Ways to Love Yourself During Mother's Day ( And Every Day)
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, we wanted to honor the selflessness of motherhood by bringing to light some ways that moms can treat themselves this Mother’s Day. It is all too easy to get caught up in trying to be a perfect mom, so much so that many mothers find themselves without time for themselves. One thing that we really focus on in our office is balance between serving others and caring for yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup. It might feel selfish or counter intuitive at first, but taking time for yourself actually allows you to be your best self and a better caregiver.
We’ve put together some suggestions that will give you the opportunity to treat yourself this Mother’s Day, and show yourself the love you deserve!
Meditation with Headspace App
Meditation is an excellent tool to help center yourself and bring some calm into your busy day. Many people find it very challenging to go from the warp speed of life to the stillness of meditation. Headspace is a wonderful app that helps guide you into a daily meditation, so you can enjoy all the benefits of it, such as improving focus, compassion, sleep, and decreasing stress. Check out all the benefits at Headspace.com.
Yoga With Your Kids
Yoga is a great way to treat yourself mentally and physically. My favorite thing about yoga is that you can tailor it to your needs. There are TONS of free yoga flows available on YouTube. You can choose Power Yoga for a more intense work out, or go with a gentle flow or restorative yoga to help you relax. Lots of moms out there love getting their kids involved too! Kids love to move and they want to be like you! Have them join in and have fun with the whole family!
Get Adjusted
Getting adjusted is another form of self care. Getting adjusted helps to realign your spine and relieve muscle tension and pain. It also removes pressure and tension on the nerves that connect our brain to every organ, cell, and tissue in our body. Getting adjusted helps to allow more messages to flow back and forth between the brain and the body, which helps your body to regulate itself better, function better, and feel better. Since your brain and nervous system regulate and dictate the function of your body, there is a wide variety of benefits to getting adjusted beyond just relieving muscle tension- chiropractic adjustments have helped patients with sleep disorders, asthma, heart burn, digestive issues, and even infertility. Try getting adjusted directly after your massage for maximum benefit!
Enjoy a Good Book
My new favorite App is LibbyApp. With Libby, you can download Ebooks and audiobooks directly to your phone or tablet for FREE! All you need is a library card, and you will have instant access to thousands of the most popular best-selling books today! I like to listen to audiobooks while I clean or get stuff done around the house. If you’re a busy mom who loves books, you will love this app!
Spa Day Pass
The Spa at Boyne Mountain is one of my favorite places to go for a little self care! A day pass is typically around $35, and admission includes four-hour access to relaxation lounges, locker facilities, whirlpool, steam room and cedar sauna, spa pool courtyard, fitness facilities and group exercise classes. Availability may be limited during peak times.
Take the Dog for A Walk :
This one is a triple threat, as 1) exercise, 2) animals, and 3) being outside all can help improve your mood. Exercise helps release endorphins, your body’s natural pain killer and mood booster. Nature, especially sunlight, is also beneficial in lifting your mood. Spending time with animals can also be a great stress reliever. With this combination of mood boosters, you literally can’t lose. Whether you want to take a walk in solitude or have the kids come along, its a great way to treat yourself. Bring along your favorite music to listen to, or amp it up and go for a run with the dog if you’re feeling feisty!
Get a Massage :
Massages are of great benefit to both the mind and the body! Getting a massage is a special time just for you. There is often calming music, warm massage beds, and scented oils that can help enhance the experience and make it even more relaxing. I find with many of my patients who are mothers, that they have a lot of pain and tightness in the musculature surrounding the base of their neck and shoulder blades. I believe this pattern occurs so frequently in mothers because they are often stooping over, or holding their child with one arm while they reach for things with their other arm. Massage is a great therapy to relieve this pattern of pain and tightness in the upper back region.
Try Stitch Fix:
Stitch Fix is a great option for many busy moms to have custom, stylish outfits be sent directly to your door each month. It’s often hard to find time to try things on, keep up with the latest style trends, and find clothes that flatter your figure during all the stages of pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood. Stitch fix has you take their “Style Quiz,” which helps them to get to know your style. Then, they match you with your own personal stylist who will choose looks for you and send them directly to your door! The best part? If you don’t like something, you just send it back, no charge! You only pay for the things that you love! Stitch fix goes above and beyond to meet your style needs and preferences. They ask if you want more jewelry/ accessories or other certain types of clothing, they offer options for pregnancy, they ask extensive questions regarding your size and fit preferences, how often you want them to come in, how adventurous you would like to be with your style, pricing preferences, and they even do shoes!
Try Hello Fresh
Hello Fresh is another amazing service that helps busy moms stay on top of meals. Hello Fresh sends fresh ingredients straight to your door, including directions on how to prepare the meal and everything you will need, down to the spices! I have been impressed with the quality of the food from HelloFresh. It can be a great solution if you’re short on time with going to the grocery store, or you just want to skip the meal planning or preparation process. Since HelloFresh saves you time this way, its easy to get the kids involved and have them help you cook.
We hope some of these suggestions will inspire you to take the time you need and deserve to care for yourself this Mother’s Day!
