Why Self Care Is Important For Moms

You know it’s important. You know you should be doing it. But how? What? Where? When? It’s been said a thousand times before, but I will say it again. Why is self care important for moms? Because we need to take care of ourselves before we can take care of our families.

Yeah, you get that. It’s not something new. You understand it intellectually. But let me ask you a question – are you doing it? On the regular?

What would self care look like for you? What are the things that fill up your insides? What are the activities that bring you joy – true joy?

How important it is to bring these activities into our daily lives, merge them with our motherhood duties. The best kind of self care is what we do as much as we can every day. We create a life that we don’t need to escape from. We can handle and enjoy our life.

What does self care look like for me? It’s getting to my yoga class once a week. Some days it’s waking up early so I can start my day with quiet, other days it’s skipping my first alarm and letting myself sleep in until the kids need to be up. It’s taking the time to sit down and write in the morning, to get my thoughts in order before starting the day. It is listening to ourselves and what we need, and making those a priority.

Guilt can show up when we are taking time to ourselves to do something we enjoy. We might think that we should be doing something more productive, or worrying about how the kids are doing. But think about that feeling you get, after you did something that you LOVE. How full, refreshed, energized you are. And how do you show up as a mom after that? Compare that to how you are showing up when you never take a single moment to yourself.

When mom takes care of herself, the whole family benefits.

Christmas In My Heart

Christmas has taken a different meaning since becoming a mom. I used to wait and wait and wait for the day that Santa would finally come, waking up as early as possible to climb down the stairs and see the goodies that were under the tree. I remember trying to stay up and spy on Santa, but those heavy eyelids would close before he came. The excitement, anticipation, and joy!

Christmas morning still brings the excitement of unopened gifts waiting under the Christmas tree. But more than that, it’s watching the sparkle and wonder in my children’s eyes as they see what Santa brought them the night before. Their joy is so innocent; their belief in that magical man with a red suit and white beard is so true. It’s contagious – I can’t help but feel the magic myself.

It also makes me think of Mary, of the birth of Jesus. She was in a stable, delivering her child. No luxury, no doctors, nothing. And yet when I picture her holding her precious baby boy, her face shines with peace and joy. This is the true meaning of Christmas. A celebration of Jesus’ birth. Peace. Love. Joy. Contentment with what is. It’s being together with family and those you hold dear. It’s not about the biggest present under the tree, or an overstuffed stocking. It’s not the things that bring happiness, it’s the giving of them. Giving from a place of love.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it can be hard for me to get into the spirit. There are always so many daily to dos, plus Christmas preparations on top of that, that it’s easy to get lost in the busyness. I’m preparing all the things and I forget to stop and think about what I’m actually preparing for.

I was sitting in the church bench a few weeks ago, listening to the little kindergarten kids sing Away In A Manger. Tears came to my eyes at the little voices singing so beautifully. A little off tune, not necessarily in time with the organ, but they were singing with their whole hearts. The sound was so true. That was a moment when I truly felt Christmas in my heart. It’s a feeling of peace, of contentment. Of love.

May you find Christmas in your heart this season.

Merry Christmas!