Many of us moms wake up in the morning holding our breath as to not wake up the first child.
All parents know that after the first child wakes it is a chain reaction of needs- “Can you make me pancakes?”, or “He won’t get out of my room!”
So without thinking we jump into the morning routine. But there has to be a better way to start the morning mentally refreshed.
Turns out there is!
Giving yourself a little attention and allowing your mind to slow down before the hustle and bustle of daily life puts you in overdrive can set the tone for the whole day.
It’s hard to bounce back from a morning of conflict and stress, and no one wants to function with the feeling of an elephant on your chest and a cougar chasing you down.
Dayna from Lemon Lime Adventures uses her own simple self-care morning routine and has seen “staggering” results!
Taking only six minutes of the morning to focus and reflect, she has increased her “ability to remain calm” and her energy, all while decreasing frustration, mental fog and anxiety.
What mom doesn’t need that?
Use these five easy steps every morning for a routine that will give you a sense of self and won’t weigh you down.
1. Be in the moment
Before you lean over to check your phone in the morning give yourself a moment of silence.
Clear your mind of any to-do lists, school assignments, or dinner options- and just breathe.
When diapers and children screaming begin entering your mind, shift your focus to the moment.
Think about how the blanket feels on your skin, feel your chest rise and fall with every breath, and release tension in your muscles one by one.
End your brief minute of being in the moment with gratitude for those little feet you will hear barreling in shortly and the blessing of a new day.
2. Recognize your worth
Too many times moms can feel unappreciated and unloved because of the constant self-sacrifice with little affirmation in return.
Kids are not the greatest at telling you they are thankful for all the time and consideration you put into making a Pinterest-worthy craft hour and their sandwiches to look like dinosaurs.
After your moment of silence, tell yourself out loud positive affirmations, and make them ones that pertain to your recent struggles.
For example, if you have felt unnoticed say, “I am worthy of love and attention” and “My value is beyond rubies and gold. I matter.”
As silly as it feels, the true benefit will come into saying these affirmations out loud. After a few mornings, you will look forward to this step.
3. Start with positivity
If you are like most humans, it is easy to get caught up in negative patterns.
You may have had three straight days of school rebellion and feel you need to arm yourself to the teeth before facing another morning fighting the battle of wills.
Try visualizing a positive outcome instead.
Think of a few reasonable solutions and responses to some of the issues you may face that day.
In a calm, quiet space positive reinforcement and less contentious conversations are much easier to process.
As Lemon Lime Adventures can attest:
“Your brain gets used to what this looks like out of the moment and can’t tell the difference between what you are visualizing and what’s happening, meaning it will become easier and easier to react this way in the moment.”
4. Write in a journal
This may seem like the acts of an emotional middle-schooler, but our issues have just transformed from cafeteria seating dilemmas to toddler tantrums.
Spend one minute taking note of what you have to be grateful for and your goals for the day.
The simple act of giving direction to your day and seeing your children as gifts rather than a chore can change the direction of your day for good.
5. Stretch
That’s right, you have to get out of bed for this one, but trust us it’s worth it.
Scrambling to appease a brood of hungry children before a meltdown occurs over how you spread the jelly can get the heart pumping fast.
To go into the beautiful morning chaos with grace, take a minute to stretch and loosen your muscles.
Just a minute of reaching for your toes and then the sky can do wonders!
Also, be sure to check out Mommy Underground’s tips for sneaking in a few fitness moments throughout your day.
It may seem like asking a lot for you to take five minutes of your morning to focus on yourself, but it’s a little time with a big payout.
You deserve to be attended to. With the rest of the day spent loving and caring for a family, giving yourself some TLC in the morning is crucial.
You are the glue that holds the family together and the source of endless hugs and kisses.
The energy needed to continue being the best mom you can be must be put back into the tank so it’s not depleted.
Commit to a week of these five easy steps and see the difference it can have on your day.