Take Courage…

So, how are you doing?

Hi There,

Well it’s been a couple of days since we completed the Happy Mums 20 Tips in 20 Days and I’m wondering how you’re traveling in your as a Mum?

I’m preparing for a couple of ‘back to work’ meetings next week to discuss the when’s and how’s of my return.

I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that I am dreading the return to work! Why can’t someone pay me to be a full time homemaker- that’s not unreasonable is it?? 🙂

Anyhow, what are you struggling with at the moment? I’d love to hear from you!

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

Back Your Dreams

20 Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Review.

Congratulations, you now have the complete list of little tips that you can implement into your life.

My suggestion would be to try and achieve at least one of these tips every week, that way you have 20 weeks of activities to invest in for your future happiness.

And as added artillery in your pursuit of a happy life, you can follow the ‘How to Make A Happy Mum: The Recipe” series on my blog as well.

OVER TO YOU.

I’d love to hear how you found my tips series! We’re they helpful?

I’d also love to know your experience and hurdles you’ve come across in your journey towards being (and staying!) a Happy Mum.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

Happy Mums Tips in 20 Days: Day 20

PAT ON THE BACK.

My last tip in this series is probably the most important one!

It’s where I get to remind you that being a Mum is both the toughest and most rewarding things you’ll ever do- so be kind to yourself if you don’t always get it right!

You’re best is good enough, trust your instincts, take good advice as appropriate and above all keep loving your family (and yourself) to bits!

If you have those things covered, the rest will follow…

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

20 Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 19.

LIFE BALANCE.

This is a tough one. How do you attain life balance when you are pulled in several different directions all day long?

It’s not easy, but it’s essential if you are going to be a happy Mum. It’s about give and take, exploring your options, trying to find a balance between all your ‘must-dos’ and would ‘love to dos’.

WARNING: don’t get disheartened if you spend most of your time ‘out of balance’, life with a young family is unpredictable at best- it’s something you’ll need to commit to, but also something worth the trouble.

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole.

Calories: Finally, They’re Secret Revealed!!

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 18

DON’T TAKE BEING ‘MUM’ TOO SERIOUSLY.

Now don’t get me wrong- being a mum is one of the most important jobs in the world!

What I’m referring to here is not to put so much pressure on yourself at always getting it right- that you forget to enjoy the ride!

No one is born an expert Mum- we all learn ‘on the job’. So it’s natural to assume that there will be many trial and errors along the way. The only thing that counts is that you love your kids with every fiber of your being and are doing your best for them.

Besides, being a perfect mum sounds a little boring- where’s the fun if you don’t stuff up and so have no opportunities to laugh at yourself?!

Take Care,

Nicole

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 17

GO FOR A WALK

Being a Mum can be exhausting, sometimes you feel like you don’t have a moment to even think- and you’re probably right! J

The importance of getting a break, time to reflect and recharge your mental battery is essential to any happy Mum.

A walk is a great way to achieve this; the sunshine, fresh air and exercise will all assist in the elevation of your happiness levels!

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

Stop For A Minute.

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 16

HAVE A GIRLS NIGHT.

This tip quite conveniently works well with achieving tip 15- sharing the burden!

A girls night is a great opportunity to let your hair down, have some fun and get some serious debriefing going on! The best part is that it is mutually beneficial as your friends will no doubt have their own stuff that they will want to chat about with you as well.

Partners can be good at sharing your worries with, but sometimes it takes your girlfriends to really understand what you’re going through.

So make your girls night a regular event- they’re essential for every happy Mum!

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

Hey Mums- You’re Best IS Good enough!

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 15.

SHARE THE BURDEN.

A happy mum has the confidence to know when she’s in over her head.

Women who become Mums do not get handed superhero abilities when their children are born and so it’s perfectly okay to need a little help at times when you feel you’re getting overwhelmed. No one is going to think any less of you as a person or a Mother.

The help can come in many different forms- grandma taking the kids for a few hours, your partner doing the grocery shopping on his way home from work, being giving the morning off from breakfast duties so that you can sleep in…

You may not feel that you need physical help, as you it may be a need for an ear and some empathy in your case. That’s where you’re friends come in- they’ll be great at letting you diffuse some tension and get things off your chest.

It is very true that a burden shared is halved.

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

Are You Happy?

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 14

HAVE FUN MAKING A MESS.

As the Mum in your household, no doubt you are the chief if not sole cleaner as well!

Therefore, it’s understandable that you feel like you’re constantly fighting against a tidal wave of mess.

While teaching your kids (and partner) to clean up after themselves, it’s also a fun activity to relax the rules a little on the odd occasion and enjoy making a mess as a family.

It might be something like allowing your kids to pull out every single toy they own, or dismantling their bedroom during play. I know this idea is probably increasing your stress levels- but the point is to take the breaks off for a little bit and relax with you family.

WARNING: Obtain everyone’s promise to assist with the cleaning up afterwards is essential for this exercise to result in increased happiness levels!

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole.

What Will Your Children Inherit?

Hi There,

I was thinking today about the parts of my personality that I hope not to pass on to my son.

Do you ever worry about your children picking up the less desirable parts of your personality? Like insecurity, bad temper etc

I wondered how I might combat this problem and decided the best thing to do was to aim for my son to mostly be surrounded by my strengths and hardly even acquainted with my weaknesses.

Basically, my hope is that when he grows up- my strengthens will be his weaknesses and his strengthens will be so much more than I can possibly imagine…

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 13

PLAN FOR YOUR DREAMS.

Being a Mum is one of the most wonderful and fulfilling jobs in the word- albeit the hardest and biggest one you’ll ever have as well!

In order to be a Happy Mum, it’s vital to remember that there is more to you than being a mum alone. Becoming a Mum does not mean putting to rest your desires, dreams and aspirations- it just may mean a little tweeking and more patience on your part.

So what dreams would you like to achieve and how can you go about achieving them in your life?

Even before you attain our dreams, you’ll find a certain sense of happiness in even just pursuing them.

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

The Joys of Parenting

Happy Mum Tips in 20 Days: Day 12

HAVE A DATE NIGHT

When you have kids it’s easy to forget the ‘us’ and concentrate solely on the ‘parents’ part of your relationship with your partner. This can lead to a lot of sadness and loneliness for both of you.

It’s important to nurture the relationship that the two of you have as a separate entity to that of your family environment. In doing so, you will stay on the same page, keep the love alive and stay strongly connected to each other.

The simplest way to look after your relationship with your partner is to implement regular date nights. It doesn’t need to be fine dining or very expensive, just a venue where you can have some time and space to enjoy each other’s company, reconnect and have fun!

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole

You DESERVE to be Happy

Happiness isn’t just for the lucky few, the truth is that we can all be happy!

The only catch is that like anything worth having, you need to put some work into being happy.

Start by focusing on the good things you have in your life, practice feeling really happy that they are in your life everyday.

Once you’ve got a handle on being happy with the great things you already have, it’s time to look at the parts of your life that you’re not happy with at the moment.

From here all you need to do is figure out how you can start to work towards changing these things into more sources of happiness in your life.

So what parts of your life make you happy? What obstacles to happiness can you see in your life?

Have a Happy Day,

Nicole.