The past couple weeks have been a game of "is the baby coming or not right now" combined now with the worst constipation & gas I've ever experienced! Sorry for the TMI, but I'm sure I'm not the only 39/40 week pregnant lady who has had to deal with this!
I hope you all are doing well & enjoying this Valentine's Day! My hubby already has been such a stalwart for me this weekend, anything he does today will be icing on the cake...I bet he wishes he knew that now. Maybe I will tell him when he comes home tonight from work & running errands to get me what I need to stay "regular." What a patient, caring, tender & loving man I am married to; he isn't perfect, but he's shown me that when I really need him, he's going to do all he can. He even did some gross things that I expected him to want me to do.
I have learned something very important & life changing for this Domestic Diva about how to stay motivated. You see, before I would get all hyped & psyched up on adrenalin & caffeine in order to get a bunch done. This led to a couple of days of tons of work & catch up, but exhaustion always ensues with a lack of motivation along with it. Last week, I did something new....its something I HAD to do to have things go well with the upcoming birth: RELAX...
I'm not talking like sleeping & just not doing anything. I"m talking taking time to put some stress relief music on, sit down & do relaxing breathing exercises & focus on the Bible, God & me. I sat there for two hours until I finally learned what it felt like to be calm. It was an amazingly energizing task. I would've thought I wanted to nap after doing that, but no! I got up, left the music on & with much calmness & methodical movement, got my work done. I didn't feel rushed/frazzled or panicky like I normally do. It felt so much better to be calm doing chores & handling situations. I found myself not panicking when I was clumsy (I found I was also less clumsy). I didn't run around trying to rush to get things done, I took my time & they still got done fast! I also found myself feeling tons better when I was done & needed to rest. I could just go rest & not have to wind down from "pumping myself up." I had the most fabulous nap afterward with the music still on. When some not so great things happened, I was able to handle it & calm down from the frustration & anger very quickly. Usually I have already "worked" myself up into a frenzy as a motivator & so I get upset easily & don't handle conflict or frustrating situations in that state.
What a difference finding God's peace deep within made for me! I don't think I EVER want to try the other way again! That habit was caught by my mother from example & it is horrible for you! Even with all that happened this weekend, I feel soooo much better being calm through it than I did the first weekend of February & its frustrations of false labor. So, I rest my case...I'm done with the old way of trying to handle life & how I'm motivated. This Domestic Diva is got a new plan....CALMNESS & focusing on God's peace. Its good for me, its great for baby (now & once he's here soon) and its makes my hubby's life easier & more pleasant. Why did I wait so long to try this? It took me HAVING to do it for me to realize this....its sad it took this long, but I'm so glad I have a new way of going about my day & even my life.
So, I hope this helps some ladies out too...you need to find a way to relax, not fake relaxing from distracting yourself with entertainment or hobbies--real relaxing. The kind where you are calm & at peace with God & who you are. That you feel your best & that life will not end if everything isn't perfect. All that matters is you do your best & you can't do your best all panicky & hyper. Take time to reflect on yourself, saying positive things about you & your situations--give yourself the right to have a tiny moment for just you. It may seem counterproductive, but it really isn't. A calm person creates a calm home & things get done....people want to help & it brings a spirit of peace for the whole household. I can even tell a difference in my cats since I've been calm. Please take time to try this out....take as long as you need the first few times. If you are used to being uptight, it can take a looong time to really relax, but it seems to get easier on a very quick curve after the first few times. In fact, you can calm yourself without having to do the whole ordeal if you get frustrated about something--you just are able to stop yourself better when it starts as a new habit...So, don't hesitate to do this, it may be the one thing you've been desperately needing (like me)!!
