3 Essential Self-Care Tips for Mothers.

Life can be tough, and some days it’s hard to feel at peace. Trends are always changing, and so are beauty standards and others’ opinions. You face new challenges while trying to maintain order around you.

Being a mother has its challenges. Feelings of exhaustion, burnout, and personal issues like weight, mental health, and finances can be overwhelming.

It’s important to focus on yourself and remember that you deserve love and care.

Taking responsibility for your needs is essential.

But it is not be easy. 

Here are things to consider:  

Find your why.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I faced a tough time. My marriage ended. I lost my job. I felt lost. It felt like the world as I knew it did not really exist, leading to deep despair. I know the situation could’ve been much worse.

Spending time reflecting on my troubles made me realize I needed to change how I viewed myself, life, and others. I felt I was missing important insights about myself and the world. So I started reading psychological books by authors like Carl Jung, Jordan Peterson, Machiavelli, and Robert Greene. I also read the Bible often.

I realized that even though I felt weak and broken, I still had much to live for. I had a toddler to care for and a life ahead of me. I turned to the Bible for comfort. Surprisingly, I was not disenchanted by scripture despite my emotional turmoil. I chose to endure my struggles for the sake of my son and myself.

So ask yourself, why should you be accountable for your actions? Is there a reason you want to improve? Could it be for your children? Did your doctor give you a serious health warning? Do you want to salvage what’s left of you after a betrayal that left you feeling defeated? Do you want to be a valuable member of your family or community? Did this come from thinking about your future needs?

Take some time to reflect on your thoughts.

Wanting to be valuable to yourself and others is what it mostly comes down to.

Once you have your reasons, it’s time to focus on things that will help you reach your goals.

You need to let go of bad habits and create a schedule for most days. A plan helps you stay focused on beneficial things. Also, having a vision will guide you on the important actions to take now.

Once you understand these points, you can move forward while taking care of yourself. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows what people need. It’s natural to want to meet all those needs as you go up the hierarchy.

Accept that you can be much better than you are now. 

If you believe you’re already good enough, you can miss opportunities for growth.

For you to want more, you have to be radically honest with yourself. The truth is always unpleasant because it challenges you. It can keep you awake at night. It lingers in the back of your mind during the day.

You have to face it.

You know the things you are doing that are sabotaging you.

It is like when someone flatters you. You can tell if they’re not being genuine. That is what you are doing to yourself.

Believing your own lies can hinder your growth. But this is something you can work on. Understand why something makes you tick and if it is justifiable. Then, you can find ways to improve from there.

Value your freedom and autonomy above all else.

So much of your well-being relies on if you can chose what you want to do. However, freedom comes at a price, it is one side of the coin. The other side of the coin is accepting responsibility.

Living in a shared house can make you wish for your own space that you can design and use freely. To achieve this, you need enough money for rent and upkeep, as well as furniture for the apartment. This can mean finding a better job or new ways to earn money, which requires certain skills.

When you have financial means, you can have access to lots of things you need. The cost of freedom is putting in more effort. It is late nights, taking risks, lots of coffee, duty, and hard work.

It’s totally worth it.

The opposite of freedom can be abuse or mistreatment, especially if you have to depend on others. Giving up your power to people is mostly a bad idea. Power can easily corrupt those who feel they are above you.

If you had a diamond, you would take care of it. You would keep it in a safe, insure it, clean it, and make sure it stays valuable.

You are more valuable than a diamond. Invest in your knowledge and skills. Doing this can make more opportunities be available for you. The best thing you can have is access to lots of options or opportunities in life.

So focus on self-improvement every day.