Wake Up And Be Happy! By Erica Rueschhoff
Moms, have you ever thought ‘is this all there is to life’? There’s got to be something more than changing another diaper, doing another load of clothes, making another meal, picking up another mess, and putting everyone to bed so you can wake up and do it all over again.
As the mother of 4 children, I can honestly say…”Yes”, I have thought all of these things plus lots more. These thoughts would make me feel guilty and think I was a terrible mother because I was so blessed to have these children and all the to-do’s that go with it. But, I couldn’t help feeling like there was supposed to be more and that it should be easy to be happy doing these things.
If you are having these same thoughts and feelings, you need to stop and ask yourself some hard questions. When I finally did this I began a journey of self discovery that now allows me to Wake Up and Be Happy!
Here are a few questions you should ask yourself:
· Do I neglect myself?
· Am I doing what I’m doing to meet someone else’s expectations of me?
· Do I have a dream/goal that I keep setting aside and often think about the day I could explore and achieve it?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, here are some things to think about and take action on to begin your journey to discovering how to Wake Up Happy:
1. Make yourself a priority. Make sure that you are eating right, getting proper rest, exercising, finding quiet time for praying or reflecting on the things going on in your life. When you take time for this you will be amazed at how much more energy you have to accomplish things. It always reminds me of the flight attendants speech to ‘first put the oxygen mask on yourself, and then on the person next to you.’ Consider these things your oxygen and without it you can’t be your best or do your best to help those around you.
2. Stop right now doing things because other people expect you to do them or to do them a certain way. Just as an example many moms go through the fanatical cleaning routine, because ‘what would others think’. Well, I’m here to give you permission to tell yourself – Who Cares What They Think! You need to do things that bring you joy and happiness and if dusting 5 times a week doesn’t do that for you, don’t do it. I’ve been through this myself and have finally achieved a balance I can live with. A home is for living and enjoying and honestly when I go somewhere and there isn’t a thing out of place and not one dust bunny to be found I think there must not be a lot of fun and happiness that happens here.
3. Recapture your dreams and goals. Allow yourself to rediscover what you are passionate about and give yourself permission to begin to explore that and find that other purpose that was meant for your life. This will make you an even better mother; because once you are living in your full purpose you are going to be more energetic and dynamic than ever before. What a great quality for your children to see! They will learn from you how to be passionate and pursue their dreams and goals, while being loved and cared for by an amazing mom! That is one legacy worth leaving.
Get started answering these questions for yourself and before you know it, you will be Waking Up Happy everyday of your life.
