Steady Mom

Right Now

Right now, I am:

Relishing :: this view from our vacation house

Loving :: this empty beach (the benefits of homeschooling, really!)

Why We Are Addicted to Complaining and How to Stop It

Photo by Janek Mann

 

The following is a guest post from Lisa Byrne of The WellGrounded Life. (A note from Jamie: Lisa's blog is one of my favorites--I'm so happy to have her sharing on Steady Mom today!)

Not too long ago,  I caught myself in a conversation with a friend where we spent our whole time together sharing complaints about our lives.  In fact we were purposefully seeking out ways to connect through negativity.
 
You know, commiserating on the difficulties of raising toddlers, the terrible heat, the extra expenses of school season beginning, the monotony of having to clean the house and cook dinner every day. Really the ordinary, (and extraordinary!) responsibilities (and blessings!) we have as moms in the world.
 
All too often, if I’m not watchful, I find myself in these kinds of conversations...when my husband comes home, when I drop the kids off to my mom’s for a visit, when I strike up a conversation with the cashier at a store.
 
The tendency to focus on the negative and keep ourselves in a constant state of complaining is rampant in our society.
 
I think it has an addictive quality.  And I also think it is destructive to our health.

This Moment :: Digging

 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, join in over at SouleMama.

 

 

We are heading out today for two weeks of beach vacationing--yay!

Things around here will more or less proceed as usual, with guest posts, reposts, and beach photos in abundance, no doubt. (And yes, I also plan on taking a serious break from screen time, too!)

Have a lovely weekend and think of me with sand in my toes and the sun on my face...

If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll subscribe to Steady Mom--it's free!


Jamie is founder of this spot called Steady Mom, editor of the blog Simple Homeschool, mama to three cute kids born on three different continents, and author of Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood.

 

Cleaning Your Way to Happiness

Photo by Todd Baker
 

This post is written by monthly contributor Cortney of Praiseworthy.

Is cleanliness the key--the key to happiness, the key to sanity, the key to all that is right in the world?

Ha! I sure hope not. Because if it is, then I am in big trouble! But maybe it is the beginning, maybe it is the catalyst, or maybe it is the icing on the cake. What do you think?

I recently enjoyed the interview with Mandi Ehman here on Steady Mom in which she credited a neat and tidy home as the one practical thing that makes the biggest difference in her day.

As I have struggled to be a steady mom, I too have found that cleanliness can be my source of strength--not because keeping a clean house is one of my strong traits, but because when I make an effort to be clean and organized, the state of my home becomes a strength to me.

If I walk into my bathroom and my clothes from the day before are lying in a pile amid an assortment of bottles and brushes and bobby pins on the counter, that view is doubled in the reflection of the mirror and my day begins with a vision of disorder. 

If I walk into the kitchen and the sink is full of dishes and the counter covered in everything from books to crumbs to gardening gloves, then the task of preparing breakfast grows into a series of pesky chores.
 
But if I walk into any room in my home where it is clean and put in order, I feel free to breathe in and enjoy the purpose for being there--completing a task seems more fulfilling, people are more enjoyable, and I am simply happier.