Dear Caring Parent,
This morning I was particularly frazzled. I needed to calm! Such a parenting issue! So much to do, so many deadlines, so many household things to attend to, so many things on my mind….you know the drill. I was fast to be irritable with my daughter before I left home and was getting more unfocused by the minute as I drove across town to a meeting.
I had to stop for a red light. And realized I just had to stop. Stop all the chatter in my mind. I needed an OM moment.
For the life of me I couldn’t think how. Until I remembered this picture that my daughter had sent me a few days earlier, The Puppy (above)! I clicked on it and just kept looking at it, slowly breathing. The light turned green, interrupting my attempt to ‘chill out’, so I pulled over and stopped. I knew I needed to get into a calmer place.
Last week this picture evoked an instant ‘aww’ that I felt in my heart. This week it was taking a bit to get to that place. So I kept breathing as I looked at the picture and felt myself start to ‘soften around the edges’. Then a smile came to my face. With a couple more deep breaths I was in such a calmer place. And felt the ‘aww’ for this sweet puppy who found a soft, cozy, safe place to just be.
My focus returned. I had a great meeting, a productive day. And when I went home, I was a different person than I was when I’d left. When my daughter came home, I offered my apology for the morning and let her know how that picture changed my day. And on we went to a wonderful evening.
Nothing had changed in terms of all that needed to be done, except my reaction to all of it. . I have to say, I’ve never pulled over like that to get centered. But I’d just written the previous blog about sustaining ourselves as parents.
This just reinforced for me that it doesn’t take a huge amount of time, sitting in special stretchy clothes, or having an empty mind to have an OM moment. I hope that the next time you find yourself all frazzled, you too have a way to get into a more relaxed, clearer, happier space!
Still wondering what an OM moment is? Watch and see what it ISN’T. Knowing what it isn’t, you will find yourself saying ‘now I get it’.
Take care now, Natasha
If you’re a mom and want to have steady reminders on things om-ish, The One Minute Mom Cave, where you’ll get these fun and meaningful prompts for quick calming.
When I’m frazzled just a few pets and time snuggling with my cats changes everything! I gain a whole new perspective from them and it brings me calm and happiness.
Pets are great aren’t they! Good to hear from you over there at I Am Initiative! You are doing wonderful things.