3 Ways to Overcome Your "Mom-Guilt"
As if raising human beings isn’t hard enough, they are held to a high standard where perfection is often the ideal.
Guilt is one of the biggest struggles that moms go through. As if raising human beings isn’t hard enough, they are held to a high standard where perfection is often the ideal. If you’re a mom, odd is you’ve felt one or all of these emotions:
- I made my son 10 minutes late to soccer practice
- I should’ve acted better when my child told me they failed a test
- The other moms at school are on top of their school lunches while I pack PB&J everyday
- I should be working more to help support my family
- I should be working less to help care for my family
Whatever your feelings may be, we get it. Being a parent is one of the hardest things someone can do. That is why we created a list of 3 things every mom can do to overcome guilt.
1. Create a list of your biggest “guilts”
Writing down everything you get guilty over as a mom may not seem like an ideal evening, but it is going to help put things in perspective. When you write things down, it clears your mind and allows you to leave certain feelings on the page. By writing out what you’re guilty for, your mind can better understand, “here’s what I’m guilty for. By looking at it I see that I am human. I have all my feelings on this page and I’m ready to put it away and move forward.”
2. Talk to other moms
Often times, mom guilt comes from comparing ourselves to other moms. But we are all comparing ourselves to each other and it’s a vicious cycle! Open up to moms in your friend circle and tell them how you are feeling. They will feel the same way and be happy that you came to them to talk to. This way you can all work through this issue together and support yourself through the journey!
3. Self-care comes first
Taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do. The more you wear yourself out, the less you can serve others, and the more guilt you will feel. Make sure that your cup is filled before anyone else’s is. This can cause you to feel like you are being selfish, but it’s truly the best thing you can do for yourself and your family! Take a self-care day once every week or every other week. This is your time to recharge and re-energize yourself so you can be the best mom you can possibly be.
If you feel mom-guilt, you are not alone. Moms everywhere feel this way and we need to start a conversation around it. How do you handle mom-guilt? Tell us in the comments!
