Be a fountain; not a drain.

This topic has been weighing on my mind and heart for weeks now. Not everyone will agree and some might even be offended by what I'm about to say. But, oh the joys of having your own blog.

Let me start by saying this. You are enough. You. Are. Enough. Yes, I'm going to say it again before I'm done.

Many of my fellow moms have been feeling beat down lately and I have come to a conclusion as to why. We never feel like we are enough. We feel like we could be doing more. 

I'm sure we all have our own reasons as to why we feel that way. But I am willing to guess that the feeling is self inflicted. I know it is for me.

Nothing my husband does makes me feel worthless. Lord knows my kids worship the ground I walk on. My family and friends are supportive. So why the hell do I not feel like I'm ever doing enough?

I have learned that my sacrifices (no matter how many or how few) do not define me as a mother. Let me say it louder for the ladies in the back. Your sacrifices do not define you as a mother. What I mean by this is you do not magically become a better mother if you sacrifice more. If you give every last ounce to your kids, that doesn't mean you're a better mother than if you save a few ounces for yourself.

What does define you as a mother isn't what you give up but rather what you give out. This includes WHO you are giving to your children. 

There is something so powerful when you begin to love yourself more than you love anyone else, kids included. Let me explain why.

When you love yourself the most, you take care of yourself which means you're in a better state to give your family the best you. Consider it a trickle down effect. Fill your fountain from the top. Stop forgetting yourself and pouring from the middle.

I am worth a great life. I do not need to sacrifice every bit of me and my identity in order to be a great mother. By loving myself more than anyone else makes me a better mother, wife and person. SELF LOVE is the key.

I had to stop being a motherhood martyr. I had to stop sacrificing every part of me thinking "oh, everyone will see everything I give up and know I'm  great mother."

Sacrificing a full nights sleep, sacrificing your financial "wants" in order to provide all your child(ren)'s needs, and other sacrifices like those are part of this whole motherhood gig. But let me tell you what isn't part of it:

Sacrificing your dreams. Sacrificing your sanity. Sacrificing every second of your day.

Remind yourself that you are enough. Save some ounces of yourself for just you. Fill your freakin' fountain from the top.