Self Care For Mothers: Essential Ways To Show Yourself Love

Self care for mothers can make a huge difference in the overall health of an entire family. I would venture to say that most mothers put their families first to the point of it being unhealthy. Pouring your heart and soul into your family is a beautiful thing! You are the glue that makes your family function, survive and thrive! I may not know you, but I see you and I appreciate you.

On that note… who are you?! Outside of your family. What do you love to do? Have you found that thing that feeds your soul? What makes you feel good? These are incredibly important questions to ask yourself. It is fairly easy to only focus on our to-do list, to the point that we lose ourselves and burn out. Let’s take a look at some self-care ideas we can use to start prioritizing our own needs and stop trying to pour from an empty cup.

Nature is an excellent place for prioritizing self care.

Alone time out in nature is a great way to relax and reset your nervous system. Allowing the earth to ground you will make space for self reflection and healing. Do you live in a place with access to a quiet place outdoors? Or even a local park? If the answer is yes, take advantage of it! You are not meant to be indoors all of the time. You are meant to be with the earth and the sky, breathing fresh air and soaking up the glorious sunshine.

A little time out in nature can help any stuck energy within yourself to move and ultimately result in you being a better parent. I encourage you to find space for a bit of quiet time outdoors in your daily routine.

Prioritize self care in the form of maintaining adequate nutrition, sleep and physical activity.

Fuel your body well!

Nutritious food and exercise is a huge priority in self care for mothers. This should come as such a no brainer that I shouldn’t even have to say it. Yet, as a mother who knows how in the weeds we moms can get, with young children and little help, let me just say… you need to eat in order to be your best self! I am not talking about your child’s leftovers from what they wouldn’t eat. You cannot survive off of a diet of toast crusts. You deserve proper well balanced meals that you plated up with the intention of eating yourself. The bottom line is that in order to meet your children’s needs, you need to take care of your body.

We can all be better parents when we are well rested.

A good cup of coffee will not replace the importance of enough sleep in our lives. Sleep deprivation can affect every area of our lives, from our focus to our immune system. Although it is tempting to stay up late at night for a little alone time at the end of a long day, try to get to bed at a decent hour and make sure your body receives the amount of rest it needs and deserves. Try using a sleep tracker as an easy way to figure out how many hours of sleep is ideal for your body. Once you’ve narrowed down how much sleep you need, try keeping a bed time and strive to receive that amount of sleep each night.

Practice movement as medicine.

It is also important to move your body in a way that feels nurturing to you. Movement is a form of medicine in our lives that can improve our physical health. Finding time for physical activity can help lay to rest mental health issues and help you to take better care of your family. An hour-long escape to the gym may be hard to find in your busy schedule, though with a bit of prioritization, you can find enough time to exercise! For some more insight into the world of finding different forms of exercise with little ones by your side click here.

Find a spiritual practice that works for you.

A regular spiritual practice can be the most important thing when it comes to self care for mothers, depending on the individual. Connecting with the infinite through our breath can cause everything to line up in ways you never would have imagined. The real magic happens when we quiet our minds. In this space, healing happens. Blockages move and clarity is gained. Miracles can be found in the most unlikely of places. The universe conspires in our favor. Sometimes all we need to do is quiet down a bit. Try incorporating a mindful meditation practice into your daily life and see what happens!

Try reading (or listening to) a book written for adults, and see how it feels.

All jokes aside, educating ourselves as adults is still important. It will get old if the only content you consume as a parent is for the children. After only reading story books and communicating with children seven and under for a day, I feel like I’m losing my mind. Read a book, or maybe more realistically, listen to an audio book! Audio books are an amazing way for parents to explore their interests while tending to their responsibilities at the same time. This is multitasking at its finest and a small change that you can make. Audible is a great resource for listening to audiobooks! Click here for a free trial!

Search for your passion, what really makes you tick, and run with it!

Finding the things that light you up in this life can take time. Be patient with yourself, try new things, and know you are worth the effort! Pick up a new hobby. Take some deep breaths, put on a face mask, and practice positive affirmations. Pour yourself a cup of tea and pick up an adult coloring book. Maybe join a book club! Make a little bit of space for quality time with yourself and get curious! These things are baby steps that can help you along the path to being the best human you can be!

For some more ideas on self care for mothers in the form of a next level, nurturing bath, click here.