This Sunday, May 8th is Mother’s Day. Everywhere you look there are reminders as the perfect gift to get Mom. Nothing against material gifts, they are wonderful. But perhaps one of the best gifts you can give Mom is to be herself, and permission that it is okay to not be perfect. We women have grown up with generations of hearing that we have to be perfect……the perfect daughter, the perfect wife, the perfect mother……we strive to make everything around us as perfect as possible. And that striving for perfection normally comes at the expense of ourselves. We perform for love and approval. We seek the love and approval from our parents, our spouses and our friends. We become martyrs in a way, striving for love and acceptance. We may get approval, but it isn’t love. Real love comes from within.
The pressure on mothers and women in general is overwhelming. Most of us feel completely buried in responsibilities, and the last person who matters is you. You give and give, only to feel as it is never enough. You constantly feel guilty that you are not giving enough and are making the wrong decisions. That guilt buries you, overwhelms you and keeps you tired and wanting to run for the hills.
“We’ve been ingrained with a belief that says life is a competition and we must strive to get ahead. So we momma’s make it our job to prepare our children for the future. But when you realize that each of us is an individual and has unique gifts to share, you discover there is no competition. You don’t have to fight and scramble to get ahead. As you allow yourself to honor and love the way you were created, your gifts are revealed. You align your heart with God. And as you do, you open up to abundance and miracles,” so says author of The Enlightened Mom Terri Amos-Brit.
Terri Amos-Brit knows how you feel. A mother herself, found herself lost. Yelling at the kids, resentful of her husband, and that picture of that perfect family that she had in her head had vanished. She knew that if she wanted things to be different in her family, it would have to start with her. She would have to look within and shift the anger, judgment, resentment, blame, sadness and guilt that she was feeling. She found herself on an amazing journey of introspection and healing. As she let go of her ideals of what a good wife and mother should be, and started loving and honoring herself, she became a more loving, joyous, playful and happier mom. Denying her to be less than perfect had created pain and suffering. Allowing herself to discover, love and honor herself set the tone for the whole family to heal. Mothers set the tone for the family and the ones they love. But the first person they have to love is themselves.
Terri, a Life coach, mom, stepmom and Former Miss USA, shares her journey in an acclaimed new book written just for you, The Enlightened Mom: A Mother’s Guide for Bringing Peace, Love & Light to Your Family’s Life, and its 25 beautifully produced a guided meditation which is now available! She will help you step by step clean up those beliefs that keep you shut down. An enlightened Mom has the courage to look within, to release beliefs. She has passion, purpose. She is playful and joyous, has abundance and the knowledge to follow her heart. “It is not what we do for our families, but how we live our lives that impacts them the most”.
You can find out more on The Enlightened Mom at http://http://www.theenlightenedmom.com.book
Look for at it your local bookstore. And while materials gifts for Mothers Day are wonderful, also pick up a copy, and give this to Mom or yourself. Let Mom know it is okay to not be perfect. What you want is for her to be herself!
I will say that as I reflect on Mother’s Day, which this year is also my late mother’s birthday, I can’t agree with Terri more. Watching my mother come into her own, and releasing any expectations that everyone else had of her, is what I remember the most. She had the courage to teach me to follow my dreams and be true to my heart. I can’t think of a better gift that I was given!
Wishing all you Mothers a very happy Mother’s Day!!!!!!
