MAKING MOM FRIENDS 24 WAYS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR SOCIAL LIFE
D
o you feel stuck in a hyperactive cycle of activities and draining relationships? Time to sweep out what isn’t working and usher in a fresh start. Carefully consider your priorities to create space for more fulfilling, satisfying friendships and a happier life.
Join a mother’s group.
Your sense of self-worth and sense of belonging increases when you are part of a group of supportive friends.
Mueller will be speaking at the Honey Dews Baby Expo on April 5 at Deer Creek Golf Club in Overland Park. For tickets, visit HoneyDewsBabyExpo.com. Or head to her free three-hour workshop. Register at 8ToGreat. com and enter the password “I already have my ticket” in the payment option.
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You can’t take care of others if you feel depleted. Plan “Mom’s Time Off” to rest, read or engage in activities that you enjoy.
Volunteer.
Call an old friend.
Yes, you are loved! Reconnecting helps you rebuild your confidence as you head out to meet new moms.
Send an email. Is there a mom you’d like to know better? Arrange a time to get your kids together for a play date at the park or the mall play area.
Many moms feel guilty about taking time for themselves. But studies find that time spent with friends is good for your health, creating a buffer from disease, stress, anxiety and depression. And, when you feel good, your family benefits. “Taking care of yourself, setting a new direction for yourself, acknowledging your own preferences and friends and activities–– that’s all within our moral values,” says M.K. Mueller, Prairie Village, an international trainer and author of Taking Care of Me: The Habits of Happiness.
Schedule personal time.
Choose wisely, and not only will your efforts positively impact others, you’ll derive satisfaction and joy from helping out.
Click into an online moms group. Reaching out to other
moms online can help you feel less isolated. Check out social networks like MomMeetMom. com, TheMommiesNetworks. com, Facebook moms groups and MeetUp.com––or start your own group.
Coordinate a meet and greet. Got school-aged kids? Let go of what’s not working. “There’s a natural ebb and flow of relationships in and out of our lives,” Mueller says. Priorities and lifestyles change, as do friendships.
Wrangle back control of your calendar. “There has
to be a balance, and it has to be found, or the whole family will suffer,” says Chris, a mom of three in Olathe. “We can’t just fill our lives with busy. We need to say no sometimes!”
Invite other classroom moms to a “seasoned moms” lunch to build a sense of community.
Surround yourself with positive people. Move away from
draining one-sided friendships that zap your energy. “When there is a negative focus in a relationship, when someone is constantly coming to you to blame and complain––it takes us to that low energy place,” Mueller says.