To say life is easy would be a lie. Boy does it come with it’s ups and downs. Some days you feel like you’ve got this and other days you feel like everything is stacked against you. So how do we enjoy this so-called-life that bombards us with joys and hardships.
I was given some advice several years ago by a mentor I had in a MOPS group. This advice seemed so simple yet so hard. The stage in life that I was in felt so overwhelming. Her advice has forever changed me.
By no means am I saying this advice is for everyone or that I am an expert. I am just sharing a tip I was given that has blessed me over the years in hopes that it may have an impact on another mother like it did for me.
I had joined this group many years ago in hopes of meeting some mommy friends. I arrived with my two-year old daughter and my five-month old son. At that time in our life, our son had some health concerns so we had been in and out of the clinic, surgeries and specialists.
A woman stood up and started speaking to our group. She introduced herself as Karen, our mentor mom. She talked with us about life as a mom and how she could relate. She told us how this season of life was short and how we will be missing it once we are older. She mentioned the importance of giving yourself some time each day for you. She reminded us that it doesn’t need to be long, even just 10-15 minutes. Once you have established time for yourself, we could try adding things to it. Like a devotional, walking, running, reading, journaling. All of these things tugged on my heart, and I knew I needed to try this.
So that weekend, when I knew I had some help from my husband, I got up early, bundled up and went for a 10-minute walk. I took my coffee with me and stepped out the door. I took in a crisp, cold breath of air, and it felt so good. My eyes opened and it was crazy how many things I started to notice and hear. The crunching of the leaves, the smell of the morning air, and then I looked up and the sunrise was just beautiful. This became my morning routine for a while. Once my husband realized how important this was to me, I added more minutes. Fifteen minutes may not seem like a lot, but it was enough for me to take some time and find joy in the little things.
This routine started in 2010, and I am still seeking this time today. Yes, some days I choose to sleep in. However, the days I rise and shine early, I am grateful I did. I tell people it’s like I have a different set of emotions that day. My heart feels full. My eyes and ears hear the good in things over the bad.
I encourage you, like Karen did for me many years ago, to find time for yourself whatever that looks like for you. Sitting, walking, meditating, devotional time, journaling… anything that wakes and invokes your mind, body and spirit.
Much Love,
Mama Janna
