Just as the title suggests so many mothers in the western world are feeling this way - overwhelmed. These woman are also feeling inadequate, lack joy, and are truly dissatisfied with their lives. Why is this happening to women all over the world?
Let's take a look at some of the factors that could be influencing these feelings.
1. Choices
Women have so many choices these days from an abundance of clothing to choose from to top corporate jobs. Just a century ago, these choices simply were not available to women. Many corporate companies market to women providing an endless array of places to spend…again more choice.
2. Unrealistic expectations of how a woman should look after having a baby.
Our society hides what a woman's body goes through after birthing another life. It ends up being a surprise to many women that our bodies are just not the same and never will be after pregnancy. We silently compete with ourselves or each other to reach an unrealistic body image that just isn't fair to anyone. We also find it necessary to hide our new post baby bodies in public - how many mothers have you seen wearing a bikini at the beach? Not many. Baby bodies can be embraced especially if we as mothers begin to change the way society looks at the post baby midsection.
3. Working outside of the home for income
70% of women with children age 18 and under participate in the U.S. labor force. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
All mothers will admit the amount of work that goes into raising one of these cute little people. We all have the same 24 hours given to us in a day and if 70% of women are working outside of the home say 8 hours per day and hopefully they are getting 8 hours of sleep per night, that leaves just 8 hours per day for other important events such as, exercise, commuting, relaxing, time with children, cooking and preparing meals, date time with partners, visiting friends or family, appointments, personal goal setting and achievement, children activities, and hobbies. It is no wonder that many of these events listed get put aside or ignored when children come into the picture.
4. Keeping up with the expectation that women complete housework
This can be an enormous task in itself let alone putting kids into the mix. Most families cannot afford to pay someone else to do the weekly cleaning and adding this into the daily tasks can add to the mental chatter of not being able to keep up with the demands of family life leading to a sense of overwhelm.
5. "Mom what's for dinner?"
This question is self explanatory - factoring in meal planning just seems like putting us over the edge. Mothers tend to forget to eat themselves as they try to keep up with the other demands that by the time evening comes, dinner hasn't even been given a second thought.
6. The expectation to stay young looking.
Just another pressure on women to stay young looking and beautiful. Question is 'who is putting this pressure on? Where does it come from?'
If you are reading this and feeling these points are happening in your life, I ask you this:
What if you didn't have to go to that job for 40 hours per week? What if you could learn what your priorities are so you could narrow your focus decreasing the feelings of overwhelm because of too many choices? What if you could learn to love your body the way it is while making it better, stronger, and healthier than it's ever been? What if you could work less and live more? What if you could pay someone to complete your household chores and/or meal planning? What if you could look and feel your best while being a busy mother? What if you could finally have time for YOUR passions in life and feel valued? All this is possible for you. Yes, you. Becoming a mother doesn't have to mean you have to put off pursuing your passion or your dharma. It is all possible.
Let's take a look at some of the factors that could be influencing these feelings.
1. Choices
Women have so many choices these days from an abundance of clothing to choose from to top corporate jobs. Just a century ago, these choices simply were not available to women. Many corporate companies market to women providing an endless array of places to spend…again more choice.
2. Unrealistic expectations of how a woman should look after having a baby.
Our society hides what a woman's body goes through after birthing another life. It ends up being a surprise to many women that our bodies are just not the same and never will be after pregnancy. We silently compete with ourselves or each other to reach an unrealistic body image that just isn't fair to anyone. We also find it necessary to hide our new post baby bodies in public - how many mothers have you seen wearing a bikini at the beach? Not many. Baby bodies can be embraced especially if we as mothers begin to change the way society looks at the post baby midsection.
3. Working outside of the home for income
70% of women with children age 18 and under participate in the U.S. labor force. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
All mothers will admit the amount of work that goes into raising one of these cute little people. We all have the same 24 hours given to us in a day and if 70% of women are working outside of the home say 8 hours per day and hopefully they are getting 8 hours of sleep per night, that leaves just 8 hours per day for other important events such as, exercise, commuting, relaxing, time with children, cooking and preparing meals, date time with partners, visiting friends or family, appointments, personal goal setting and achievement, children activities, and hobbies. It is no wonder that many of these events listed get put aside or ignored when children come into the picture.
4. Keeping up with the expectation that women complete housework
This can be an enormous task in itself let alone putting kids into the mix. Most families cannot afford to pay someone else to do the weekly cleaning and adding this into the daily tasks can add to the mental chatter of not being able to keep up with the demands of family life leading to a sense of overwhelm.
5. "Mom what's for dinner?"
This question is self explanatory - factoring in meal planning just seems like putting us over the edge. Mothers tend to forget to eat themselves as they try to keep up with the other demands that by the time evening comes, dinner hasn't even been given a second thought.
6. The expectation to stay young looking.
Just another pressure on women to stay young looking and beautiful. Question is 'who is putting this pressure on? Where does it come from?'
If you are reading this and feeling these points are happening in your life, I ask you this:
What if you didn't have to go to that job for 40 hours per week? What if you could learn what your priorities are so you could narrow your focus decreasing the feelings of overwhelm because of too many choices? What if you could learn to love your body the way it is while making it better, stronger, and healthier than it's ever been? What if you could work less and live more? What if you could pay someone to complete your household chores and/or meal planning? What if you could look and feel your best while being a busy mother? What if you could finally have time for YOUR passions in life and feel valued? All this is possible for you. Yes, you. Becoming a mother doesn't have to mean you have to put off pursuing your passion or your dharma. It is all possible.
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