Daily habits can be tough to create, especially if there’s too many that you’re starting at once. That’s why I created this short list of only 5 habits for Moms to Cultivate Inner Peace and Happiness because 5 seems like a doable number. Let’s face it, nobody is going to create the time for you to cultivate these daily habits, you have to make the time for yourself.

Moms are notorious for being martyrs, and we put everyone else’s needs before our own. It’s time to STOP THAT BEHAVIOR and start taking care of yourself! By doing so, you will be modeling to your children how to take care of themselves too. And you want that, don’t you Mama? We all want the best for our children, and that starts with taking care of YOU.

1-Wake up a little bit before everyone else in the house and savor a few dark, quiet moments all to yourself.

It can be just 10-20 minutes but it will be a total game changer! This allows your mind and body to gently ease into the day. Imagine someone ripping you out of bed and throwing you onto a treadmill that’s already going 5 mph! What a way to wake up!

Well, that’s what we do every morning when we start our day without a gentle approach. So light a candle or open a bottle of lavender essential oil and take a few big whiffs. Play soft, instrumental music from your phone (no checking email or Facebook yet!) Sit in a comfy chair and wrap in a soft, warm blanket. Take deep breaths and allow your belly to fully entend as you inhale and contract back in when you exhale (most people only breathe in the upper chest but we’re supposed to breathe down into our belly!)

It’s also helpful to set the coffee or tea to brew when you go to bed the night before, so the moment you walk out of your bedroom you can pour a cup and take a sip before settling into your chair for a few quiet moments.

2-Draw an oracle card and journal on it.

I have done this practice for years and it amazes me how often I pull the same cards and some I never see! Clearly these cards have a certain message for me that keeps coming up in my life.

A good idea is to place it where you might see it throughout the day, like the refrigerator, your desk calendar, or keep it with you in your purse or as a bookmark in your current novel. Reflect on the sentiment or positive affirmation as often as you can throughout the day.

You’ll be surprised at how often you pull a card in the morning that is absolutely PERFECT for what you are experiencing that day! My favorite decks include Spirit Junkie by Gabby Bernstein, The Rose Oracle by Rebecca Campbell, and Raise Your Vibration by Kyle Gray.

3-Discuss the day’s plans with each person, even if an activity or appointment doesn’t involve them.

It makes it a lot easier to come together at pre-arranged times, or discuss the day over dinner that night if everyone is aware of everything. I noticed years ago that the children seemed a lot more anxious when they didn’t know what Darrin and I were doing each day, so we’d fill them in on our daily plans, and then the kids would tell us about their upcoming day too (new seating chart in History class, quiz in Math, today’s special at lunchtime is Hot Roast Beef Sandwich, etc.)

Here’s a great example: if the children know that I have a doctor appointment at 2:30pm, they won’t be texting me after school at 3pm to ask if they can go to a friend’s house right now to play basketball. They are aware of my schedule and will tell their friend they cannot come over, and come home as usual. And then at dinner, they ask me about my doctor’s appointment! This entire process fosters great family communication.

4-Schedule (and keep) Me-Dates.

A Me-Date is just that…me taking me out on a date. It’s necessary pampering in my book. I regularly get massages, chiropractic adjustments, sound baths, energy healing, and essential oil treatments that I view as being critical for not only my health and well-being but also the emotional well-being of the family unit.

I can only be a great Mom if my inner-well is full. If I’m running dry, I have nothing to give to my family and I get sarcastic and cranky with them. The old adage is true, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”

Of course you don’t have to do the same things I do–go for a walk in your local nature preserve, sit in a window seat of a coffee shop sipping a decadent mocha latte and people-watch, or go to the movies and see a new release are a few other great examples.

Take a few moments to reflect on a few activities you’d like to do solo, and then plan the Me-Dates in your calendar today! The more often you can take advantage of a Me-Date, the better you’ll feel every day. Strive for at least one Me-Date a week.

5-Prioritize a hobby that you enjoy.

Learning new things is fun and stimulating. It gives us purpose to have a task that we enjoy doing, and feel accomplished when completed. This hobby can be done with friends, your partner, children, or even alone but make sure you get one and make time in your life to do it, every day if possible.

I know a gal that knits hats for newborns every evening while watching her favorite TV shows, and then she donates them to area hospitals. It’s fulfilling to her because she enjoys knitting and crocheting, and it’s helpful to the hospital because they don’t ever run out or have to buy any. Double win! Our careers are not always satisfying but pay the bills, so a hobby is a great way to fill a creative need without relying on it to produce an income.

My favorite hobby–coloring! Yes coloring! I have always loved coloring ever since I was a little girl but I gave it up for many years. Luckily, adult coloring ahs made a huge comeback and I have tons of colorful markers, pens, and pencils and intricate nature scene coloring books. It feels like a meditation for me when I’m coloring. I play soft, instrumental music, diffuse some delicious essential oils, sit in my comfy chair with my doggies by my sides, and my coloring book atop a hard surface on my lap. It’s so peaceful!

Bonus tip–6-For anyone that is a writer like me–morning pages!

Coined by famed writing guru Julia Cameron, “morning pages” is stream of consciousness journaling. Cameron’s strategy is to write 3 pages every morning, whatever comes out through your pen goes onto the page. This practice is different from keeping a diary, because diaries tend to be more structured writing.

Morning pages are free of punctuation and sentence structure. It is just getting it out. And, if you can’t think of anything to write you are instructed to write, “I can’t think of anything to write right now” over and over and over until something does pop into your head to write down.

Morning pages are a way to clear out the cobwebs and start the day fresh and with an unencumbered mind. So if you’re a writer like me, this daily habit is an excellent way to keep your mind focused on what you’re really wanting to think about, instead of the laundry list of to-do tasks that are clogging up your creativity!

And there you have it! My best tips for cultivating inner peace and happiness in your life, Mama! Did you happen to notice that most of these habits are considered self-care? Yes! Self-care is critical for everyone, but especially Moms. So please start developing and integrating these self-care habits into your daily life for more inner peace and happiness. You deserve it.

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