Embracing Imperfections: Life Doesn't Have to Be Perfect
We hope you enjoy reading our first blog...Unveiling the World of a Modern Mum: How To Master the Art of living your best life!
Let's face it, life as a working mum is a juggling act. From balancing work deadlines to endless clothing or nappy changes, and the need to sort out the frigging food shopping. I know that perfection is overrated, but do you? Over the years of being a mum, a wife, a sister, an employee, and the other 27 hats I tend to wear, I have come to find that embracing the chaos serves me well. And, reminds me and I hope my little girl, that it's okay to have messy hair, mismatched socks, and a sink full of dirty dishes. Life is about enjoying imperfect moments and finding joy in the little things.
As I sit here writing this blog to share with the world, I've spent the morning running around town with my 6-year-old doing a mash-up of shopping moments. She is now running around our back garden, whilst my Hubby is on my phone to British Gas trying to argue his way out of a £100 price increase to our boiler cover plan! The washing machine has just finished a spin, so already in my head, I know that once I'm done here I'll run up the stairs to get a wash load of whites on then start tea...which is already prepared in the fridge! This is what to me Modern Mum life is like ....almost every day. And do you know, I really love it.
To me, we live in a world in which with Social Media it really is so easy for us to think that everyone else is living this idealistic lifestyle in which everything is provided for them and life is all shopping, lunches, and sunbathing. In the real world, where you and I live that is possibly something that happens on the annual trip abroad; however daily life is manic. But, this manic world can take its toll on our minds, body, and soul. And that's why you need to find small things in each day that bring your true happiness and joy. Whether it's sex, donuts, a new pair of shoes, or an hour's walk on your own....do not ever forget about you, Mum.
I also 100% recommend letting stuff go. In my professional life outside of building Maidwellway, I have to be on it. I mean really on it. I have to manage people, I have to lead and influence people, I have to make decisions. I have also learned I have to let go of the things I am not in control of. And when the cards are stacked high, you have to let go of the things that are just that important today! When my daughter turned about 3, I started to drop the ball. I was working like a Dog and this meant home life was being impacted because I just did not keep up with the perfection. Then randomly one day when I was talking to another working mum, she said to me work is just work Aimee, but your little family is yours. And that needs to come first, always.
And the penny drops.....all the things I had learned to enable me to be the absolute bomb that I am at work, also enable me to be the absolute bomb at home too!
So, now 3 years later I embrace the wildness mum life brings me. I have the time to be with my family, I have time to work, and I have time to do things I enjoy and love. Here's how.....
1) Only commit to the hours of work you can actually do. Money is great, but if you are working 40 hours a week and this gets in the way of important things, Change the working pattern. You will find ways to manage, you think you won't but you will!
2) Be effective with your time. What is it that is important for you to do today? If it's not important today, and time is a pressure, why are you worrying about it? A day of the sink being full of pots will not harm anyone.
3) Time for you. Yep....you have to find time for yourself. And, I don't mean doing the food shop alone! I mean real you time. Sometimes that might be a full-on Spa day with the girls, other days it's simply having a 20-minute lunch break away from the desk and eating a decent meal without the laptop pinging away in front of you. Every day, do it. Find the time for you.
4) Think positive thoughts. Have you ever woken up in a foul mood and then the day has just felt like it's been rolled in Shit! Negative thoughts and a negative mindset attract negative actions. Every morning when you wake up, start thinking to yourself with positive vibes. I'm so grateful for the opportunities today will bring me and my family. I am blessed to be loved by my beautiful family. I am excited to see what today will bring me. In time you build on these thoughts during the day. You then naturally make things happen because your positive energy is making you take action. After all, you see in your mind what it is you want!
5) Get personal! People connect with People. Whether it's your partner, your kids, your mates, or your colleagues...they want to connect with you, not what you do! Touch, Talk, Listen, Look. Being you, and the true you will enable you to connect with people on the level like no other. And woman, this connection means those people will follow you, help you, support you, and be there when you need them.
6) Acceptance...it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to shut down for the day. It's okay to cry. And it's okay to eat chocolate spread, with a finger, in ya pants at 1 am! Life is a roller-coaster, and as a Mum, you need to ride those ups and downs. Have you ever thought about how empowering you are to your kids? And how they will manage their ups and downs when they grow up, will be heavily influenced by how you as a parent manage your ups and downs with them around. Accept the downs, embrace the ups. Tomorrow is always a new day. What is important is that you acknowledge how you are feeling today and if you want to change that tomorrow, you can. Even when you feel like you can't, you can.
7) Be Silly. You might be 35 years old, but you don't have to be serious all the time. Laugh, live, and love. Tell a joke, be tickled, do silly faces, say silly words. A little laughter in your daily life will not hurt you.
8) Love hard.......accept love, give love, share love.
9) Ask for help. When you need help, ask for it. You should not be doing everything on your own. And you cannot do everything on your own Mum!! Yes, I know, as a Mum it's like...." I Must do everything on my own, all on my own because I'm a strong Independent Mum". A sign of a strong, empowered, independent woman is being able to ask for help when you need it! So ask!!!
10) Enjoy the journey. Motherhood is a life-changing journey, that is just like no other experience. Enjoy all the weirdness, love, laughter, tears, and passion this journey will bring into your life. Those little humans who call you mum will be grown up one day!
1 comment
Lovely read miss Maidwell, some very important points to remember