As a mom, I see so many women put their family’s needs before their own. By forgetting themselves moms are left feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Once their kids go off to college, moms can feel lost because they don’t know how to start the next chapter of their life. They’ve let their identities slip away over many years, and they’re not even aware of what they love anymore.
What we as moms easily forget is that self care and focusing on what brings us joy as individuals also helps us bring joy to our family.
Self care for moms is so much more than just taking a relaxing bath. Self care is about learning how to nurture our soul everyday. If we don’t feel good about what is going on in our own life, then it is hard for us to be at 100 percent for everyone else. As women, we have come from a long line of ancestral nonsense that has taught us to put our kids first and ourselves last.
The days of self sacrifice are over. As women, we deserve to be happy just as much as any other member of our family.
Society expects moms to wear many hats: that of caregiver, and also very often that of a career woman. This is a lot of pressure, and if self care is not included in our routines, we might just fall apart.
So let’s take back our role with a new title: “The Modern Warrior Mom.”
The Modern Warrior Mom understands that she must put herself first so she can share her gifts, her light, and her wisdom, so the people she loves will get the best part of her. This is the secret to life satisfaction for women in the twenty-first century. In fact research shows that when moms are more satisfied with their lives, they are more likely to have a positive relationship with their children.
Former first lady Michelle Obama knew this, and in a 2011 interview with Barbara Walters, she said that she made herself “the highest on the priority list.” Walters responded with what the conscious collective was thinking at that point in time, “Mrs. Obama… That sounds selfish?” Mrs. Obama responded candidly, “No, no, it’s practical. I found that other women in similar situations—balancing career, family, trying to do it all—a lot of times we just slip pretty low on our own priority list because we’re so busy caring for everyone else. And one of the things that I want to model for my girls is investing in themselves as much as they invest in others.” That interview finally gave millions of women permission to say those six words, “I want to put myself first.”
Let Michelle Obama’s words inspire you. Ask yourself: What do I want? What makes me truly happy? How can I fill myself up? Do it without guilt and listen to those parts of you that want more. Honor yourself by starting now.