Moms are Leaders. Funny how we don't really see ourselves this way in the every day life things. We just do life, doing the every day Mom Things. We cater to the house and manage all the things, often without managing ALL the things. We tend to let the things, manage us.
I see it all the time…Moms feeling overwhelmed, loosing themselves in the day to day Mom Life. You don’t have to scroll for long before finding culture’s answer: Self Care and Wine. Well, I’d like to offer some practical, helpful, and healthy help on this topic!
As I scroll through the different Mom Groups, I see people asking "How do I organize my day?" or " How do I get it all done?" "When do Moms get a day off?!" “I feel like a Maid more than a Mom.” The common answer 99% of the time is Time Blocking. Setting an allowed amount of time to check off tasks from the To Do list for the day, giving yourself the top 3 things that are the Must Dos and filling in the rest in the day with the should dos.
As a Mom of 4, I know the stress of being needed 24/7. As a person who dreamed of being a Full Time Mom once I had my babies, this was supposed to be the dream, and don't get me wrong, it was, still is! But it doesn't mean I don't get overwhelmed or exhausted. What other job out there is literally 24/7?!
I live and love big in every moment. I believe my home is my mission field. I have always owned my deep responsibility to train up, guard, protect and inspire my babies and all who entered my home. I had the Mile Long To Do list in my head but I never felt rested or in control. Life was simply busy and always moving a few notches faster than I felt I could keep up with.
In 2009 I had to tweak the Daily Things when my adrenals crashed and burned. I had high expectations of myself and unrealistic ones at that. I thought being a Stay at Home Mom, a Proverbs 31 women, all meant I had to put everyone else's needs love my own and be the Yes to Bless.
But in 2008, all the over-extended yeses led me to burn out. It ‘wasn’t just saying yes. While I poured out a lot, I never poured back in. While it was an awful season, it was the best season because in the drought, in these fires, I was refined.
People pleasing in the name of Servant-Leadership, Perfectionism in the name of Serving with Excellence, Lack of Sleep in the name of A Mom's Work is Never Done. This was how I saw my role as a Proverbs 31 Woman. She did it all, exceedingly well, without help.
Have you found yourself saying the same things?!? What about “I need a vacation!” “I wish I could have 30 minutes to myself.” “I wish my family understood how much I do and stop making me feel guilty for not being able to jump up and help them at their demand.” “I don’t feel like I have any friends anymore.” “I wish my home was less chaotic.” “I don’t have any energy left and it’s only 5:41pm.” “My life feels like Groundhog Day.” “ I am about to lose my mind.”
If you have said any one of these, I am here to be a Sister Friend of encouragement and hope for you! Eventhough you haven’t said it, I am pretty sure that’s how and why you you are still here at this point in the blog. Yah, we are the same. Keep reading! I see you.
You recognize the need to pause, but you aren’t finding the permission to do so. You feel as if you would be less than if you somehow took a break or admitted you were exhausted. I know…..
Why not, is my first question. We can go really deep here. But since this is a little bloggy blog, let’s just say we need to really look at the why not here. Is it lack of self control? People Pleasing? Unrealistic expectations from self or others? Lack of self worth? Feel like you have to earn your worth? Prove your value or ability?!? ohhhhh….we are going there…..
Sister Friend, let’s take a HUGE belly breath together….in….out….okay. The comfort in this….you are not alone!!!!! You are also not a failure or less than by taking a break or putting a schedule to your day! Before this becomes a Blog-Book (lol), let’s carry this over to the next Blog for the Part 2 of this conversation! See ya over there.
If today's encouragement hugged your HEART today, let me know in the comments or meet me over
in my Facebook Sisterhood Community! Feel free to share this blog with a friend who needs a heart hug too!
This is how YOU get to hug my HEART back!
Heart Hugs and Blessings,
Michele
