If you ’ ve been a mom for any length of time , you ’ ve probably noticed there are a multitude of points of view about how to do almost everything when it comes to parenting . I think there ’ s one thing we can all agree on as moms though - this is one of the toughest jobs around . We are so busy taking care of ALL the things and everyone else but ourselves . That ’ s why self-care is so important for moms .
Taking good care of yourself by taking just a few minutes out of your day to focus on you will help you be a better mom . When I was at a breaking point in my life after battling infertility for years , I turned to some well-known spiritual practices that helped me tremendously and they take no time at all . They ’ re all super fun too !
Everyday I make sure to take some time to :
Meditate , Play with cards , Use my words , Practice yoga , Play with rocks , and Smell the flowers .
Meditate
Before you roll your eyes at me , I want to tell you a secret . If someone had told me to meditate a few years ago , I would have told them to take a hike ! There was no way I was going to try it . One day I figured I had nothing to lose , so I gave it a try and I was shocked at how much better I felt afterwards . I felt refreshed and rested .
There are many types of meditation and some can be done in as little as five minutes . Coloring in a coloring book is a form of meditation and so is walking . The key is to take a few minutes and do them by yourself . Lighting a candle and staring at it for a few minutes to notice what you see is also a fun way to meditate .
Play with Cards
Memory and Go Fish are fun to play with your kids but I ’ m talking about oracle cards . There are probably as many different types of oracle cards as there are personality types . They come in a deck like playing cards but instead of suits , they have beautiful artwork and inspirational messages .
One of the ways I like to release stress is to sit and shuffle the cards . Sometimes one will fall out of the pile and other times I will choose one randomly and read the message , taking some time to reflect on it . Sometimes I will even leave the card out during the day to remind me of the message throughout the day . With so many decks available , it ’ s easy to find one that inspires you .
Use Your Words
How many times in a day do you say this to your children ? It ’ s important for us as adults as well . Not just when we are communicating , but as part of a self-care routine . As moms , we tend to forget about ourselves . Creating an affirmation ( or several ) can help remind us of our value and let us know that we are in control of ourselves . This can go a long way to reducing stress .
Here are a few stress-relieving affirmations to try :
I easily deal with anything that comes my way . I ask for help when I need it . My mind is calm and tension melts from my body . Practice Yoga
Yoga is so trendy that we tend to forget that it is an ancient practice . It is so much more than a great form of exercise . Chakra yoga is used to open up energy centers in the body by holding yoga poses that are especially good for those energy centers .
When our energy centers are more open , we become more resilient and have an easier time staying calm in stressful situations . Opening our chakras through yoga can also help us feel more confident and energetic .
Play with Rocks
Kids love playing with rocks and feeling the earth between their fingers . I can ’ t blame them . I love rocks too but the ones I play with are a little more refined . Crystals are my kind of rocks . They have a lot of healing properties , not the least of which is reducing stress and instilling a sense of calm . When I first heard about this I thought it was crazy , but then I got my first crystals and began using them and seeing for myself how well they worked .
One of my favorite crystals is rose quartz . Rose quartz is great for improving self-love as well as love for others . You can also use it to reduce stress and it ’ s pretty easy to find . Other crystals that are great for stress relief are amethyst , clear quartz , and citrine . Crystals are really easy to work with . You can put them in your pockets ( or your bra ) or just leave them somewhere in your home like on your nightstand .
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