It’s incredibly important to know how to prioritise yourself without feeling mum guilt. And I know it’s hard, but it is possible.
By Eloise Forster
No matter what you have going on, your need to value yourself first and stop constantly pleasing others and putting their needs before yours.
On a greater scale this means chronic illness, poor life choices and a sense of restlessness and dissatisfaction.
Our physical body ends up constantly tired, emphasising chronic illness symptoms and we are left feeling disconnected to our self and ultimately feeling empty and unfulfilled.
Sound familiar?
As a result of discontent, in some cases burnout can unearth mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and insomnia.
So, it really should be a priority to tune into your heart and get to know that authentic version of YOU again.
My MoodMantra tips will help you prioritise yourself without feeling guilty. You can let that mum guilt go.
And you will feel fulfilled and energised as you realise the person you need to be honouring is YOU.
Remember: You can’t pour from an empty cup, mama.
“WHEN GIVING YOUR ENERGY AND POWER TO OTHERS, YOU ARE NEGLECTING YOURSELF ON A CELLULAR LEVEL, CREATING DISRUPTION TO THE PHYSICAL BODY.”
Find your tribe
Part of nourishing and nurturing your soul is to place yourself amongst those that lift you.
In a journal, write a list of people you are most grateful for.
These people need to be the folk that are life affirming for you, they are like minded individuals who celebrate every single part of your soul.
If you find that only a handful of people really see you for you, that is perfectly fine. It’s a complete blessing just having one of two of these people in your life!
Friendship clearing is not mean or nasty, it’s simply decluttering people where a mutual relationship is not in alignment with your heart and soul anymore.
Random acts of kindness
Do something for someone else this week.
Leave a post-it note on your neighbour’s door, wrap some garden picked flowers and drop it on a friend’s doorstep or pop a love note under your partner or child’s pillow. The littlest things have the greatest impact.
Often teens and young adults who need love the most, behave in the most unloving way.
Sometimes by meeting this with kindness and compassionate eyes you can build their trust and faith in world that appears relentless and everchanging.
A random act of kindness for someone struggling, can mean meeting stressful times with more resilience than they had before.
Create a sacred space
Sacred spaces within your home environment are important for downtime regrouping and furthering your spiritual, creative and inquisitive self.
You can create a space, no matter how big or small your place of residence is.
This area is a safe place for you to reconnect with ‘Self’ so hang some fairy lights, find a fluffy rug and gather your most precious trinkets.
You can keep items such as angel cards, incense, crystals, photos, books and most importantly a live plant for nourishing the air. There are no rules so place anything in this space that gives you clarity. It’s a sacred space reserved for you where you can be alone with your thoughts, write in your journal or sit and have a hot cup of nourishing tea or soup.
Rest and recharge
Good quality sleep and ‘Nanna naps’ are imperative to welbeing.
Listening to your body and giving into its needs is a must when you are juggling kids and/or life in general (and drowning in mum guilt).
By listening to your body you are honouring yourself and it’s perfectly okay to take time out instead of pleasing others. Such rituals can be uplifting, transformative and essential for personal growth.
Essentially, you are showing respect towards your higher-self and creating boundaries and limits on when enough is enough.
Activities such as walking, reading and meditating prior to sleep relaxes your mind and soul and allows the flow of sleep to form.
When you switch the light off try saying to yourself ‘sleep, sleep, sleep’ repeatedly, and allow your mind to follow commands. Remember you cannot give from an empty cup.
Connect with nature
Connecting with Earth and Mother Nature: Mother nature possesses the most incredible healing and uplifting abilities, best of all it costs nothing.
Take a dip in the ocean, yes even in Winter with appropriate thermal wear. Salt water is both nourishing, invigorating and healing as it takes our bodies out of the ‘fight and flight’ response and down into the ‘rest and digest’ clearing any negative feeling towards self and others, self doubts or worries from your energy field.
Have a cleansing Nocte (Night) shower
Before hopping into bed at night have a shower and experience what is called a Zen moment.
Zen is all about being in the moment and practising not thinking forwards or backwards. Just thinking about the now how the water sounds. How it feels on your body as it makes its way down. Simply visualise any negative thoughts, feelings or insecurities you may feel disappearing down the drain and completely purifying you.
Completely let go of these thoughts as they do not serve you and you don’t need to carry this excess baggage around anymore.
As new purifying water hits the top of your head visualise it glistening golden syrup coming out of the shower and covering your entire body this energy is full of pure love comfort and healing goodness just for you.
The hot drink and feet up ritual
The hot drink, feet up ritual can be done at any stage during the day.
The idea behind this ritual, is to take a moment and cherish each sip.
Visualise this drink as a nourishing liquid entering your body.
Really feel it as you swallow each sip. Take a moment to say thank you for this nourishing hot drink. And thank yourself for self caring and loving yourself enough to do so.
Let that mum guilt go.
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