How I Take Care Of Myself
In such a modern world we often forget to just take time out and really replenish ourselves. Today I am going to share with you how I take care of myself as a busy mother.
Firstly let me tell you, after nurturing my body, mind and soul for the past few years during pregnancies, birth and motherhood – I have evolved into a new person. I am no longer the girl who stays back at the party and doesn’t care about what comes next. I am responsible, for my actions, for my family and my body. Needless to say, sleeping is super important in my life.
For me the biggest factor of ‘why’ I take care of myself is for my family. I love them to pieces but you know a grumpy mummy is no fun and nor is a cranky wife. So when I restock myself with things I love, I am then giving back to them the person I want to be which is happy, confident and present.
How I Take Care of Myself
MINDFUL SHOWERS
Next to the entrance of our shower, I have a little piece of paper (ok, it’s a colour swatch – left over from reno’s) which has written on it “I truly love and accept myself”. I just want you to stop for a moment and say that again with me “I truly love and accept myself”. Ah, feels good right? This is my little mantra I see and say before stepping into the shower and then washing my worries away.
The beauty of a shower is you can really spend some time alone away from the kids. This is your moment to love you, your body and your mind. If you have had a rough day take a moment and allow the water to wash away all that is bothering you, visualise them going down the plug hole. Let the water trickle over you face and skin and cleanse it.
Use products that you love and make you feel special, scrub your body with a luffa, treat your hair with a deep conditioner. Do what it takes that once you step out you feel clean and invigorated. From here you might pat yourself down with a towel and moisturise your skin, brush your hair, pick out clothes to wear or just jump straight into bed.
Make your showers a ritual and make them count.
YOGA
Easing into a yoga practice is something I have been talking about and wanting to do since the kids came into my life. At first, I started with a few sun salutations on the loungeroom floor, then extended my practice to a longer 30-minute session. I found a great 31 days of yoga series to watch by Adriene via youtube, which the kids eventually ignored and I could do. To now, doing two to three classes a week. One of which is a beautiful yin yoga class that is mostly deep relaxation and as a mum it is what I want every Friday afternoon after a long week.
GET OUTSIDE
Sunshine is so powerful, feeling it on your skin and it warming you up – you know you are alive. With two small kids they often just want to be outside. I pack up a picnic and walk to the park or take a drive to the beach. The afternoons we just walk around our block to explore. It does take a long time to get anywhere but it reminds me to be present and to see the little things. Butterflies, flowers, the sound of a plane going overhead, how big a tree is, seasonal fruit and smells.
By leaving the house, I forget about the washing, the mess we left on the floor and all the other bits I often think ‘I am supposed to do’. I eventually do them but it gives me a chance to connect and to recharge. Plus naps tend to follow a big morning out and that makes for a happy mumma.
WHOLEFOODS
Eating well is the fuel that keeps me going each day. I also take a few supplements and multivitamins that I need to keep my energy up and my immune system happy. For me, I cut out foods and drinks that just made me feel like crap and swapped them for herbal teas and loads of fruit and veggies. I also think that eating organic is so important to get the most nutrients out of your food.
BEING A WOMAN
Too many times I have simply put on my problem-solving mummy hat and forgotten to just be a woman. We are vulnerable, sensitive and beautiful beings and as a mother, I use to forget about that. These days I now make an effort each day to remember that I am not just a mother or a wife but a woman. I wear my emotions and share them clearly, I put on my favourite dresses and let my hair down and walk with confidence.
As a woman I am strong and I am a role model for my children and that keeps me honest. So I share moments with my daughter like doing our nails together, putting on dresses and talking openly. We are built to support and care for others but we need to love ourselves first and all that we are as a women to love our children.
One of the other amazing things I am doing right now is connecting with other women. Be it in a mothers group, friends or family. Just talk, listen and be open.
THE MOST ALLURING THING A WOMAN CAN HAVE IS CONFIDENCE.’ BEYONCÉ
