Avoiding the "Mommy Blues"

Some people may like to call them the “baby blues”, but I like to call them the “mommy blues” because they can hit you at anytime anywhere no matter how young or old your children are. We mothers can be very hard on ourselves and there will be times that we don’t feel adequate. We pressure ourselves to be that perfect mom and the stress and pressures sometimes catch up to us. After a long day of trying to get in a routine of being a new mom of 2, I asked my mom how she managed life with 5 kids. I mean this lady was always on the go like the energizer bunny, was always dressed up and presentable for the day, and had her own successful business on the side. Her answer to my question was that she was a supermom! A supermom?? Really mom!? Maybe she was. I simply conclude that she was some freak of nature because that is the only thing that makes sense in my mind!

Since I am not a supermom and don’t even try to pretend I am, I put together a list of things that help me stay positive as a mom and make me feel better so that I do avoid those “mommy blues”.

#1 Exercise - I know this one is a no brainer, but still it amazes me how many people just don’t do it. Getting some exercise in each day makes you feel better about yourself. Period. We all know about the happy hormones it releases too. I majored in health education at BYU-Idaho and I remember learning in one of my classes that one of the counselors on campus would not counsel a student who would not commit to a workout regimen. She knew the importance that exercise does to your overall well being.

#2 Healthy Eating - As cliché as it sounds, you are what you eat. Eating junk is going to make you feel crappy, and then you will have regrets for eating that junk, which will probably make you eat more junk, and there goes the cycle of gaining weight. So INSTEAD, make an effort to eat healthy. I promise you will feel better if you do. And hey why not throw some chocolate on those strawberries every once in a while. We do! This was my boys first time having them a few years ago!

#3 Stay Busy - This one might not be too hard to do. I can honestly say that there is never a time where I can sit down and think that there is absolutely nothing to do. There is always something to do when you are a mom. We always have laundry and dirty dishes calling our names, but we should also stay busy going out and exploring the world with our children.

#4 Play Music - It is amazing how quickly a good song can put you in a good mood. So turn up the music every once in a while! Maybe get some good moves going (good way to burn calories, thus happy hormones!) and a good bonding time with your kids.

#5 Girl Talk - We all need our mothers, sisters and friends we can talk to. We need the support because we are all going through the same thing or have been through it. This is my supermom and I.

#6 Date Nights - Sharyl wrote a super cute post a few days ago on how to date your husband on our blog. If you haven’t read it, then please do! Great ideas! Date nights are great for getting all dressed up and falling in love all over again with your number one fan who made you a mother.