Motherhood game changers – acceptance and gratitude.

Did you write (or even just think) about new years resolutions? Perhaps like me you end up resolving to do things differently the next day almost every night.  Not be so grumpy when the house gets to be a mess.  Take more time to play.  Say yes more often. etc. etc.

I’d like to take a bet that at the core of whatever your goals are we are all seeking the same thing. To find our own version of happy.  Of joy. Of contentment.
So in case you are like me and find yourself with a case of the guilts every night at bedtime – I’d like to introduce (or reacquaint) you with the game changers when it comes to feeling happiness and joy in motherhood.

Acceptance and GRATITUDE.  

In the yoga class I’m sharing with you today our goal is to find acceptance in every way.  Have you ever noticed those days where you struggle against everything the day throws at you? Your kids don’t do anything you ask. Nothing goes to plan. You feel tense and snappy.

The reason this usually happens is because instead of accepting the day as it unfolds we are trying to bend it (and little people with incredibly strong wills of their own) to fit our expectations.  And I’m sure you already know how much little people (and life) care for our expectations.  Zip. Nada. Nill.

If instead we find acceptance of whatever the day brings we can tap into a different kind of energy.  Life feels easier.  Life IS easier. 

And that doesn’t mean we don’t get anything done or that we have to do everything the way our kids want us to.  But taking that step back from our expectations and into acceptance means we can respond from a totally different place.  With softness. With acceptance. And ease. 

Tied in closely with acceptance is gratitude.  Practicing gratitude is pretty much the only way to find any sort of lasting happiness.   Brene Brown (my new favourite author crush) talks about how gratitude is a practice we must cultivate if we want to find joy.

“We’re a nation hungry for more joy: Because we’re starving from a lack of gratitude.”

(By the way if you haven’t read her book The Gifts of Imperfection – do yourself a favour and read that one asap)

But it’s more than just feeling grateful when life is good.  It needs to be a conscious daily practice that we commit to. It will be the dark moments that we need gratitude the most and without a daily habit being grateful will be the first thing we forget.

So today my challenge for you is to start a daily practice of gratitude. It could be that you write a few things down before you go to bed at night, or that you use the drive to work to (mentally) list the things you are grateful for in your head.

So… let me start.  I am grateful for two healthy, cheeky and fun-seeking boys.  I am grateful for a husband who really sees me and likes me anyway. And I am grateful for YOU. For showing up here and supporting me to do what I love.  I might be the teacher but you teach me more than you will ever know.  So thank you. 

This class is a part of my free 14 day yoga reset.  Join here to receive all the videos and resources delivered to your inbox.