How Moms with Anxiety Can Thrive

Parents are people, too. And this means that just like everyone else, they’re not perfect. As a parent, you probably know this all too well. While your kids might be under the impression that you can do anything when they’re little, real people have struggles of their own, and that’s what makes everybody human. If you happen to be a mom who struggles with anxiety, there are so many ways you can thrive.

There are so many techniques that you can use to manage your anxiety, and the same goes for you when you enter parenthood. Being a parent does not mean that you have to be perfect. In fact, it often means that you should use the lessons that you learn to help your children grow into the best people possible. There are so many techniques that can help you out. It’s all about choosing the right one for you and your family. No matter your triggers, the severity of your anxiety or the management techniques that you already have in place, You can learn to thrive as a mom with anxiety. Here are just a few ways for you to get started.

• Know You’re Not Alone

One of the first things that you can do to help any kind of anxiety is to remember that you are not alone. There are so many people that struggle with anxiety, and there are so many moms out there with unique struggles. Even though your experience is unique to you, there are definitely people out there who can relate to you, and there are people who care about you and want to see you succeed.

• Practice Self Care

One of the best ways to manage your anxiety over time is to commit to a consistent practice of self-care. As a parent, it can be easy to forget about caring for yourself and consistently put others first, but the only way to show up as your best self for those you care for is to commit to caring for yourself and making time for your own needs. Everyone’s needs are different, but you can figure out a system that works for you.

• Know Your Triggers

People don’t often have anxiety out of nowhere. Most people have anxiety triggers. These triggers can be rooted in anything, usually some form of trauma or stressor. While it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to avoid your triggers completely, knowing what they are can help you prepare in advance and react accordingly when you are confronted with triggering stimuli. Some of the most common triggers are social situations, deadlines and trauma. Once you know your triggers, you will be able to manage them more effectively and even work towards healing them.

• Talk to a Professional

Sometimes, one of the best things that you can do when dealing with a mental health struggle is to talk to a professional. It can be scary to reach out for help and find the person who can do the best job at helping you heal, but even being able to speak to somebody who isn’t involved in your life and can view it from an objective lens is a great start. Well your support system is an important part of your life, finding a mental health professional can bring an entirely new perspective.

• Practice Mindfulness

One of the techniques you can use to calm your anxiety is mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of feeling present and noticing the sensations and the world around you. While many people associate mindfulness with meditation, you can practice mindfulness wherever you are, which makes it perfect for a busy mom on the go. Sure, you might not have time to sit in meditation whenever you start to feel anxious, but you can absolutely go through a mindfulness exercise to help ground you.

• Try Yoga

For those times when you do have a few extra moments to be alone and give yourself a bit of time to readjust, you can try out a yoga practice. Starting a yoga practice is all about taking some time for yourself and creating a consistent space of calm in your life. No matter how busy you might be or inexperienced in the world of yoga, you can try yoga any time. While it might not fix everything, it can definitely give you a bit of a reprieve.

• Be Honest

This one might be more appropriate for parents with children who understand what anxiety is, or for parents who at least have children old enough to understand the concept, but sometimes one of the best things that you can do is share how you’re feeling with your children. Not only can this open a bridge of communication in your family, but you might be able to help your children learn techniques to help manage anxiety when it pops up in their life, whether it is big or small. Honesty can be difficult, but you might find that it can do a lot of good.

Thriving With Anxiety

If you’re a mom with anxiety, there are so many ways that you can learn to thrive. While there is no magic spell that can make anxiety completely go away, you can manage things one step at a time.