Motherhood. The season of life where most women put there needs on hold to put the needs of their family first. New babies and kids take a lot of time, attention and love and I myself have been guilty of this as a Mom and a wife; But I firmly believe that you can’t pour from an empty cup. We live in a world where we feel guilty for making our health/wellness, mental state a priority.

That all being said, who better to be an example of healthy living to your family than YOU! So how do we "do it all!?" We can't; However, we can find ways to make our "to-do list" feel a little lighter. Here are some easy ways to take care of you in this beautiful and sometimes messy season of Motherhood.

1. Be flexible – I am a huge advocate for planning ahead, could be my natural type A/organized personality, but it is so important that in this season we make a plan that allows for flexibility. Planning your workouts is great but you may run into things you can’t plan like a sleepless baby or your kiddo spilling milk all over the floor when it’s time to workout. So I have learned its better to show up for myself at least 20-30 minutes instead of giving up because there was a delay in our day, something is always better than nothing! Or to schedule my 3-5 workouts a week but not be so strict on when I get them done during the day! It helps relieve the pressure and makes workouts more enjoyable.
2. Wake up early – Now for some of us this may not work each day depending on how everyone sleeps at night. But always set an alarm that allows you to wake before the rest of your house so you can sip on coffee/tea and water and dive into the word, get a workout in and maybe even shower or sit in silence, something us Moms may not have much of these days.
3. Include the kid(s)- One of my favorite ways to get my workout in while the kids are awake is to play some fun upbeat music and have them “workout” with me! We sing songs and squat, ABCs while we do Jumping Jacks or they follow along with me. It shows them a healthy lifestyle at an early age and will hopefully in the future be a normal activity rather than a chore. Plus, it’s motivating to know you have sweet little eyes watching you!
4. Take advantage of naptime – You need to allow yourself “me” time in addition to your workouts. This could be a variety of things, reading the bible, diving into devotionals, taking a bath, sitting in silence/prayer, painting your nails, the list is really endless!
5. Give yourself some grace- One of the most important things is to give yourself a break. There are just some days where, despite our best efforts, things just don’t go as planned and instead of getting down on ourselves, know that it’s OK! Try to stay positive, tell yourself that you are an amazing Mom and know that each day will be different and sometimes unpredictable and this is truly only a season, that one day we will forever miss.