How to Be a More Mindful Mom

We always remind ourselves to be present in every moment. Unfortunately, such a seemingly simple resolution could be incredibly hard to do. You’re driving your daughter to school, but instead of engaging her in conversation, you’re spouting off instructions to your assistant on the phone. You’re cooking dinner, but instead of savoring the delicious aroma coming out of the pot, you’re folding your baby’s diapers.
Mommy Mundo Founder and Expo Mom Chief Organizer Janice Villanueva says, “As moms, we want to make the most out of every moment. We want to make sure that all our to-do lists are finished and all our tasks our done. Unfortunately, this sometimes means we don’t get to cherish every moment because we’re trying to multitask our way through it. We forget to be mindful of our actions because, well, we just have too much to do.”

Becoming a more mindful mom will do you a world of good, says Villanueva.

“By being more purposeful of your every thought and action, you don’t waste your time and effort on events and issues which are not significant. You’ll be more focused and less stressed. In the end, you’ll be a happier mom who can appreciate the joys of parenting,” she says.

Want to be a more mindful mama? Here are some things which you can start doing right now!

Make eye contact. When you’re playing with your children or talking to them, look at them straight in the eye. Communicate your joy and your love for them through your eyes. Give them your undivided attention. The eyes are the windows of the soul; let yours be a beacon of love and hope.

Stop worrying about everything and everyone. We know that you can’t help but worry about your son who’s not doing well in school or your sister who just broke up with her longtime boyfriend, but calm down. Focus on what you can do. Don’t worry about issues which you have no control over.

Streamline your schedule. You need not go to every cocktail event, birthday party, or baby shower that you’re invited to. It’s perfectly okay to say no. You need not allot a day to pay your bills; enroll in an online payment facility. Be creative and resourceful when it comes to managing your everyday tasks.

Give yourself some TLC. Moms get tired too! Regularly treat yourself to something which rejuvenates your mind, body, and spirit. Go to your favorite restaurant. Have lunch by yourself, savoring every bite of your food. We’re always hurrying when you eat, but this time around, allow yourself to eat slow. Enjoy every flavor note. Relish every texture. If you’re a spa person, get a relaxing massage, but don’t let yourself fall asleep. Instead, be aware of how your muscles are relaxing one by one as you are kneaded to a state of bliss.

Rediscover the joys of handwriting. Start a journal. Make thank you notes. Writing by hand is a delightfully tactile experience. Your thoughts go directly from your heart to your hand, giving meaning to every word. Writing by hand, you’ll also find yourself being more mindful of every word, because of course, you wouldn’t want your note to be filled with X marks.

Unplug. Check yourself. How many times are you not connected to one gadget or another? Just a few, we reckon. Challenge yourself. Don’t check your email or social media account the moment you wake up. Turn off your phone. Hide your laptop. Relive the ways of the analog world.

Join Mommy Mundo’s Mom Manifesto Campaign! For a couple of weeks now, participants in Mommy Mundo’s Mom Manifesto Campaign have been on a journey to mindfulness and self-discovery. A series of online workshops, the campaign has been helping moms discover their mission in life and formulate their Mom Manifesto, which they are encouraged to share and declare at this year’s Expo Mom. The biggest gathering of the latest in family-oriented product innovations and parenting trends, Expo Mom is happening on May 22 to 24 at the Glorietta 2 Activity Center. You can still participate in the workshops by downloading the activities at http://expomom.com/mommanifesto/

We’d love to hear how you’re making yourself a more mindful mom! See you at Expo Mom!