Eight Tips to Celebrate YOURSELF This Mother’s Day

Commercials would have you believe there’s nothing better than waking up on Mother’s Day morning to a tray with orange juice, toast, and perfectly cooked eggs. They suggest you’ll get a gorgeous vase of flowers and a day of pampering, all without any necessary thought from you.

Sorry to say, but your TV is a liar.

While your precious little ones and well-meaning partner may have your best interest at heart, they likely will never meet the grand expectations you have in your imagination. You feel sad and underappreciated when they don’t and they wonder where they went wrong.

Instead of relying on your family to fulfill your wishes and read your mind, share with them exactly how you’d like to celebrate yourself. Be clear about your needs this year, let go of your expectations and make time to enjoy your way. 

You’re a rocking mama who deserves to spend a day indulging in self-care.

Eight Ways to Celebrate YOU

Many of us know we need self-care and to celebrate all the things we do for our family (no matter what it looks like). But because we spend so much time taking care of said families, it can often be hard to know how to celebrate ourselves.

Here are eight ways you can create your own happiness this year:

1. Sleep All You Want

Kids and sleeping in go together like baking soda and vinegar — if you mix the two, the result is a messy explosion: your children will probably get into all sorts of trouble when they inevitably wake before you. 

Cover your bases this year by arranging for your partner to get up early with them. Alternatively, you could send the kids to their grandparents for a sleepover or check yourself into a hotel the night before for extra peaceful rest.

2. Lead With Affirmations

Practicing mindfulness benefits moms, and you can start incorporating it right now. Women often need reminders of their worth and ability to conquer what life throws at them.

Begin your day by looking at yourself in the mirror, and as you stare into your eyes, tell yourself what you wish you could hear. Be gentle but confident. It will take practice and may seem silly initially, but the results are worth it.

3. Embrace Doing Nothing

Some women dream up big plans for Mother’s Day, wanting to spend the day out on the town or filled with fun at-home activities. However, there’s something to be said for doing absolutely nothing. 

You have the whole rest of the year to stay busy. There’s nothing wrong with you if your deepest desire is to don your favorite lounge clothes and have absolutely no plans. See what happens.

4. Get a Spa Treatment

Pedicures, massages, warm bubble baths, facials, and a full glass of red — can you imagine anything more relaxing? Treat yourself to some spa-like luxuries this Mother’s Day. 

You put your body through a lot daily, so you must keep it healthy. Book some appointments or set up your own mini-spa in the bathroom and put up a do not disturb sign.

5. Binge on Home Movies

Home movies have come a long way over the decades. What once consisted of large film reels and a projector now are digital files or DVDs, so there’s no excuse not to whip them out.

Everyone will love seeing themselves as the star of the show, and you can see what a good job you’ve done as a mother. Drink up these happy memories and store them away for any rough days ahead. 

If all your videos still lurk in the corners of your phone’s memory, now’s your opportunity to get them consolidated on your computer and burn a copy.

6. Eat a Meal You Didn’t Make

Take the day off if you’re the usual home chef or share cooking responsibilities. Let your partner pamper you with delicious goodies you didn’t have to prepare. Spend your time on actual self-care — leaning over a steaming pot of food on the stove doesn’t count as a facial.

Ask for your favorite meal and sit back while your family prepares it or orders it. 

For the perfect finishing touch, have your spouse play bartender. Check out recipes online for fun cocktails or mocktails, like an aesthetically pleasing lavender paloma or a refreshing blackberry sage lemonade.

7. Use the Whole Weekend

One day is simply not enough to celebrate you. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if you were honored all year? While that sounds nice, it’s probably a pipe dream, but there’s no reason why you can’t take over the whole weekend. Spend Saturday catching up with friends, shopping or having a delicious meal.

Then you have all Sunday to do traditional Mother’s Day activities with your family!

8. Buy Yourself a Gift

A macaroni necklace, flower arrangement, and card are lovely and well-meaning gifts, but you likely have your eye on something else. Drop some not-so-subtle hints to your loved ones or buy what you want yourself.

If money is tight, give yourself the gift of time! Ask for several hours to do something for yourself like a solo hike, a long nap with no one in the house, or time with your friends where no one texts to ask where you are.

9. Put Down Your Phone

While enjoying your rare downtime on Mother’s Day, resist the urge to pull out your phone and

Start scrolling.  You have another great year ahead of you. Now, get out there and plan your ideal celebration!

How do you plan to celebrate yourself this Mother’s Day? We’d love to hear your ideas!