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 Jessica}
As the New Year began, I mulled over what I wanted my “word of the year” to be. I finally found it. Maybe I should say it has finally found me.
My goal for this year was to slow down, schedule less, and be more present in my day to day interactions. Somewhere in the last few years I have become an expert at keeping way too many plates spinning at once. So much so that my brain is always five steps ahead, thinking about what I will work on or tackle after my current task is completed.
Now to make myself clear, I am not complaining about how busy I am or the pace of my life. The things I complete are extremely satisfying.
I am, however, trying to be self-aware of the areas of my life in which I could do a little better. And I have realized that where I am thriving in ambition and productivity, I am lacking in peace and rest.
The need to make myself slow down really set in when I thought of my youngest daughter starting kindergarten in a year. Add in a possible upcoming deployment for my husband, and I suddenly feel the need to put on the brakes.
I want to enjoy our time as a family and the kids while they are little, before it’s too late to get this time back.
That brings me back to my “word of the year” Hygge (pronounced hu-guh).
According to Wikipedia, Hygge is a Danish word that refers to “a form of everyday togetherness,” “a pleasant and highly valued everyday experience of safety, equality, personal wholeness and a spontaneous social flow.” The noun “hygge” includes something nice, cozy, safe and known, referring to a psychological state.
For me, Hygge simply means stopping a few times a day to be present and enjoy the moment I am in, whether it be simple or exciting, with friends and family or alone.
It also means taking time from my to-do list to do something that brings me pleasure and joy. While there is no one correct way to Hygge (each of us has different activities or things that make us feel good), here are a few ways you can get a bit more Hygge into your days:
How to Hygge
- Put on a comfy sweater or t-shirt. Don’t worry if it’s out of style, out of season, brightly colored, or a weird pattern. If wearing it makes you happy then do it!
- Adult coloring books are everywhere. Buy yourself a nice set of colored pencils or gel markers and let your creativity flow. This is one of my favorite ways to spend quiet time with my kids. We color, they talk, and everyone usually enjoys the moment.
- Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Serve it in your favorite mug, and really savor the flavor.
- Dance! At least once a week, we turn on some type of music and let loose. Sometimes this involves me wearing my daughter’s tutu and pretending we are in the Nutcracker. Other times we wiggle and bounce to the Junglebook’s “I Wanna Walk Like You” or other Disney songs.
- Go for a walk. Try a new route or try to notice something different about the route you usually take. Take in the different sounds and smells. Get into a grateful mindset. Enjoy being outdoors for the moment.
- Diffuse your favorite Essential Oil throughout the day. Since we don’t burn candles anymore, I like to run my diffuser during dinner to create a different ambiance.
- Take in your child’s facial expressions, features, and mannerisms.
- Look through old pictures.
- Cuddle up with a soft blanket.
- Call a friend or meet them at the park.
- Play a board game.
- Take a moment to pet your dog.
…the list of possibilities is endless!
Let us know your Hygge and how you find happiness throughout your day!
Jessica is a stay at home mom of two lovely little girls. She is also a military spouse and an entrepreneur. Jessica enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors with her family, cooking, and reading. In addition, Jessica is hard at work growing her company Five O’Clock Jelly and she created the Fitness Challenge Kit to help moms get motivated on their fitness journey.
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