No such thing as a perfect Mother’s Day, but gratitude is the perfect outlook
Maybe your family will get you the perfect gift, the kids will clean the house, and you will eat the most nourishing food.
Or maybe you will wake up sick, the house gets destroyed and you spend all day Monday cleaning up the mess.
And then for some, Mother’s Day means a day that you are flooded with feelings of loss, hopelessness, and grief.
There really is no guarantee that the circumstances of your day will be perfect. In fact, it is a guarantee that you won’t have a perfect Mother’s Day.
About 10 years ago, when I was experiencing a significant time of hardship as a mom, I read a book that has was so pivotal and I believe it helped me to gain the determination to find the answers we needed to help our daughter get well.
1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp is a personal story of her overcoming depression & anxiety through the simple habit of gratitude. She provides monthly printable journal prompts and you are only given 3 simple prompts each day. After a year of continuing this habit, you will accumulate 1000 “gifts” of gratitude.
You can follow the author Ann Voskamp at https://annvoskamp.com/
This small, simple act slowly changes your outlook of each day and helps you to see all of the good things no matter how bleak things are at the moment.
Some amazing benefits of choosing gratitude:
Rewiring of our brain for resilience
Better sleep
Lowers blood pressure
Motivates you to improve yourself
Prompts you to pay back kindness
Increases your desire to spend more time with people
Encourages pro-social behaviors
Reaffirms your commitment in a relationship
Opens the door for healthy communication
Leads to more positive perceptions of people
All of these benefits aside, I can personally vouch for the benefits of gratitude journaling. It is a joy to look back through my journals and remind myself of all the wonderful experiences - good and bad - and see the joy of raising a family. And as time goes on, you realize how insignificant your emotions were at the time.
Our family has had plenty of hard days, but now many of those hard days have become some of our favorite family stories.
Here are some journal prompts for you to think through, or if you have a few minutes to write them down so you can look back some day and see how far you’ve come!
Choosing gratitude will always make your day a truly Happy Mother’s Day.
15 Gratitude Prompts for Mom this Mother’s Day:
What qualities make each of your children special?
What is a favorite family tradition that brings everyone together?
Remember a time your children made you laugh uncontrollably.
How has your family supported you during a challenging time?
Recall a special outing or vacation that created lasting memories.
Reflect on the ways your children surprise you with their love.
What hobbies or activities bring you joy?
What self-care ritual that makes you feel rejuvenated?
Think about a friend who has been a pillar of support in your life.
What achievements are you proud of in your role as a mom?
Write about a skill you have that enriches your family’s life.
Reflect on a favorite lullaby or bedtime story you share with your children.
Write about a funny or endearing mistake your child made that made you smile.
Write about a spontaneous adventure you had with your kids.
Reflect on a family night filled with laughter.
For more tips and daily habit recommendations, you can print off my Nourishing Day Chart. https://www.nourishinghomeliving.com/store/p/nourishing-day-habit-tracker
