Ok parents, am I the only one who thought that putting my children before everything in my life including myself was the definition of being a good parent? For years I somehow became convinced that I had to be the super mom at all times, even when I was running on empty. Not that anyone ever said this is the way to parent. It was somehow a natural response that I adapted to my life. My motto was that once my children were ok, I was good.
After years went by, the children grew. I realized that I was more out of touch with myself than ever before. With the years of neglect, I too grew in size, negativity and health concerns. As much as I thought I was ok, I wasn’t. I was physically present, but I was so hidden inside. The act of placing myself last was foolish and ironically selfish. I was not giving my best, I was giving my last.
I am sure there are many parents out there that can relate to my experience and if you do, I welcome you to this blog! It is time for you to see your own health as a priority and start living to your fullest. There is an old saying, “You can’t give, what you don’t have” and I am a firm believer of this. When you go on a plane the safety instructions for parents is to put your oxygen mask on first in the case of an emergency, then deal with your child. I guess it is safe to say that being a good parent means taking care of yourself first and foremost. This way you can give an overflow of your best.
Self-care is selfless, and the more you understand this the better your experience as a parent will be. Need more convincing? Here are 5 ways that your children will benefit from your new healthy way of life:
1. Combat Stress – Exercise releases endorphins which are the natural painkiller chemical of the human body. Eating healthy also can affect your mood for the better. Being a parent has its own moments of high demand on your emotions. But you should not function through stress every day. When you are under stress your children can sense this, and the stress can spread throughout your home causing tension in everyone.
2. Decisions, Decisions– No one makes good judgement calls in the wrong state of mind. If you are feeling low, chances are your decisions will be made out of pure emotions. Healthy living can drastically change your cognitive thinking, therefore enabling you to think at your best!
3. An Amazing Role Model– Whether you like it or not, our children are watching our every move and they pick up our habits in one way or the other. So why not make an effort to be displaying a life where you cherish your health and make great choices to live well.
4. Energy Boost– The demands of life will never end and when you have to care for others, you have to extend yourself. Even when you don’t feel like it. That is why you need to be training your body to endure, and feeding your body the right fuel to sustain you throughout the day. The more energy you have lessens the complaining about being fatigued. You’ll be able to keep up!
5. Positive Environment– Living a healthy lifestyle will not only have you looking great, you also feel amazing on the inside. When someone is looking and feeling happy there is no choice but to spread that same happiness to those around them and cultivate an environment of love. The love you put into who you are is the love you can give to others for who they are.
These 5 steps are just some of the major benefits you can have for you and your children. The positive turnaround is endless. Make a decision today to put your best self forward!
Happy Healthy Parenting
You Are Loved xo,
Angel
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