Looking for some encouragement? These are the top ten motherhood posts from Finding Joy over the top year. Each post is linked in the title, with a key what’s it about point listed, and a short excerpt. Be blessed.
What it’s about? Being Enough.
Don’t be weary, dear mother, in trying to keep up with a supermom agenda. There is no supermom, really – that whole supermom who has everything together is just a fallacy. There are real moms. Real, authentic moms who admit that they don’t have it all together but keep on fighting. Scared and tired moms who keep fighting. Moms who are overwhelmed by keeping up with littles all day long. Moms like you and me who sometimes feel lost in a world of outward accomplishments.
[Tweet “There is no supermom. There are real moms. “]
2. Dear Mom Who Feels Like She Wants to Quit.
What it’s about? Strength.
So you may feel like you want to quit. Don’t. Pick up the motherhood towel right now and instead tell yourself you can do this today. You can. You can for your family. Don’t look at how Sally is mothering, or what the facebook status states, or the pinterest picture of the perfect mother. You are the perfect mother for your children today. Do not let the world qualify your motherhood. There is no price tag large enough that would ever illustrate the true value of motherhood. You are an amazing gift to your family.
[Tweet “You are the perfect mother for your children.”]
3. Dear Mom Who Feels Like She is Failing.
What it’s about? Perspective.
You need to start to see all you do accomplish in a day. All the smiles of encouragement, meals made, clothes changed, books read, and more. Just like I wrote yesterday – we make mistakes {ten things moms need to remember} – we just need to learn from them. We’re out of breath, racing, and exhausted, but truly not failing. Failing means stopping. Not getting up, not trying, not giving. That’s not you.
[Tweet “Start to see all you do accomplish every single day. Not what you don’t.”]
4. 20 Things to Not Regret Doing with Kids.
What it’s about? The Value of Moments.
19. Showing them that the stuff doesn’t matter. Nothing in Target really matters. Nor the stuff on the shelves. Or the clothes one wears. Or the fancy birthday parties. If the stuff clouds the vision then the relationships are lost. Relationships first. Stuff after that.
20. Letting them grow up. Sigh. This. It has to be done. So I look back with nostalgia, and embrace today, and look forward to tomorrow. They’ll grow. And I’ll savor the moments that we’re blessed to share.
[Tweet “Relationships matter more than stuff. #motherhood”]
What it’s about? Keeping it Real.
Motherhood is simply real.
Real with real moms who lose their patience, who want to throw in the towel, who have kids (like my Samuel who is now in the hallway next to me telling me he doesn’t want to go to bed now) who don’t stay in bed. It’s full of moms who have to work who’d rather stay home. Or moms who stay home who’d rather work. Or moms who are simply tired with the every day same routine.
[Tweet “Motherhood is simply real – not perfect – but real.”]
What it’s about? Celebrating the Normal.
Motherhood isn’t made up these perfect moments with sorted toys and perfect gourmet dinners that are shaped into cool shapes and all of this other stuff. Motherhood is a raw place of realizing that sometimes you don’t have any clue what you’re doing and yet you keep on doing.
[Tweet “The ordinary is often extraordinary.”]
7. 10 Things Happy Moms Don’t Do.
What it’s about? Finding Joy.
7. Forget about themselves. Do not lose yourself in motherhood. Don’t lose sight of your dreams, your passions, and all the things that make you super unique. Burying all of that can lead to resentment of motherhood. So find time to run, paint, sing, create, write, or whatever your passion truly is. Moms need outlets. And sometimes it means taking a bit longer hot shower and letting the hot water tank run out.
[Tweet “Do not lose yourself in motherhood – cultivate your dreams and passions too.”]
What it’s about? Real Motherhood.
12. Don’t worry about savoring every single moment. Give yourself grace, really. Going back to the kids being sick point – there are simply times in life where the little moments aren’t really the best. Don’t stress about that. Instead be grateful for the moments tucked within the normal. So often we don’t realy expect them – they’re the you’re the best mom moments after you cut the pbj into triangles and get them a glass of milk. Moments matter, but not all moments need to be savored. Make it a habit to record the good so that you can remember.
[Tweet “Do not worry about savoring every single moment – give yourself grace in the journey.”]
9. Dear Mom You Are Stronger than You Think.
What it’s about? How Mothers are Warriors.
Let me tell you truth.
Pulling up the covers and kissing a little one goodnight after the hardest day of your life matters. Smiling when you have tears in your eyes matters. Pushing the swing in the hot sun when you have a list of things to complete matters. Opening the peanut butter jar that is almost empty and scraping out the last bit of peanut butter and spreading it on the bread and giving it to your three year old matters. Walking out the door and into an office so that you can buy that bread and peanut butter matters. Pumping gas and driving to soccer and cutting orange slices and baking bread and helping with math facts and taking temperatures and changing the laundry load and scrubbing the counters and listening to stories from the day and going to bed exhausted because you gave and gave all matters.
[Tweet “Motherhood is a picture of grace, strength, and bravery.”]
10. Dear Mom It is Never Too Late.
What it’s about? Living in the Now.
It’s not too late for you today. Maybe yesterday was the worst day ever (read to the mom who feels like she is the worst mom ever). That was yesterday. You have today. Maybe this morning you freaked out because the orange juice spilled and you couldn’t find the math sheet that you and your nine year old struggled through last night and there was crayon in your dryer and you’re late. That is in the past.
You have now.
[Tweet “You have today. Live with joy, love, and knowing that motherhood makes a life difference.”]
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Be blessed. Know that you matter.
And why you are most certainly enough.
~Rachel
I’d love for you to join the amazing community of moms on Facebook -> Finding Joy Facebook Community
And yes, yes…if you’re interested in more of my Dear Mom Letters my ebook is listed below.
1 comment
I love #7. Though not a mother myself, I see it happen often to mothers in my life. I hear things like “oh, I’m just a mom now!” or “sure, I’d love to do that but I’m a mom now, you know!”
That makes me sad to hear! I hate to see anyone lose a part of their identity because it’s that identity that got them to this point. A parent with passions is a huge inspiration to a child! Seeing my mom excited about her garden, cooking and music made me excited too!