As a mom, do you ever feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or unable to breathe?

Are you always running and helping others but struggling to feel nourished yourself? Are you so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs that you are no longer caring for yourself? If that’s you, this post is for you.

I’m going to share 3 ways you can feel less exhausted as a mom, plus give you a bonus worksheet to help you find ways to de-stress.

[bctt tweet=”Are you so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs that you are not caring for yourself?”]

As women, and even more so as moms, we can find ourselves absorbed with the immediate and urgent needs of those around us that we begin to neglect ourselves. It usually starts small, but over time, we can begin to spend almost no time on taking care of ourselves, or pursuing our own passions.

That’s where I was a few years back. I was working part-time, running a home business, raising my daughter, trying to stay connected in my marriage, managing household responsibilities, volunteering – well, you get the idea. But I was exhausted. And when I think back to that time, I realize one thing:

I wasn’t really taking care of ME. I had lost track of the things I really enjoyed, the things that helped me de-stress and unwind.

I got off track, and I know from talking to other moms that this happens a lot. We often think we are doing this for our families, but this is a mistake. As women, as mothers, we MUST take care of our personal wellness and allow space for our own needs and passions, so that we don’t completely burn out.

[bctt tweet=”As moms, we must take care of our personal wellness and allow space for our own needs.”]

So what exactly IS “Personal Wellness?”

Personal wellness is about making space for yourself and the things you love. This doesn’t mean setting aside your most important responsibilities or being selfish. It means prioritizing taking care of yourself instead of putting it at the bottom of your “to-do” list.

So HOW do you take care of yourself?

Taking care of yourself – what I call personal wellness – involves having some things in your life that help you to de-stress, to relax, to enjoy, or to create.

If someone were to ask you what you enjoy doing, or what your hobbies are, what would you say? If you’re not sure, these tips are for you! Plus, I’ve got a bonus for you at the end of this post, so stick around.

Discover your passions.

As moms, it’s easy to lose sight of our own passions. Out of necessity, at times, we spend the majority of our time pursuing our children’s passions. You know, like eating, having diapers changed, playing – those are the things they are passionate about, right? So it’s common to forget the things YOU are passionate about as a mom.

Take some time to think about this:

• What do you LOVE doing?
• What things get you excited?
• What can you talk about for hours?
• What do other people say about you?

If you are really not sure, just start paying attention in your daily life. Find a place to write things down, especially things that excite you. Once you’ve identified some passions, see if you can incorporate at least one into your daily or weekly life.

Find ways to unwind.

Sometimes the stress level as a mom feels unbearable. There are so many things that happen that are unexpected, challenging, and just plain hard. There’s lots of great stuff too, but if you find yourself stressed, it’s really helpful to have identified ways to deal with that stress.

Take some time to consider what types of things help you unwind. Again, writing these things down is helpful, because you can refer back to the list, add to it, or take things off. Perhaps you think that watching TV helps you unwind, but if after doing so, you don’t feel relaxed, you may want to take that off the list.

Pursue a creative outlet.

For a long time I have said “I’m not creative.” My definition of creative involved doing crafts and coming up with cute Pinterest-worthy projects. That’s not me.

However, after listening to some great podcasts and reading/watching some material from MOPS recently, I realized that creativity is not just about arts & crafts. It can involve many different types of activities. And I recognized that, for me, writing is my primary creative outlet. I have always loved writing, and when I do it consistently, I am generally happier.

So perhaps you are like me and don’t consider yourself creative – that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you can’t find a creative outlet. Widen your understanding of what that can look like, and you might be surprised as to what you discover!

If you want to feel less exhausted as a mom, I encourage you to begin exploring your passions, finding ways to de-stress, and consider a creative outlet.

If you’re ready to dig a little deeper into this issue, I’ve got a bonus “Personal Wellness Worksheet” for you for free! This 2 page worksheet will help you establish 3 ways that you can de-stress.