Self Care and Goals for the new year: a Mom Blog Challenge
Let’s set the scene…
A first time mom in her spit-up t-shirt and hospital socks reluctantly disassembles the Christmas decor she painstakingly set up a week before Thanksgiving; just a month and a half after giving birth to her first baby. She looks over at that sweet girl who is now 3 months and loves staring at the twinkle lights of the 4 (yes 4) Christmas trees that brightened up the home and lifted moms P.P.D moods which have thankfully withered to a minimum. Mom finally gets baby down for her “long stretch of sleep” at midnight and for the first time that day, takes a look in the mirror. Her hair is starting the dreadful fall-out phase. Her skin has been neglected for months. Her teeth get brushed…eventually, but at least twice a day now. She hasnt given up those comfy pregnancy panties that even her grandma made fun of when she came to help with laundry. And just simply feels an overall lack of mojo. HIIIIIIII. That’s me!
I’ve never been huge on pampering myself. At least not in that *princess* sort of way we all think of. If I ever do, it’s literally pampering MYSELF. Meaning, I go get a $2 face mask from Target and leave my $5 drug store conditioner in for an extra minute and consider myself pampered. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a sloppy girl and I actually do enjoy putting and makeup and getting dolled up, but my practicality and new-motherhood has thrown a wrench into any effort I typically would muster up the energy for. I mean I FINALLY got my hair cut and dyed after nearly a year and I have one of the most bad-ass chicks in the hair game doing my hair. I had never even had a cracked heel until the day I came home from the hospital after delivery. And you know it’s bad when your husband suggests he watch the babe while you go get a pedi. Not to mention my diet…sheesh. Breastfeeding has given me the excuse to just eat what I want and when I’m hungry especially since my pregnancy weight fell off almost immediately. so the menu could be a LOT healthier. My entire body aches from head to toe. My back and ribs are out of whack. My tight neck and bad shoulders are causing migraines. And besides my chunker girl, I haven't lifted a weight since I was cleared for activity.
But the point of this post is goals!
I’ve never believed that the whole, “a happy wife makes a happy life” quote held so much water, but it’s entirely the case. Having just come off a bout of PPD, I realized that it’s even just the basic housekeeping routines that make you feel human! Sleep, getting to breathe during a meal, getting to leave the house alone, and even taking a full shower are things any new FTM realizes she took for granted. I always used the excuse of practicality for not investing in myself. Now that I’ve come out of that initial haze of new motherhood, I can see so much clearer than I did even as a single woman, how badly I need to care for myself to be a better wife and mother. I shouldn't let my lack of self care allow me to resent my family in little ways that run the risk of growing into bigger issues.
To elaborate on all my goals would require a novel! But I’m truly very excited to actually accomplish this lengthy list of aspirations. And I love that they don't feel like work this time. Rather, they feel like real desires. Bottom line, this needs to be the year that my marriage grows stronger. This needs to be the year that I satisfy my creative needs and de-clutter my space and mind. This needs to be the year we make healthy choices in our diets and relationships so that my daughter sees the best examples we can offer. This is the year to value my own experiences and stop comparing my life to others. This is the year to consistently put Jesus at the center of all my words, actions, and decisions. This is the year to stop being so scared to take risks and make our lives the lives we don't need to escape from! And lastly, this is the year I need to stop feeling bad about “just buying the shoes!”. I will likely elaborate on some of these goals later on, but to spare you from anymore reading…I’ll list my top goals below:
-Invest in a hair and skin regimen.
-Finish my masters program by may 2019.
-Create a 2019 dream board (to stay focused)
-Make a realistic budget and debt repayment plan that is going to stick!
-Go to actual yoga classes (versus doing yoga at home)
-Find a dance class. ( make one of those classes a couples class)
-Partake in marriage building exercises. (That salsa class haha)
-Meet new people and make more mommy connections!
-Get a regular back massage. Start the Medical Medium practices.
-De-clutter the closet and create a new wardrobe of basics.
-Complain less and stop making excuses to try new things.
-Cook more and eat at the table as a family.
-Enjoy every second with my daughter and husband!