This week I’ve had a few friends from online doing small guest spots on Small Fry’s Instagram Stories. I am so glad so many of you have loved it and I am brainstorming ways to make it a more permanent part of Small Fry’s offerings. I asked everyone the same question: How do you find happiness in your different roles when your mind, body or circumstances are working against you? The responses have been so awesome, I wanted to recap the messages here!
Sadie of Simply Sadie Jane:
Sadie gave 4 doable tips to help frame you for a joyful parenting experience.
- Start your day with an intention. Peace, joy, love.
2. One Day at at Time. Living presently in joy allows for stresses of the past and future not to cause needed anxiety or stress.
3. Trade shame for gratitude. There is nothing shame can do that gratitude cannot do better. Mom guilt is real but it doesn’t serve any of us. Re-frame your feelings to that of gratitude and everyone, especially you will benefit! You have to believe in yourself and that you’re a good mother before anyone else does.
4. Repeat “I love motherhood. Motherhood is joyful. Motherhood is simple.” throughout the day to help direct your feelings and energy toward joy.
Kelly of Studio DIY (finding a black and white was impossible but making any of her colorful photos that way was a tragedy. Ha!)
Kelly, an intovert in a super extroverted job that then switches to being present emotionally and physically for her young son Arlo creates space to recharge. No phone calls or interacting, just podcasts. You can find some of her favorites here.
Sydney of The Daybook, What the Eff Podcast and Actually, I Can course:
Sydney shared about how NOT defining ourselves by our roles and only our divine nature and relationship to a power bigger than ourselves allows for true happiness. Her big truth bomb for me was when she said “If we do not define ourselves by our roles than we also don’t define ourselves by our learning experiences within those roles.
Sydney words it so sweetly but I couldn’t help but think about the rollercoaster of emotions within my roles. The learning experiences where I feel like I fail cause me so much pain and shame! I love that by taking a step even further within ourselves we can give ourselves some slack that we are more than our failures, because we are more than this one aspect of ourselves.
Sydney has done so much self exploration and learning this year and it has been awesome to watch! She has started sharing what she’s learned in a course called Actually I Can and if you use SMALLFRY10 you can get 10% off! Read up on what the course entails here.
Alison of The Alison Show, Awesome with Alison Podcast and the Build an Awesome Brand Workshop (which I attended and was just as awesome as it advertises!):
Alison also shared some amazing tips for the times when you physically cannot do the things that typically bring you joy. This story will be posted later today, don’t miss it! She says it so beautifully!
- Reassign your good habits. When Alison’s typical Gratitude RUN wasn’t a possibility due to actually being hit by a car she reassigned her good habits and switched the run to a bath. As the water fills the tub she thinks or says all the things she is grateful for.
- Find joy in new things. Taking the time to pamper herself through getting ready slowly and at her own pace gave her a sense of normalcy in her temporary slowed down body.
Check back each day for an awesome giveaway and a take over on insta stories by some of my favorite open-book mamas. You know the ones! Who get real, honest, genuine about their journey. I hope it helps give us all the boost we need to fight for our best selves in this role!
