Seek Professional Help
You are not supposed to do this alone and I’m assuming you are not a professionally trained anxiety coach. If you are finding that your thoughts feel out of control, please find someone trained to help you with this. By seeking help you are taking a brave step forward and role-modelling good emotional balance to your family. You’re also too amazing to worry about what anyone else thinks about this. Seeing a counsellor for my anxious thoughts was one of the most empowering things I have ever done.
If you are finding that your thoughts feel out of control, please find someone trained to help you with this.
Remember To Breathe
There are going to be challenges. Parenting is hard and the unexpected will happen. When you find yourself feeling anxious, pause, count to 10 and breathe out as slowly as you can. Do this the moment you start to feel the anxious mist rising and visualise it falling back down again as you breathe out. You might think this takes ages – it doesn’t. It can be done quite quickly without anyone noticing. This resets your nervous system at that moment and you will feel calmer.
When you find yourself feeling anxious, pause, count to 10 and breathe out as slowly as you can.
Parenting anxiety does not have to be your permanent state. It is natural for it to ebb and flow throughout every day but not natural for you to feel it all the time. By trying some of these steps, including seeking professional help, you can move into a calmer and happier place. This leaves more time to notice the joy.
Mandy Rees is a lawyer, yoga teacher, baby massage instructor and emotional wellbeing coach. Mandy is an expert in holding space and creates Mother Circles where women can share their motherhood experiences honestly and without fear of judgement. She is the founder of Mother for Life and the unique Mother Circle Guide Programme: an empowered feminine leadership programme through which beautiful Mother Circles businesses are created all over the world. Mandy works one to one with women who want to achieve balance and fulfilment in their life. You can follow Mandy on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
