Here are seven reasons to practice yoga as a mother… It can be difficult to fit all of your to-do’s into a day, no matter what kind of a mother you are, a working mom, a full-time mom, a single mom, a new mom, a mom of more than one… mothers come in all shapes. The struggle to balance caring for your child with all of your other responsibilities, though, is the same for every mother.
Taking care of a child is an all-consuming full-time job, but taking care of other people can become impossible when you’re not taking care of yourself. Besides trying to eat well enough and sleep mostly enough, a simple exercise goal can make a real difference in your overall health. Getting just ten minutes of a yoga in daily, no matter the time of day, can help to make motherhood manageable.
Here’s Why It’s Beneficial To Practice Yoga As A Mother
1. Fill YOUR Cup
You won’t have anything left for yourself if you’ve given it all away. You must make the effort to look after your own needs as well as you look after your children’s. Yoga is physically and mentally beneficial, which makes it the perfect activity to try and fit in… when you don’t have a lot of room in your schedule to fit anything in.
2. Reflect
Mothers wear many hats and the overwhelming duty to others can leave a mother depleted. Taking time on the mat is extremely therapeutic in that you’ve taken the time to calm down and think about how you’re feeling. Being a mother comes with lots of mom-specific feelings, such as whether or not you are a “good mom” or if you’re doing things the “right way.” Upon reflection, you may see that you’re being too hard on yourself or maybe a solution to an issue will become clear that you hadn’t seen before.
3. Forgive
Mistakes will be made. Making mistakes is part of any process and learning from our mistakes so that we do better next time is what makes mistakes forgivable. Sometimes mothers have to forgive themselves for not handling a situation the best that we could have upon reflection, and for moms, messing up comes with a lot of painful emotions. Yoga is a kind thing to do for yourself… and so is forgiveness.
4. Refresh.
Yoga works at any time of the day. In the morning, yoga might help you start the day right, in the afternoon, it can help you restart, and in the evening, yoga can help you unwind. Experiment and find out what time of day to practice yoga, find the time that will serve you most.
5. Be Flexible
On some days you’ll find a way to get your yoga in when you prefer to get your yoga in, but on most days, you’ll fit it in when life allows. Maybe you were running late in the morning, and you had to cut out your morning flow, or maybe you intended to get some yoga in during nap time… but you fell asleep yourself. Here’s the thing with yoga: it doesn’t come in a one size fits all box. You might have to take a break in your flow because someone needs a snack and then get back to the mat to finish up. You may also find yourself in a precarious position longer than you would like to be because someone thinks you’re a bridge. These unplanned interruptions are part of a little thing called life… when you practice yoga this will teach you how to live it a little more gracefully.
6. Live Gratefully
At the end of your flow, or even at the beginning, find a relaxing position to stay in for a moment and then think about what you’re most grateful for. If you develop the habit to recognize what you are thankful for, you’ll realize the power of a little gratitude. Most of us have everything we need… and then some.
7. Create Energy
You might sleep a full night again one day; you might even get to sleep in again one day. But for now, there isn’t enough coffee in the world to get you through a day. If that sounds like you, any form of exercise can provide a little boost in your energy level and your mood. When doing anything feels impossible, try rolling out a mat and moving around; it’s that simple, and rarely will you fall asleep in Savasana. For a busy mom that needs a little pick-me-up, short flows with somewhat constant movement will result in a little jolt of energy just when you thought it was impossible to muster any.
When you feel healthier, both physically and mentally, the people around you, including your children, can feel that.
– Yoga Teacher, Ashley Archambault
It feels good to be around other people who feel good. Making the point to care for yourself makes you a better mother for your children. Not only will you start showing up for everyone to the best of your abilities, but you will model self-care, teaching your children how to do so for themselves as well.
