How To Practice Self-Care And Mindfulness As A Mom

Disclaimer: If you are struggling with a mental health disorder, reach out to a professional. The information shared in this post is based on my own experience and should not be taken as medical advice.

It is not uncommon to hear people encouraging each other to practice self-care and mindfulness. These terms have become a staple in our society. We have come to understand how important it is to take care of ourselves.

Self-care and mindfulness are a must for every human being to stay healthy. And as moms, we must make space in our lives to put these into practice in order to achieve the best version of ourselves.

However, you might be wondering; what exactly is considered self-care? And what in the world is mindfulness? I was right there with you, especially regarding the mindfulness part. I had no idea what it was really about.

All I knew, was that everyone kept talking about it and telling us to put it into practice. But no one really goes into detail on how to do it. What is it about? How would you even go about it? Most of us have lots of questions about it.

It will surprise you to know that most people are already doing this and have no idea. And what’s best, you do not need any equipment or extra tools to get on board.

First, let’s clarify their definitions before we go on.

Self-care

According to everydayhealth.com Self-care means “taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care for others, and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in a day.”

Essentially, these are the steps you must take to ensure that you are taking care of your health (and your family’s). As well as looking for medical help when needed.

Mindfulness

Mindful.org defines it as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”

This basically means that we are aware and accept what is currently going on, how and what we are feeling, along with what we are thinking.

These are natural instinctual human traits that we already have in place. We were just not aware of what exactly they were called.

Now, with that out of the way, to the nitty gritty.

How to practice Self-care

 Keeping up with doctor visits

This is one that I just started to do recently, and I feel pretty good about it. Making sure that your health is on track and that you can manage any concerns or difficulties, will immensely improve your quality of life, mood, and ability to reach the best version of yourself.

Nutrition

You know what they say, “good health begins in the gut”. And that’s meant quite literally. Good gut health is essential for overall good physical health. To keep it in top shape, you have to make sure to keep a healthy and balanced diet.

I have never been much of a snacker or fast-food consumer. However, I make better choices with the foods I eat and feed my family. I also make sure to keep up with vitamins which help boost my system.

Exercise

It is important to exercise and get your heart pumping. You do not have to be a gym-kind-of-girl at all. If you love to work out at home or go for long walks, focus on that. You’ll get your body moving while doing the things that you love and truly enjoy.

Keeping up with your mental health

Mental health is sooooo important. I can’t stress it enough. Life is full of hurdles and stress, which could become overwhelming. This may rob you of your joy and prevent you from living your life to the fullest. It can also prevent you from enjoying your time with your loved ones. This is why you should treat your mental health with the same priority as your physical one.

Have fun!

Yes, do things that make you happy and bring you joy. Whether that is going to the movies, hanging out with friends, or going to the library (that’s right, don’t judge me, I love the library, lol!).

Make sure to take time to do all the things that bring you peace and happiness.

Doing things for you

Perhaps you love doing your own hair, styling it, and expressing yourself through it. Maybe, it’s doing your make up or getting your nails done.

Do something that is just for you. Not something that the whole family can partake in. You need to give yourself some well-deserved “me time”.

As a mom, we are always wearing all the hats and helping our families. However, you need to remind yourself that you are important too. That your own personal needs are also are a priority, and they need to be taken care of.

Think about things you like to do, that would be dedicated for yourself only, and do it ;).

How to practice mindfulness

Allow yourself to feel

Regardless if they are feelings of sadness, anxiety, excitement, fear, or happiness; allow yourself to feel them. Acknowledge that they are happening and why they are happening. Processing your emotions and not suppressing them is going to help you tremendously. This will allow you to go through your feelings and move on. Some things take longer than others to move on from, but that’s ok. 

Taking in the moment

If you are out on a walk, playing with your kids or visiting a friend, do your best to be fully present. Take in the sights, the smells, being present in conversation. It makes every experience especially memorable.

Assessing situations appropriately

If you struggle with anxiety like I do, this may not be an easy thing to do. You see, for me, something small might be blown out of proportion (in my head) and become overwhelming. So, I do my best to stop and rationally process the situation not allowing overwhelm to take over.

Sometimes, you may feel like you are not able to do this on your own. If this happens, reach out to someone you trust to help you get grounded. Calm down and tend to the situation appropriately.

I do not believe that self-care or mindfulness are lonely journeys. You can reach out to the people that you trust for support in order to achieve your goals in becoming a better, healthier you. It also doesn’t look the same for everyone, because every person has their own struggles as well as different interests. Nonetheless, it brings about the same result; inner peace and joy to our lives. 

So regardless of how you go about it (excluding any unhealthy or criminal acts), what matters is that you are on a path that will lead you to a fulfilling and purposeful life. At the end of the day, that’s what we are all striving for.