Hey lovelies, and welcome back (or "Hey!" if you're new around here).
This short blogpost is for my fellow mamas out there (including me) that just need a gentle reminder to take care of themselves this mother's day and ALWAYS! I know it's not easy and sometimes life just happens and somehow you find yourself run down, burnt out and in need of a break! But here are a few things I'm learning along the journey...I hope they help!
1. Don't try and fit one more task in... REST! The 'to-do list' can wait!
Listen, no judgement here! I put my hands up because I'm pretty guilty of this one. It's so easy to get caught up in all the tasks you need to do that you keep telling yourself to "just get through one more" and before you know it, it's hitting 10/11pm and you haven't had a single moment to yourself! Slowly I'm learning that, in order to be productive, rest is an integral part of the process. All work and no rest leads to a very burnt out, exhausted, not-fun-to-be-around Deborah, which is not cute! So lately I've been making an effort at the end of each day to do something for me. Just me. Even if it's just 10 minutes. Whether that's reading a few pages of a book or catching up on a Netflix series, carving out time to just switch off and relax needs to be a priority, not just on Mother's Day, but every day, mama.
2. Make time to shower.. UNINTERRUPTED
Especially in the very early stages of motherhood, it can feel almost impossible to just get the basics done for yourself. You've probably spent the whole day catering to your baby and everything else almost seems like another chore. But there's something about those uninterrupted showers that just do everything for my mood!
3. Eat Before NOON.
What a concept, right?! Lol I think – for a lot of mothers – we've confused basic commodities with luxury. Showering uninterrupted, eating before noon etc, these are things we NEED. It's not a form of indulgence or some fancy self-care routine. So this Mother's Day, let's make it a priority (as basic as it sounds) to enjoy breakfast not just because food is fuel and needed to survive, but because it's time to look after YOU too, and you deserve that! And that segues perfectly to my next point...
4. Set aside time to love on..YOU
Have you ever tried using your love languages on yourself?
- The book by Gary Chapman names words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch as the '5 Love Languages' needed to make a marriage work, but what would happen if we used them on ourselves?
- My love languages are acts of service and words of affirmation. So for me that would look like a nice spa set up in the bathroom, candles lit, relaxing music and time to just be alone for a bit. It could also look like journalling; writing down on paper what your great qualities are and celebrating your small wins! I would fully encourage you to find out what yours is and start loving on you, mama!
Remember, in order to be fully present for our loved ones, we must be full beings. And that means learning to listen to our bodies and giving ourselves the down-time we need. Yes, we have our many responsibilities, but we must take care of us, too...
I hope this has freed someone today and encouraged you that it's okay to take care of YOU – and make no apologies for it!
See you next time...
Love and Light!
Simply Deborah xo