I’ve been noticing recently that the things I tell myself will drastically affect my mood. This doesn’t seem like a huge epiphany, but when you’re consuming things that make you feel “less than” or are made for you to feel outrage, this all contributes greatly to the narrative I tell myself. Noticing what I’m consuming makes a huge difference in how I feel about myself as a mom.
Knowing your values can help you make the most of your time as a busy mom
I write often about the difficulties of trying to have it all… or at least look like I have it all. The work-life juggle (as I call it) is just that… a juggle. Because time is finite. There is no “making the pie bigger” as you often can when you negotiate something. Unless someone has access to a time machine? And if so, I’m in and I will pay you! Time is a scarce resource and making the most of every moment and opportunity can become a lot of pressure. Every busy mom knows that there will always be competing priorities. Sometimes you have to choose between your kids’ party at school and that conference call with a client. Or between meeting that work deadline and laying in bed with your kid at night. At the end of the day, you’re only one person with 24 hours. So what’s a busy mom to do?
Are you “mom enough?”
There’s an unspoken pressure that comes with being a working mom. I mostly know how to deal with that at this point (ignore the naysayers, build my own self-confidence that I’m doing the right thing, and sometimes even try and trick myself into believing that I am “mom enough” for my kids). Basically whatever it takes. But sometimes it feels like there’s not enough.
The longest shortest 6 weeks of maternity leave
What it means to have it all
Being able to "have it all" is something that I think about a lot. As a mom that works outside the home I'm in a constant work-life juggle to try and be all things to all people and have it all at the same time. Sometimes it feels like wanting to have my cake and eat it too. I always bring up how I can achieve this in conversation too, giving thanks to those that support me in my work life and home life. I couldn't do it all or have it all without them. Still, what does it actually mean to say that as moms we want to have it all?