We moms can live in joy and peace, we can thrive rather than just trying to survive each day. With focus and managing emotions as a mom, we can get to the place where we enjoy our time with our children. These are important thoughts to getting out of the mommy slump!

Welcome to Mom Motivation Mondays where weekly contributing writers share their motherhood experiences to encourage you to find the joy in being a mom.

{This week: Post by Lisa Brown}

I used to think that something was seriously wrong with me. Hormones, life circumstances, sin, anxiety, and depression play a huge role in the way I feel.

It’s easy to forget about ourselves when we are busy doing life.  We don’t slow down long enough to listen to the thoughts that race through our heads or respect the care of our bodies.

We act out. We will overeat, yell for no reason at all, start crying over spilled milk, drink too much,  or stop eating, sleep too much or too little, or distance ourselves and watch television or hop on our computers. 

Too many times I have ignored my feelings by minimizing them. 

I desire to parent with joy and instead I struggle with managing emotions as a mom.

Managing emotions as a mom meant in times of disappointment I have brushed the feeling off by convincing myself that it really doesn’t matter. Other times I have ignored feelings of grief because I thought sadness was a sign of weakness. I felt bad about myself when I was angry and so I ignored the rage inside.

Too many times I have felt burned out because I tried to cover up by doing. Or I felt tired from hiding in shame and guilt for acting out. Too many times I have blown up and blown things out of proportion.

The messy load of grief is too hard to carry and soon or later it will erupt like a volcano.

I don’t have to let these struggles control my life. I’m not a master at any of this yet. I’m a mess in progress. I don’t like riding on an emotional roller coaster day in and day out.  I’m daily managing emotions as a mom seeking a better way to handle my feelings.

I find joy when I acknowledge that God is with me and for me. There is nothing wrong with me or my emotions. What matters is how I handle them.

Something different happens for me when I turn to God and pray. I find acceptance, peace, and answers.  I give him my troubles and wait on Him to restore me.

Feelings matter and should not be minimized. God desires for us to take every thought captive and bring it to Him.

We can live in joy and peace. We are made in the image and likeness of God. He is in us.

We must not get joy and happiness mixed up-

Happiness comes and goes. It’s okay to be sad.

Joy comes from God and joy is our strength.  

Managing emotions as a mom means I have to be willing to slow down and pay attention to how I take in life’s circumstances.

Following are two questions we can ask ourselves when we are faced with a difficult situations.  

  1. How are you feeling about the situation? The last thing we want to do is make a decision based on guilt and be manipulated into a decision that later we will regret.  It’s never wise to do something or to not do something from a place of emotions.
  2. What does God’s word have to say about the situation? God’s word is the best counsel we have and our thoughts are to line up with His. You don’t have to move forward with a decision until you are sure.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to live life thriving instead of trying so hard to just survive?

We can live a more balanced life when we become intentional with our time.

  1. Live a healthy lifestyle – I notice that I handle my emotions much better when I eat, sleep, rest, and exercise right.
  2. Be kind to someone else – I like to take a break from dealing with my own stuff and go do something kind for someone else. It really helps lower my level of stress and gives me energy to come back to my place of need and seek God.
  3. Take every thought captive and speak God’s truth to yourself – I do so much better in life when I take time out to go for a walk or drive. It’s when I am by myself that I can take inventory of what I have been keeping in stock up in my brain. There is always junk up there that needs to be thrown out and sins to ask God to forgive.
  4. Spend time with good Godly women. Who will inspire you, encourage you, and be honest.  I love my girlfriends! I tell them exactly how I feel and they care. And they care enough to speak truth to me even if it is hard to hear.
  5. Be grateful and notice the good things in life. The thing that messes with my emotions the most is world news.  Before I take time to read or watch the news I cover myself in prayer and protect myself with Gods’ word.  Before going to bed each night I reflect on my day and give God thanks for another day filled with His love, protection, and grace. I go to sleep setting my mind on the awesome things of God.

Our emotional well being is worth fighting for my friends. Managing our emotions as moms is important. God’s joy wants to come out in you and me every day that we breathe. Joy attracts good friends, it gives us energy to give to others, and it reflects God’s love.

Let’s fill our homes with laughter and may our children remember us by our grateful hearts and happy smile.

Do you struggle with managing your emotions? How do you clear your head in a challenging moment?

We moms can live in joy and peace, we can thrive rather than just trying to survive each day. With focus and managing emotions as a mom, we can get to the place where we enjoy our time with our children. These are important thoughts to getting out of the mommy slump!


Wanted: Mom Friends! Lisa Brown from COmmunity Moms blog shares how she felt when she became a new mom and did not have a support system in place. This is great advice for moms whether new or experienced!

I was forty when I got married. I had my first child in 2008 and my second child in 2010. I am not a young mom. I’ve been married since 2006 to an amazing man that is my best friend. I’m so in love with him. We live in Colorado with our son and pretty little girl. Before I had children I was a Preschool Teacher. Now I’m a Home School Teacher.

I write to encourage and inspire. Life is messy and sometimes makes no sense. I don’t have all the answers or claim to have it all together. I choose to live for God because He has blessed me so much. I’m learning that I don’t have to be perfect. I’m loved by God just because and so are you. My hope is that my stories about parenting bring laughter on the hard days when you feel like pulling your hair out. My posts are meant to help you hang in there when you feel like giving up. Join me at Me Too Moments for Moms to connect with other moms seeking faith and joy in this season of life.


 

View the rest of Mom Motivation Mondays for more inspiration and joy in motherhood!

A weekly series of motivation for moms brought to you by stay at home mom bloggers at The Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide.

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