10 ways to celebrate yourself this Mother’s Day
By Kaley Decker.
Happy (almost) Mother’s Day, mamas and mamas to be!
Whether you’re expecting your first child or already a seasoned mom, Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate you.
Motherhood is an amazing gift, but it’s also one of the toughest jobs there is. It doesn’t offer vacation or sick days and there’s a lot of invisible work that goes unnoticed.
So while you’re soaking in all the love and recognition today, make sure to take some time to yourself and reflect on the last year of motherhood and the amazing job you’re doing (even though it might not always feel like it!). Use this time to reset your intention to make yourself a priority for the other 364 days of the year.
I’ve rounded up 10 ideas to help inspire your self-care:
- Book a Solo Staycation. Hire a sitter or hand the kiddos off to your partner or spouse and go somewhere by yourself for a night. Pick a cute bed and breakfast or a swanky hotel, treat yourself to an uninterrupted dinner, go to bed early, and wake up whenever you want and order room service for breakfast.
- Take Action. Is there something that you’ve been wanting to learn or do but haven’t had the time to do it? Sign up for the class, buy the book, download the app. Take a step towards doing something for you that isn’t related to your role as a mom.
- Commit to a daily meditation practice. I can’t tell you how much meditation has helped me as a mother. I used to be intimidated by meditation and didn’t think it was for someone as wound up and busy as I was. Little did I know, it was I who needed it the most! Meditation doesn’t mean you have to sit in silence for hours. There are great apps like Insight Timer that offer meditations based upon the amount of time you have. There are also other ways to meditate -- you can even do it while doing the dishes or going on a walk.
- Treat yourself with something you’ve been wanting. Sometimes it feels good to buy yourself something you’ve been wanting but felt guilty spending the money on yourself. Go ahead and splurge on yourself, mama. You deserve it.
- Have a mama’s day out. Take a day away from the kids and work. Don’t make any plans and just take the day as it comes, following whatever it is that you want to do. Grab coffee from the coffee shop you used to love, have lunch with a friend, go on a little shopping spree, get a mani/pedi, or just go sit in a park somewhere and read a book.
- Set a self-care routine. Sometimes all it takes is carving out time on a weekly basis to take care of ourselves. We do a great job at scheduling work meetings in advance or keeping our kids on a routine. Plan out the days and times you’re going to do your self-care.
- Get outside. Connecting with nature is so good for the soul and can help provide clarity and a sense of peace. Whatever sounds good to you - whether it’s going for a nice walk, going for a hike, or sunbathing.
- Grab a coffee or a glass of wine with an old friend. Call up an old friend that you haven’t seen in awhile and catch up over coffee and wine.
- Go to a movie, play or concert. Find a movie, play or concert that excites you and make a date with yourself or some friends.
- Ask for help. One of the last things we feel like we have as moms is time. Hire a cleaning service for a day or try a meal delivery service for a month. Give yourself a little breathing room and see how much it helps ease any anxiety or stress.
Mamas, enjoy this special day and all the days after by carving time out of your schedule to do the things you love. It’s worth it. When you take care of yourself, you can give your children and family something wonderful—the gift of a better more centered version of yourself.
About the Author:
Kaley Decker worked in the advertising industry for 10 years. After having her first daughter, Chloe, she decided to take some away from working full-time and has since founded Merci Chloe, a resource that supports moms through the postpartum experience. Merci Chloe is a manifestation of all the self-healing work she’s done since becoming a mother, and she hopes to offer relief and solidarity to other moms who are going through similar things. Kaley lives in Atlanta with her husband, daughter, and two boston terriers and has another baby girl on the way. When she isn’t spending time with her family or writing, she enjoys yoga, being outside, and making jewelry.
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