Mom guilt is no joke.
I think it might be worse than a teenage heartbreak. Remember those? Ugh.
Mom guilt happens for a few different reasons:
- We are humans with emotions. (Can’t get away from this one.)
- We aren’t sure of what we truly want to give our kids.
- We are torn between our success goals and mom goals.
You might think things like, “I want to be a great mom.” or “I want to always be there for my child.” Whatever it is, I know you have great intentions!
In order to be the best, you need to get very specific as to what it means to be a “great mom” or what it means to “always be there.” It means something different for everyone!
If you are not clear, you will try to be everything and everywhere for your child, which leaves you feeling stretched too thin.
Imagine this. On your “great mom” list, you have:
- Always be there for my child
- Be an example and show them what it’s like to be a badass woman
- Make money so I can provide them with everything they want
If you want to make money and be an example of a badass woman, you won’t always be able to be there for them.
This list creates guilt and stress because there is cognitive dissonance: conflicting thoughts going on in your mind at the same time.
NOTE: You are totally allowed to have all of those items on your list! Just get granular with it and pick 1-2 things to hyperfocus on.
AND BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF!
- What things do you definitely want to be there for?
- What things do you hate doing but feel like you should do?
- What things are you willing to let go of?
Once you know exactly what is important to you, make sure to put those on your calendar and be 100% present for them. Set very clear boundaries for your “mom time” and your “badass” time.
Remember, just because something is on the top of your priority list, such as a child or work, doesn’t mean it has to get the most time.
A little bit goes a long way.
Start with one small priority.
Focus big.
Watch the mom guilt melt away.
And when you feel it creeping in, ask yourself, “Is this on my great mom list or can I let this go?”
You’ve got this, my friend. You are amazing.
