Are You An Overwhelmed Mom? Start Here.

It’s no secret...as moms, we have a lot of work to do.  

There are good days and chaotic ones.  

There are days when we feel we just can’t keep up.  The laundry. The cooking. The children. The family calendar. The list can go on and on.  

A good friend and counselor once gave me this piece of advice.  

If you feel your to-do list is pulling you in all sorts of directions, stop and ask yourself one critical question. 

“What is the truth of today?”

What answer comes to mind right now?  Meditate and journal on the answer.  

There are 3 benefits of asking this question:

First, You drill your list down to the what matters the most today.  

Yes, you have a long list of stuff to do.  But in the times where you feel overwhelmed, your innocent list may become intimidating.  It’s important to weed out the non-essentials for the day. 

Maybe it’s time to revisit that to-do list and eliminate or delegate out. Some things can wait.  

Sometimes the truth is you left out that "one important thing" you’ve been avoiding. Sometimes the truth is there is no shame in asking for help. 

As you pare down, find freedom in the fact that there may be only 2 or 3 essential things that need to be done that day.    

Second, when you step back and get honest, you leave room to acknowledge the bigger picture.  

Sometimes we we lose sight of the bigger picture of why we do what we do.  We get lost in the details of being “busy”.  A quiet cry of desperation starts to sink and linger.  When this happens, bring yourself back in focus and tell yourself the truth of today.  

Changing diapers starting wearing you out? Cooking day after day for your family starting to feel mundane? Stop, take a deep breath  and remind yourself that these are investments into your family’s well being, health, and security.  

Where you sow, there will be reaping.  May this find energy in this truth.

Third, when you tell the truth concerning your situation, you capture your thoughts before your thoughts capture you. 

It’s a fact that there are times in family life where things aren’t so pretty or smooth.  That must be acknowledged.  Maybe you woke up feeling sick and you know you won’t be able to do everything.  

However, it may not be as bad as what your emotions are currently telling you. You are still capable.  You are blessed.  And you don’t have to go about it alone--reach out. Tell yourself these truths. Over and over if you have to.

Are you ready to reign in the chaos?  Then start with your mind and start with the truth.

• Make it the first question you ask yourself each morning.   
• Pare down to the essential "to do's" if you have to.
• Remind yourself of the bigger picture.
• Tackle your thoughts before you tackle your lists & your calendar.  
• If you find yourself starting to panic in the middle of the day, stop, breathe and and ask the question to bring you back in focus. You got this.

What are YOUR truths today?