The responsibilities, the holidays, the sick days, the growth spurts and life itself. All of these can bring any mother to the edge. Right before you lose your mind, read our recommendations to help you relax.
Motherhood equals difficult moments: the weight of responsibility, kids getting sick, days off from school, challenging developmental stages of the child and just life itself. All of these can bring any mother, even the calmest or most relaxed, to the edge.
In moments like these, you feel like you don’t have the tools to handle the situation, you’re nervous about your child or spouse, and even though you promised yourself that this time you would stay calm, it doesn’t really work.
Lidor Tamir Stone instructs mothers on mindfulness techniques to help them be attentive and conscious parents. She offers some tips to help you bring more calm into your life, even when it's difficult, so that you can function in a calm, attentive manner and not be in a constant survival mode when responding to challenging moments.
1 - Start the morning calmly
The way you plan your day affects its rhythm. Take a few moments for yourself and start your morning routine leisurely. Even if it means getting up a little before everyone else, it's worth it. If you connect to meditation, you can incorporate it into your morning routine.
2 - Turn off the autopilot in reacting to situations
The child does something that presses your buttons and you respond directly without thinking about why it bothers you, what really upset you, etc. If you stop for a moment, before the automatic response, and manage to look at the situation with objective eyes, you’ll usually be able to react more calmly.
3 - Breathe
If you proactively take a few minutes to stop and concentrate on your breathing, you’ll feel more relaxed during the day and respond with a little less anger. You can count 10 inhalations from the nose and exhalations from the mouth. Just stopping and focusing on your breath will help you relax.
4 - Be sure to do things you love
Moms have a tendency to put themselves after everyone else. Find time for yourself, too. Bring into your day things you love and enjoy doing, even if it's just a 15-minute cup of coffee while reading your messages.
5 - Show compassion
Finally, show compassion for yourself. Try to reduce the feelings of guilt and pangs of conscience that accompany you every day as mothers. Be less critical and judgmental (though it’s not easy) and be more kind to yourself.