#winningasamummy

#winningasamummy

How are you winning as a mummy?

Do you celebrate those small moments of joy each day?

Or do you find yourself focusing on those things that haven’t gone so well?

I believe that celebrating our wins, our moments of joy as mums, can have a massive impact on our wellbeing, showing up as our full self and having confidence in our motherhood journey.

Being a mum can be really tough at times, and our lives can change so much, so it’s so important we remind ourselves just how amazing we are and where those moments of joy are, especially on those days when things can feel a bit harder.

So when was the last time you celebrated that you had been able to have a calm bedtime, a full night’s sleep, a moment of laughter with your children, a date night with your partner or friends? When was the last time you focused on what you were grateful for, rather than the never ending to do list?

Did you know that the more we focus on what we don’t want, we will get more of what we don’t want. If we focus on what we do want, those moments of joy, those things we are grateful for, we will get more of those. This is because our brain, our reticular activating system (RAS), is looking for what we have set our mind to. So if we are looking for those things that haven’t gone so well, then this is what our brain will keep looking for. If we focus on those joyful moments, then we will see more of those.

Sometimes this is harder to achieve than at other times, which is why some find keeping a gratitude journal helpful as it gives you something to focus on and you can always look back through it on those days when things are a bit harder.

One of my clients keeps a notebook full of her #winningasamummy moments, which she has kept since the launch of the first campaign four years ago. Imagine just how many moments of joy, gratitude, and reminders of those small winning moments there are in that notebook.

When I talk about feeling like you are winning as a mummy, I don’t just mean a full night’s sleep or a day out on your own, it could simply be being able to drink your cup of tea whilst it is still warm, taking a shower in peace without being disturbed, ordering those new shoes you wanted, being able to read a chapter of your book before bed, your child telling you they loved you, an afternoon of calm playing. It can be something small or something bigger, what matters is that you recognise those moments and remind yourself to continue to look for them.

Every year for the past four years I have launched the #winningasamummy® campaign to bring us mums together for a week to share these wins, to share our moments of joy on this journey. Over the past four years mums from across the world have got involved by sharing their mummy wins with their hot (but probably cold) drink with the #winningasamummy. They have shared their honest parenting experiences in a bid to help maternal mental health and get us talking together as mums.

Winning as a Mummy® is a registered Trademark of Emma Cottam (Isabella and Us.)

Winning as a Mummy sticker designed by Bowler Bear Designs

 

Find your further dose of self care in the Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums here