HELP! Mommy Needs a Time Out!

“I definitely need a nap”. Those are words I have said to myself at least once a day since 2013.

Life is busy, far busier than I ever realized it would be. I used to dream about the days when I would be a mother, wife and therapist.

Oh, how wonderful I imagined it would be. I just knew everything would be perfect and I would just float through each day knowing exactly what to do (sound familiar). Yeah… I knew nothing back then. In fact, sometimes I was just plain foolish. Now, please don’t mistake my honesty to a busy life as complaining. I am blessed, blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I can, however, allow myself the humility to realize that a blessed busy life is hard. Juggling being a wife and mother has been a challenge. I have lost and found myself many times over the past five years. I have found that living with grace is the only answer. Perfection only leads to failed expectations and tears. Finding balance is one way to ensure you can, in fact, have it all. You might be a mother; maybe a new mother or maybe the third one is a charm type of mother. Either way it is hard to adjust to those changes. People often focus on helping children, and pets adjust to a new baby, a new house or a new routine. What about Mom?! Isn’t she the glue that holds it all together? Come on Mom…give yourself a break. Yes you have it all! The kids. The house. The husband. Maybe even a wonderfully fulfilling job. It’s okay, you can say it. You are TIRED. You are overwhelmed. You might even be a little resentful of that young single woman enjoying brunch every Sunday. It’s okay to admit we miss being alone. Sometimes as we live out our roles as wives and mothers, we forget we are also women. The woman who loves deeply. The woman who appreciates her own company. The woman who still has dreams outside of the dreams that built her family. When was the last time you took time for yourself? When did you last close the door, take out a book and relax? When was the last time you took a nap that didn’t involve being pinned down by a hot sweaty baby? Have you slept for at least 8 hours in the last year? You, Momma, are the glue. The heart and soul of your family. You need to be healthy and whole to keep that big blessed family of yours going. How can you do that? By taking a TIME OUT!! Your kids get the opportunity to sit quietly multiple times a day. Now it’s your turn. Schedule your time out and take time for you. Find something that heals and nurtures you. It doesn’t matter what it is, it only matters that it feels good. Your family will survive an hour or four without you. You might even miss them 🤫  What I know for sure, you will return with a new appreciation, for yourself and for your place in your family. You may need another time out sooner than you expect; that’s okay, Momma. Remember GRACE not perfection. You have GOT this…you always have. Somewhere along the way you have just lost yourself. YOU deserve the chance to find that wonderful fun loving girl again… NOW, GO TAKE YOUR TIME OUT, MOMMY!