Motherhood is hard and days are often long and overwhelming, but it is possible to flourish in those difficult seasons. This blog post will cover what it means to flourish in our personal lives and give you some practical steps to flourishing when you feel overwhelmed.
First of all, what does it mean to flourish? To flourish means to grow or develop in a healthy way. However, it is more than just success or achievement; it is a place of well-being spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically in our lives.
Flourishing may look a little different for me than for your, but there are several practical steps that you can take to help you flourish even in a season of overwhelm and anxiety.
- Anchor your heart to the Word of God
- Listen to worship music
- Eat well-balanced nutritious meals
- Drink adequate water
- Get plenty of sleep
- Move your body everyday
- Spend time outside daily
- Spend a few minutes each day doing something that brings you joy
Let’s look at each of these things a little closer.
Anchor yourself in the Word of God
Finding time to read your Bible and pray may seem like an especially tall order if you have young children at home, I get it. But if you are a believer in Christ, you know that your joy and strength come from Him and you need to spend time in His presence. He is your Wisdom, He gives grace and patience in the long and hard days. He is the Vine (John 15) and you cannot bear fruit apart from His work in your life. If spending alone time with God is simply not feasible in your current season of motherhood, try one or more of these things.
- Listen to an audio Bible. There are many options out there, but if you don’t know where to start, Bible.is is my favorite.
- Write a verse or two on an index card and place it somewhere in your home where you will see it throughout the day.
- Listen to podcasts and audiobooks that encourage your heart and fix your mind on Christ. A few of my favorite podcasts are The Deep Well, Revive our Hearts, and Durenda Wilson.
Listen to Worship Music
Music is an incredibly powerful too to shape the atmosphere of your home. On the days that you are finding it hard to spend time alone with the Lord, crank up the music and sing along while you’re going about your housework. Remember, ALL of life is worship and even the unseen work you do at home is holy work when done unto the Lord.
Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals
Nutrition is an incredibly under-rated, important part of flourishing physically and mentally. Adequate protein intake, especially for women, is very important for all-day energy, balanced blood sugars and hormones, and overall health. Although we mamas may like to indulge in something sweet or an extra cup of coffee on those hard days, both can actually lead to more anxiety and sluggishness. If you’re curious about why protein is important or need some ideas to include more protein in your day, check out this blog post.
Drink adequate water
Dehydration isa significant cause of fatigue, sluggishness, brain fog, headaches, anxiety, and digestive issues. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, bonus if you include some type of mineral supplement. Many, many women are mineral deficient which can compound the affects of dehydration. These are my favorite minerals.
Get plenty of sleep
Sleep is an incredibly powerful tool for reducing stress and anxiety. When our bodies are fatigued, they simply cannot function optimally, leading to more overwhelm and anxiety. Sleep, in some seasons of motherhood, is simply harder than others. If this is the season that you are in, know that it will not last forever. Nap when you can, rest with your babies, cuddle up and read a picture book together, allow your body time to just relax. This blogpost on helping toddlers sleep through the night or this one about establishing a bedtime routine with your kids may be helpful to you in a season of little kids.
Move your body everyday
Physical activity boost mood, promotes good sleep, helps to balance weight and blood sugar, improves mood, and increases energy. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? While it may sound complicated or impossible, depending on your season of life, don’t overcomplicate it. There is tremendous benefit in walking, even 10-15 minutes. Take your kids along and enjoy spending time outdoors together. If you are looking for more of a “workout”, I have used Nourish, Move, Love now for awhile and LOVE their workouts. They are all 15-30 minutes long and you can pick and choose what you need. Bonus, they are FREE.
Spend time outside
Time spent in the fresh air and sunshine is an incredibly simple and powerful way to boost mood. One of my favorite ways to spend more time outside is to move normal, everyday activities outdoors. Take a picture book outside, spread a blanket on the ground and read with your kiddos. Pack a picnic lunch or supper. We aim to get outside every single day and I have never regretted it. If you need ideas for picnic food, check out this blog post.
Do something that brings you joy
This part will be different for each of us, but I encourage you to spend a few minutes each day pursuing something that brings you joy. It may be something that you do WITH your kids. For example, I find it incredibly relaxing to read picture books with my daughter or to go on a walk with here. It may also be that you need a few minutes alone at the beginning or end of the day, even 10 minutes can be incredibly refreshing. Here’s some ideas to get you thinking:
- Light a candle while getting ready in the morning. These are my favorite nontoxic candles.
- Read a book for a few minutes before bed. You can check out this blog post to find some of my favorite titles.
- Make a cup of tea and read, relax, or have a conversation with your husband at the end of the day.
- Bake something special for your family
- Take a bubble bath
Look for the beauty
Lastly, but certainly not least, choose to look for an find the beauty in your everyday life. The bowl of brown speckled eggs on your counter, the rainbows in the bubbles of your dishwater, a steaming cup of coffee: beauty is all around us when we take time to stop and look for it.
Overwhelm in motherhood is real and it is hard. It is easy to get to a place of feeling like you are just surviving motherhood, but with a little planning and intentionality is is possible to flourish. Does this resonate with you? I’d love to know what you think!
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