Congratulations on embarking into the motherhood journey. No matter what point of the journey you are on today, you have probably heard the buzz words: life balance and self-care.
Motherhood is a role in life that you will continue to discover and understand the beauty of these words.The biggest thing to remember in this role is patience and flexibility with one’s self. Motherhood brings about the simple joy of loving, encouraging, shaping and molding another human life. This role allows us to help create more amazing human beings. We get to inspire the future leaders.
Our roles as mothers happen through verbal and non-verbal actions and words. One non-verbal action comes from the way we take care of ourselves. We are role models for our children. As a child, I saw my mother make sacrifices for our family daily. I also watched the moments when she would go and sit in her favorite blue chair and just be quiet. Or she would go into the garage and read or sit quietly. I don’t recall my father or anyone every saying to me, “do not disturb mommy.” I just knew those moments were her times. I knew if she was in the garage or that blue chair; it was an invisible visible DO NOT DISTURB sign. I also remember every time my mom came from those places; she was ready to take us on. My mother showed us how to take care of ourselves and how to strike a balance in our lives.
What’s your blue chair or garage? Every state of motherhood whether the planning, first trimester, toddler, teenager or adult stage needs a blue chair or garage. These simple activities bring about balance in life and allow care for self. As we care for ourselves and find balance in life, we become the best versions of ourselves, as mothers.
Care can be as simple as understanding the things that you need to function like food, water, and shelter. Finish this statement, I feel cared for when...name three things. Now figure out ways to make sure you are getting these things daily and weekly. This action can be as simple as plugging into your schedule fifteen minutes to do breathing exercises or time to read or making sure you drink 12 glasses of water.
Balance. Think of the teeter totter from your childhood playground or the image of Lady Justice. Balance does not always mean getting everything or perfection. It means an even distribution allowing someone to be steady. Sometimes balance can be a day getting most things done and pushing other things to tomorrow’s list. Balance means being okay to say “no” or “later” or “not this time.” Finding balance takes time and may change definitionally for you daily. Balance may be staying in bed longer due to morning sickness, or sleeping when the baby sleeps versus doing laundry, or trading a spin or exercise class this week to go to your child’s recital or taking the midnight call from your college student or adult child. BUT it also means doing laundry another day and rearranging your schedule or getting a babysitter to exercise later in the week or next week.
When thinking of balance and care remember to be patient with yourself and leave room for flexibility. A strong support system promotes self-care and life balance. We are not islands, therefore we need to surround ourselves with people who will care for us and help us find life’s balance. The joy of self-care and life balance is as we help ourselves we help our children as well.
Best & Blessings
Monica Dixon , Creative Writer, Teacher & Life Coach
PreNata Team