I’m an advocate for self-care — mental health in particular. Considering what we are going through at the moment, taking care of your mental health is now more critical than ever before.

Here’s the thing, the way you treat your loved ones is a reflection of what’s going on inside of you. And the truth is, as moms, we set the tone in our household. If we are stressed out, the rest of the family will pick up on that. Motherhood and life are hard at the moment, and that is why I want to share how I’m navigating stress during COVID-19.

The meltdown

A few days ago, I had a mini-meltdown — I’m not sure what it was, but it wasn’t good, and I don’t want to experience it ever again. When I sat down to figure out how I ended up in that state, everything started to make sense. The supermom syndrome had caught up with me again. 

Let me give you some background. I woke up at 5:30 am, cleaned the house, and did laundry for six people. Next, I headed for the shops to do the groceries for the week and ordered gas for our stove. That took me 2,5 hours because I had to make four stops in total. I got back home, submitted a report for work then, I did two hours of ironing. At 6 pm, I popped the pizza in the oven, then I headed straight for bed. And that’s when it hit me. I can’t really explain it,  but all I know is that I was just overwhelmed with emotions. I had pushed myself too far.

Self-care 

The following morning when I reflected, I realised that I had not made time for myself. Three days preceding my meltdown, I hadn’t worked out, meditated, journaled or prayed. I hadn’t practiced any of my self-care rituals that keep me balanced. I was trying to do all the things and neglected myself amid that. When I went back to my regular routine, I immediately felt like myself again.

This is entirely uncharted territory. That means you get to set the rules and break them when necessary. Adding pressure to be perfect can break you. So pick the things that feel really important and let the rest go. The laundry and the dishes can wait! The meltdown was a wake up call for me to be more conscious and while it was a terrible experience, it did push me into action for the better.

Acting on self-care during stressful times is essential. Listening to your inner voice and noticing how you feel is a guide for which self-care ritual to act on. Giving to yourself so that you feel whole will allow you to give to others around you — including your family, friends and the community. How are you navigating stress during these uncertain times

Love B