Nourish. Grow. Nurture. Thrive.
For quite sometime now I have done a vision board of pictures that inspire me and images of things I was hoping would come true. Some visions (goals, dreams) I would commit to and they become real but some things I thought I wanted were a struggle and I felt defeated when I couldn’t cross the line. I started to wonder why? Why did I struggle to achieve the things I thought I wanted in my life? What was getting in my way? Was it ME? Was I actually in the way of my own progress and of what I wanted to come true?
We all know that exercise and eating healthy nutritious meals are great for us and will keep us in tip top condition to meet the demands of being a mumme. But, why does knowing what is good for us and following a healthy lifestyle seem worlds apart at times.
I started to question what was really going on and why what I wanted seemed out of reach or a chore to achieve even though the desired outcome was what I hoped for.
I will use the analogy of a simple task I have struggled with most of my life…flossing.
For years now I have hated flossing. I have struggled to do this every night and it has been a daily chore and something I just had to do. I know the benefit of it and why I need to do it but putting that habit in place has been a struggle and a constant fight.
So one day I chose to look at it from another perspective. Instead of looking at it as a big task and looking ahead loathing the fact I had to do it everyday for the rest of my life, I broke it down and looked at it for what it really was (most things are a lot worse in my head!). A one minute task (at the most) to be done before I brushed my teeth. Once I took away the negative associations I had with flossing and chose freely to floss the task became easy. To this day I am reaping the rewards of healthy oral hygiene and less invasive treatments at the dentist!
My lesson was simple…once you change the way you look at things the things you look at change!
I got out of my way and got into action. I took away the negative associations I had with the task and any reasons as to why it was hard. I got into action in the present moment.
Breaking big tasks into bite sized chunks for me is essential and with young children around I can’t expect to get large amounts of time all at once without interruptions! Baby steps each and everyday. have a profound impact. Don’t forget to inject a little gratitude and love into all that you do and think…then look out for the miracles that come your way!
Being a mumme can be overwhelming some days. You can feel isolated, alone, like you are struggling to keep afloat whilst every other mumme you see is coping well.
The truth is we all struggle. We are all the same inside and feel overwhelm and a sense of vulnerability. Being a mumme is the most challenging and rewarding role of your life. It opens you up in so many amazing ways and I really feel my children are my biggest teachers. I try to keep things in perspective. Knowing things will eventually change form has helped me deal with the challenges I have faced. It is in these challenging moments where I have learnt my greatest lessons.
So…how to make a mumME habit stick!
Here are a couple of examples that might give you an insight into how to make a habit stick.
The secret is, attach one habit to another habit you already have or to a task you already do!
If you struggle to drink enough water each day, try and add a glass of water to an already established habit. So drink 1 glass of water when you brush your teeth or each time your child asks for a drink, you drink up too!
Another essential habit to form for all mumme’s is to perform your pelvic floor exercises daily.
Try doing a sequence when you have stopped at a red traffic light…you will be amazed how many sets you will do in a day 🙂
I would love to hear if you have any mumME habits that have helped and inspired you. How do you fit it into your busy mumme schedule?…please share the love and post below.
love n life
Nina x
