Hey, friends! I’m super excited because my new book, 31 Days of Rest: Daily Thoughts for Tired Moms, will be releasing on January 7th, and is now available for preorder on Kindle. If you’d like to purchase a paperback copy, it’s already available here. At nearly 100 pages, I really hope you enjoy it. (If you order it today, it should reach you before Christmas!)

This book contains 31 days of thoughts about rest that hopefully will encourage you as a mom. Here is a sample of the first three days for you:

Day 1 – Allow Yourself to Rest

Being a mama is hard work.

I remember when I became a mom just like it was yesterday. Twenty-four years ago, I embarked on the journey of a lifetime.

While I had been told that mothering was tiring, I didn’t realize how much so until I actually became one. 

I love each of my children fiercely. I love being a mother. But sometimes, I become burned out because I don’t allow myself to rest.

We are not made to go, go, go all of the time. Our bodies need times of rest and relaxation to recuperate after times of excursion. 

This isn’t just true for physical excursions. We can exert ourselves emotionally in such a way that rest is needed. 

As a mother, I’m prone to worry. I might worry about the sniffles my baby is experiencing, or the big life decision my adult child needs to make.

We need to rest our body after putting it under any kind of stress, even the emotional kind. While we are worrying while lying in bed, our heart may be beating fast as cortisol flows through our veins.

I hope you will find tools in this short book that will help you to deal with both the highs and lows of motherhood.

But before we get started, please remember to allow yourself to rest. There is sometimes a stigma involved with resting in motherhood circles, which is ridiculous. We need to rest in order to be the best mothers for our children that we can be. There is no shame in it.

Resting is needed for both our wellbeing, and the wellbeing of our children.

Questions to Ponder…

1. Do you allow yourself to truly rest, or feel guilty about it?
2. Do you listen to your body’s cues when it’s telling you to rest?
3. Do you rest properly after a stressful situation?

Day 2 – Your Body is Important

We’ve been given one body, and we need to take care of it since it will carry us throughout our time here on earth.

Our bodies are sacred places that are truly incredible to think about. They are intricate, and perform mind-boggling functions every moment that we usually are blissfully unaware of.

From the time we were born, our bodies have always been there for us. They’ve healed us when we are sick, and supported us as we grew. They slowly morphed into the form we find them in now, capable of bringing new life into this world.

As mothers, I think we sometimes forget just how amazing our bodies actually are. Instead, we concentrate on what we can do for our children while we put our own needs on the backburner.

But for a moment, I’d like for you to think about your own body, and its needs. Take a few deep breaths, and feel your chest rise and fall. Close your eyes, and listen to the cues your body is giving you.

Now open your eyes, and look at your body. Look at the beauty that is in front of you. Each and every wrinkle or scar was hard won, and they indicate a rich life full of experience and wisdom. This is beautiful. If you are young, your skin shines with vigor, and your body is jumping at the chance to experience life with your little children.

No matter what stage you are in, your body is important. Don’t be afraid to look at it in awe and gratitude. Any rest that you give it is well deserved.

Questions to Ponder…

1. Do you view your body as sacred and special?
2. If not, what experiences in your life have brought you to this conclusion?
3. What are some things about your body that you appreciate? Write them down and remember them.

Day 3 – Rest Looks Different for Everyone

When I think about rest, I usually envision snuggling into my bed after a long day. But over the course of my life, I’ve learned this isn’t always the case.

As mothers, sometimes we need to be very creative to get the rest we desire. This definitely can look different for everyone, depending on your own situation and needs.

We are all very unique, aren’t we? Some of us thrive on little sleep, and some of us don’t.

Some of us enjoy spending lots of time in the big wide world, and others would rather spend our days at home.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to look at rest. What matters is to find a way of resting that works for you.

I’ve learned that as I’ve aged, my body needs more rest. Especially depending on the activity I’m engaging in. Simply spending time inside of my home and in my yard is restful to me. When I’m in a different environment, say, an amusement park that my children love to visit, I know that I need to find snippets of time to sit down and rest my body and mind to thrive.

There is nothing wrong with resting throughout the day if you need it. This holds especially true to mothers of young infants, or if you are going through a stressful life experience. Rest, sweet mama. Rest at night, and during the day. Listen to your body’s cues, and make a plan to help it rejuvenate after times of activity.

Rest a little, or rest a lot. Don’t compare yourself to your friends, or worry about what others may tell you. Our bodies are in all different stages and phases, and only you know what rest rhythm is best for your own life and circumstances.

Questions to Ponder…

1. Are you in tune with how much rest your body needs?
2. Do you compare yourself to others when it comes to resting?
3. What are a few ways you can make a plan to rest that is beneficial to you, without worrying about what others do?

I really hope this short book is encouraging to you.

Click here to preorder 31 Days of Rest on Kindle, and here to purchase a paperback copy.

Thanks for stopping by today, friends!