Is it me or is the exhaustion level much higher by the end of the day? I was talking with a few friends about how I couldn’t quite figure out what I needed in the midst of the constant pull to pour out and provide for my husband and kiddos. I’m beginning to realize that my exhaustion is less energy drought and more of my soul yelling at me to take care of myself. Finding moments to pause and think about myself has been few and far between and that’s no one’s fault but my own.
I have to own that, and it sucks.
It is my responsibility to voice what I need, and no one’s to guess and make happen. I can no longer blame my husband and kids for draining me or “taking up all of my time.” Yes, parenting is a lot. Yes, balancing love and marriage during this pandemic can be tough, but I need to learn how to better listen to my body and advocate for its pleas.
But first, can we just take a moment to say we’re doing a good job? So many of us are killing it making sure our homes are clean, putting together meals and snacks on a daily, keeping tiny humans alive and entertained, and doting on and supporting our husbands. That’s not including us mama’s that are WFO, scholars, small business owners, or on the frontlines of this pandemic. We are incredible women, strong wives, and influential mothers. You are amazing. Breathe that in.
…The stress and weight we’re carrying has multiplied, which means we need to create more healthy avenues of release and more avenues of living water to our souls.
Now, if we could learn to love and provide for ourselves the way we do for our families that would begreeeaaat. A friend of mine checked into a hotel for two days just to have time for herself, to love and pour into the dry places of soul she was feeling. She pushed mom-guilt aside and chose to address her needs. That’s beautiful and I wish more of us would do that. I wish I would do that more often. Tending to our personal needs looks different for every woman and every family, and it’s worth the time to figure out what works for you and your budget.
Life is a bit more complicated in this season and the stress and weight we’re carrying has multiplied, which means we need to create more healthy avenues of release and more avenues of living water to our souls. Don’t accept the turbulent winds of change and the unknown to keep whipping you around; anchor yourself. Pray, meditate, read, paint your nails, do breathing exercises while taking a bath, change your eating habits—experiment until you find wonderful tools to help you feel human and like the incredible woman you are.
As we learn to love and care for ourselves better, we will be able to love those around us from a full cup as opposed to one that is bone dry. Don’t forget you are human too, you don’t have to be SuperWoman every day.
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Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash
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