Why now is the time for mothers to nurture their mind, body and soul
Becoming a mother, at any time, can take some adjustment. Whether it’s your first, second or third child, when a child is born, it’s not only the birth of a child, but a birth of a mother. Every mother’s experience is their own unique, personal journey.
With pregnancy, the focus is entirely on the mother, her wellbeing and ensuring that she is happy and healthy, ready for childbirth and for the arrival of her little one. After birth, with the hormones, the sleepless nights, the feeling of huge adjustment, it can take a toll on a mother’s sense of ‘self’ and overall wellbeing. It can take months, sometimes years, to adjust to motherhood; every woman is unique and that is what makes the journey so beautiful.
Life in the 21st century has always been ‘busy’, however, when faced with a global pandemic and when the world came to a standstill during lockdown, all mothers faced new challenges. The mama ‘overload’ became heavier, globally, mothers were faced with additional stresses; home-schooling, juggling family life and work life (all under one roof) and most importantly, keeping their families happy and healthy.
During such unprecedented times, there has been such a monumental shift in the way we think about the way we live and life in general; the value of human connection, self-care and looking after our health and wellbeing, more than ever, is paramount.
Time for mothers will always be an issue, juggling is part of the norm for our everyday lives. Faced with a pandemic, whilst the world stood still for a while, women continued to look after their children, amongst the stresses and strains that the pandemic brought to family life. The ‘release’ that mothers previously had, no longer widely available in the same way, as fitness outside of the home was no longer possible. The chance to meet other mums at local yoga classes, or the gym, was no longer an option.
During these challenging times, with change happening at any given time and as the world continues to anticipate what will happen next, mothers should aim to improve their physical, emotional and mental health, now more than ever.
Dealing with the ‘mama overload’ and the stresses and strains that come with it, focusing on overall wellbeing is important. To disconnect from some of the overwhelming feelings of being faced with a pandemic and still managing to juggle work and family life. As women, as mothers, its vitally important to take this time to connect with ourselves. To seek a way to connect to mind, body and soul. All three are intrinsically linked to each other and all need to be nourished in the most optimal way, to feel a general sense of overall wellbeing.
Taking a few moments to be mindful, to release negative emotions and thoughts should be part of a daily routine. For just a few minutes a day, busy and overwhelmed mothers should seek to go within themselves and use the power of meditation to ease the mind, relax the body and nurture the soul.
Learning how to develop compassion for yourself and others, finding your inner peace and balance, reclaiming your inner power and trust and having moments of reflection, to be present, to be in the moment. Now is the time to regain clarity and foster as much calmness within, as possible.
Meditation should become a beautiful, habitual practise of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. To adopt the practise to develop more self-discipline, healthier sleep patterns and reduce stress and anxiety levels.
One of the most beautiful things about meditation, is it can be done anywhere and at your convenience and you only need a short window of time during the day, to reap the wonderfully nourishing health benefits.
Find an uncluttered space in your home where you feel relaxed and at peace, or even taking a walk into nature, to get your body moving and connecting to your mind and soul, through meditation, can help ground you and encourage more self-awareness.
As the world continues to evolve, its time to look inwards and seek to holistically improve our wellbeing, nourishing every part of ourselves, with self-love and care. Its vital, that as mothers, time is taken, to think more about wellbeing as a priority, not just ‘when we have time’. Taking a few moments, a day, is all it can take, to make a change and continue to reap the beautiful benefits of meditation.
As mothers, the aim should be, to be our most optimal selves, not only for our selves, but our families. To be calm, more balanced and encourage positivity. The time is now, to make the change.
Authored by Sheryl Franklin
NJM Founder and Holistic Wellness Advocate
Visit her on Instagram: @nojudgementmama
Photo Credit: @Iamnoyes