Where are you sacrificing yourself to others and giving yourself away to the detriment of your integrity, health and well-being?

Life is short, especially the time being a parent. As mothers, we spend way too much time worrying – worrying about what others think of us, worrying about getting things done, worrying about what our kids are doing and how to get them to cooperate more fully. All this worry is sucking our energy and vitality. It doesn’t help anyone and it’s not good. Find the joy in every moment, no matter how mundane, chaotic, annoying, or tragic it may seem. There is always something to be grateful for or happy about in every moment.

Feeling good is more important than anything else.

Source: Excerpts from Jane Sheppard for healthychild.com