You know those times when I get real with you? Yeah, well this is one of those times. I wanted to post briefly about the emotional effects of single motherhood. Being a single mom has got to be the toughest job on the planet. Raising children on your own, balancing work, the house, kid’s school and all the things. When your child is upset, it’s you who is there to fix, always you. When they are mad, it is your job to calm them, when they’re hungry, you feed them. Soccer practice? You drive them. All day, every day it is you, you, you. You are the only parent, so, therefore, it is always, only you when it comes to everything. One parent, one car, one income, one mind and one heart. All of this takes its toll. It is mentally, physically and emotionally challenging to keep yourself from falling apart 24/7. I find myself forcing away tears on a daily basis and thinking to myself “how am I going to keep doing this on my own?” And dreaming about running away and never coming back. It’s hard.

When you find yourself emotionally low, tired, stressed and like you just can’t do it anymore, remeber…you are not alone. Millions of other single mom’s are feeling similar to you and also remember that yes, you can do it. You are a strong, fierce, smart, amazing woman who can and will kick butt and keep it all together. You are wonder woman! Part of my goal with my blog to let you know that you are never alone because you have me, your single mom friend who is always there to give you the best tips, advice, and encouraging thoughts!

So I want to tell you to hang in there and to never feel alone. I got your back girl! Some of the effects of being a single mom are really difficult to live with. Such as sometimes feeling inadequate, like you are never good enough. You’re not strong enough or smart enough to do this on your own. Or that there just isn’t enough of you to go around. In these times of negative thoughts, finding ways to deal with them are key to staying strong and keeping positive on your single parenting journey.

Some helpful ways to keep the negative thoughts away are to make sure you are getting enough “you” time each day. Support is another thing you need, family, friends, and support from other single moms. People who understand your struggles and can relate. Try to find some local single moms in your area and start a group, or just join one Facebook! This one is awesome, you can find me there! Single Moms Facebook Group Also, exercise helps boosts endorphins and keeps you feeling your best. So add some fun exercise to your daily schedule. Eating right as well, lacking in certain nutrients doesn’t help when you want to feelyour best and have a sharp mind and stay energetic. So keep your diet in check. Also, things like meditation, prayer or mind cleansing exercises are proven to be helpful when keeping negative energy at bay. For more info about relieving yourself from negativity, stress and fear, head over to my friend Joia’s blog about emotional healing and coaching. She has some fantastic content and I highly recommend you give her blog a follow! You can check out her blog here: http://www.joiagibble.com/blog/ 

If you need any further information on mental health or just want to talk to someone about your emotions, check out BetterHelp.com

I hope this has encouraged you, and that you feel better about the single mom life. It’s a hard job, but…somebody’s gotta do it! Why not us right? We totally got this! Ok wonder woman, don’t forget to leave me a comment, subscribe to my lovely little blog if you haven’t already and share this with your other single mom friends!

Catch you, beautiful ladies, later!
-Jess XO