How to Rock Finding the Joy in Motherhood

Share this!

Finding joy in motherhood can seem like more than a challenge during the season of having small children. When you’re a new mom it can be especially hard to learn how to be a happy mom. Motherhood is a difficult transition for most of us. It strips us down to essentials – and I’m not just talking about the minimum number of showers a week you need.

I mean the REAL essentials of who you are deep down.

Finding the Joy in Motherhood Can be Difficult

We get caught up in our busy lives and start to see ourselves in the context of who we are at work, who we are in our relationships, who we are based on where we live, the car we drive, and the list goes on!

But these aren’t who we are really.

 

It can easily feel like we lose ourselves in that first year of motherhood.

When everything changes and we strip away everything that we thought we were.

But if you can surrender and find joy in the journey you will be rewarded with a richer and fuller self-knowledge than you ever thought possible.

It does mean that you will need to be patient in rediscovering yourself after motherhood. Nobody tells us (or can tell us) what it means to be a mother and how things will change.

I often thought that the joys of motherhood were in tranquilly staring at a sleeping baby, or having a toddler wrap you up in a bear hug.

And yes, those do bring me joy.

But the joy of being a mother is so much more than this!

RELATED: 10 Things to Accept About Motherhood to Completely Change Your Outlook

 

Finding joy in motherhood is about being able to find joy in the ordinary.

Being a mom is not a glamorous job. Honestly, it can be downright boring! While we know that babies are quickly developing, much of this development is invisible unless you’re really paying attention.

So how do you find joy in the ordinary, every day life with a baby?

First, you need to set down the phone, unplug yourself, and really pay attention. You’ll be amazed at how much your child is growing and developing. You’ll see them solving problems for themselves, learning about the world around them, and looking for more and more interaction with you.

I know, between the diapers, the dishes, the constant cleaning and feeding…it’s easy to become an overwhelmed mom. After all, these things need to get done and you can’t sit and watch your child all day every day to find joy and happiness.

But there is encouragement for moms!

RELATED: 25 5-Minute Self Care Ideas for Mom

You can find the joy of being a mother in your everyday tasks.

We often think of joy and happiness as the same thing. I think it’s important to make a distinction between the two because, especially as a mom, the difference is important.

Happiness is an emotion that comes from outside of you. It comes and goes and is out of your control.

Joy, on the other hand, is an internal quality. To find joy you have to know yourself, be at peace with yourself, and accept where you are in life.

Joy can be learned, joy can be built, and joy can be constant no matter the circumstances.

This isn’t going to happen overnight, though. This is the great gift of motherhood – you have the ability to cultivate real joy by stripping away all the excess, getting down to the core of you, and building a life of joy. There’s joy to be found in housework, in dirty diapers, in family meals, in going to work, and in staying home.

RELATED: How to Be a Happier Mom in 1 Day

 

So how do you find joy in the day-to-day grind?

The first step is to find joy in the journey. The next is to shift your mindset. I’m not promising that it will be easy or painless – but it will be worth it!

Instead of seeing that pile of dirty dishes in the sink and sighing or grumbling, find gratitude!  Dirty dishes mean that there was food to eat and plates to eat on. That your family enjoyed good food and shared a meal.

This is definitely going to be a work in progress, but the more you do it the easier it will become. Rather than being frustrated and angry with the never-ending work of being a mother, you may find yourself loving the little years!

Why?

Because you’ll recognize their shortness and be paying attention to the wonder of your child’s world. You will be able to find joy in the mundane, simple, and repetitive tasks when you shift to gratitude.

Not because the tasks themselves are enjoyable, but because you will be on your journey of finding joy in motherhood!

RELATED: 7 Ways to Self Care Even WITH Your Kids

 

This has been a wonderful guest post by Alexis Robinson.

Alexis is a wife and mom living in the Southwest.  She considers herself a sorta crunchy mama on a journey of gentle parenting, lower toxicity, and slower living in a laid back and common-sense way.  She can be found blogging over at Mamma in Pearls about all things sorta crunchy!

 

 

Healthy Mom’s Snack Checklist

With this free printable checklist you will always have ideas for healthy, satisfying, protein packed snack on hand. You deserve more than munching on leftover goldfish and pizza crusts between meals. (I’ve been there!) This healthy snack checklist will ensure that you always have the healthy snack on hand that you and your kids deserve.

 

Share this!