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By Diana Duke, Momivate's Secretary As I walk in the house from picking up the kids from school, I notice piles of folded laundry just waiting for the kids to knock over. The sink is full of dirty dishes from breakfast with cereal boxes and orange juice still sitting on the island. Five bags of groceries are sitting on the counter just waiting to be put away. There are backpacks and shoes strewn throughout the living room. My thoughts pull me to a commercial with a woman in a business suit singing “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never let you forget that I’m a woman”. I don’t even remember what the commercial was pushing. I just remember thinking I want to be that woman who can do it all: work, provide, and do it looking amazing. But as I stare at the sight in front of me, I begin to minimize the things that I have accomplished today and begin to over-catastrophize all the things that have not been accomplished. This is a common thinking error referred to as Minimizing/catastrophizing and it is something that I need to correct. One thing I can do to overcome the thinking error Minimizing/catastrophizing is to realize when I am in the middle of this thinking error, I need to stop and redirect my thinking with positive self talk. When I start to practice positive self-talk incredible things begin to happen. When I see the pile of laundry sitting on the couch waiting to be tipped over, I redirect my thoughts to recognize that I am nearly finished with this load of laundry. If I ask the kids to take their pile of clothes and put them away, we will be finished with this load of laundry! I will then have time to put another load in the washer. While the latest load of laundry is in the spin cycle, I can make tuna sandwiches for dinner. Sure it won’t be a roast with rosemary and garlic potatoes, but the kids will be fed... and if I add a few strawberries and carrots from the groceries still sitting on the counter waiting to be put away, I can count two servings of the five required fruits and vegetables for the kids today. Positive self-talk can make the half-finished work of today seem like the work for tomorrow is nearly finished. Throughout my days, I often struggle with minimizing my accomplishments and over-catastrophizing the long list of things I could do better. The list gets longer as I dwell on the things I still need to do. But as I practice Positive Self-Talk I can overcome this thinking error. Positive self-talk creates a positive mindset for me and sets a tone for the people in my life to be positive about their accomplishments too. Embracing Positive Self-Talk creates a much healthier thought pattern for my life as well. As I become more positive through self-talk, I can become more successful. And success breeds more success. I can eventually have a healthier and more positive way of thinking. So tomorrow when I wake up, my work will be half finished, and I will be able to accomplish even more!
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By Sam Allred, CouncilMom over Music, Inspiration, and Laughter  Self-affirmations are positive statements that can be used to encourage and motivate yourself. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.
Here are 5 affirmations that you can use to transform your thoughts about motherhood and inspire you to be a better mom.
If you feel like you need a mindset change, give affirmations a try. The key to affirmations is to use them frequently. Work them into a part of your morning routine, such as brushing your teeth or getting dressed. Write them down and post them on your mirror. Upload them to your phone wallpaper so you see them every time you open your phone. Some people say them outloud, some repeat them in their mind during meditation, others write them in a journal. Do whatever works for you. Your thoughts and words have the power to change your mindset and help you achieve your goals. By Sam Allred, CouncilMom over Music, Inspiration, and Laughter  Photo Credit: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.com Being a parent at any stage comes with challenges and we never know when somebody could be in need of encouraging words.
Here is a list of supportive comments to help parents feel validated and uplifted.
May we make a conscious effort to support each other. If you see a fellow mom struggling (we all have been there before and know what it looks like), consider using one of the phrases from this list. It’s amazing how only a few simple words can improve somebody’s day. By Sam Allred, CouncilMom over Music, Inspiration, and Laughter  Photo Credit: Jessica Rockowitz on Unsplash.com I have a problem with the typical narrative of motherhood. The one that tells us that everything will come so easily and effortlessly. The reality of parenthood is that it is difficult. It is often easy to doubt our abilities when it comes to making parenting decisions. We need to remember that we are not alone in these feelings of inadequacy. Hearing from other like-minded mothers who have had similar experiences can alleviate those feelings of inadequacy and provide a renewed sense of hope in the face of difficult circumstances.
Below is a list of advice from experienced mothers to mothers who may be struggling with certain aspects of motherhood.
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