Ways To Love Yourself: Person First, Then Mother

Mothers, do you ever find you are struggling to love yourself? As if anything you do, you would go back to the same place; giving negative criticism about your body, your face, your behaviour, or simply not having enough time to love yourself? Being a mother would mean all your focus would be on your kids and their wellbeing; changing their diapers; making sure they get enough nutrition; educating them; many others. This would mean that there is less time spent on yourself to love yourself, inviting you to criticize yourselves more each day as you look into the mirror and the reflection you see seems unfamiliar to you. In the spirit of loving yourself, it’s time to stop depreciating and start to love yourself in every possible way. Having a strong support system would help in this journey of yours, be it your family, friends, or even support groups. If you can relate to this never-ending self-doubt and lack of self-recognition, here are some of the things you can practice on this journey of loving yourself! 1st Step: Confrontation Photo credit: Pexels Although it is never easy for us to admit to ourselves that we have flaws that need improvements, this is one of the utmost important steps to loving yourself. We know, confrontations are never easy to handle and it could be one of the most anxiety-inducing things anyone would have to go through. However, when confronting yourself, remember to always view the confrontation in a positive light; you are doing this for yourself and to get to know yourself better. It will take a lot of courage for you to admit that you lack a few good traits or that you have a few bad traits you’d like to improve. At this stage, you will be experiencing loads and loads of (healthy) emotions. Having a shoulder (or as many shoulders as you can) to cry on is one of the best ways you could go through this, so try not to reject anyone’s helping hands. So, never hesitate to ask for help and try your best to embrace the love you’re receiving instead of feeling restless about them! 2nd Step: Acceptance Photo credit: Pexels Over a few weeks or months, you will find yourself accepting your flaws as you learn what they are and how to improve them. This is when you know you’re moving one step forward. You will need to be open to the idea of change and accept the changes you’ll make on this journey. There may be some things harder to swallow, especially if it's a negative thing about yourself, but trust me, you will feel way better once you have accepted the changes that are about to happen after accepting that you are flawed like any other human being. Being a mum doesn't mean you can't be flawless. Although change may sometimes be an uncomfortable thing for any of us to go through, the benefit of changes would always trump the cons. This is also when you should practice talking to yourself every day via journaling, singing your favourite songs, or simply talking to yourself in the mirror. Boost your confidence this way, and acceptance will come naturally. Keep your arms wide open and accept the changes, ladies! 3rd Step: Nourishing Your Bodies, Inside And Out Photo credit: Pexels In the midst of accepting yourself, nourish your body by having some alone time; practising a self-care routine; and providing the right nutrients to your body. As much as we love our partner, kids, and our whole family, we can’t deny that having some alone time is the best thing for our minds and soul. If you have a partner to help you out with the kids at home, talk to them about “alone time” for at least an hour or two a day and you’ll both be thankful for that. You can choose to do whatever you want for yourself in the window you have to be alone; taking a long warm bath; stress-cleaning your own room; put on some masks; and anything you’d like to do! The time is all yours, Mumsies! As mothers, we’re sure you would constantly pay attention to your kids’ skin condition to be alert of any allergy signs. It is only normal if you shift your focus from your own body to your kids’ - you’re a Mum and that’s what supermums tend to do! But guess what Mummies? Your body misses you! A few minutes in a day spent taking care of your skin and hair will help you recognize yourself more. After all, your skin and hair are part of who you are! Some tips for you mummies out there: put on some lotion right after you get out of the shower and apply some hair oil when your hair is still damp - you’ll thank me! Nourishing yourself does not only comprise of skin-care routine or hair-care. It also comprises of you taking care of what you consume and how it benefits your body. Nourishing Your Body With Blackmores! One of the best ways to ensure you get enough nutrients in your body is by ingesting Blackmores Proceive Care that is jam-packed with nutrients! Blackmores Proceive Care is a functional food powder that will help regulate your hormones and reduce PMS symptoms amongst other benefits it brings to your body such as: Boosting your energy and improving vitality Promotes skin repair (thanks to turmeric and royal jelly!) Supports your uterus to cleanse itself of stagnant blood Increases blood circulation to the uterus Reduces menopause symptoms such as hot flushes and mood swings Helps you stay young (mostly for menopausal women) With all the benefits to Blackmores Proceive Care, we are sure that you are wondering the same thing we did when we first came across this - what does it taste like? Its taste is rich with herbal-blend of maca, Shatavari, spirulina, royal jelly, and turmeric. The best part is, you can consume this by mixing them with any beverages of your choice! The aforementioned herbs are perfect for women wanting to regulate their hormones naturally, those who’d like to nourish their body before conceiving, and those going through menopause or pre-menopause. Of course, before taking the supplement, you should consult your doctor and find out more details on Blackmores’ official pages—website, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Love yourself by confronting yourself, accepting who you are, and nourishing your body. Start today and you will see yourself smile more after a few months of practising these.

Family Planning by

Family Fun By Sunway Malls

Motherhood Panel of Experts

More Stories

September School Holiday Fun for Families in Malaysia