Several weeks ago, I attended a homeschool conference. There were plenary talks as well as breakout sessions. One of the breakout sessions was about “Carving Me-Time for Homeschooling Moms.” That piqued my interest, because if you have been reading my emails for some time now, you probably know I do encourage busy moms to be proactive about their happiness.
So off I went to look for the room where the talk would be held. When I entered, lo and behold, only a few of us mommies were there. Meanwhile, we could hear the noise from the chitchat going on in the other rooms, which were filled. Topics in the other breakout sessions were about various ways to teach and engage children; this was the only one about taking care of oneself. When one of the organizers (a man) entered the room to check on us, our speaker/facilitator said something akin to how we, moms, tend to put ourselves last as we serve everybody else.
It was interesting and funny at the same time. But it’s true. It’s natural for us to care for and nurture our loved ones. God wired us that way. But many of us need help on the self-care spectrum. We can easily neglect ourselves, whether incremental or to the extreme, to the point where we can be on the side of all the negatives. And trust me, it can get ugly. The ugly rears its head in many forms —complaining, blaming, comparison, envy, discontent, impatience, self-pity and sadly, even yelling at your kids. And when these are your companions, guess what? You think you’ll be happy? Nope.
How do I know? Well, I’ve been there. One of the major changes in my life caught me off guard. When I relocated several years ago, I was uprooted from all that was close and familiar to me. This uprooting was painful, and I struggled immensely, crying out to God through my tears. Two weeks in, I made a decision that began to help me take charge of my happiness.
I remember it well. I was wearing a bright green sportshirt, with a white collar and thin, white stripes. It was morning, and my husband had gone off to work. I was sitting on the couch, all alone in the living room. And while hearing the whiz of vehicles passing in front of our apartment, I prayed to the Lord and told Him that I would be grateful, that I choose gratitude.
Gratitude was the first decision I made regarding my situation. It was simple yet powerful.
Only later did I realize that this was a step in taking charge of my happiness. Because it made me see what I had instead of what I didn’t have. I came to appreciate the blessings that surrounded me instead of harping about the blessings I wish were mine.
It has been a long process, and I’m still journeying. But I’ve learned so many lessons along the way, and I’d like to share this with you.
I’d like to help you break out of just going with the flow of your circumstances to being intentional and taking charge of your happiness.
I know, I know, there’s that mommy guilt. You feel you might be selfish. Or maybe you think you’re not worth it. Or that you’re too busy so there is absolutely no time to spend on yourself. Or it seems there is no way you can do that, above all your commitments and responsibilities. You might even describe your life now as “toxic” or you keep telling others, “I’m swamped.”
But has it ever occurred to you…
- To actually commit to yourself?
- To recognize that your happiness is important?
- To become a better version of yourself?
Why, you ask? When you are a happier you, and a better version of yourself, then you will be able to serve others in a better way and fulfill, in a better way, the responsibilities God has entrusted you with in this season of your life.f
So here’s an invitation…
I am looking to welcome, serve and journey with 10 moms in a 4-week online group coaching program. The program is entitled —
Get Your Happy!
Take charge of your happiness
(so you can have less stress, more peace and more fun!)
This program will be in beta version, and if you choose to enroll, you will be one of the founding members. Your input will also be invaluable for the next version.
OK, now you might be thinking…
- Whaaat? 4 Weeks?! I can’t even get a few minutes for myself. Are you kidding me?
- This is one of the busiest seasons of the year. I am waaayyy too busy, and putting this in my to-do list will just add to more overwhelm.
- Why should I even spend for a program when I can spend it on more important things…like Christmas gifts?
Let me help you dispel these concerns:
- The time frame for the program is 4 weeks, but the training will come in bite-sized portions, and will only require several minutes each day. They will be delivered via email and a private Facebook group. (If you are used to scrolling through Facebook, Instagram or other social media platforms each day, then no need to worry — you will have time for this.)
- I think we’re all in the same boat of busy. Which is why this program is designed for busy moms like you. Instead of adding to the overwhelm, it will actually help you stop and give you room to breathe. It will help clear your mind. And oh, just to put it out there — when you join, you’ll also get my “Stress-free Christmas mini-course” for free!
- About spending on more important things…what about considering yourself as important? How about giving yourself a Christmas gift? Maybe it’s time to invest in yourself…the ROI being a less stressed, a more joyful, peaceful and fun you…a HAPPY YOU! [Not to mention happier loved ones because things are happier when you’re around. ;)] <– This matters, right?
I will be posting more details in the coming days. In the meantime, ask yourself this question:
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, where are you now when it comes to taking charge of your happiness?
