Mom guilt.
It’s the to-do list in your head that fogs your mind when your child is trying to ask you a question.
It’s the Facebook feed that reminds you that you’re not cooking well enough, communicating effectively enough, or exercising hard enough.
It’s the ads pop-ups reminding you that you need to replace half the products in your fridge, cupboard, and make-up bag with healthier alternatives.
With the internet, you have all the resources you need to be able to make 1000 changes starting today. But sometimes, what you really want is someone to tell you to relax, you’re going to be fine, and just walk you through some baby steps.
I have two resources for you.
When I look at books, I often shy away from most motivational books. I just want to cut to the chase and be handed the instructions for whatever “thing” I want to work on. But when I started reading each of these books, I was engaged in both the personalities and content of both writers. It was like chatting with a favorite friend. Yet, they’re two very different friends.
Freedom Face by Lucy Aitkenread
Here’s a short bio on Lucy: “I am an activist, mother, and writer who recently moved my family from London to a forest in New Zealand. To live in a yurt. A yurt with wifi. It’s ridiculous really.”
Right there, I’m intrigued. I have no doubt that she’ll take my conventional, store-bought mascara away from me and tell me I don’t need it. She’ll encourage me on my path to stick with a better, wash-my-hair-less-frequently routine (she’s a huge advocate of hair detoxing). And, ugh, she’ll probably tell me to stop shaving my pits and tell me there’s no need for deodorant. But, I’m committed to reading it, so I start.
This girl is entertaining. At the same time, she invites you into her world and gives you a different frame of mind as she explains the need to understand the body’s acid mantle. Remember how you signed up for the “funny” high school chemistry teacher because he could make memorizing the Periodic Table of the Elements a blast? That’s Lucy. Let her tell you about the importance of the outer layer of protection we call skin (and its acid mantle).
She says:
I don’t harp on much about the scary toxics in this book (just every now and then when I can’t keep it in) but let’s just say my research made me worried enough to try and eliminate every one of my store-bought beauty products. I don’t keep bringing it up as I don’t want this to be a fear-invoking book. Instead I want to excitedly invite you to be part of something awesome. Not out of fear for your breasts or endocrine system. But because there is another way and it is fun and completely healthy.
(I want to point out that she does spend some time with the self-love, goddess talk that I’m just not into.)
But for showing me how and why we should move from the ever-popular commercial serums to an easy, homemade, inexpensive and better-for-you alternative, here’s her definition:
Serum is a quickly absorbed oily liquid that is host to potentially hundreds of active ingredients, all of which perform different roles. Some serums have extracts of green tea, cucumber, citrus fruits, licorice – all sorts of edible goodies. Think Willy Wonka meets L’Oreal.
And then she shares her recipe, which includes just jojoba oil, frankincense oil and rose oil.
Check out the book and other resources here.
And this:
I swipe it on morning and night, and within a couple of weeks I notice my skin looks more taunt and less lined… This has become the newest addition to my scrimpy beauty regime, and I’m going to stick with it. Now all I need is a country to rule and a fringe far less wonky than my own.
See how fun it is to be led into a new natural skin care routine when you read stuff like this?
Final thoughts: what surprised me is that while she’s a minimalist with products and make-up, she isn’t against using mascara or other beauty enhancers. In fact, she has a DIY mascara recipe. The e-book is THICK with information and recipes with her engaging writing to take you quickly through it. End that fear and guilt that prevent you from making changes to your beauty routine and get adventurous! Find her Happy Hair Guide here: http://happyhairguide.com/
Get Glowing: The 7 Secrets Every Mom Should Know to Achieve Her Inner Radiance by Jennifer Blossom
This book is written from a Christian perspective, with more of a planned-out guide to take a mom from overwhelm to a place of peace, by moving through various journal-driven steps along the way.
Read Jennifer’s personal story starting on page 17. It’s a good wake-up call for all of us highly driven moms who have to stop and be intentional about recognizing important relationships, including the ones with our little people who watch us perform every day. She writes:
As I pulled up and got squared away into the room, I waited anxiously. I KNOW the physician’s assistant will diagnosis me and tell me how to “fix this” problem. 3 hours later, and after hundreds of dollars worth of tests, a shot of penicillin, steroids, an asthma inhaler, and antibiotics…. NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH ME. Fast forward 2 weeks and I’m rushing back to the same clinic, this time, as I sprint through the door, I have no breath. They rush me back to the “intense room” and before I know it, there’s an oxygen mask on my face and an EKG on my heart. “What is happening? Why is this happening to me? I’m healthy! I’m normal! Why am I dying?” I had tears of fear and frustration running down my face. The physician’s assistant looked at me and suddenly asked, “Are you stressed right now in life?”
Yikes! Her symptoms crept up on her. And it’s easy when there are so many pressures on us, especially as women!
Sometimes reading other women’s stories really helps us to realize either 1.) we’re not alone, or 2.) we’re not as bad off as we think we are.
Check out the book and other resources here.
I enjoyed walking through Jennifer’s journey, stopping along the way with question prompts to apply to my own journey, and getting access to even more resources that she shares in her book. Specifically, she links to her podcast, where I found topics like 5 Fun Hairstyling tips to go from FRUMPY to FAB! and Stress + Your Keys To Overcoming. Ladies, we need good female influences in our lives, and Jennifer can be that resource. Join her community here: http://www.blossomingmommyandbaby.com/
I personally love having access to a hundred resources like this when UHLB comes out every year. And, I enjoy the challenge I put on myself to read through as many as I can while the $29.97 deal is going on… because I know that after it’s gone, I’ll go back to life as usual and forget that I have all these personal stories, challenges, recipes and ideas from over 100 other actual people who lived them. Don’t let that happen to you! Get the bundle, read through a few and find the ones you resonate most with, and then tell a friend how they can take advantage of the deal, too. Start with one of these two books to get past the mom guilt, make some decisions about what you can work on, and then go for it!
Learn more here: https://us154.isrefer.com/go/UHLB2017/a160/
