I looked around my house, frustrated with the never ending to-do list that I have running through my head. It unraveled like an old time roll call list. You know, the ones like scrolls that, upon opening, roll to the floor and just keep going and going. Yeah, that is what my list looked like in my mind.
I felt like a failure that day (and many as a matter of fact). The house wasn’t clean for my husband. It was 6:30pm and dinner hadn’t even crossed my mind. And as such, the lies begin to roll in.
You see, as much as these lies and truths might help you, there are just as much a reminder to myself. To remind me that when I’m feeling inadequate, there is so much more to the lies I keep replaying.
Five Lies Moms Tell Themselves…
1. Lie: I didn’t accomplish enough today.
Truth: You got yourself up and dressed for the day, as well as your kids. They were fed, loved, and cared for, and some days that is enough.
2. Lie: I didn’t play with my kids long enough.
Truth: You instilled in them a love of playing and self-directed play. You are encouraging them to find their independence, problem-solve, and use their imagination. You are not abandoning them.
3. Lie: I wasn’t able to finish my ‘work’.
Truth: The work you did accomplish was worthy work. Your children, home, and relationships are also your ‘work’ and those things were taken care of today.
4. Lie: My house isn’t clean enough for my family, let alone company.
Truth: Invite those friends over; the invitation itself is enough. Company and community is all we want as moms, messy house or not. Our home is lived in, and the holder of all our belongings and memories. Memories were being made today in the mess of your home.
5. Lie: I am not a good enough friend, sister, daughter, mother.
Truth: You are so worthy of love and friendship and community. In seasons of life, we may not be able to communicate or see the people we care about often enough. Running here and there and caring for young children is a good enough reason for forgetting to reply to a text. It is important to have our community, but release yourself from the pressure of responding to every message we are bombarded with on a daily basis (text or social media).
You see, the pressures we put on ourselves day in and day out are 99% unnecessary. When we look at our children, the last thing we would want for them in their adult life is to constantly feel stressed and burnt out. I am here to remind us both that we don’t have to feel that way as moms. We can start the healthy mind habits now, and hopefully in return, create that impact on our own children.
So tonight, go to bed happy with your day and all that you did or did not accomplish. The lists can wait till tomorrow while we enjoy the moments of today!
Do you struggle with feeling inadequate or unaccomplished? You are not alone and we would love to continue the chat below!
That was encouraging!