Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves as moms and women?
Why?!
I think there have been subtle changes in our society, and even our thinking, almost conditioning us to the point of believing we are not enough. I am so tired of it. I am fed up that I second guess myself all of the time.
“Am I making the right decision?”
“Should I be doing more?”
“Am I doing enough by staying home?”
“Should I work outside my home?”
“Should I work less?”
“ I should have this more together by now.”
These feelings play like a broken record on a loop in my mind.
They’re rooted in lies. Each one of them.
We feel we can’t just “stay home” with our kids, if that’s what we choose. We should be doing more with our time at home, because as a stay at home mom all you have is extra time since you JUST stay home.
If you’re a working mom you need to have the perfect balance of home life, and you somehow need to climb the corporate ladder effortlessly.
This isn’t just something moms do, even women who aren’t moms struggle with needing to be the best, conquer the world and basically kill it at life and embody Wonder Woman.
The list goes on and on. But why?!
We are rarely comfortable in our situations and with our decisions.
It’s exhausting, and these lies we tell ourselves are ridiculous.
We battle with this feeling, this constant pull from social media, and society to take life to the next level all the time. This feeling is just the pull from the world, and its is a race we will not win. We have to stop the crazy game we play in our minds and just remind ourselves of the truth that WE ARE ENOUGH, just as we are, however that may be.
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We need to push against the current of todays world and slow our minds down, slow our lives down and be grateful and satisfied with where our lives are, because He orchestrated it.
One of my favorite pieces of scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, NIV “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” He has plans for us and we are all carefully guided into different places and situations in our lives according to His plan.
We need to Trust in Him and not try to juggle a million things all the time. I need to repeat this to myself a million times each day.
The times I find myself feeling frazzled, which is more often than I’d like, I know I need to slow down. SLOW DOWN.
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I reflect on what He has given me, I remind myself NOT to focus on what I need to achieve or cross off on my to do list, but really be present (that’s such a hard thing for me) and reprioritize.
Sadly, this is a problem that’s becoming an epidemic in our society and I know I’m not alone.
We’re told it’s not ok to slow down, or even admit you’re not in control for that matter.
I know I am enough, because He tells me I am. I need to remind myself of this truth when I’m struggling with life, and I fall into the all too familiar cycle of hectic life.
I am a child of God. I am more than my resume of accomplishments and what I can post about on social media.
This is a constant battle, a war that wages inside of me daily. I know I will be victorious because of His mercy and forgiveness that He offers to us all. All we need to do is ask. Stop, slow down, and pray.
If we don’t say these lies aloud, that all we struggle, that it’s OK to not DO IT ALL, each one of us, whether we are working, stay at home, single, married, divorced, whatever your situation is; then we are fooling ourselves.
We are fooling ourselves and each other if we let ourselves believe that struggle isn’t a part of life, and that you have to do it all. Whether you are working, whether you start at home, are single, married, divorced, widowed, whatever your situation is don’t let yourself be fooled. We all struggle, we don’t have to do it all!
Stop believing the lies, and take the burdens you place on yourself off of your shoulders.
Instead, believe that each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and that YOU matter.
Today, choose to tell yourself three things
- I am enough.
- I am where I am supposed to be.
- I am a child of God.
Knowing you are those things are all you should be focused on and anything else is just not essential. Take the burdens off of yourself mama, slow your mind down if you feel like your drowning in guilt and to do lists, and just BE.
Share this with any momma or friend who you know should hear this.
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