Enter to win 1 of 3 $500 makeover packages from Civello Salons and Spas!
Moms.
We stay up late, we worry, we fret, we grapple.
We’re 5 minutes ahead of the game, and 5 years into the future.
We constantly play Tetris with the resources and people in our lives so that we can make sure that everyone is happy.
We cannot rest until things are secure. Safe. Defined. Organized. Planned. If they’re not, we lie there at night with our eyes wide open, shifting details around silently to see what might work better for our families.
We think in to-do lists and live knowing that we will never have everything crossed off.
We don’t even stop to realize how awesome our output is. Which sucks, because it is pretty darn awesome. In fact, as I just learned recently, MOM flipped upside down is WOW.
So here is a special kind of to-do list for us moms with only 6 little items on it. They’re simple ways to restore your hit points, find your centre, and feel amazing from the inside out.
1. Rest
“Sleep when you can.” We say it to new moms — why do we forget it as soon as our babies start walking? The next time you have 20 minutes, do yourself a favour and lie down. And if you’re sofa surfing at 11:30pm? Pack yourself off to bed. Trust me. Sleep refreshes your perspective, brings clarity, helps you focus, and everything feels a little more hopeful and fresh when you’re actually rested.
2. Say No
For some reason we equate motherhood with ‘making everyone happy.’ While consciously we know this is totally ridiculous, we still bend over backwards to give everyone around us what they want. We live for happy faces. We love smiles. But we all know that real happiness comes from setting healthy boundaries — and that means setting them for ourselves too. If you want or need to say ‘no’ whether it’s to your toddler, a client, or a parents' association — do it. Saying no simply means that you value your energy and time.
3. Lose the Guilt
If you’re going to make a decision, feel good about it. If you take an afternoon away from the family, decide that you and your toddler are going to have a pajama day, or need to work late at the office — own it and feel good. Guilt seems to happen when we compare what we’re doing to what we ‘think' we should be doing. Which means that we’re putting a lot of time into judging ourselves instead of just doing what we need to do and enjoying the moment or the sense of accomplishment. Stop judging — you’re the only one doing it. Your kids, family, friends, and colleagues are right behind you. So get on your own team and help them cheer you on.
4. Reward Yourself
Take the time to pat yourself on the back. Whether that’s enjoying a nice hot latte, getting a facial or a manicure, doing a yoga class, or giving yourself 10 minutes to curl up with a book — give back to yourself. The concept of reward needs to be taught to your children just like anything else. If you don’t give back to yourself after an achievement, praise yourself and replenish your energy, how are your kids going to learn? Seeing Mummy do things for herself is super important. You deserve to treat yourself, and they deserve to learn how to treat themselves too.
5. Celebrate Every Moment
What would happen if we stopped worrying for two minutes? We might actually enjoy the little things, right? The next time you feel your worry engine revving, try and go neutral. It’s so easy to be off in the future, but your kids are right now. By turning off the worry and that constant anticipation we might just enjoy the fleeting beauty of a sticky grin, the silliness of a dinner-time joke, or when time slows, and for one lovely, warm, breath, everyone is actually together, curled up close on the sofa.
6. Enter to Win A MOM to WOW Makeover from Civello
Here’s the best part of my to-do list for you. I’ve teamed up with Civello Salons and Spas to help 3 lucky moms de-stress, rest, reward, and celebrate themselves with a day at their beautiful Queen Street location!
If you are a GTA resident, you are going to want to enter to win! We have 3 incredible packages to give away!
2 prize packages include:
Our GRAND PRIZE winner will receive the same amazing makeover package, but also have their experience featured on a Trying Times Show webisode, AND get complimentary digital headshots from the amazing Ali Martell Photography to really celebrate the moment!
Here’s How To Enter
In the comments below, tell me what you are doing to find your own inner WOW. Share your 'Mom to WOW' secret. You have until Sunday, June 30th to enter.
You must be a YMC member — please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs: You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click to sign up! It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until Sunday, June 30, 2013. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Transportation to Toronto not included. Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
Good luck, and stay positive!
Xo Kat
Printer-friendly version