Please follow and like us:

I am so lucky to live in a world where there are summers. Does it get too hot for me sometimes? Yes, but that’s why they invented air conditioners!

I tell myself every year I am going to have a low-key summer, minimal as possible but that never happens. Every weekend we have something planned and although we get to spend quality time with friends and family, it is hard for me to relax and enjoy the moment. Working all week is more exhausting in the summer because my weekends are so jammed pack. I am only seven months into my new job so taking time off is pretty limited this year. My mom guilt is at an all-time high because I can’t spend every day with Franco in the summer. I have been seeing that quote float around that we only have 18 summers with our children so make the best of it and I know its silly, but it bothers me.

So instead of moping around telling myself things should be better, I am teaching myself to be better. I am practicing being more mindful and to enjoy the moment I am in. I want to share with you what has been working for me and although it is still in a work in progress, it is a great starting point. I am inviting you to take this journey with me, so we can grow and learn together!

• First off, make sure you are making yourself a priority, and pretending to on social media doesn’t count. Yes, I know you are probably busy too, but I ask that you at least try. I work a full-time job and a part time job while taking care of my son, but I am trying my hardest to make it work. Making yourself a priority is not selfish, if you are unable to care for yourself, how can you care for your children?

• I encourage you to take just 10 minutes a day to do absolutely nothing. Close your eyes and focus on how the clothes feel on your body, the sounds you hear around you and the warmness of your breath when you inhale along with the coolness that comes out. I am lucky that my job offers free daily meditation classes. It only lasts 10 minutes and helps me get through the work day. Meditation apps on your phone are a great tool for this also!

• Live for today. Try not to dwell on the past or the future, focus on right now. It is easy for your thoughts to drift but if you come back and refocus it is okay. Think about what you are grateful for, it can be for the littlest things but as long as it makes you happy that is all that matters.

• Do something nice for someone. The other day I was at a store parking lot and it was raining hard. I saw a mother putting her baby in the stroller but struggling since she still had to get her other child out of the car. I simply put my umbrella over the baby in the stroller and told her to go ahead and get her son, so everyone stays somewhat dry. I walked with her inside the store and she was so grateful for my help. I felt even better because I helped someone who really needed it and it was effortless for me.

I hope these tips are helpful and useful. With mindful practice we will be able to enjoy our life more and not by what we see on our phones. We are so pressured to to prove to strangers that our lives are perfect even when you know deep down no one is. I hope you have a great rest of the summer and remember to enjoy it!

Please follow and like us: