You could be sitting,
Laying down,
Or even listening while you're moving a bit.
If your body maybe needs to physically move through some of those feelings with movement,
That's okay.
And if it feels right to you,
You could close the eyes.
And then take a big,
Deep breath in through the nose.
Hold it just for a moment and open mouth sigh,
Let it all go.
Do this again.
Big,
Deep breath in.
Hold it just for a moment at the top.
And then big,
Open mouth sigh,
Letting it all go.
And one last,
Final time.
Big,
Deep breath in,
Your biggest one.
Hold it for a moment at the top.
And open mouth exhale,
Let it all go.
And now bring one hand to your heart.
The other can come to your belly or just let it rest wherever it feels natural.
Feel the warmth of your hand resting on your body.
Let this warmth anchor you in the moment.
Allow it to help you pause and step out of the spiral of self-criticism.
Just by being present right here,
Focusing on the sensation,
The warmth of your hand.
Breathing in and breathing out.
And now allow yourself to step into something softer.
Being a good mom does not mean being patient all the time.
It doesn't mean never snapping at your kids or always knowing the right thing to say.
Good moms are human.
Good moms get tired and overwhelmed.
And good moms still have moments they wish they had done differently.
And none of those things cancel out the love that you give your kids.
None of it changes how deeply you care for them.
And how they can feel that love,
Even in the tough moments.
Having a hard time will not change the way that you make them feel.
If you are struggling to be kind to yourself or you're feeling guilty right now,
Know that that guilt is usually a sign that you care so deeply.
That you want to do the right thing for your kids and that you're really trying.
And the fact that you're here,
Listening to this,
Feeling the tenderness in your heart,
And trying to reset and return to yourself,
That means that you are a good mom.
You really are.
You care.
And take a big,
Deep breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Notice your heart softening towards yourself just a little bit.
Even one percent.
You are allowed to make mistakes.
You are allowed to have off days.
You are allowed to do the best you can with what you have.
Your children do not need a perfect mom.
They need a real one.
One who loves them and shows up again after hard moments.
One who tries her best,
Shows up and repairs after the tough days.
Your kids need a mom that shows them that we all have hard moments and this is how you can work through them,
With love and care.
And now tell yourself three times,
I am a good mom,
Even on the hard days.
I love my children deeply.
My love matters more than any one moment.
I don't have to get it right every time.
I am allowed to learn and grow.
My mistakes do not define me.
I am a good mom.
And know that you are doing a hard job,
In a world that probably asks so much of you,
And often without a lot of support.
You are carrying the mental load,
The emotional labor,
Love,
Worry,
Responsibility,
Often all of it at once.
And yet here you are,
Still caring,
Still showing up.
And that is amazing.
You are amazing.
Let's end our time together by taking a big deep breath in,
And sighing out through the mouth.
And know that if today was messy,
Tomorrow is a chance to begin again.
And even if tomorrow is a little messy too,
You are still a good mom.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
