Being a mother is not easy, you don’t study for it, you don’t practice for it. You just become a mother and that´s it.
To realize how to be a happy mother is even more difficult. Society is just around telling us that we should sacrifice ourselves to raise healthy and happy children.
We feel guilty if we don´t expense our time and life for others.
Some years ago we use to imagine mothers just as old ladies full of white hair.
Even our grandmas pushed a wrong idea about “how a mom was supposed to behave” to be considered a good one.
We were taught that mother´s happiness is a synonym of successful and healthy children.
To be a happy mother is not impossible, but we need to understand first what is like to be happy.
What Is Real Happiness?
People have very specific or personal ways to define happiness.
Some people say you get finally happy when you become the kind of person you want to be.
Some others match happiness with money and power.
Others with popularity and acceptance.
Other people say it´s when everybody around you Is joyful at your side because it means that even if you die, you are leaving a legacy of good vibes.
Some people, especially women, consider that happiness is to take the time to appreciate small and simple things, being grateful about what you´ve gotten.
There is a huge variety of concepts, but we can be sure about the fact that happiness takes longer than a simple smile or laughter.
As a mother to be happy has been matched with “good kids in school”, a “happy husband” and a “clean house”.
But, is that really enough?
Steps to Be a Happy Mom
- Give value to yourself: you need to be clear and sure about how important and worthy you are, especially for others. Off course you are not perfect, but you can be humble, check your weaknesses and analyze how you can improve.
- Reinforce your faith: more than religious concepts, you might recognize that
you can trust and believe that good things happen and that you are protected and supported by a superior power, you´re never alone.
- Stop competing with others: we should avoid feeling jealous of other mothers because of some specific situations. We can begin by compliment other mothers and give value to them and ourselves. Some of them might be our friends, we need them and we have to take care of them.
- Practice real love and avoid “possession”: sometimes we think our children are our properties and we don´t let them live. Real love allows you to breathe, be yourself and to be accepted even with defects.
- Don´t be afraid: mothers live full of fear and anxiousness about children and family, we can´t just keep thinking that something bad is going to happen. Reinforcing faith again is a clue here.
- To be alone is not loneliness: mothers are always surrounded by people who are requiring their attention. Sometimes is necessary to find out opportunities to be alone and take time to take care of ourselves. Drinking coffee, watching TV, reading a book, napping, walking, etc.
- Taking care of us: Doing exercise is not only for models, even when you are not looking forward to appearing in a magazine cover, but you should also recognize that is important to practice a sport or do exercise. Sometimes the best therapy is taking a day to make your nails, hair or to spend it in a spa is the best way to recharge your batteries and find out new motivation.
To be a happy mother is not so easy, we also need acceptance and to be taken into account by our family.
Finally, if you are reading this and you are not a mother, please try to understand that she doesn´t work for you, she works by you and you are that extra support that she needs, tell her how wonderful she is and how grateful you are with her, leave her alone once in a while and never let her down, please.
In Spanish Pura Vida we want to highlight our moms and everything they give to the family and society.
HAPPY MOTHER´S DAY!
WE WISH YOU BE A HAPPY MOTHER TOO!