Cheers! To The Health & Happiness Of You & Your Little!
By: Heather Hooke
…Chasing after my “Little” in her new Christmas ride brings so much joy to my heart as a mama! I don’t know what it is lately, but my heart feels so full being a mom and I feel so grateful to be able to really experience the “true beauty” of motherhood!!!!!!!!!! ????? Each stage is so different and has its ups and of course downs, but to be able to take a step back from all the running around and really appreciate what this sacred time has to offer is nothing short of magical and sometimes I have to pinch myself!
I think a huge part of this feeling of gratitude has come from me, personally, slowing down and living a much more mindful and conscious life (I’m currently sitting outside by our pool, sipping Celestial Seasonings decaf coconut chai tea ?, sun just went down and my hubby is feeding our daughter dinner after we just played with her new Christmas car and danced in a light Florida rain).
As part of this intention, everyday after my busy work day is done and our Nanny leaves for the day, I aim to consciously peel myself away from work and the never ending house list to unplug and take time to just be with Melissa. Guys, for the record this isn’t easy for me, because I truly love what I do, am a TOTAL perfectionist both at work and at home & too long of a work or personal To-Do list gives me anxiety lol. But you know what, the more I’ve been practicing this self-discipline of letting go even if things aren’t “done” and being completely in the moment, the more I feel not only calmer as a person overall, but that there is no other place in the world I’d rather be than being in the moment with our daughter.
Ideally, I like to get us out of the house and into nature to prevent cabin fever on my part (since I work from home) and so I’m leading by example showing my daughter what the wellness lifestyle really looks like. This allows me to leave work behind and for us to #bePHYSICAL together, get some Vitamin D and endorphins flowing with a walk in nature, light workout, or some kind of adventure (whether it’s the beach to gather seashells or even just a local Target run)!
Looking back, I am grateful to have created the freedom in my career years ago, when I made the conscious decision that corporate America was not for me, because I wanted a family, to live on the beach & be a present parent! This lifestyle was not something I stumbled onto, it was a concious decision years ago that I designed, when I realized I was worth it & defined what true happiness was to me.
No matter what your personal circumstances are, whether you own your own biz like me, work a 9-5, don’t work at all, or something in between, EVERYONE can work on being more intentional with where their time and energy go—especially around their kids.
Funny, how we all know these moments are some of the most precious of our whole lives and yet so many people prioritize their To-Do List or even worse SOCIAL MEDIA over quality time with their own kids. It’s a slippery slope and sometimes people just need a wake-up call, to remind them that their priorities are not what they say in words, but where their times goes. You are showing the world everyday what your priorities are in your actions.
So, to ALL the parents out there… as you are thinking about New Years resolutions for yourself, be sure to create a separate one JUST FOR YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT WITH A PROMISE TO INVEST IN YOUR KIDS’ FUTURE!
Perhaps it’s less total screentime by setting a daily timer if it’s gotten out of hand (girl, we’ve been there and we now cut it off at 1 hour total per day, which the American Academy Of Pediatrics recommends for proper development of 2 year olds); perhaps it’s going outside daily even if for just 15 minutes to play and get some Vitamin D together with NO devices what-so-ever; perhaps it’s not being on your own phone in front of them and even going as far as hiding your phone behind an old book if you must be on it, so they don’t always see you glued to your device; perhaps it’s choosing more nutritional foods in their diet over convenience… whatever it is choose one and stick with it verses many and letting your kids down, because it’s not realistic to maintain.
We are ALL officially in new parenting phase in this “plugged in” society with all this tech surrounding us and it’s up to EACH of us to be caring and concious enough in our parenting in order to bring up a future generation that is grounded, empowered, confident, balanced and truly healthy! So let’s all go into 2019 with our phones down, our eyes wide open, and parent intentionally!
Trust me, I am by no means perfect when it comes to parenting… all these things are a constant work in progress for all of us and no one has it all figured out (regardless of how good their pics look on Instagram lol)! However, I do know love and positive intention go a long way when it comes to your kids and they will be able to sense if you are intentionally working on being more present and it WILL pay off in their future! Baby steps and positive changes go a long way… so really think about it, define your biggest opportunity to improve as a parent, set a measurable parenting goal & keep at it even if you mess up. At the end of the day, you are doing this for your kids’ well-being and they are worth it! Just take it one step at time… and know, we’re in this together parents!
Until next time—be balanced. be tru. & be proud to be YOU!
Heath ????
Essential Oils For Being More Present: doTERRA Balance “Grounding Blend” Essential Oil. Click Here to get 25% OFF + Learn More!
#mindfulmama #yogamom #parentintentionally #unplug #gooutside #redefiningbeauty #beSOCIAL #beEMOTIONAL #trubeautyMOVEMENT