Being a single mother is no easy task. I know. I was a single mother of two children less than six months ago, so I can say with some authority that being a single mother is a beast. It can drive you crazy if you let it. The insanity is not just that you have to raise children alone and be mother and father. The craziness gets worse when you add a full-time job, not enough money, societal pressure, not to mention being blamed for all of society's ill. How does a single mother remain graceful under pressure? How does she keep from wielding a knife at the next person that tell her "it's not that bad"? What keeps her from pulling her hair out at a minimum, and at a maximum keep from killing herself, her children, or just her spirit? The following five Sanity Savers offers some solutions that I find help get me through some really rough times. They may be a temporary, just for the moment fix, but then again sometime that's all a haggard single mother needs.
1. Music lifts the soul.
Listen to uplifting music that inspires, energizes, and praises God. When I am in a particularly deep depression I put on a upbeat gospel or jazz CD and dance like nobody's watching (nobody is). After a few moments of that I am feeling 80% better. I feel more energetic and positive and the problems seem small.
2. Journaling to get the cobwebs out.
Writing out my thoughts and prayers clears my mind and connects me to God (or whomever you believe in). It draws me closer to him. I feel a deeper connection to him because I am sharing all of my thoughts and feelings with Him. I find that the best time for me to write is in the early morning hours. My thoughts are fresh and I can concentrate better. I put the pen to paper and just write what comes to mind or I follow a specific order of giving thanks, confession and repentance, intercession for others, and petition. Which ever way I choose is fine as long as I am communicating with God.
3. Meditating
It calms my mind. I do it in complete silence or with soft music playing in the background. Meditating puts me in His sphere. I think about His goodness and mercy towards me and His love for me.
4. Talking.
Talking to others or to God through prayer is another way to maintain sanity. Speak to someone gets all the stuff that's bottled up out and clears your mind and body. Discussing problems and concerns can be done by phone or in person while driving along, standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes, or while cooking or cleaning. Talking to God can happen any time; particularly for me doing it in the shower seems to be the best time.
5. Reading.
Reading the bible or book of affirmations. Some of my favorite passages are in Psalms and in the New Testament. The words are my words, especially in the Psalms. I get hope when I read the scripture. When I am having a particularly hard time and I can't bring myself to read whole passages of scripture I just read one verse and meditate on it. It gives me what I need at the time and keeps me connected to God. A book of affirmations helps keep me positive about life when my outlook is negative. The power of positive thinking is priceless.
Hopefully you are a much saner single mother now. The tips outlined above are not hard to practice. It takes a few minutes to pop in a CD or jot down a few thoughts in a journal to decompress. Meditating for 15 to 30 minutes or just taking a five minute breather is simple. Phoning a friend or whispering a prayer does wonders to your stress level and finally reading a verse of scripture or one affirmation can bring calm to your sinking spirit. Please take the time to follow these tips. It could mean the difference between a padded room or a comfy chair. You owe it to yourself and your kids.
You are free to copy this article in it's entirety when you include the author's bio. Please send and e-mail if you choose to use it and receive a reciprocal link.
Samantha Gregory-Applewhite is a technical writer by day and a freelance article and busines writer/speaker/personal coach by night. Her business is Applewhite Communications http://www.applewhitecommunications.com and her writing website is Applewhite Spaces http://www.applewhitecommunications.com She lives and plays in Huntsville, Alabama with her Trinidadian husband Odel and her two children Lexi and AJ. Reading, traveling, internet surfing, and spending time with family friends is her passion.
express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..1. New Word of the DayIntroduce your preschooler to a... Read More
The brightly colored plastic mobile dangles lazily overhead in the... Read More
Do you know what these famous people have in common?Alexander... Read More
You can learn a lot from children.The best part of... Read More
Plus size children and overweight children need patterns and clothing... Read More
In 1996-97 we were contracted by VAXA International of Tampa,... Read More
A sure way to double the joys of parenthood is... Read More
Parents are losing their self-control to anger. A friend called... Read More
1 - Forgive even if you will never be able... Read More
We know that you want your little guy or gal... Read More
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
What are we teaching our children about money? Hopefully something!I... Read More
How on earth can you help your family cope with... Read More
As a mom of 4 who's youngest child is about... Read More
One of the basic issues we need to understand is... Read More
Most people with children want to be good parents. The... Read More
Very often, new parents rely on a parenting tip or... Read More
For every season, check, check, check, There is a chart,... Read More
The cost of being a parent and raising a child... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
To every thing there is a season, and a time... Read More
In the last few years, parents started getting more and... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
Dear Vijay,I worry about not being a good parent. My... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comParents ? Minimize Homework Hassles?It's... Read More
tidy up service Arlington Heights ..Who lives in your house? Are they driving you "crazy?"... Read More
In dealing with children with autism spectrum disorders, its all... Read More
If You're Having Twins..is it double the headache, or double... Read More
"There is nothing new under the sun," states Ecclesiastes 1:9.... Read More
Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still... Read More
Moms and dads, are there times you think that parenting... Read More
It's among the top criticism wives have of their husbands:... Read More
It can be difficult on all family members to have... Read More
Our back-to-school buying habits do not help kids succeed in... Read More
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
I have always found the notion of toilet training a... Read More
It happens every year. Just when you are settled in... Read More
Have you ever watched your teenager make a mistake (that... Read More
"Walk through any toy store and you will see walls... Read More
It's back to school time again. Does the thought of... Read More
Maintaining a safe home environment for your childrenAs adults and... Read More
Choosing a baby name is an important job, so make... Read More
If there are any parents reading this who are thinking... Read More
Hey Parents! I hate to tell you, but there is... Read More
If you are a parent, then more than likely you... Read More
From criticizing a spouse, to claming up about one's own... Read More
Have you ever had this struggle with your teens? Did... Read More
Children are moral and make moral determinations... at least until... Read More
The Greatest Gifts in Life, which are always created for... Read More
Parenting |