This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Activia Probiotic Yogurt. All opinions are 100% mine.
You're doing it wrong. Why is it that those four words play on a loop inside my head? As a kid I could hear those words spoken when I was trying to fit in and as a mom I hear them any time I second guess the decisions that I'm making. I usually feel this way when I put myself first. For years, this was really hard for me as a young mom. I put so many people’s needs before my own that I was used to pushing my needs further and further down. We've heard it said that as moms, we need to remember the mantra that is spoken on the airplane; the one that says to put your oxygen mask on first before helping others. Through the years I have learned that it's true that in order for me to truly mother well, I need to take care of myself first. It's something that I wish I had learned sooner.
It's not easy to come to that realization when we see that society doesn't cut moms a lot of slack. We are bombarded with images of the perfect mom and surrounded by reminders from our friends of their perfect families on social media. But what we are seeing is just a glimpse not reality.
When I turned 30, I decided to start taking care of me. I had spent years taking care of my family and not enough time taking care of myself. Every day I had a to-do list a mile long, I was actively volunteering in my kids schools and I was balancing several different responsibilities beyond my family. My life was hectic and I needed to slow down because I found that my busy lifestyle was starting to take its toll. I know I'm not the only woman who deals with every day responsibilities being all consuming and those responsibilities can lead to stress and digestive discomfort over time. Exercise and good nutrition including probiotics can help.
Probiotics are cultures that have been shown to provide a benefit when consumed regularly. . I wish I had started a healthy routine sooner in life, but I'm thankful that I have made the time for exercise and a healthy diet because I have noticed the positive impact that it's had on my life. Now that I have a healthy routine, things seem to be functioning so much smoother from my mind and my mood to my overall body.
While I still think that sometimes I'm doing this parenting thing wrong, I can remind myself that there really isn't a right way or a wrong way. We do the best that we can, we learn from past mistakes and we try again another day. And just because I take time for me doesn't mean I'm taking time away from being a good mom. It's actually making me be a better mom that is more present.
photo credit Stephen Matera
If you want to try the Activia Probiotic Challenge to help take care of your digestive health find the Challenge Rules here.*
*Activia may help reduce the frequency of minor digestive discomfort. Consume twice a day for two weeks as part of a balanced diet and healhy lifestyle. Minor digestive discomfort includes bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort and rumbling.
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