Do these 4 Things Every Day and Create More Alignment in your Busy Mom Life

When considering the foundation of this blog, I took some time to reflect on what the busy mama might need on a daily basis to bring more balance to her life. As I thought about my role as a wife, mother, and woman, I thought about the women who inspire me and those who are also mothers. I pondered what we prioritize in our lives and what is necessary to bring more peace and ease into each day. Through conversations and observations, I found that we all share common struggles and concerns about being a good mother, connecting with our families, accomplishing tasks, and finding time for ourselves. This led me to develop "The Core 4" and "The 4 Keys" as ways to address these common challenges. For a visual representation, please refer here. To explore this topic further, I invite you to continue reading as I share how the Core 4 and the 4 Keys can help us achieve greater alignment in our daily lives.

🗝️ Key Number 1: Focus on the Core 4

The Core 4 is based around areas of our lives where we, as mamas, seek the most alignment. The aspects I am identifying as the "Core" are what we mamas deem as our centers and the foundation of which we carry the title, mama. By giving focused attention and time to these important areas of our lives, we can move towards a place that brings us closer to our core. Therefore, this alignment helps us to better connect with ourselves, our loved ones, and our personal aspirations.

It is important to take a moment to understand how to incorporate the Core 4 into our daily lives. This can be done by setting aside 30 minutes each day to focus intentionally on each of these four areas. By establishing this practice, we can create a meaningful ritual that our families and ourselves will come to appreciate and look forward to each day.

Here's what this may look like:

🩷 Core #1 Self- This is a time dedicated to yourself and your own enjoyment. Take this time for yourself and do something for 30 minutes that brings you joy. You could paint your nails, relax in a bath, watch a T.V. show, enjoy a glass of wine, or simply sit in peaceful silence. Whatever you decide, remember that this is your opportunity for some well-deserved UNBOTHERED "Mama Me Time."

💚 Core #2 Partner- Consider exploring opportunities to communicate and strengthen your connection with your partner, focusing on topics other than work, bills, or parenting responsibilities. If you have a wonderful partner with whom you wish to deepen your bond, taking 30 minutes to spend quality time together can be beneficial. This could involve genuinely inquiring about their day and actively listening to their responses. Alternatively, you could opt for a simple gesture like giving a warm hug or cuddling in silence. The key is to cherish the moment and express gratitude for their support and presence in your life every day.

💜 Core #3 Children- Thirty minutes might seem like a lot of time, especially if you have more than one or two children, so establish this time as best you can. Seriously, give yourself some grace, and do the best you can. However, it is essential not to skip this core or not make it an individualized practice, and here is why. Creating a special ritual with your little ones can help them express themselves and communicate with you more effectively. Bedtime often provides a great opportunity to establish a consistent quality time and unwind from the busyness of the day. It's important to actively listen to your child, allowing them to feel heard and understood without trying to immediately solve any problems. Focus on bonding, connecting, and being nurturing, understanding, supportive, loving, and, most importantly, being fully present in the moment.

💛 Core #4 Productivity- Productivity can be a challenging aspect at any stage of life, especially for busy mothers. The time available to complete tasks may vary depending on your work status and the age of your child(ren). For instance, a stay-at-home mom with a young toddler may encounter some difficulties due to their unpredictable schedule, which is perfectly normal. Consider this more as establishing a routine rather than a strict schedule. In this context, productivity is about efficiently achieving more. Setting goals, not just any goals but realistic ones, and planning ahead for ways to achieve them are what's important here. One approach is to begin with a Master To-Do List (MTDL), which acts as a foundation for productivity. Perhaps you have heard of this before. The concept of the MTDL is a list that serves as list that houses all of the tasks you desire to get done accordingly. From this list, other strategic lists can be formed and help guide you through your goals. Read this blog post to learn more about the Benefits of Having a Master To-Do List (MTDL).

🗝️ Key Number 2: Eat One Raw Meal A Day

I know firsthand that eating a plant-based diet can't be beat, as my family and I have an entirely plant-based lifestyle. A raw food diet, however, is kicking it up a notch. This dietary approach returns you to the basics of consuming food in its purest, most natural state. It involves eating plant-based foods that are uncooked, unprocessed, and that have not been heated above 115-118 degrees. This key has many benefits to our health and wellbeing. It needs to be included for optimal health and nutritional support, especially for busy mamas who are always on the go, go, go.

Here are a Few Benefits of Eating One Raw Meal Per Day

- Raw foods provide a simple way to obtain a wide range of nutrients.

- These nutrient-dense, low-calorie meals may support weight loss efforts.

- Optimal digestion is promoted, which is important for the body to effectively extract nutrients for energy, growth, and cell repair.

- Eating raw can save time, as it does not require cooking to enjoy a quick and nutritious meal.

- By avoiding cooking and consuming foods in their natural state, you can not only save time but also save money. 

🗝️ Key Number 3: Cultivating Personal Growth

Personal growth is an important and continuous process that helps us better understand ourselves and reach our fullest potential while living in alignment. By striving to improve ourselves, we not only benefit personally but also positively impact those around us.

Here are a Few Examples of What this May Look Like

-Reciting affirmations daily

-Surrounding yourself with positivity 

-Setting achievable goals for the day

-Listening to inspiring and motivating music or podcasts

-Practicing gratitude and reflection at the end of each day

-Taking time to care for your body through diet or exercise

-Cultivating a sense of self-awareness through meditation and prayer

-Spending time reading personal development books for at least 10 minutes or 10 pages per day.

🗝️ Key Number 4: Tidy Up for 20 Minutes 

If you're anything like me, I understand that it may take longer than 20 minutes to clean the entire house or do household chores. The intention of this key, however,  is to provide a moment to focus on clearing the spaces that help you to effectively increase your productivity. For me, this is usually the kitchen and my workspace. I take 20 minutes in the morning and evening to dedicate this time to clearing the space(s) that need it most.

For instance, after preparing lunches in the morning, getting the kids ready for the day, and completing a table activity, I take some time to reset the kitchen. This involves preparing dinner for that evening and prepping lunches for the following day. Additionally, I may also freshen up the bathrooms, tidy up the living space, and take out any trash during this period. In the evening, I focus on our nightly routine. Know that I cannot get everything done and clean in 20 minutes, but I am perfectly okay with that. A weekly cleaning routine helps me focus on deep cleaning specific house areas each day. So things aren't a total mess here, but you know as well as anyone how busy days can sometimes be. Nevertheless, my tidying for 20 minutes helps me prevent things from getting too out of hand. It also inspires and motivates me to keep it going each day, as I have a sense of accomplishment and productivity to wrap up the day. 

I hope you have found these 4 Keys and the Core 4 to be a supporting foundation for living a mom life aligned! Please share any of the areas you personally struggle with most in your #MomLife. I promise that you are not alone.