At times, I feel I am throwing information out to my clientele and not living it in my day to day. As a business owner and mom of two, I promise I experience the same stress and struggles as all parents do. In addition, I get pulled to multiple appointments and constantly feel my noisy, monkey-mind churning.
If I’m being honest, I feel I suffer from it. The chaos of raising children and running a business makes me feel edgier with my kids, overwhelmed with my paperwork and exhausted at the end of the day. I have moments where I feel I am creeping toward a breakdown; that I can’t handle one more thing on my plate.
So, I made a promise to myself this summer. I am going to practice what I preach. I started by working on my own “Brain Health Rainbow”, making sure that I am going to get the nutrients I require, the self-care I deserve, and spend the time with my family that they need.
I have to tell you, I’ve found that I have good days and bad days, but I do feel amazing. I feel like I am able to do more, stay more organized and balance my commitments better.
As “hippie-dippie” as it sounds, I started working on giving myself my mornings back at least three times a week. For an hour (yes – a whole hour) I make sure I’m exercising. Whether it be spin class, a morning run, a yoga session or my favorite barre class, I make sure to get there. On these days, my head feels so much clearer, I have more motivation and I am able to listen to my favorite podcast. Right now I’m tuning mostly into “Simple Families”.
After, I make sure I take a shower and get dressed. This sounds crazy, but on some days I am lucky if I get to shower, so I make sure I get this in first thing! Then I am able to head down to make breakfast for the clan (because at this point everyone is awake and asking me 50 questions.) Sometimes my two-year-old also showers. It’s not always a quiet time, but it is necessary.
I then make sure I drink a whole bottle of water, take my supplements (see our recommended ones here) and pour myself a cup of coffee. By this time it’s about 7:30 am and the rush has started, although I don’t always have to get out the door by 8:30 am since school is out for summer. I make breakfast and try to enjoy a cup of coffee with my littles.
There are three other things I try to do (if I can) starting with reviewing my schedule and my calendar before 9:00 am. This helps me plan out the day and stay organized. I also try to make “my” smoothie with my new favorite powders from Super. I know that with the hustle and bustle of a normal day, I can end up going hours without eating, and then I get fatigued and stressed – so this is important! If I am lucky, I will be able to get the house cleaned and put myself to bed by 9 pm. I usually try to mediate and read before bed to help clear my head of the day.
This seems like a lot while I am writing it, but in all reality, it is maybe 75 minutes of my total day – 90 if you include the shower – and it makes me feel like a million dollars!
It’s amazing how drained and exhausted we feel as mothers, whether we work or stay home. We are constantly pulled at and demanded by everyone, and it can be difficult to find support and help when we need it. You have to make this time for yourself. Maybe for you it’s not your morning, but instead your evening. Maybe your body doesn’t crave exercise, but rather you need more quiet time, or socialization, or tea, or even nourishing food!
As hard as it is to set boundaries around getting up and leaving my husband with the kids first thing, I know it makes me a better person. I need to have that re-charge or I feel my stress responses turn on. And as I begin to get edgy, it is harder for me to think clearly. We did a “Healthy Brain Checklist” last year, and I really encourage you to go through it and decide what calls to you. I promise, you will feel grateful you did.
When troubleshooting, think about what overwhelms you, and consider these questions:
- Do you find you have no time for yourself? When can you carve some out?
What do you miss about your pre-mom life? Don’t feel guilty (it’s ok). What can you do? - Do you eat healthy for you? What does this look like for you?
- What supplements do you take? If your diet is not rounded, experiment with some.
- What luxuries do you miss?
- Are you overwhelmed by your schedule? Your things? What can you do about it?
Make a list and brainstorm. Take on one goal a week to work on yourself. This does not mean you need to do it daily if you can’t. Don’t let “completing the list” become another source of frustration. For me, my first step was making sure I got to drink a warm cup of coffee (notice I did not say hot)! I added the supplements, the yoga classes, the smoothie, the sleep, etc. – one week at time. Do what works for you in your summer schedule and take note of how it has changed your psyche!
