Mindful Series Mindfulness Mums

the greatest gifts we can give ourselves’ -Tara Brach.

A few slow breaths are sometimes all it takes to release the tight hold your emotions may have taken over the moment and return to the busyness with a calmer, quieter you. You will find even slight pause of a few seconds will make you more present in the moment and able to choose a considered response than simply reacting to the chaos of the moment.

P – Pause

Take a short pause in whatever you are doing for a minute or two.

I – Inhale

To the count of five, take a slow, deep breath in.

E – Exhale

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

No matter where in the world you are, if you’re a mum, I’m sure you’ll agree with me – Motherhood is the best thing that happened to you, but it also is the one thing that takes up all of you.

It challenges you physically, mentally and can stir a riot of emotions inside of you at a moment’s notice. An ordinary day in the life of a mum can make her go from laughter to tears, joy to anger, elation to disappointment, confidence to self-doubt, relaxation to exhaustion, feeling on top of the world to hitting rock bottom and back again like an erratic pendulum that’s never learnt to work to a rhythm. And besides it all, the constant strife to be the best mother you can be often leads to burnout, both physical and emotional.

So, what can help mums keep their emotional and physical balance?

Mindfulness of course!

Mindfulness is an easy and effective approach to nurturing yourself, being more connected and feeling a sense of calm even in the midst of chaos. With mindfulness you can spiral yourself into a positive cycle of self-care and kindness, a general feeling of well-being and a dispassionate connectedness with the here and now.

Take a Pause in the Busyness – follow the P.I.E. technique:

‘To pause in the midst of busyness is one of

Release your breath slowly to the count of five.

For mums: This technique can and should be applied anytime, anywhere, on-the-go or even in the quieter moments. Pause, Inhale, Exhale when you’re rushing to school pickup, waiting at a soccer game, trying to reason with a stubborn toddler or a pre-teen (or any age your child is), negotiating device time over dinnerthe options are endless.

Dip into the moment

An ordinary day in the life of a mum can involve juggling a range of activities - driving, cooking, working, school assignments, rushing to activities, spending time with the kids. All these and more! But there are also moments when you are not rushing, when all is well in your world. They are the happy moments, the restful moments. Be on the alert for such moments and take a conscious few minutes to dip into their warmth. Allow yourself to completely immerse yourself in the feel-good moments and allow yourself to heal and re-energise.

For mums: These could be planned moments like when you’re enjoying a quiet cup of tea while the kids are busy, out for a walk, catching up with a friend or even surprise moments on-the-go as when you’re waiting in school pick up lines, stolen moments while watching your kids play sport.

Yoga for you

The best time for yoga is when you don’t have time for it – that’s when you realise what a rewarding experience only a few minutes spent in yoga can be. The busier you are the more effective yoga can be in helping you find balance and calm in your day. Busy mums almost always struggle to make time for exercise but yoga can be practiced in your own space at your own pace. And if you can’t find time to engage in yoga by yourself, do so with the family, turning it into a time of quiet bonding with your children.

For mums: Yoga does not have to be an elaborate routine of asanas, it can even be a 10 minute escape in the morning or before bedtime to a quiet space to sit in lotus pose, focus on your breath and engage in simple stretching asanas such as Mountain pose and Tree pose. It could be a 5 minute pre-dinner ‘quieting’ down with the kids with simple relaxation poses such as Shavasana or Dhyana meditation.

BYO Mindful affirmations

Worries, anxieties, regrets, doubt - there’s not a mother in the world who isn’t carrying some or all of these with her wherever she goes. Affirmations are an effective way to minimise these emotions and allow yourself the ability of being a mother who is more present when she is with her family. Here are a few general affirmations for you to try.

4 I am loved and appreciated by my family

4 Each day I wrap myself in the love and smiles of my children

4 I am doing the best I can for my family

4 I do not second guess myself

4 I see the best in me and the best in my children

4 I let go of trying to control every tiny detail in the lives of my children

Using this as a starting point, build your own list of affirmations that speak to you and help you to stay positive.

So, to all you beautiful mums out there who are reading this, take a pause, a slow mindful breath and with gentleness and compassion permit yourself to just be, to feel the love that surrounds you and remind yourself that you are beautiful and loved as you are.

There YouGo!

This Mother’s Day you have made mindfulness your mantra and given yourself the gift of the pause.

Yours mindfully, Rajni Follow Rajni on Facebook @YogaWithRajni