Brittany Rodriguez – A Nesting Place Mom
Brittany utilized Alison’s therapy services while she was pregnant and anxious with her daughter, Isla. She now attends New Moms Monday weekly support group.
As is starts to get darker earlier, and the
weather is cooler, we naturally retreat inside. We start to warm up to the idea of sharing “quality
time” with our loved ones, especially around the holidays. The biggest holiday approaching is of course, Thanksgiving, and in the past, I always felt this obligatory annoyance surrounding the holiday. But as I started to change my perspective in general, this holiday has started to mean more than just a meal. In fact, it’s a reminder for me to consciously practice gratitude.
As a mom, with a full-time job, a husb
and, a dog, family, friends, and a laundry list of things to do, including laundry, it’s very hard to feel gracious. And that’s why consciously practicing gratitude is not something that is easy. Practicing gratitude is well, a practice. Sprinting through every single day to try and get it all done can be super overwhelming and sometimes it feels daunting when I wake up in the morning
It feels impossible to carve out even a moment in time to stop and think about how thankful I am. And to be completely honest, I try to think about gratitude while driving as it’s a time I can focus with minimal distractions, minus the road. And it’s at that point, when I stop and think that I realize all the good things in my life. I wouldn’t be this busy, where my only quiet time was in the car if I didn’t have all the amazing things that I have been blessed with. Therefore, the hecticness is welcomed, and I am so thankful for it!
I start to coach myself while in the driver’s seat and I encourage you to do the same. Rather than my normal, tutting, sighing, and complaining about how all this stuff is just too much for one person, what if I just changed my perspective?
What if I took a second to say, “I am so grateful to run my daughter to day care while taking a work call and on my way to the grocery store.” Without the miracle of our amazing daughter, I would not be running to daycare,
but I also wouldn’t have this child that is both myself and my husband and a manifestation of us. We wouldn’t have this child that has made us feel complete, makes us laugh every day at the dinner table, and snuggles us every night because, yes, she doesn’t sleep in her crib (#badmomconfession). But honestly, she makes us more than happy, its indescribable, it’s gracious. We are more than grateful to wake up every day next to her.
I am guilty more often than not of trying to speed through my day and laying down at night dreading the to do’s of the next morning. Writing this out and sharing my real experiences creates this sense of accountability for me to practice gratitude. I am grateful for my family, who makes life worth living. I am grateful for my friends who keep me sane. I am grateful for my job which allows me to live the life I want and the life our daughter deserves. And I am grateful to do all those tedious tasks that come up because without them, I wouldn’t appreciate the down time that I do have.
This holiday season, regardless of what you believe in, try to practice gratitude. Take a step back, look at the bigger picture. It includes everything that you HAVE to do day in and day out, but it also includes all the beautiful people, things and experiences that make your life rich. AND most importantly, be grateful for yourself. You are incredible. You do so much, support so many, and love so hard.
We are grateful for The Nesting Place which provides our mom community with support. This support leads to an
even more gracious way of life. The services that The Nesting Place provides are not a “treat,” they are necessary. Support for both pre-natal and post-partum are crucial. Classes, groups, trainings and more will help you be a better you and be better for your family. The Nesting Place offers massages, lactation support and even gift cards to purchase if you’re unsure of what you want or need right now or if you want to gift a momma something so helpful.