As a mother, do you struggle to find happiness?
Willow is turning 1 this month, and I can’t even begin to tell you about the rollercoaster of emotions I’ve been dealing with (and overcame) as a new mom. One thing that I’ve struggled with the most (even before willow) is being happy. It’s such a simple yet complex feeling that sometimes feels more difficult to achieve with all the responsibilities that come with being a parent.
Your priorities change. You’re sleep deprived. You’re constantly multitasking. And don’t get me started on how much energy it takes to go back to work. When everything is said and done, there’s no energy left to do anything else. Am I right?
But I realized that if I want to preserve my closest relationships and teach my daughter that happiness is a choice, I need to take care of myself first. So I’m doing just that.
After listening to the Pursuit with Purpose Podcast with Melyssa Griffin, I came across a book by Nataly Kogan called, “Happier Now, How to stop chasing perfection and embrace everyday moments (even the difficult ones).” It’s an excellent book about living fully in good times and bad—and enjoying more of life because of it.
Nataly Kogan’s 5 Core Happier Skills include (find out more from happier.com)
- Acceptance: Research shows that learning to accept what is and how we’re feeling gives us more clarity on the situation and allows us to make better decisions on how to tackle the situation.
- Gratitude: Practicing daily gratitude instills more joy and happiness in one’s life and allows us to really appreciate both the big and small moments in life. Research has shown that practicing gratitude is a “powerful way to counter our brain’s natural negativity bias, or the tendency to focus on anything that’s wrong, stressful, or annoying” according to Happier.com.
- Intentional Kindness: Just by being kind to others, you can make an impact in someone else’s day and strengthen the human connection. Believe it or not, kindness naturally brings joy to our daily lives.
- The Bigger Why: Connecting to our why in terms of what we do at home or work gives us a greater sense of meaning. If you’re able to find what gives you a greater sense of meaning, research shows that this why will help get you through the tough times and give you a greater sense of accomplishment when things go well.
- Self-care: Being kind to yourself and practicing self-compassion will go a long way. Our society tells to keep pushing and to work harder, but we must remind ourselves (especially as parents) that “it’s impossible to feel happier if we’re emotionally, spiritually, and physically drained.” So find ways to make yourself feel good, whether that includes stretching, yoga, meditation, drinking more water or simply going for a walk, make it a priority to do that.
You can also watch Nataly Kogan’s TedTalk about Happiness here:
I hope you find this information helpful!
XO,
Jasmine