Life is constantly dishing up curveballs.br Motherhood adds more, like mysterious rashes and toddler meltdowns in brthe middle of a crowded grocery store on a Saturday. Working parents brhave yet another layer—an unexpected work trip when a 2-year-old has a brdouble ear infection and having to work late to meet a deadline long brafter the entire house has gone to bed.
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When we’re brbusy, it might seem unrealistic to give attention to the very things we brneed but don’t have time or energy for, such as eating clean and brexercising. But these wellness practices help us thrive, and self-care brcan help get us there.
In addition to the essentials of eating high-quality food and moving more, here are three ways to thrive:
1. Go to bed.In a sleep-deprived nation, getting eight hours of sleep every night isbr often overlooked, but sleep isn’t optional. It’s for all of us, brincluding you. How often do you stay up well past 10 p.m. to catch up onbr email, social media or Netflix? Just as you clean other areas of your brlife, clean your sleep. Commit to a bedtime and wake-up time, which is brnowhere near as easy as it sounds when you’re a working parent. But no bramount of caffeine will ever replace the valuable, vital, restorative brwork that goes on when your body and mind are at rest.
2. Unplug.It’s okay to disconnect from the ringing, buzzing and beeping of your brdevices, which distract you from what’s begging for your attention in brthe present moment.
3. Get inspired. Do somethingbr every day that lights you up. Better yet, do it in the morning before bryour kids wake up so the day can’t get away. Wake up excited.
We brmake the decisions that create our day, our experiences and our world. brDesign a lifestyle that empowers us to not just survive motherhood, brmamas, but to thrive.
Julie M. Gentile is author of the award-winning book 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas and creator of the blog Stand-Up for Your Self-Care. For more information, visit juliegtheyogi.com and follow her self-care adventures on Instagram and Facebook @juliegtheyogi.
