Southern Women like to have their shit together, or at least have it appear that way. But how do they do it? Most of my Mississippi Momma friends manage to have a few kids, a full time job (other than the kids), and a husband to take care of (again, a full time job). On top of all of that, these Momma’s like to participate in numerous adult activities such as the Junior League, Junior Auxiliary, PTA functions, and the list goes on and on and on……
Here are just a few secrets I thought I would share to help you keep your sanity in our ever evolving worlds.
1. Get a hobby. It can be something small or big, but every momma needs something they enjoy doing that they can pour into. It can be jewelry making, sewing, coffee, shopping, or even blogging! Having an outlet will help you keep your sense of YOU. This is something I see way to many momma’s put on the back burner. I struggle with this a lot my first year as a mom. I had to figure out how to mesh the person I was before becoming a mom with the person I was after and having a few small hobbies helped me do just that.
2. Relax. This is another simple one but sometimes hard to do. My priorities shifted so quickly after becoming a mom and the stuff I would stress about before seemed like small dots on the bigger picture. I find myself taking deep breaths throughout the day and asking myself “does this really matter”? Recently something happened that normally I would have lost my cool about but when it happened I just took a breath and went about my day. Even my husband noticed that I did not react the way he would have expected. So take a breath, count to 10 (or 20, or 30….) and don’t sweat the small stuff.
3. Develop relationships. The great news is – we are all in this together!! I would not have made it through the first few months of motherhood without the love and support from all my friends!! From serious topics to silly questions, I relied on my close circle of friends to help me out. We ate lunch, we laughed, we cried and I don’t know what I would have done without each and every one of them!
5. Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)!! This is my life’s mantra. I try to remind myself every single day to live like it was your last. Now, if today was my last day – would I really go in to work? Probably not but I do make sure to kiss my husband and baby and tell them how much I love them. I try not worry about the laundry when I get home but more about spending time outside swinging and enjoying all the blessings that God has given me.
Happy Friday Y’all!
The Mississippi Momma 