We're on week four of six as we dive into the core areas successful moms are intentional about: their own dreams, spending time on things that matter, making space for themselves, investing in their mental and physical health, parenting in partnership, and the way they parent their kids.
This week, we're focusing on the fourth core area:
Investing in Our Mental and Physical Health
Moms who take the long view on parenting understand it’s a marathon, not a sprint. They see that they have to invest in their own physical health from the very beginning of their motherhood journeys. They also know they must invest in their own mental health. Why? Because being a parent is just straight triggering. This morning my three-year-old daughter spent an hour sobbing about her afternoon dentist appointment, throwing herself on the floor and yelling, “This is unfair! You’re a mean mom!”
Yeah, that took patience to get through without completely losing it myself. It took mindfulness. It took perspective... and, I don’t know about you, but those things don’t always come naturally to me. They take persistent practice, sometimes in a therapist’s office, sometimes by taking a walk in the fresh air, and sometimes in a dark room on a bike going nowhere as I listen to Jay Z with 30 other riders. When we take care of our minds and bodies, we are less-easily triggered and can more easily respond versus react to our kids’ behaviors and needs.
They Give Themselves Self-Compassion
They recognize the myriad of social forces making avoiding sleep deprivation and stress in the early years almost impossible. Instead of ignoring them or wishing them away, they face them head on by getting educated, working with others in their village to mitigate them, and taking preventive steps to reduce them whenever possible.
They also know the struggles of early motherhood are not their fault. They are watchful for postpartum anxiety and depression, and for the kind of toxic, chronic stress that can pile up after months and years as a parent. They seek out help or let others find resources for them when they’re too overwhelmed to do it themselves.
They Own Their Motherhood Experience
They learn how to take back their motherhood experience to make it what it was meant to be.
Next week, we’ll talk about the fifth area successful moms focus on: parenting in partnership. Until then, make sure you check out our most recent
podcast episodes!
