How to Be a Happier Mom: 7 Essential Tips for Finding Joy in Motherhood
Becoming a mother is a beautiful and rewarding experience, but it can also be challenging and overwhelming at times. As a mom, it’s crucial to prioritize your happiness and well-being, as it positively impacts both you and your family. In this blog post, we will explore seven practical tips that can help you learn how to be a happier mom and stop falling for the narrative that motherhood is hard and unenjoyable. Let’s get to it!
I want to preface this by saying I know firsthand that motherhood can be hard. Some parts downright suck, but I feel like there’s so much focus on how difficult and unfulfilling motherhood is that it tunes out how incredible it can be. If you’ve landed on this post, it’s because you truly want to learn how to be a happier mom and stop the negative talk surrounding motherhood. I hope you find just that in this post.
Prioritize Self-Care: Nurturing Your Own Well-being
This is a hot-button phrase on the internet right now. ‘Self-care’, ‘self-love’. It’s everywhere. And it’s not a bad thing by any means, but it’s a topic I see all the time, and that’s great! Self-care is not selfish; it’s a vital aspect of being a happy and fulfilled mom. What it looks like can vary from person to person, and that shouldn’t be such a debatable thing.
Carving out time for yourself allows you to recharge and better meet the demands of motherhood. If taking a hot shower uninterrupted sounds like angels singing, that’s self-care! You have to start by identifying activities that bring you joy and make you feel rejuvenated, whether it’s reading a book, taking a long bath, practicing yoga, or simply enjoying a quiet cup of tea or coffee without someone needing you. Prioritize self-care and make it a non-negotiable part of your routine. By taking care of yourself, you’ll have more energy and positivity to share with your children.
Another part of self-care that often is overlooked is nourishing yourself. Make sure that you get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and take some time each day to just relax. In other words, you’re not a garbage disposal, so eating your kids’ scraps isn’t enough to keep you going! If you’re putting love and effort into their meals, you deserve the same love and effort put into your own. You shouldn’t come last on your list of priorities just because you have little humans you’re responsible for. If anything, you need to take time for yourself even more so you can care for those little humans!
Build a Support System: Embracing the Power of Community
Motherhood can sometimes feel isolating, so it’s crucial to surround yourself with a supportive network of fellow moms. Connect with other mothers in your community or join parenting groups online. Sharing experiences, challenges, and triumphs with like-minded individuals can be incredibly empowering and uplifting. If you’re surrounded by moms who are unhappy, overwhelmed, always angry, and lashing out, do you think that you’ll be able to keep a positive mindset? Probably not. You’re not alone in this journey and you need to find moms who, like you, want to focus on the positive parts of motherhood. Having people who understand and support you is crucial in learning how to be a happier mom. Together, you can exchange advice, offer a listening ear, and foster meaningful connections.
Practice Mindfulness: Savoring the Present Moment
Amidst the chaos of parenting, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of tasks and responsibilities. However, practicing mindfulness can help you appreciate the precious moments with your children and find happiness in the present. Take a deep breath, put your phone away, slow down, and fully engage with your child during playtime, mealtimes, or bedtime routines. Put away distractions and savor the simple joys of motherhood—the sound of their laughter, the warmth of their hugs, or the wonder in their eyes. It’s easy to take for granted the time we have with our kids when some days seem so hard. That’s normal. Don’t feel like you’re a bad mom for not enjoying every single moment with your children.
By being fully present, you create lasting memories and nurture a deeper connection with your child. There will always be time to clean the counters or wipe away the fingerprints on the windows. There won’t always be time to sit and listen to their 90th story about Among Us or see them knock down their Lego tower for the 7th time in a row. (Can you tell I’m a boy Mom?!) I know some days seem daunting, but they grow and leave, and you’ll miss the time you had with them.
Learning how to be a happier mom doesn’t have to be hard. These 7 simple steps will help you start shifting your mindset and focusing on the beautiful parts of motherhood. You’re incredible, and I hope someone tells you that every day!
Delegate and Share Responsibilities: Avoiding the Supermom Syndrome
One of the biggest challenges for many moms is trying to do it all. Remember, you don’t have to be a superhero. Learn to delegate tasks and share responsibilities with your partner or other family members. Communicate your needs and create a system that works for your family, whether it’s dividing household chores, childcare duties, or managing schedules. Express your needs, and have the hard talks with your spouse about sharing household responsibilities. If you keep it bottled up and don’t let others know you need help, that only builds resentment. By lightening your load, you’ll have more time and energy to focus on what truly matters and find greater happiness in your role as a mother. It’s okay to ask for help!
Are your kids getting older? They can have responsibilities in the house, too! Someone might take offense to this, but we don’t pay our children for contributing to the home they live in. They have daily chores they know they have to get done, and if they want the opportunity to make a little money, they can do bigger projects around the house to earn some cash.
Embrace Imperfection: Letting Go of Mom Guilt
Mom guilt is a common emotion that many mothers experience, but it’s essential to realize that perfection doesn’t exist. Embrace your imperfections and let go of unrealistic expectations. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. Remember that being a good mom doesn’t mean being flawless; it means showing up with love, care, and authenticity. By releasing the burden of mom guilt, you can create a happier and more nurturing environment for yourself and your children. This is something I still struggle with even 15 years later, but I work at it constantly. I lose my cool, my patience runs thin, and I’m too quick to snap sometimes. It’s something I have to practice every day, but it’s worth it to give my kids the mom they deserve. It’s not their fault I’m having an off day, and sometimes I need to get my emotions in check.
Practice Gratitude: Cultivating Appreciation and Positivity
Gratitude is a powerful tool for fostering happiness. Each day, take a moment to reflect on the things you are grateful for as a mom. Your mind is much more powerful than you even know, and when you choose to shift your focus on how incredible motherhood can be instead of on how difficult things may seem, your whole outlook will shift. It can be as simple as appreciating the smile on your child’s face, the support of your partner, or the little victories you achieve together. Gratitude will help you focus on the positive aspects of motherhood and remind you of the blessings in your life. Consider keeping a gratitude journal or sharing gratitude moments with your family at mealtime to encourage a culture of appreciation and positivity.
I have recently started using words of affirmation every day as well, and it’s so encouraging. Even if no one in your life is telling you how amazing you are, words of affirmation can help shift your mindset so well. Don’t get me wrong, you deserve to have someone in your life who encourages you and points out the wonderful things you do, but you can do that for yourself, too!
Find Your Passion Beyond Motherhood: Nurturing Personal Interests
While being a mom is undoubtedly fulfilling, it’s essential to maintain a sense of individuality and pursue your own passions and interests. Identify activities or hobbies that bring you joy and dedicate time to pursue them. Does going for a walk outside alone so you can listen to a book or podcast make you happy? Build into your weekly schedule a few times! Does writing help you express yourself? Get at it! That’s why I started this blog! Writing is something I love, and it helps me get my feelings out. Even if this never becomes more than my own personal journal, I am okay with that. The time I take by myself to sit and write out a post is therapeutic.
I lost a lot of myself when Lucas was diagnosed with cancer. It was hard to have no identity outside of managing his care. This blog has helped me find a piece of myself again, and I’m grateful for that.
Finding something you’re passionate about could take some time. It could be anything from painting, writing, dancing, volunteering, or learning a new skill. Try a few things and see what sticks. By nourishing your personal growth and passions, you’ll feel more fulfilled and well-rounded as a person, which positively impacts your role as a mom. You deserve to take time for yourself and have your own hobbies. It’s just one of the many things that I do for myself that have helped me learn how to be a happier mom.
Conclusion
Being a happier mom is not only beneficial for yourself but also for your children and the overall atmosphere in your home. By prioritizing self-care, building a supportive community, practicing mindfulness, sharing responsibilities, embracing imperfection, cultivating gratitude, and nurturing personal interests, you can create a more joyful and fulfilling motherhood journey. Remember, you deserve happiness, and by learning how to be a happier mom through taking care of yourself, you are ultimately providing the best version of yourself for your children. So, embrace these tips, embrace the joys of motherhood, and embrace the happiness that awaits you on this incredible journey. You deserve to be happy, fulfilled, and excited about your motherhood journey!
If this post has been helpful to you at all, please remember to share and pin it to your favorite Pinterest board. I am so grateful you are here!
-M
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