“When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” – Sophia Loren

In honour of American Mother’s Day this Sunday May 8th, I’m sharing my special article written for all you hard-working, selfless, beautiful and LOVE-ly mothers, mums, mamans, madres, or however you prefer to be called 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day and enjoy this wild ride of motherhood!

As a mother, undoubtedly, I have less time for myself compared to that of my previous lifetime “B.C.” (Before children). As the root of family life I’ve often struggled between my role as a caregiver and as a working professional. Choosing to work while raising children, whether for the love of a career, a way to stay connected to the ‘adult’ world or the need to contribute financially is a life choice that requires a delicate balance of patience, love, positivity, support, and loads of energy. It’s not to say that stay-at-home-moms (SAHMs) aren’t working. Because hands down being a SAHM is hard-core and hard work – I know. When I chose to enjoy my children’s early years it was some of the hardest work I’ve ever done – to be responsible for another little person 24/7. Whether full or part-time at home or at the office, all mothers are working mothers – full stop.

Being a mother is a constant daily juggle (sometimes aka struggle) tending to the needs of loved ones and of our selves. Everyday is a juggle of perfect imperfection. I’ve only come to accept and embrace this realisation after I myself became a mother, no longer alone in my thoughts. Trying to be perfect only brought me back down to reality, time and time again, that nothing and no one in this world is perfect. Life is about the journey and being grateful for every moment of this wild ride. The sooner we can accept and embrace this truth the easier it becomes to enjoy parenthood, but most importantly love our imperfect and beautiful self.

As a mother, international coach, yoga teacher, writer, and motivational speaker I know first-hand through personal experience and witnessing with my clients that we must nurture and mother ourselves just as we would our own children. We can only fully give from a nourished place. Here are my top three tips on how you can start living from a more authentic place, with renewed appreciation and revitalised energy:

1) Time out. We need to put as much energy in as we put energy out. Mothers can burnout easily juggling between everyone’s needs and feeling exhausted, stressed and over-worked. Stress is not an enemy but rather a symptom that indicates our body is over burdened with too many chemicals, adrenalin, and stimulants that trigger the fight-or-flight response, of the sympathetic nervous system. Wave that “No flag” loud and proud. Stop, slow down and allow time to rest, restore, and reenergise. Choose practices, people and places that will nourish you and sustain your energy throughout the day.

2) Book yourself. Make an appointment with yourself. As mothers, we may think ‘I don’t have enough time’, which ultimately becomes the reality, leaving no time to rest, relax and restore energy.  But we absolutely have the capacity to change our lives through our thoughts; ‘energy follows thought’ is one of the basic laws of nature. Our subconscious mind accepts whatever we chose to believe. Make a commitment to carve out quality ‘me’ time by scheduling your self-care in your calendar as you would any other appointment. In making time for yourself, topping up your energy reserves, you’re better equipped to fully support others and your work.

3) Laugh more. There’s a lot we can learn from our children. As parents sometimes we have a tendency to become strict as we daily referee to discipline and protect our children. Setting boundaries is important, but try to enjoy this wild ride as you laugh it off or find joy in moments of stress or chaos. Because after all, it’s true what they say, “they grow up quickly”. Laughter doesn’t just lighten you mentally; it actually benefits you physically by increasing endorphins, relieving stress response, and soothing tension. Find a way to laugh about your situation and watch your stress begin to fade away.

As always, I’d love connecting with you and hear how you’re enjoying the wild ride of motherhood (or fatherhood)! Head over to the comments section below to share your thoughts.

With love and gratitude,

Leslie xx

P.S. Join my FREE private community On Purpose Collective so you can connect with a global group of like-minded people and where I facilitate live weekly & multi-day trainings.