|
We know you guys are in preparation mode as both here in the Caribbean and in the USA storms are approaching. Let's save you some time scrambling around trying to figure out what to put in your emergency kit.
Download our checklist and get to packing!
0 Comments
 For the past few days, more like weeks, I have been operating in a haze. Has that ever happened to you? You are completing tasks, doing what needs to be done, for the most part keeping yourself and those in your immediate care alive. You are functioning, but under a fog. You lack depth. You know you are on a surface level. Your thoughts have taken hold of the crevices of your brain, choking your motivation. You feel like you are giving your ‘best effort’. You are at ‘just barely’ or ‘this is enough’ There are many things responsible for me and this ‘cloud of nothingness’. And I use the word ‘nothingness’ loosely, because it is everything BUT nothing. Just when I muster enough courage to raise my leg to cross one hurdle successfully, the distance to the other is so short that I barely have enough room to raise the other leg before I am kicking into and stumbling through the race with a hurdle caught between my ankles, while trying to keep my kids above ground, my marriage nurtured, my mother attended to, my family proud of me, and my life purpose or what I deem to be my life’s purpose sparkling among so many other things. It is exhausting. It is spirit crushing. So how do we deal? ASK FOR HELP Women everywhere and in every species have existed in a tribe since the beginning of time. We are stronger together. No mom is an island. As mothers we fall into this rhetoric that we must become beasts of burdens, giving every ounce of ourselves as this testament of our sacrificial love and dedication. And by all means, love your children until your very last day but stay close to those who want to see YOU at your best. It is ok to need help juggling all the plates that are thrust upon us on our motherhood journey. Find your tribe and speak up. A huge part of accessing help is seeking therapy, a professional who can advise you on effective strategies or medication if ever you feel like you cannot conquer the fog on your own. BECOME SELF-AWARE The less I try to ‘fight my feelings’ I am better able to move through. I know that sounds counterproductive. But embrace where you are in those moments. TAKE CARE OF YOU I cannot stress enough how important self care is. YOU matter first, and I do not mean that in a selfish way. It means that for your family to be at their best, YOU need to be your best. Self care comes in different forms, because it is as unique as our personalities and it is whatever makes YOU feel good. If you like getting your nails and hair done, then set that appointment as frequently as needed. Go to the spa. Or do an at home facial, give yourself a pedicure. If you like quiet afternoons, arrange appropriate child care and take yourself to a quiet café or the beach and bask in some silence. Or start your day with a 15 minute meditation routine. Take up that gym membership. Get into yoga. Do you like to journal? Or enjoy a cup of tea that you do not have to reheat? Whatever you have to do to rejuvenate yourself: schedule YOU because you matter. AFFIRMATIONS There is something comforting about consciously slowing my breaths and repeating something positive about myself or my situation. I admit, sometimes I feel like I have to “fake it to make it” but eventually it puts me in a better mood, clears the fog enough so that I can decide on what I can control and find a resolution. Some of my go-to affirmations are:-
 Let us go be the awesome mothers we know that we are, and if ever you find yourself overwhelmed by the responsibilities of the job, I hope you can find comfort in one or all of the strategies. Light & Blessings to you. Let us go be the awesome mothers we know that we are, and if ever you find yourself overwhelmed by the responsibilities of the job, I hope you can find comfort in one or all of the strategies. Light & Blessings to you.   What is the envelope method? The envelope method is as simple as it sounds - it is a way of budgeting that requires you to put allocated funds into specially marked envelopes. This system has been around for years, but is always being revamped to suit new trends. For those new to budgeting or who have found other systems to be ineffective, tedious or complicated, the envelope system is ideal! Why should I try it? If you find yourself overspending, running yourself into debt or need to save towards a goal, you have to budget. With the envelope system, you have very clear line-of-sight on how much you’re allocating to each aspect of your budget as well as how much is being spent. This allows you to reign yourself in, if you seem to be overspending.The envelope system is also a great way to control your spending during special occasions such as holidays, trips or big events. You can set aside money based on expenses you think you will incur during this period and only spend those allocated funds. Getting started Before getting started, look back at past spends to get an idea of your previous spending habits. Take this time to re-evaluate your spending habits by asking yourself:
Remember, just because you’re spending on it does not mean you NEED to be. You can make lasting changes to your spending by making simple changes. For instance, instead of spending $700 on buying lunch, you could save $300 by using items you have at home to prepare your own. Go through old receipts and identify the areas that need serious adjustment, and make realistic changes  Once you have an idea of what areas you need to budget for, start labelling your envelopes. Some general areas to include are:
Try to include ALL areas where money is being spent. The idea is not to reduce your quality of life, but rather to improve it by improving your spending habits. After identifying these areas, start to allocate money based on the information gathered through your previous assessment. Be realistic. After assessing your past spends, you should be well-informed and able to set a realistic budget. Avoid setting it higher ‘just in case’. The system only works if you intend to stick to the budget given. How to make it work for you While it is important to set a realistic budget and not one that accommodates the ‘just in case’, it is also important to assess the budget you’ve set. A simple way to do this is to collect all receipts, where possible, and add them to the assigned envelopes. At the end of your budgetary period (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) evaluate your spending habits. As tempting as it might be, avoid pulling money from another envelope. If you properly track your spending, you will quickly see if you are running low in an area and be able to make changes to keep within your budget. During evaluation, you can better see where general adjustments need to be made. Perhaps your original budget was not realistic enough. If you find that you under-spend in an area, you can add that extra money to your savings or reduce the allocated funds the following month. Don’t be hard on yourself if at first it takes some getting used to. The system works only if you make it right for you, and this might require some trial and error. Give yourself three months to properly get on track and hold yourself to that deadline.  |
Just for MomsSourcing articles from across the web and placing them in one location for you. Categories
All
Archives
September 2018
|
RSS Feed
