The final installment for my holiday guest bloggers is from Jacque Bruggemann from Inspired Mummies. Strategically scheduled for our second day back home while I indulge in some self-care and family time (read groceries and park hangs!). Find out more about Jacque at the end of this post.
As a woman, mum, wife, business owner and well, human, something I am becoming constantly aware of, especially this year as I emerge from the depth of two ‘babies’ 17months apart, is the need for simple self-care and mindset rituals. It has become almost an obsession, in the best of ways. And I know, like all women, that when I am not making self-care rituals a daily practice the edges start to crumble. I have been on the journey of motherhood as well as a health journey for over 5.5 years now and still I need to bring more focus to this. So if your journey is just starting I want to say it’s okay. I know we can all learn something from this and if you – like me – ponder this deeply and action it, I know you will continue to create your masterpiece lives. Know I am sharing with realness, with an open heart and with vulnerability. I ask you read with an open heart and an open mind and treat yourself with kindness.
Self-care is…?
We often look at self-care as something that needs to be extravagant, like big weekends away, day spa trips and long lunches. And I will pause for a moment and add they 100% are essential and it wasn’t until my first was maybe 3 that I allowed myself the space to enjoy experiences like this. I had this notion that I needed to be with her and my son 100% of the time. When in fact taking time away like this helped recharge my soul and make me a ‘better’ mum.
That said though my passion and mission is to empower you to make self-care rituals something you do every day, more than once a day. The list of rituals is really endless. They can be on your own or include your children, and even your partner if they are brave enough. When I let go of needing to be alone to fill my cup I have found I am more present and can recharge my soul with more ease. I do still give myself space to just be me and soak up the silence of alone time, this is why we have mastered a bedtime routine that sees my Wildings in bed by 7:30pm.
Where to begin with self-care
For me self-care starts within, always. It is how I feed my body and my mind. Starting each day packed full of goodness and teaching our children to do the same. It’s making sure I am listening to books, podcasts, and trainings that nourish my mind. When we fill our minds with wisdom and we are always open to learn and grow it keeps us connected to your truth. This is actually why I created my podcast; selfishly it fills my cup firstly and the wisdom and knowledge my guests bring reminds me what I am capable of. I normally pair this with a workout or walk. Moving my body is one of the highest forms of self-care. I have also been seen cleaning or doing the washing with my headphones on as I listen to some soul food.
Meditation is another daily ritual that helps settle the noise and unleash my inner power. Mostly it is falling asleep listening to guided meditations. I love everything from Preetha Krishna, especially her 3 minute serene mind practice . There are so many awesome apps as well as YouTube to help you begin your practice. The trick is to just start.
Organised home, organised mind, nourished soul
I truly believe that finding ways to be more organised, from our thinking, to our business, to our homes, is a form of self-care. During those first 18 or so months with two babies 17 months apart it really was just a matter of survival, I call it the trenches of motherhood. The days seemed long and the nights were longer. Now I am extremely grateful that I am blessed to have children and I count my blessings daily. That is one of the reasons that I have let go of perfection and that I work from home. But being grateful doesn’t always prevent burn out. As my youngest two slowly, very very slowly, become less attached to me (I mean witching hour is still very much a thing here) I have found that being more organised actually gives me more time with them. I have daily rituals which make this possible. My biggest tip is to leave the house organised before you head to bed.
I too often hear mummas say they haven’t ‘had time’ to shower that day, or for days. For me this is one of the first things I do each day. I aim to be up before the rest of the house to enjoy a moment or two of silence and gather my thoughts before the morning madness starts. My morning shower is where I bring focus to what I am grateful for and what I want to achieve for that day. It is where I read my morning statement and my vision. Once showered I am a much nicer person too. So Mumma, give yourself the space, even if the kids join you or pop the TV on to shower. Through the day the kids and I make sure we recharge with some direct sunlight, a good game on the trampoline or eating outside ticks this ritual off.
What else can I do?
Self-care can be: a walk, a shower, eating well, chilling out watching Netflix, reading, family face masks, cleaning the house. Self-care is whatever fills your cup, brings you back to your truths and gives you space to be you.
So I encourage you to reflect on your day and find ways that you can fill your cup. Whether it is starting a simple skin care routine, bringing in midweek masks or just challenging yourself to drink more water. One of the best gifts we can give our children is teaching them that self-care is a must. I promise as you fill your cup more often each day and make simple acts into rituals you will find space to unleash your inner power.
xo Jac
Who is Jac?
Mumpreneur, Podcaster, Coach and Women’s Empowerment Leader.
Jacque started her business journey in 2015 when her first child was 15 months old.
Feeling lost and isolated she knew she needed to find a way to be inspired again.
While being Mum is her highest value she has found freedom and passion in becoming a business owner.
Jacque has created a community of Inspired Mummies who are committed to designing and living their masterpiece life.
Website: https://inspiredmummies.squarespace.com/
Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/inspire/id1447202590
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspiredmummies/
Free Wellness hub, daily inspiration from recipes, workouts and mindset goodness – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1707018096185892/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredmummies/
Jac, thank you for sharing these raw and real moments with us. I know that I was reading and nodding along for almost the entire post. I certainly need more moments that fill my cup.