This blog post has been authored by Stand Out Online Member Eleanor Duelley, Nourishing Nutrition
Shout out to all your moms out there that are busting your butt to pull this week/end together. I see you out there with your store bought or homemade costumes, store bought or home made Halloween Treats and working to make it all fit into a lunch box or under a rain coat before the bus comes. Take a few minutes today and try to give yourself a peaceful break from it all.
These moments used to really muck up my energy as I was feeling like a frantic fool running from place to appointment to walmart and back again. It is so easy to get caught up in the “supermom” energy sometimes without realizing that your energy needs to be refilled in order to do it again and again.
I think the term supermom actually does a tad bit of disservice to all that we do. Don’t get me wrong, we are definitely worthy of a title that describes all the “extras” that I don’t remember being a part of my childhood (hello “different costume every day for a week- but none of them can actually be Halloween related” at my child’s elementary school)…. What I mean is that culturally, adding on all of these responsibilities and expectations (which most of us shrug onto our already tiresome list) is the new norm… and instead of others around us going…”Woah… wait a minute, this seems like a lot for you, let me take something off of your plate and help you figure all of this out while still giving you some time to yourself..” we are slapped with a new label of “supermom”—because we know you would never say no to the children!!!
That is preposterous. It should not be a cultural expectation. And it needs to stop. It’s a backhanded compliment at best. We take on too much because we are expected to, and feel that if we say no, we are the a$$hole. Start a new narrative. Stand up for your time and energy and protect if fiercely, as if it was one of your children.
After successful careers as a Naval Officer and as a military consultant, I’ve found my true passion through helping others succeed in their individual wellness goals. I have combined my previous work, education, and experience to educate and encourage healing wellness through integrative nutrition and functional body movement.