6 Ways to Cultivate Contentment as a Busy Mom

Not too long ago I was standing in my kitchen washing dishes yet again, and a question passed through my mind. “What if this was it?” If this current reality was as good as it was going to get, would I be content with my life?

This busy mom season is no joke! Many of us are juggling all the hats on any given day: chef, chauffeur, teacher, nurse, comforter, house cleaner and the list goes on. Add in the current pandemic circumstances that continue to force us to make decisions for our family that we could never have imagined even a few short years ago and we can easily feel as though there is not a lot to be content about in this demanding and confusing season.

Today I’m sharing 6 simple ways to cultivate contentment in your life, right in the middle of a busy mom pandemic season.

1. Practice Gratitude

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It turns a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie

  • grab your journal, and make a list of 10 things you are currently grateful for
  • send a text or pick up the phone and tell 3 people in your life why you appreciate them
  • before you fall asleep at night, think about 1 thing that happened that made you feel thankful for your life

2. Embrace a Change of Perspective

“The smallest change in perspective can transform a life. What tiny attitude adjustment might turn your world around?” Oprah Winfrey

  • reflect on something good that came out of a difficult circumstance
  • pray and ask God to help you see a person you are in conflict within a new light
  • try to focus on listening before speaking, truly seek to understand

3. Avoid the Comparison Trap

“A woman who is at rest with herself has nothing to prove to others. She embraces her strength and cheers others on with a pure heart. Her light shines brightly, her words are seasoned with kindness, goodness and grace. She is peaceful and edifies others as she is secure in her Heavenly Father’s love.” Hanna Bryant

  • unplug: limit social media and time spent perusing Pinterest, put the phone down and be present to enjoy your life
  • embrace this truth: you are a uniquely and purposefully created original one-of-a-kind person!
  • write down a list of things that you love about yourself and then send someone that you admire a note to tell them how they have impacted your life
  • understand that someone else’s success does not take away from what you have to offer in your own unique and beautiful way, you are not on the same journey

4. Focus on Today

“Content people don’t always have the best of everything, but they make the best of everything.” Rachel Cruz

  • stop multi-tasking and running full speed ahead throughout your day; try time-blocking, prioritizing and slowing down the pace to enjoy the small stuff of life
  • do something simple that you love every single day: go for a walk, give someone a hug, or drink a warm cup of coffee
  • close your eyes and breathe deeply for 10 seconds when you feel overwhelmed, then keep moving forward with a smile on your face

5. Declutter and Simplify: make room for what you love

“Be content with what you have.” Hebrews 13:5

  • removing clutter in your home allows the things that you love and that bring you joy to shine and tell their story
  • embrace the “less is more” mentality when it comes to choosing what to keep and what to release
  • pull out your calendar and thoughtfully remove extra commitments and obligations that do not align with your current priorities to make room for what really matters

6. Embrace Slow Living with the People You Love

 

“It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.” Brene Brown

  • include slow living in your daily cadence: schedule in white space to read, get outside and enjoy impromptu moments with your family
  • choose to let go of the “urgent’ to be present for what really matters
  • honour the process of becoming and not just doing and achieving

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I hope you found these tips both encouraging and refreshing! You may currently find yourself in a season of waiting or of hoping for what is not yet, but with intention you can choose to walk with a spirit of contentment and joy in every circumstance.

I would love to hear how you cultivate contentment in your life. Please share your wisdom in the comments!