Tag Archives: stress

5 Mommy Stress Busters

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Let’s face it, as moms we are always on the go, go, go. From laundry to diapers and car pools to dinner. We are everything to everybody. We are the master chef, boo-boo kisser, healer, driver, doctor, baker, comforter, lover, finger painter, book reader, game player, fort builder, the list goes on and on. Oh, did I forget to mention dog walker and pooper-scooperer?

It’s inevitable that every one of us will have to face and address the stresses of motherhood at some point and time. Often we may feel as though we are drowning in a sea of dirty dishes, messy bedrooms, and Hello Kitty Band Aids. To survive as a mother, it turns out there are probably a million things we can wish for to make life easier for ourselves (cue – housekeeper, personal cook, and nanny). But to combat stress and help bring balance to our day, I’ve counted five important ways:

1. Breathe In.  Take a couple of deep breaths throughout the day particularly when feeling overwhelmed. Practice releasing them slowly and evenly. This will help calm our anger or frustration and teach our children that how we handle a situation almost always stems from how we react to the situation. Very often as mothers, we tend to overreact to even the smallest of things. Starting now, let’s rely on those few breaths to help us focus on what’s going on in front of us.

2. Let Go. Yes, there are things around us that drive us bananas on daily basis (or an hourly basis?) Let’s try to let those things go. After all, is it really necessary to skyrocket our cortisol levels just because Elmo is singing the same damn song over and over again and we think our ears are going to bleed? No. Well, maybe.

3. Eat Well. What we feed our bodies determines our physical and emotional health. It also determines how we respond to our surroundings. We all know that a proper diet is essential to our own body’s nourishment. Why would we not want to advocate for that? I can’t think of any reason not to.

4. Move. Let’s make a pact that we will do something physical for ourselves every day. Even if it’s only for 10 minutes. I’m not just talking about going up and down and up and down the stairs at home (unless we repeat that about a bazillion times in a day, oh wait we already do!). I’m asking every single one of us to get our butts outside or to the gym or to the garage or basement or living room. And once we get there? MOVE IT! S-H-A-K-E it! Go! Take that quick run or do some hiking with the family. Practice yoga in the backyard or ask a friend to join you for a circuit training session. The point being – Movement is Life.

5. Love. Oh love. Love. Love. Love: Give it. Take it. Make it. Feel it. Need it. Nurture it. Keep it. Let it go. REPEAT.

Own it then OM it: part deux

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Today has been one of those days.  I have been ‘Owning then OMing‘ my way through motherhood this fine Thursday.  What the heck am I talking about?  I’ll explain.  You know those days that go completely wrong?  You can’t catch up (or a break) no matter how hard you try?  Your babies (while so freaking cute) are driving you bonkers?  You’re throwing together a healthy meal only to find out the chicken isn’t fully cooked (eeew) and your kids WILL NOT eat black beans or chicken anyways?  (Who knew?  They ate it last week.)

These are the times where instead of pulling my hair out, throwing things, and screaming at the top of my lungs – I remind myself to breathe.  Yes, breathe.  I bet you’re thinking, “Ha ha ha, yeah right loony toon.”

No really, I’m dead serious.  When the world is against me (I swear it is sometimes!) I challenge myself to rise above the chaos that is consuming me, recognize where I am, then pull it together.  In other words, “Own it then OM it.”  Does this mean I never get angry?  No.  Does this mean I never raise my voice or get completely frustrated?   Hell no.  It means instead of sinking into the frustration, angst, and anxiety that seems to rear its ugly head routinely in motherhood – I try to own those feelings as they occur and then do my best to let them go.  OMmmmmmmm.

It works, I swear.  It also has the tendency to backfire in certain situations.  I’m not gonna lie.  Example: Sometimes my husband will see me on the verge of going ballistic and utter the words, “Own it then OM it Lisa.”  I look at him in disgust.  Really?  Seriously?  You’re gonna start with that right now?  As our child is knee-deep in toilet water?  Never mind why I was ready to go crazy before,  now all I want to do is kick your ass.  But then again, I know he’s right.

Some more ~Own it then OM it~ times in my life:

When my purse is overflowing with yogurt and goldfish and crayons and Lego’s and stray noodles and cheese sticks and pony tail holders and all I really want is to find my damn wallet and keys –

Own it then OM it.

When my little one thinks that 4:00 am is ‘wake up for the day’ time and my daughter “can’t” go to school because there might be sharks in the fish tank (thank you daddy for introducing our five year-old to Shark Week) and the house is a mess and all I want is the baby to go to SLEEP NOW –

Own it then OM it.

When I finally have date night and I forget how to carefully walk in heels amongst a houseful of toys and I trip and fall flat on my face in my pretty new dress –

Own it then OM it.

When my daughter goes in and out of the house 100 bazillion times in ten minutes and keeps asking me for the same thing and my fire alarm is going off because I’m a terrible cook and my little one is eating cake off the floor –

Own it then OM it.

You can read part 1 here.

Share some of your ‘Own it then OM it’ moments below.

lisa

Own it then OM it

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As a mom of two young children, I have to say this parenting stuff is hard. Yes, their kisses are wonderful. When I look into their eyes, I melt. When they say silly things, I crack up. They are beautiful, smart, funny, endearing – and I wouldn’t give them up for the world. Yet sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of Elmos, Lalaloopsies, Tinkerbell Band-Aids, and juiceboxes. There are days when my life is a disaster movie marathon and I can’t seem to pull it together long enough to change the channel. I can barely keep up with the responsibilities of motherhood – let alone wifehood, careerhood, maidhood, exercisehood, diethood, playhood, dayhood, bedtimehood, and of course, up-all-night-hood. Did I forget to mention no-time-for-myself-hood?

In the midst of all the craziness that surrounds my daily life – I have found that the best way to save myself from drowning in a sea of never ending responsibilities is to consciously recognize where I am, and then do everything I can to bring myself back to center. In other words, “Own it then OM it.”

Now you might be thinking, where is center? Great question because on days when I am gasping for air trying to keep my head above water in Momville, center would be located in my bed, under my down comforter, watching a SATC marathon on TBS. So nice. Refreshing. But the center I’m referring to is that of the spiritual kind, the yoga variety. Center is not a physical place, but rather the essence of you and where your confidence lies. A place where you can connect with yourself even if just for a split second. OM is the whole universe coalesced into a single sound and represents the union of mind, body, and spirit that is at the heart of yoga. So when you are feeling overwhelmed or overjoyed, turn inward for a moment or two, hold onto the feelings of happiness and let the feelings of anxiety, fear, frustration, and sadness pass. Practice this everyday and eventually you will be doing it without even thinking about it!

Some ~Own it then OM it~ times in my life:

When my living room looks like Toys ‘R Us and I spend all day cleaning and I never get anywhere –

Own it then OM it.


When the laundry is piled up and the baby is crying and the husband is screaming for more toilet paper –

Own it then OM it.


When I use a car cart at the grocery store and I keep slamming into store shelves because I have no perception of how large the thing really is and my son is screaming to get out because he doesn’t want to ride anymore –

Own it then OM it.


When bath time takes two hours and my son just peed on the rug and my daughter asks for another sip of water every two seconds before bed –

Own it then OM it.


When I’m in the Target check-out line and my daughter is stuffing candy into her pockets and my son is already tearing through an unpurchased bag of M&M’s and my migraine just went into overload –

Own it then OM it.


When my iPhone alarm is set, but my phone is on silent and I sneeze after putting on mascara and I just find out the toilet is plugged as I sit my a** down –

Own it then OM it.


Here are some of my BEST Own it then OM it moments:

  • When I look at my kids and realize how lucky I am and what a blessing they are in my life.
  • When I get hugs and kisses and artwork made from noodles and the sweetest giggles from too many tickles.
  • When I watch them grow and thank God for their health and cherish the milestones they reach every day.
  • When I hear them say, “mom mom mom mom mom mom mom mom mom mom mom mom.”
  • When I cuddle them at night and tell bedtime stories and watch them fall asleep.

This list could go on and on. I have so many more Own it then OM it moments that I couldn’t possibly write them all down!

Please comment below and share some of yours, good or bad!

Have a great weekend.

lisa