Five Lies We Need To Stop Believing

As I am journaling (literally, writing) through my motherhood journey, I find myself constantly fighting off the same nonsense lies. They are written below as a battle cry. I refuse to allow myself or any other mother, to be burdened by the monster of her thoughts.

1. I don’t do enough.

Wait, what? Are you sure about that? Let’s check ourselves before we wreck ourselves. If you are reading this, you probably do too much. Quick anecdote: I scrolled Pinterest for hours on end to look up every Spiderman birthday decoration known to man. I pinned the mess out of beautiful cakes, décor ideas, DIY everything & you know what actually ended up happening? I bought all of the party decorations at The Dollar Store two days before hand and asked my MIL to bring cupcakes because she rocks. But, you know what, my kid freaking loved it. I mean, he walked downstairs on the morning of his third birthday party and he says, “This is amazing!” Again, check yourself. If you have a living, breathing, human who appears to be well fed and clean – you are doing enough. If you kiss their boo-boo’s, hug their neck & tell them you love them – you’re doing enough.

2. I have no time to work out.

This one is a difficult one. I hate that the only time that I have to work out is before my children wake up… before the stinking sun. Basically, they wake up in the middle of the night, really. BUT, if I truly want energy, I’ll make time to work out. I don’t think I need to persuade anyone about the advantages of a work out but, just in case: it helps to control weight, combats conditions and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy, promotes better sleep, and can be fun and social (thank you, Mayo Clinic, for this quick Google search of information). Seriously, I am in a work out rut right now (have been for about a year, or two) and I know that as soon as I jump back on the wagon, I’ll be a better human.

3. If I go on a date with my husband, I’m neglecting my kids.

Nope, you’re not. Your kids, seeing you put your marriage first, will not only grow up witnessing an amazing example, but they will feel loved and secure, too. When my husband and I are in sync, our family thrives. When my husband and I are out of sync, our family suffers, big time. Even if you don’t feel like it, get ‘all dolled up’ and go have some fun.

4. I’ll never be a mom like her.

Good. I hope you are never like other moms, you’re not supposed to be. God called you to be a mom to your kids. Your mom story isn’t like anybody else’s mom story. You were hand crafted; God made you specifically to be a mom to your children. He doesn’t want you to be like her – He wants you to accept who he has made you to be. It has been said that, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Be content with the mother that you are and see if your joy doesn’t explode. Also, I really like this saying: “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it, it just blooms.” So, mamas, let’s bloom, beautiful, unashamedly, perfectly content with the mother that God made us to be.

5. I can’t do this.

Yes, you can, and you will, because you have to. If you are a teen mom, yes, you can do it. If you are a single mom, yes, you can do it. If you are a single-again mom, yes, you can do it. If you are a foster mom, yes, you can do it. Repeat after me, I can do it. You were made for this. You are strong. You are brave. You can do it, but you can’t do it alone. Ask God for help. Lean into his mercy, grace, goodness & hope. He made you for, “such a time as this.”

You got this.