102. [Replay Episode] How to Practice Self-Gratitude as Moms

In this replay episode and Thanksgiving edition, I discuss the significance of expressing self-gratitude, especially for moms who often neglect to acknowledge their own efforts while caring for their families. Join me as I share ways on how you can practice self-gratitude.

These practices are not only beneficial to your own mental and emotional well-being but can also serve as an inspiring model of self-appreciation for your children.

For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode102

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The importance of self-gratitude
• How to express self-gratitude this Thanksgiving
• Five ways to practice self-gratitude

In what ways do you express self-gratitude?

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Transcript

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it's the week of Thanksgiving. And I'd like to first say that while it can be a controversial holiday, the two things that get me very, very excited about Thanksgiving are the food, obviously, because I just love to eat. And especially during this time of year, I don't know about you, but Thanksgiving is like the only time of year, but we do not make any Mexican food. It's all like the traditional kind of Thanksgiving meal that that usually you see and hear of related to Thanksgiving. And so, I don't know if you either do that or you also bring in your traditional meal from your. But for us, at least the way that we grew up, it's like very Americanized. I know assimilation, but then again, It's kinda like a, a treat for us to kind of have the very traditional food only on Thanksgiving. That's the only holiday, the only time of year where we. The very traditional food. In addition to the food Thanksgiving allows us to have the ability to reflect on what we're thankful for. And so on this solo episode, I am going to guide you to really reflect on how we can all practice, self gratitude. As Latina moms, many of us are seated at the dinner table and we talked to family and friends about what we're thankful for. And while we may not have lost To say that we are proud of ourselves, that we're thankful. Of ourselves. I think that it is very important to change that towards having the self-love and self-compassion. That we need to receive from us, not from others, but from us. So instead of us saying, we are thankful for family, friends, my fur babies, whoever it is, we're thankful for all of these individuals. Yes we are. But I think it is very important to bring that back towards us. And so this week I'm going to share a couple tips on expressing self gratitude. cause mohair. It's about time. We recognize the hard work we put out as my mess. So stay tuned as I share how to practice self gratitude.

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Okay. So. It's Thanksgiving, we're seated at the table. And usually at least for my family, we go around and we ask ourselves, what are you thinking of for this year? And oftentimes we answer, I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my fur babies. I'm thankful for my job. I'm thankful for having food at this table and all of that. It's very. Typical and expected. I think. But do we ever answer by saying I'm thankful for myself. And I know that that sounds very selfish. It can sound pretty arrogant. I think. But I think it is important to recognize all of the hard work that we do. We have grown up not seeing our mamas, our abuela. Or. In our Familia show gratitude towards themselves. And I don't know about you, but at least for me, the women in my life, talk about themselves in a negatively way. So whether it be, they complain about the mistakes that they do. Or The way they are. Or even the way that they look. But we often don't really see them. Or at least for me, I didn't really see them express positivity. And really talking good about themselves. And so studies have consistently shown. That expressing gratitude is linked to higher levels of life satisfaction and overall wellbeing. Grateful individuals tend to experience lower levels of depression and stress. In which it contributes to a positive mental state. And so given this statement, I don't know about you, but it makes so much sense of why we sometimes feel angry or even resentment toward others and especially ourselves, because we may not have taken the time to reflect and express gratitude about the work that we do as my MAs. So my MAs. Expressing self gratitude as especially important. Especially as we often dedicate much of our time and energy for caring to our families And so it is important to practice this in order to promote a positive mindset. And overall wellbeing. This is also a great way to show this to our little ones and model this, that way. They can also practice self gratitude and think positively about themselves. And then they can talk about themselves in a positive way instead of a negative way. So on this episode, I'm going to share five ways in which you can practice self gratitude. in the context of your super busy life as a mamá SO the first thing that I have for you is create a mummy gratitude. Journal. I have heard from many my MAs that they use a gratitude journal. And although this is something that I haven't yet implemented. I think this is a really great way to start. Because creating a mom gratitude journal where you can literally jot down not only the things that you're grateful for in general, but also specific moments and achievements related to your role as a mama. So, this is an opportunity where you can reflect on the positive aspects of your parenting. And also your patients during very, very challenging times. And you can even write down the joyous moments you've shared with your children. now that I am a mama of two. I reflect well, how did I think, or how did I act when de Diego, my first was little. And how did I overcome this specific challenge? And I wish that I would have wrote things down. I wish I would have written down. How I felt during that specific moment. And how to give myself grace, if it bothered me as well. And now that I have my second. And my bail, like I. Feel that I should probably. Write down my feelings or any specific challenges that I go through, or even like very, you know, great joyous moments. Especially as he's going through specific milestones. I think it is very great to just put that all in writing. And archive it in a specific. Dedicated place. And so my recommendation is if you really want to keep an archive of all of the things that you go through this journey as a mama, it would be a great idea to create a mommy gratitude journal. The second tip that I have for you is give yourself mommy affirmations. And so start to develop positive affirmations that focus on your strengths as a mama. Acknowledge the love that you care and that you provide. And also the sacrifices that you make and the positive impact you have on your children's lives. I know that for me. I often repeat affirmations to myself, whether it fits writing them down in a post-it or for me, I. Practice it in my mind. As I either go in the shower because that's really the only time where I'm alone. And have some privacy. And so when you repeat these affirmations to yourself, especially during moments, when you might feel overwhelmed or have the sense of self doubt, It's really important to. Say these either out loud or write them down and that way you have this positive mindset. And giving yourself affirmations and it can be little things like. I love myself. Or I am a great mom. Or I love my children. Like these different positive affirmations. I can help you be present and also can help you be inspired with the hard work that you do. And so feel free to write these self-affirmations on sticky notes, kind of like what I do and put them on a mirror that way, whenever you're facing, looking at yourself in the mirror, you can. Look at those affirmations as well. You can also verbally mention these affirmations that go so you can do them in the shower. Or you can write these affirmations down on your gratitude journal as well. The third tip that I have for you is celebrate your motherhood milestones. Celebrate both the big and the small milestones of motherhood. And whether, if it's successfully navigating a parenting challenge or helping your child achieve a specific goal or simply managing a hectic day with grace. Take a moment to recognize and celebrate your accomplishments as a mama. One thing that I did was when I finished pumping at work with Diego. Back when I was working. Onsite as a college counselor. Full-time. When I finished pumping, I brought donuts to work and I taped the sign that I printed out that says I'm done mother pumpers. And so I brought donuts to work. And while it wasn't a big thing for my coworkers, they just saw it as free food. For me, it was a big thing. It was such a big thing too. I be done with pumping. And so that was an ability for me to really celebrate that specific milestone.

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The fourth tip I have is establishing a mama's self care routine. It is so important to prioritize self care activities that align with your needs as a mama. Especially based off of the seasons that you are currently in. This could include taking short breaks to relax and joining a new hobby. Or seeking support when you need it. It is so important to establish. Self care. And I shared this in one of my episodes, which is episode 20, which is how to make your pregnancy easier about self care being. Very different depending on who you are and where you're at in your life. And so for me right now, because my life has been total chaos to say the least just because we're currently living with my parents. While we're waiting for our new home to be. Renovated which is going to be. Our investment property, where we're going to be house hacking. For a short amount of time. And so even though right now, I feel like I don't feel as settled as I wish I could be self care to me. It looks a little differently. And so the way that self care right now looks like. We'll be different. Once we do move we will feel a little bit more established than for example right now. And so depending on the season that you're in. You can have different self care routines. So for me, for example, just because right now, I have young kids. And so right now, self care looks a little bit different. Whereas compared to a mom who has kids that are older. Perhaps their way of self care is different because they have more of an opportunity to dedicate a longer time during their day for a specific self-care routine. So for me, for example, what I do is I sign up for specific events, classes, or workshops, or even make appointments to the nail salon. For example, I've learned to prioritize on myself so that way I can enjoy these solo moments or good times with company like my sisters or my friends. And that way I can set specific time, like an hour or two. For me to just get out of the house to get out and not constantly listen to the word, mommy. You know what that means. And so really recognize that caring for yourself is essential to being the best mom. You can be. And that is a really great way to express gratitude. So that way you are dedicating how you show up. Two. Both your family, but also. To yourself. The final tip I have for you all is to reflect on your mommy growth. And what I mean by this is that it is so important to reflect on your own personal growth as a mama. Consider the lessons that you've learned, the challenges you've overcome. And the ways that you've adapted and evolved in your parenting journey.. Motherhood is all about growth and opportunity. Reflection. And how you can start a new from one season to the next And take time aside each day by reflecting and expressing gratitude for the progress you've made. But in your parenting skills and in the deepening bond with your children. It is so important to just reflect and take the time. To think about how much you've learned, how much you've grown. As a person. As someone who is a model, really for our children. ANd sometimes when we are in this go go go kind of experiences that we all go through, where we are being pulled too thin sometimes. It is so crucial to just take some time and take a step back and reflect on everything that we've accomplished. Everything that we've been challenged with. Even everything that we have failed. And of course everything that we have grown and gotten better, that we have succeeded. With this motherhood journey of ours. But that is a really great way for you to. Reflect and think of yourself. Oh my gosh. I have gotten this far. I am a better person because XYZ. I am a better communicator because XYZ. I am a better. Partner because X, Y, Z I am a better leader because X, Y, Z. And so really Identifying some crucial attributes about yourself. Can really help you set you to success In your mindset as it relates to affirming. To yourself that you are thankful for being a mama. And the demanding role of motherhood taking time to appreciate ourselves is so crucial. In order to maintain our emotional wellbeing and our mental health. By incorporating these practices, we will be able to cultivate a positive and grateful mindset. And recognizing that the values of our efforts And the love we bring to our families is. Important. And so I hope some of these tips help you. In your understanding on how you can practice self gratitude as a mama. Although we express gratitude for our family. This Thanksgiving. It is so important to give thanks for the hard work we do. And by treating ourselves well, in order to create self-love self-compassion. And to also be happy and present my MAs. In what ways do you express self gratitude? Let me know by sending me a DM on Instagram or by emailing me on podcasts. Eva mommy.com. Or if you're seeing this podcast episode on my YouTube channel. Let me know in the comments as well. If you have not done anything to express gratitude toward yourself, I challenge you to join me in doing at least one of these acts by the end of this week. If you're listening during the week of Thanksgiving. Otherwise do one of these tips during the week of you listening to this episode and let me know again, on DMS on Instagram, or you can email me at podcast Evviva. Viva miami.com. And tell me, in what ways did it help you as you establish and practice self gratitude? So my Moz has always, it is so important. To take care of ourselves, because again, in order for us to love the people that we are surrounded with, we also need to love ourselves first and take care of ourselves. On this Thanksgiving, you sit down with your family. And if the question comes up, what are you grateful for? It is okay to say, I am grateful for myself. I am grateful for being a mama. And so this year, what I'm going to tell my family is that I am grateful for all the work I've put in. And that Through this year. I have learned so much about myself and I've discovered so much of my potential as a mama, but also now as an entrepreneur. As someone who is dedicated and helping the lives of Latina moms out there. So that way they can redefine their own meaning of motherhood as millennial moms. And that is the whole goal and purpose of this community. And so. I think you for being here, I thank you for listening or for watching. I think you in joining this community with me, because it is so important that we share our experiences, share our feelings, share our emotions. It is totally okay to sometimes. Grieve the past when it was very easy back then without having kids. But now that we do. We need to be mindful about how do we want to show up in front of our children? How do we want to exist in this world? And. Be a great example for our kids. How do I take care of myself too, while I'm constantly being pulled in different directions? Based on my children's needs. And so again, I thank you all for being here. I really appreciate all of the love and support I have received this year. And. In spirit of gratitude and. Reflection. I also want to challenge you to express self gratitude. So don't forget. Use some of these tips as a way. To be thankful for yourself who you are and what you're doing for your biggest. Well, thank you so much for listening

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I will see you in the next episode./