As of writing this, my two boys (five and three) are playing chase right next to me. Obviously, they are trying to get my attention and get me to play with them. So, of course, I feel guilty for writing this article instead of playing with my young boys. I have such a great train of thought going right now, so I have to let the words flow. The minute I am done, the chasing-mom game will begin! This is an example of one of the steps that I will explain a little later.
Why do (we) moms feel guilty about everything? Well, our jobs are taking care of our kiddos. When we “ignore” our kids to get something done (write, clean, eat…) we feel like we are not doing our jobs. The amazing thing about taking these breaks, though, is that we actually refuel our minds to be better moms. Even if it is a 5-minute break, it helps us unwind. Moms who work all day also can feel guilt because they are not seeing their kiddos all day. There should not be any guilt (even though I totally understand the feeling), because being able to come home to your kids gives you and them such an awesome rush of happiness when you are able to see them after being apart all day! Embrace that moment and know that you are doing your best. Most of the time, guilt is coming from a negative source. There is good guilt, but that is more than likely remorse, and that is another subject entirely. Back to guilt. Once we allow those negative thoughts in, we give life to them. Our minds are very powerful, and feeding them good, quality thoughts enables us to live a very happy, guilt-free life. By following these steps, you can make your life more guilt-free. ~ If you receive a guilty thought, try and remove it from your mind by thinking of something positive about the situation. For example, when I started writing this article, my kids wanted me to chase them, and I felt guilty. However, I continued to write, knowing that I was going to play as soon as I was done. They are happy playing by themselves for a bit, and they know they will receive my full attention soon. I knew my outcome would be extremely positive, so the guilt left.
~ Once that guilty thought comes in and you’ve tried to remove it with positive thoughts, if that did not work, stop, take a breath and try to meditate. Focus on your breathing for 5 minutes and move on.
~ Embrace the guilty thought and remind yourself you are doing the best you can. Rationalizing your guilty thought will make you realize that there was a reason for it, but that you can work past it. That thought will disappear once you realize that you are amazing! ~ Prayer can be very healing for guilty thoughts. Make sure you truly do take a few minutes to yourself to pray.
