This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here. Thank you for your support!
I was having one of those days as a mom.
I was frustrated.
Nothing seemed to be going right.
My fuse was getting shorter.
I was exhausted.
The kids wouldn’t listen.
They kept asking me for things.
Asking over and over and over again.
Even after I had said no a million times.
I just wanted a minute to sit down and rest.
I got snappy.
I rolled my eyes.
I yelled about something that wasn’t worth yelling about.
I even wished that I could take a day off from being a mom.
See, you get days off from other jobs.
Days off to recharge and come back for more.
You don’t get time off as a mom.
Even when (if) the kids nap, you feel like you should use that time to pick up around the house, do laundry, dishes, or one of the other never-ending tasks on your to-do list.
Even at night when everyone is asleep, you are still “on call.” At any moment, a child could wake up needing you. Maybe one had a scary dream. Or is puking.
Or worse, maybe you lie awake at night thinking about all the things that went wrong that day.
About how you’re not being the best mom possible.
Maybe you even think that you’re a bad mom.
About how the other moms seem to have something together that you haven’t figured out yet.
You don’t even get the luxury of restful nights when you’re a mom.
This leads to you being even more exhausted, and often, even more frustrated.
It’s not every day, but it happens.
I’ve been there.
You’ve been there.
And I was having one of those days.
I retreated to a place of refuge after turning on a movie for the kids to watch (shameful, I’m aware).
I sat down and took some deep breaths.
I saw a book sitting in front of me that I had purchased over 6 months before but had never opened.
It’s called “The Love Dare.”
Something inspired me to start reading.
It’s a book with 40 days of challenges for loving your spouse and deepening the love in your marriage.
Do you want to guess what “Day 1” is all about?
Patience. It’s about patience.
Because “love is patient” is the first line of the famous verse.
Patience is crucial to love.
This book about marriage taught me a great lesson about motherhood.
“When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation. You are slow to anger. You choose to have a long fuse instead of a quick temper. Rather than being restless and demanding, love helps you settle down and begin extending mercy to those around you.
Patience is a choice to control your emotions rather than allowing your emotions to control you. Patience brings an internal calm during an external storm.”
Gut check. Ouch. That one hurt.
This could have been another opportunity to beat myself up.
Maybe that’s what you’re doing as you read those words.
But let me extend another option to you:
Be patient.
Wait…what?
Be patient with YOU.
Be patient as you learn this thing called motherhood.
Be patient as you have “those days.”
And yes, be patient with your little humans too.
Remember that they are the biggest blessing you’ll ever receive.
Remember that there are lots of women around the world who would love the opportunity to have “one of those days.”
And remember that you are not alone in this journey.
Don’t judge yourself so harshly.
We’re all a hot mess, we all lose it, and we all have “those days.”
Did you know that we now have a Facebook community? You can join us here.
If you’re seeking more wellness and balance in your life, check out my FREE 5-day life coaching course “Finding Wellness and Balance as a Mom!” You can sign up here.
If you’re looking for some personalized help, I am now offering a 12-week life coaching program. Email me at [email protected] to get more details and get started!
