Affirmations for the ‘good enough’ mom

Hello, beautiful.

I see you today. Your feet hit the floor reluctantly, but you smile. Even though your eyes are heavy with sleep and your mind is foggy with “what day is it anyway?” you know you have so much to be thankful for. You kiss your babies, smell their sleepy heads. You jostle them out of jammies, carefully handle smelly diapers before your senses have even awakened, and negotiate clothing decisions. You put on the coffee or tea and inhale the aroma with greed, knowing this cup will give you what you need to at least get through the morning.

And once you are awake, once your mind begins to churn, you hear:

“You woke up at a deficit. Just go back to bed and start over. Wait… you can’t.”

“There is so much to do today. You’ll never get it all done.”

“Today is going to be like every other day. Nothing ever changes.”

“That breakfast isn’t nutritious enough. Why don’t you care about your kids’ health?”

“Why were you so harsh with him just now? He can tell you are angry. You are hurting him. You are a bad mom.”

“Why don’t you get up earlier so you can have alone time before the kids wake up? Most moms do this, why can’t you?”

“Your house is always a wreck. Why do you even bother? The work never ends anyway.”

“You aren’t enough for these kids. They deserve better than you.”

“You’ll never have what _________ has.”

Do any of these sound familiar?

These words are not just half-truths that you could do well to heed. They are not “helpful reminders” of how you need to improve as a woman and mother.

They are one thing, and one thing only: lies.

The only way I know to combat lies is with truth. So here are some specific affirmations for you to repeat to yourself throughout the day to help squash the voice that is constantly nagging you, telling you that you aren’t enough.

Affirmations for you—exactly where you are today

I am exactly who my children need, right now in this moment. I acknowledge my faults and shortcomings and recognize that I am growing as my children grow. I choose to extend grace to myself today.

I am doing the very best that I can with the resources and knowledge that I have, and that is the most loving thing I can do for my children today.

I choose to ignore what other people are doing or buying, and focus on the beauty and gifts within my own life. I choose to cultivate gratitude for where I am, right now in this moment.

I choose to connect my head to my heart and pay attention to my emotions and my body. I will listen to myself and heed my body’s signals so that I can be healthy, whole, and give the best of myself to my family and my work.

I choose to love and care for my children from a place of abundance, not of lack.

I will do my very best to notice the singular magic that this day can hold, even if it’s in the smallest and most unexpected things.

I will strive to act in love, patience and kindness toward my children, and when I don’t I will ask for forgiveness. But most importantly, I will forgive myself.

I will stay true to my priorities in this season of my life, and say “yes” and “no” without guilt or regret.

I say no to perfectionism—in myself and in my children. I say no to striving. I say yes to being, listening, learning and discovering. ?