You’ve just come home from work when your two daughters, after giving you a welcome home kiss, start bickering right in front of you. Apparently, they have been having a tiff about a toy they both wanted to play with. You have just spent two hours in traffic. You are tired and you are hungry. On any old day, you might just have shouted at the two to keep quiet. But today, you had resolved to be mindful of your thoughts and actions, and so you ask the girls to quiet down, resolve their differences in a peaceful manner, and walk to your room to rest before having dinner. Every day, we encounter potentially stressful events which may get our hearts pumping and our tempers rising. But if we let stress get the best of us, it could have a negative effect not only on us, but also on our family.

While our body can take a little stress every now and then, long-term stress may cause health problems or aggravate already existing conditions. It can wreak havoc on our cardiovascular and digestive systems, cause sexual dysfunction, bring about skin problems, make us gain weight, and may even lead to anxiety and depression.

Because moms stand at the very heart of the family, their demeanor oftentimes sets the mood of the family. If mom is happy, then it is most likely that the family is happy as well. If mom is stressed, then it is most likely that the family will feel a bit stressed, too.

So how do we ward off mom stress in today’s hyper-stressful environment?

The good news is that there are a few things that you can do both for your body and mind to manage mom stress.

BE AWARE OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS Stress can manifest itself in different ways, from feeling depressed or overwhelmed to feeling tired, eating too much, not being able to sleep, or constantly worrying about everything and nothing. If you are conscious of when you’re already neck deep in stress, then you will be able to take steps to manage or reduce it.

LET IT OUT! One way of relieving stress is to just let it all out. If you keep negative feelings of anger or frustration within yourself, they are very likely to manifest in your being in other ways. Sharing your feelings with your husband, friend, priest, or counselor is one of the easiest and healthiest ways to relieve stress. By expressing your feelings, you may also be able to find solutions to your concerns.

SWEAT IT OUT! Stretching your arms, working your muscles, and pushing your body to its physical limits are definitely good ways to relieve stress. However, you need not even go to the gym to partake of the benefits of regular exercise. Walking is a good exercise. Gardening is another one. The idea is to relieve tension in your muscles and feel the stress leaving your body.

SPENT TIME ON YOUR INTERESTS Oftentimes, moms think of everyone else but themselves. They spend most of their time doing something for others, never thinking twice about doing something they like themselves. So for a change, why not do something you absolutely love like practicing yoga, knitting a sweater, or reading a book? By indulging in your hobby, you give yourself a big, tight embrace which will help you face new challenges.

SPEND TIME ON YOUR SELF Last but not least, spend time taking care of yourself. The Mindful Mom Re-Treat is your chance to indulge in some time on yourself, taking stock of your present priorities, looking back at your past issues, and mapping out your future goals. It’s going to be a physically, mentally, and spiritually refreshing session as you take the time to rediscover and re-center yourself. Facilitating the re-treat is Michele S. Alignay, MA, Registered Family Psychologist and mom of two. The Mindful Mom Re-Treat happens on September 16, 2017 at the Makati Diamond Residences. It also features a workshop on essential oils, which have been proven to help relieve the symptoms of stress as well.

In the afternoon, Mindful Mom Re-Treat alumni are invited to a MINDFUL MOM REUNION, so that they may share how they have practicing mindfulness in their everyday lives. Attendance to the reunion is FREE.