Monday, June 3, 2013

10 Ways to Rise Out Of A Mommy Funk - Part Two!

Last Monday I shared the first five of ten ways to rise out of a "mommy funk" - you know, those days when you want to crawl into your bed and have a good cry, and it's only 10am.

You can catch up on the first five here, and without further adieu - the last five ways to rise out of a mommy funk!

I've recently begun turning on worship music during the day. When Nicholas and I are struggling to have a good attitude, I'll turn on Pandora and choose this station. Yes, some of it's cheesy. But the way the atmosphere in our home changes is totally worth the cheese. (And sometimes we listen to non-kid worship music too, but Nicholas ends up clapping and dancing to the kid stuff, and that alone gets me into a better mood.) So turn on some worship music, and watch how your heart, and the atmosphere of your family, changes. (Pandora and Grooveshark are great places to legally listen to music.)

Jessi Connolly, one of the co-founders of the Influence Network and a mom of four, tells women to find things that we can finish. Much of our lives are never ending - the laundry, cooking, cleaning up spills around the house, etc. So Jessi suggests incorporating things into our lives that we can finish. It might be a 20-minute exercise routine in the morning, reading a chapter of a book, or writing a card to someone; no matter what the task it, it feels so good to just get something done. Doing this helps me feel a little bit accomplished on a chaotic day and helps me feel more equipped to face the never-ending-ness.

Parenting is no easy task, and we cannot do it alone. We need to go to the source of truth, encouragement, comfort, and wisdom - Jesus. While your kids are eating a snack or taking a nap, take 10 minutes to read the Bible. The love and truth of Jesus helps to clear away the "shoulds" and guilt of my worst mommy funk days and gives me the perspective that I desperately need. (She Reads Truth has short Bible reading plans that are perfect for busy moms!)

Leave your house. Now. (Ok, maybe it takes a bit more planning than that, but you get the idea.) Whether that means packing up your kids for a Starbucks drive-thru run, or asking your mother-in-law to come over and babysit, sometimes you just gotta get out of the house. Some days this is my saving grace.

I gave myself a little challenge a few months ago: to just sit and watch Nicholas play. I set down my phone, leave the dishes in the sink for a few minutes, and take in all the silliness, spunk, and character that makes up my little boy. It's amazing how, when I take the time to just watch, the hard stuff takes a back seat and is replaced by an overwhelming gratitude at the privilege of being his mama. I challenge YOU to do this a few times a week, and watch what happens.

Ok, I couldn't do just ten. Some of the most chaotic and stressful parts about being a mom are things that we'll actually think are funny in a few years. So why not see the humor in it, right now? Juggling three kids in the cart at Target? An amazing feat that might be worth a laugh. Spending 45 minutes on dinner only to have it burn because your toddler got a toy stuck in your stereo? Kinda funny. So take a deep breath, see the joy that is in being a mama, and laugh.

I truly hope these strategies, so to speak, will help you on the difficult days. Luckily the amazing moments of mommy-hood outweigh the hard ones!
(Read the first five strategies here.)

What are your strategies for those funky mommy days?


  1. Even as a single girl these are some great tips! :)

  2. Fabulous! I've enjoyed these two posts...I've been learning many of these tricks over the past couple years of parenting. They seriously help!!

  3. I love your blog!!! Seriously. I just watched your vlog and feel like I know you even better! You have such an amazing heart and it's fun and inspiring to see another mama who is willing to be vulnerable about the growth she is experiencing, the call placed on her life, her awe with the privilege of motherhood, and her struggles with it all too. Just wanted to say how much I enjoy it and have been touched by it. I know from reading past entries that you feel like your ministry is "small" sometimes, but He sees what you do...and we do too!

