As a way of honoring yourself as a mother and a woman, I encourage you to practice some of these self care strategies that have been helpful for me and my clients:

Give yourself permission to add self care to your life. It’s OK for it to be all about you sometimes. Think of self care as any act of nurturing, meaning anything that enhances your level of health, wellness and happiness. Look at all areas such as physical, mental, social, spiritual and financial. Paying an overdue bill can do just as much for your level of wellness sometimes as a warm bath.

Recognize and blast the barriers. Ask yourself: what is preventing you from making self care an everyday occurrence? Some of my clients’ barriers that we often work through are feelings of guilt, lack of time, finances, lack of support or the need for perfectionism. If any of these ring true for you, take some time to determine a plan as to how you can overcome them. As Dr. Phil says..”You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge”.
Ditch the Superwoman Syndrome. This syndrome is adding unnecessary stress and sickness to our lives. We place such unrealistic expectations on ourselves. The guilt we feel as mothers often fuels this Superwoman Syndrome. Start letting go of your mental chatter; practice saying No and remember no one’s life is perfect. As mothers we need to take Superwoman off the pedestal and start putting a more realistic, imperfect, yet happier Mom up there.
Practice acts of self care on a daily basis. Start creating a daily habit routine.
Remember that small acts can have big pay offs. It is the small yet consistent acts that really pay the biggest dividends toward your health. Instead of working out one hour every fourth day, try 25 min on daily basis. The smaller acts are more likely to become a routine.

Allow yourself to dream. Moms can and deserve a life beyond motherhood. If you are craving something new in your life, ask yourself what are some of the dreams you have been putting off. I support Moms in making their dreams come true. Coaching moms in winning the game of life fulfillment while thriving in motherhood is what I do best. I see mothers come alive. I see their pursuit of passion finally realized. I see their ability to thrive in motherhood increase because they are following their dreams. A personally fulfilled woman makes an amazing mother.

Get yourself a pair of rose colored glasses. Having a healthy perception of life and a positive attitude is one of the best self care strategies you can practice. It is a universal law that what you focus on expands so what are you focusing on? Is your glass always half empty? Do you complain about everything and everybody? Take some time to see what your inner chatter is saying. Then consciously take steps to changing your thoughts and seeing the glass as half full. A daily reflection of gratitude and appreciation goes along way toward improving your self care, your self worth, and your whole life.
I acknowledge all mothers out there who on a daily basis participate in one of the most challenging, yet rewarding roles any woman can have in her life time. Take an opportunity to acknowledge yourself for the many big and little things you do. Honor yourself from a place of kindness and gentleness. We do what we know to be the best at the time. Forgive yourself when needed and celebrate yourself whether you think you need it or not. We all deserve to be celebrated. Here’s to you…Cheers!!!
Article written by Peggy Porter-Helping you master motherhood. 

All Rights Reserved. Article may be reprinted in its entirety with resource box included.

Peggy Porter is a coach, author and speaker. Peggy is known as The Success Coach for Mom Entrepreneurs and helps them plan, prioritize and be more productive so they can make more money in their business, spend more quality time with family and bring more energy and less stress to their own lives. In her fr*ee report The 3 Essential Keys to Mom Entrepreneur Success found at www.peggyporter.com , Peggy shows Mom Entrepreneurs what is needed to have a successful family and successful business, at the same time!

Wellness Add new tag, guilt, happiness, mother, self care, Super Woman Syndrome, unrealistic expectations, Wellness, working mom

Now that our family vacation is coming to an end, I  feel like I am beginning a new year, instead of a new season.  The back to school process always snaps me back into a regular routine that summer and vacation has gotten me out of.  Many other Moms often feel the same way.

The end of summer becomes for many, not just for moms, a reminder of how quickly summer and our lives pass us by.  Our children are going into a new grade and we ask ourselves, “where did the years go?”

The part of summer that I have a hard time letting go off is the laid back, less hectic way of living.  Schedules are not as rigid, vacations are enjoyed and everyone you meet seems to be moving at a much slower pace.

So how can you take a part of your summer and carry it over into the fall months?

Take a mini vacation.  Vacations do not have to be saved for summer.  A few day trips on the weekends in October can be a welcome treat for parents and kids alike. Call it a vacation and treat it like that. Get out your calendar and pick a day. It is always great to have something to look forward to.

Keep a check on your attitude.  What is your perspective you carry into the fall months?  Is it all about the crazy schedule, lunches to pack, snow coming, crazy Christmas season??  It is our attitude that causes our stress so if you are dreading the summer months coming to an end, do an inventory of what your thoughts are.  Maybe it’s time, as they say, for an “attitude adjustment”

Slow down. With fall registrations for activities coming up, our schedules will soon be full. I know for our family, the fall is a very busy time as judo, dance and hockey starts up. Because of hectic schedules, it is very important to remember to take the time to slow down. Make sure you include some time to relax at home.  Being busy is fine as long as  you enjoy what you are doing and if it is balanced out with some down time.  If you or your kids are involved in activities that you don’t ‘LOVE”, consider dropping them.  If you are spending time and energy on these things, make sure you really enjoy them.                   

Summers are amazing and being away from our regular routines is what many of us need in order to recharge.  The thing is, if we live for our summers or for our next vacation, it means we are “not living” for the majority of our lives because our summer and vacations make up a small portion of our year. Enjoying what’s in front of us is really what true living is all about. And yes, that includes snow shoveling, making lunches, carting kids half way around the province and fighting with them to do their homework. And on the days when you feel like pulling your hair out…keep in mind “this too shall pass”, pour yourself a Moose Light Lime, slap on some sunless tanning lotion, crank up Bon Jovi’s “Summer Time” and dream of the lazy, hazy days of summer that are just around the corner!           

Family Add new tag, back to school, balanced, end of summer, family vacation, routine, time to relax