|
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!
0 Comments
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  Thanks to thousands of British families, two child psychologists, and a Grammy award-winning artist we now have a song that is scientifically proven to make your baby happy. Parents across the U.K. were asked to list which sounds make their babies laugh. Their responses included sneezing, animal sounds, and babies’ laughter, which are all included in “The Happy Song” by Imogen Heap. Not only is this song scientifically proven to make babies happy, but it is approved by my one-year-old as well. Anytime she gets fussy in the car I put on this song and it immediately distracts her and makes her happy. Give it a try with your little one during playtime, mealtime, or when you are on a drive.
By Sam Allred, CouncilMom over Music, Inspiration, and Laughter
Photo Credit: Danny de los Reyes on Unsplash.com
Developmental psychologist Casper Addyman has the most delightful job: he studies baby laughter. In this 2017 TED talk (only 15 minutes long) he discusses the science behind what makes babies laugh and why it is crucial for development... and why we might want to learn from their example and laugh more!
From the description on YouTube:
Caspar Addyman reminds us that babies can teach us fundamental truths about how to live a good life. We just need to listen to their laughter. Caspar Addyman is a developmental psychologist who studies how babies learn about the world and how we can learn from them in adulthood. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx |
