One of Those Mothering Things

You know those things that just sort of happen when you become a mom?  I'm talking about habits and daily life with eating, clothing, sleeping. The body shifts, clothes cease to fit in the same way, meals become central and sleep is essential in a way I never imagined it could be. 

I'm an early riser. 

I wasn't before I became a mom.

It just happened, the morning with its freshness became my time. The morning is the quietest time of day. The house is quiet. Everyone is asleep. The animals are still pretty mellow. I have grown to love it so much that I'm still a morning person, and still wake early, even through my children are grown. 

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I became an early riser after I started falling asleep early. During pregnancy, my body just took over, and I began falling asleep shortly after dinner. I also craved cake after dinner, even though I wasn't much of a cake eater before pregnancy. Going to bed early became my new normal, and in turn, I started rising early. It was usually pretty easy, although I've definitely gone through phases where I've had to push myself to maintain an early bedtime. When the children were little, our evenings had a nice flow; I'd put them to bed, take a bath, and read in bed for a while before sleeping.

The teen years brought new challenges, and keeping myself awake at night to be with them was one of them. My early mornings remained because they have become so important to me. It's my time. The day is fresh. It's almost meditative, to take time, make my coffee with care and conscious presence, and enjoy the solitude. It charges me up for the day. 

Over the years of mothering and homemaking, having a good rhythm has helped me enormously and indeed, it has changed many times over the years to accommodate the changes as the needs of my children and family have shifted over the years. A healthy rhythm with young children is different from a healthy rhythm with teens. I've tweaked our rhythm many times over the years.

Yet still rhythm has helped me plan meals, do laundry, take care of housework, and have time, with a feeling of spaciousness to it, to have regular predicable activities with my children. 

It takes time, persistence, and regular adjustments through changes to maintain a healthy rhythm that works. Yet, the rewards are many. Establishing healthy home rhythms has made my life easier, reducing the number of decisions I need to make. A plan that can be put into action helps the days, weeks, and seasons flow more smoothly, creating a sense of spaciousness of time.

I am so grateful for that time. Rhythm has made it much easier to be present in the moment, rather than rushing to get things done with too little time. Rhythm has been so beneficial to me that elements of the routine I established years ago still buoy me along. 

If you find that the days are flying by and you're constantly struggling to catch up, take heart. It is possible to develop a rhythm that meets your unique needs and creates a sense of spaciousness in your days.

Begin by creating a simple morning routine that nurtures you.