SO many I mean SO many of the working mothers I speak to on a daily basis are burning out. It's scary. I was one of them and often find myself reverting back to that state of mind until I tell myself "no". Take a page out of your toddlers book and say no.
There is a conception, and I won't say misconception because I think this can be often self inflicted, that we can do it all. I certainly would've proudly raised my hand and said "yep, I'll make the lunches, bathe the kids, drop them off, go to work, eat a healthy lunch, drive home in time and have a fresh organic dinner on the table. Read all the stories for bedtime routine, put them to sleep and still find time to enjoy my husband. Yep that's me" NOPE. Anxiety went ahead and humbled me quite quickly.
It's called burnout. It's alive and well and
knocking on the door of your ego.
I am here to tell you, just say no.
No is a powerful word and perhaps this why some of us have a hard time saying it? I'm not sure why. Power is the pinnacle of working motherhood-a pivotal shift in perspective towards wellness. Perhaps you feel like you'll offend someone? Miss out on an opportunity? I promise, you will do yourself a favor and save so much stress by saying no to only the things you don't truly deeply want to do or be involved in. Need to asses if you should say no?
1. You own your time. When you say yes to something you immediately give up your time, head space, and attention to it. Be your own time boss.
2. Think of what you could be doing. If this, then that right? "If I stay at work late, then i miss dinner time with the family"
3. Is it serving you too? I know this sounds selfish, but honestly. If you spend all of your time giving consistently, then who is giving back to you? You cannot fill from an empty cup and if you're feeling empty, then it's probably best you say no to that so you can say yes to you.
4. You're should-ing all over yourself. If you are saying something like "ugh i should just go", don't go. Don't participate in something that you're hearts not in. People can feel it.
I still have yet to master saying no sometimes. It had become a reflex to just say yes, because I wanted to be able to do all the things and be all the things to all the people and it's literally impossible without losing yourself. This isn't just in working motherhood. It's all things. You can only be the best you when you're being true to yourself-and sometimes that means just saying no.
I hope you feel empowered to draw your boundaries the rest of this week because we all know it's rough in these streets Mamas!
Xx, Gi
Comments