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.
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..The word no is probably the most overused word in... Read More
The girl's jaw dropped in horror as the police officer... Read More
It is not the divorce but the conflict arising after... Read More
Are you a frustrated parent who sometimes finds it is... Read More
On a bright Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago,... Read More
There is a front line and a back end to... Read More
Do you have a young child whose weight or eating... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
"In general my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't... Read More
IntroductionChildren are the gifts of God to parents. That young... Read More
While most fathers aspire to become the best Dads they... Read More
Many children are jittery on the first day of school.... Read More
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down... Read More
Love, love, love. It makes the world go round. It... Read More
One of the basic issues we need to understand is... Read More
The choices are mind numbing. Walk into any toy store... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
"Will my doubts and fears affect my child?" This father... Read More
Many families, ours included, have learned that breakfast is eaten... Read More
The wonderful adaptability of children in dealing with the challenges... Read More
As a parent your biggest responsibility is to prepare your... Read More
We take it for granted that children know how money... Read More
A strange thing happened to me today. Or more precisely,... Read More
At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language... Read More
I hear from many parents that their child is stressed... Read More
cleaning help near Bannockburn .."Now don't you go getting any ideas, Harold.""Don't you get... Read More
Memorabilia ? Children can create enough artwork for an entire... Read More
Fizzy sherbet in a paper bag with a strawberry lollipop... Read More
To every thing there is a season, and a time... Read More
Do you ever wonder what is behind the occasional nasty... Read More
Every year over one million parents have to talk to... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
When parents help their children learn to read, they help... Read More
Chaim Ginott was a schoolteacher whose ideas and observations helped... Read More
I am a single mother of a 17 year old... Read More
O.K. I've heard it a hundred times from my prison... Read More
We are all aware of the child obesity epidemic that... Read More
My kids ask me all the time to take them... Read More
Start some gardening traditions with your kids. Give them their... Read More
Have you ever had this struggle with your teens? Did... Read More
The Flow of WaterWater is essential for life on the... Read More
At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language... Read More
As part of the whole-language (or "balanced") reading-instruction philosophy, many... Read More
With the beginning of the new school year coming VERY... Read More
As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to... Read More
Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only... Read More
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down... Read More
1. Boundaries are necessary for control and safety.All children need... Read More
The girl's jaw dropped in horror as the police officer... Read More
In the last 20 years we've all been introduced to... Read More
Parenting |