Are you the mom who carts her kids to too many extracurricular activities? Maybe you eat in the car on the way to your next thing.
You feel like you’re constantly running ragged and behind schedule. Doing too many things you don’t want to do. But can’t seem to see a way out.
If this describes your family life, you might be a mom who struggles with people pleasing or how to set effective boundaries.
You say ‘yes’ way too much because you don’t have a good enough reason to say ‘no’. This takes a huge toll on you.
Not only does it deplete your energy as you stretch yourself too thin. It also compromises your self-worth because you’re not protecting yourself from things that don’t nourish your soul.
Mom, make these three changes
There are changes you can make to stop feeling over scheduled and out of control. They will make you feel more in charge of your life and aligned with your true self.
The most common advice given to a busy mom is to hire a babysitter. External solutions, like asking for help, are effective, but this post will dig deeper than that.
We’ll look at three internal solutions to the problem of over-giving among overwhelmed moms.
1. Resist the comparison trap
Often, the reason you’re doing too much as a mom is because you’re comparing yourself to other parents.
If the neighbor’s kids participate in multiple activities, you feel pressured for your kid to do the same.
Rather than tuning in to your own intuition about what’s best for your children, you’re following someone else’s formula.
It takes a lot of courage to go against the grain and do things differently than the norm. That’s why it’s so important to get really clear on your values.
So you can use them as a filter through which you make choices that impact your family’s time.
What values are you willing to defend or make sacrifices to uphold? Click To Tweet2. Know your values
Do you have a firm grasp on what’s important to you? What values are you willing to defend or make sacrifices to uphold?
For instance, if you value having dinner together as a family at least five times a week, you won’t sign up for an activity that encroaches on that time.
Don’t be afraid to stand out for staying true to your values. You might become known for what you believe in and that’s a good thing.
Standing up for your values sets a positive example for your children. They’ll see that some things are worth the sacrifice it takes to protect and preserve them.
What other values can you name that will help you decide what to say yes or no to as a mom?
Determine your values and write them down to remind yourself what matters to you. Use these to guide you every time you need to make a decision.
This will help you set appropriate boundaries and align your life with your beliefs.
3. Embrace simplicity
Our culture has seen a big shift in recent years. We’ve become a society that spends more than we earn.
We put things on credit rather than saving up for them. We crave instant gratification and have devalued the patience of waiting for a reward.
It's hard to say 'no' to our children but it's worth it. Click To TweetIt’s hard to say ‘no’ to our children but it’s worth it. Overspending on material things essentially means less time spent on more important things.
You’ll be working more hours to pay all those bills. That means time away from your family. Or stress that impinges on the time you do spend together.
When you embrace simplicity, and remember that the best things are free, life is sweeter and less complicated.
Helping your children cherish eternal rather than material things is the greatest gift you could give them.
Back to basics
Maybe you’re deep in a materialistic, over scheduled lifestyle and think it’s too late to change. You made a few poor choices and now you’re stuck with a life you never intended.
It’s not easy to reverse years of faulty programming. But it is possible.
When you stop letting others dictate how you live your life, you’ll experience a new freedom.
If you put these three changes into place, you will find you can breathe again. You will be living a life where the choices you make bring you closer to who you are. Click To TweetIf you put these three solutions into place, you will find you can breathe again. You will be living a life where the choices you make bring you closer to who you are.