In one of my previous blogs, I talked about how to assess your life to see if you are trying to be a Supermom, but burning yourself out at the same time. Here’s a little metaphor to help you understand why you need to take care of yourself before you can be a supermom ☺
THE METAPHOR OF THE OXYGEN MASK
Many years ago I was attending a Mothers of Preschoolers group. This particular group was a small group that was just forming. There were only 8 or 9 of us at any given meeting. And because we had limited time and budget we shared the duties of organizing what we would do at each meeting. At one of these gatherings a woman who has become one of my closest friends started her presentation by reading out of a book on women’s spirituality. The piece she read spoke about how important it is for moms to take care of themselves. The author used the metaphor of the oxygen mask on an airplane to explain her point:
Think back to the last time you took a flight. Remember that introductory part that a flight attendant does before you take-off? The flight safety instructions? After demonstrating how, in the case of an emergency the oxygen masks will drop down from the ceiling above the passengers head, the flight attendants will instruct the passengers to put the oxygen masks on themselves before helping others who cannot do so themselves – even children!
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Why in the world would they want you to ignore your children in order to take care of your own needs first???
SIMPLE – Because if you pass out due to a lack of oxygen you cannot help your child.
So let’s apply this to life in general…
Are you running your children around so much that you do not have any time left to take care of yourself?
Are you working in a job that you can’t stand so that your children can have expensive lessons or go to an expensive private school when there are perfectly good public schools nearby?
Are you volunteering for every school committee, baseball board, girl scout troop, etc. because it’s important for your children to have a fulfilled life?
NEWSFLASH ☺
Your children need you to be relaxed and not exhausted more than they need you to lead their scout troop and serve as the PTA board president. Your children need you to feel fulfilled and peaceful more than they need those expensive lessons or that expensive sports gear. If your children see you as a happy person, they will be happy people!
SO PUT THE OXYGEN MASK ON YOURSELF FIRST
What things can you cut back on to make more time for self-care? It’s actually good for your health to volunteer, but pick one or two volunteer positions. You don’t have to do them all.
What can you then add into your life for your own fun and relaxation?
Are you trying to buy your kids happiness instead of showing them how to achieve happiness through easy (often free) relaxation and self-nurture?
Comment below and on Facebook at to share how you are going to put the oxygen mask on yourself first!
Love & Light,
Jen
JEN ROBINSON
Jen Robinson is the creative force behind the wellness brand Peaceful Living Wellness which is dedicated to providing a wide-variety of high-quality wellness information. Jen is also the creator of the Peaceful Living Wellness life coaching division, and offers workshops, individual and group coaching as well as retreats where she guides women in using Mindfulness and Mindset to build their inner strength on a foundation of inner peace. Jen also is the co-creator of the business coaching brand CEO Mindset that guides entrepreneurs in building their businesses without burning out.
The latest addition to her repertoire is that she recently signed-on as the Wellness Director for the business development company Wealthy Women Entrepreneurs . She is very excited to be leading this group of dynamic women entrepreneurs into success in their businesses and lives!
The most important part of Jen’s life are her two very active teenagers, AJ & Layna!
Jen’s Mindfulness and Mindset techniques inform her business, her parenting and her life!
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