Survive: to continue to live or exist
Thrive: to grow or develop well; to prosper or flourish
Let’s be real, in life there are times when we are just barely surviving and times when we are thriving! As a mom to young kids I feel like this is a bit of a seesaw action!
As you learn stages of your growing child it changes so quickly that you can quickly be put back in survival mode! When you bring home your newborn or add another child to the mix. When transitions happen like no longer breastfeeding, switching from crib to big kid bed, first time away from family, starting school, and so much more! When you get into a routine for yourself and then that takes the back burner. SO many things can create this ebb and flow causing the shift from thriving to surviving and surviving to thriving! Sometimes we come off of highs from completing something hard, getting through a stage, traveling, or being busy and that can cause us to shift into that state of thriving or surviving too!
Some Things to Do so when you are in Survival Mode so you don’t get too down on yourself:
- Give Yourself Grace! Acknowledge the change has taken place and be okay with where you are!
- Think about a positive. What is one thing that went well today! Even in survival mode there are good moments!
- Ready for a change? To get back to thriving? What is one thing you can that will set that in motion? Maybe it is to help your child in some way. Maybe it is a health thing for you or your family: drink more water or make a meal at home. Maybe it is doing a little reading/understanding of a new stage your kid is in. Maybe it is to conquer an item from your to do list. Whatever it is that will help you move forward and get one step closer to thriving again! And believe me YOU WILL THRIVE again!
- When you are in the midst of thriving make note of what it feels like and what it looks like so when you are back in that place of survival you have some hope and know you weren’t always just surviving!
Know that it is completely normal to be thriving today and surviving tomorrow, that is part of the beauty of motherhood things change quickly so here is some hope for you to know you will be THRIVING SOON! You CAN do HARD things and you will get through the rough patches!
How do you get through when you are in survival mode, what helps you? If you are currently thriving, what are you doing to thrive?