Are you usually happy? Peaceful? Joyful? Fulfilled? Full of energy? In love?
Or are you more often fatigued, irritable, disappointed, overwhelmed, unappreciated and stressed.
The reason I ask is, I never imagined myself being down so much of the time. If you are more often the former, I would like to know about your life. I want to know what your day looks like. I want to know what exactly makes you feel those things. I really just need total honesty.
When I feel happiest it's usually when I'm outside with my kids doing something active and the sun is shining and there's no wind. It doesn't matter if it's hot or cold.
Now-I have a very blessed life. And that is why I question-why do I feel so tired and grouchy? Why can't I feel super good like you're supposed to when you have the gospel and your kids are healthy and you have food on the table and a warm home and family around, etc. I also get more down during the months of January through March. I know this about myself, yet when I'm down it feels like I've felt like this forever. (On the other hand, when I feel happy I also feel like I've felt that way forever and can't imagine why I wouldn't be...)
If you're not generally happy do you know someone who is? What are they like? I've been praying about it and studying the scriptures with happiness in mind and I have more questions I need answered!
I have a tendency to forget that I need some sort of social interaction with other women outside of church on Sundays or a playdate. I actually need time with no kids around to have an uninterrupted conversation and usually it takes forever to actually plan for that/get schedules coordinated and I procrastinate...Ugh... I hate winter... Anyways I'm sure I could go on and on and on with this topic of discussion...
ReplyDeleteI am not one who naturally looks on the bright side. I hate that about myself!! I feel a lot of guilt that I'm so blessed, but I'm not always blissfully happy with my life at home with 3 little kids. I'm tired and cranky, too! So I'm not a good example, but I can tell you you're not alone! I'm excited to hear other's responses.
ReplyDeleteThere's a good article in the Feb 2013 Ensign about choosing happiness...
I know I'm only a mom of 1 baby but I agree with Allison. I find that every few months you need a day or even a weekend without the kids and the Hubby to just have a girls weekend or a a girls date. I find when I get frustrated and unappreciated a day or 2 away from it all makes a whole lot of difference and it makes the husbands realize what life is like staying home all day with the kids. And a scheduled date night weekly helps too. I think no matter what every mom feels all those feelings good and bad at some point in their life even if they act Happy.
ReplyDeleteI've also heard that you need to "Fake it til you Make it" meaning act happy for as long as it takes to actually feel that way. Smile for as long as it takes.
Being a mother is hard, relentless, draining work. It's work of heroic proportions - you're not creating a marketing plan or a budget or a bridge, you're creating a human being, and that human being has opinions of his own. You feel exhausted because you're working hard all the time. Don't feel guilty if you're tired and grouchy. Just because you're blessed doesn't mean it should be easy.
ReplyDeleteParenting is like climbing a mountain. It starts out kinda fun, and then you get going and your legs are shaking with fatigue and you wonder if you can get to the top and sometimes you wonder whose bright idea was this. And then you get a break in the trees and you get one of those views that takes your breath away, and you keep going. One day you'll get to the top and it will be glorious you'll know it was all worth it. It won't have been easy. You'll be worn out and you'll have bug bites and scratches and be all sweaty. But you'll know that you wouldn't trade it for the world.