Just because I’m The Happy WAHM doesn’t mean I don’t get sad. I go through a rough patch every now and then just like everybody else. But maybe, just maybe, I have developed a coping mechanism better than others. I’ve learned how to keep calm and keep going.
Whether it’s running a marathon, working towards your dream, raising a teen, or simply keeping your blog site updated, there are some situations we can find ourselves in where we want to keep going but really struggle to maintain the desire to do so. We have to give every last drop of will-power and energy not to just give up and pack it all in.
Oh, yeah… I just had a crying fit the other day over a small thing concerning work. Blame it on the heat, or the hormones, or lack of sleep. I don’t know what happened. But one moment I was feeling so good about something I did and was so crushed the next.
In situations like that, we may find ourselves turning to mental tricks and ruminations to just keep going. I’m sharing with you some of my best practices whenever I’m having those moments.
Draw Inspiration
Most of us have stories and memories that we can use to dig deep and find inspiration from. Mine is my mother, widowed at 33. I was two when my father died. She had no job and no education, but she straightened her back and hardened her resolve. She took on odd jobs to earn a living and worked day and night so she could give us the education she never had. It was tough for all of us, but she never gave up. So whenever I start feeling tired of what I’m doing, I think about my mom and all the hardships we had. These thoughts and memories help me to dig deep when I’m really struggling for energy, commitment or will-power.
If that doesn’t work, try an inspiring music track. I would not say the songs in my playlist are inspiring, but my go-to track is by one of my all-time favorites, Freddie Mercury. Been bugging my daughter to make me a lyric video of this song, but she’s still busy with school work, so I’ll just wait until she has time.
Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy my pick-me-up song as much as I do.
Remind Yourself Why You’re Doing It
Another trick that I do is reminding myself why I’m doing what I’m doing. I became a WAHM so that I could personally take care of my children and still contribute to the family income. I love the freedom and flexibility that WAHMing gives me, so having some bad days is not good enough reason to just give up. Focus on the good days and keep going.
Remind Yourself of the Consequences
Sometimes the stick can be more motivating than the carrot. If imagining yourself being highly successful because you did well isn’t doing the trick, then try doing the opposite instead and imagining what would happen if you had to give up. Oh, my gosh! The bills! The mortgage! College tuition! Braces!
Yeah, those thoughts work for me. Add to the list retirement funds and medical insurance. I’m sure you’ll be as motivated to keep going as I am.
Break it Down
If you’re tackling a big task, it will help to break it down into smaller milestones.
I have this ambitious project that I’ve been working on. It’s a book. Can you believe that? Me, writing a book?
Yeah, well, as I said, it’s ambitious. But I’ve been tackling it on and off. I’m using this writing software called Scrivener, and it allows me to just write bits and pieces, then collate them into chapters or re-organize paragraphs as I see fit. I don’t know how long it will take me to finish it. I just have to keep going, right?
Take a Break
Sometimes the best thing to do is to take a step back and have a breather. Most tasks aren’t binary. It’s not just ones and zeros. It’s not do or die.
Be strategic with your energy management and realize that a short timeout can often yield better results in the long term. Have a hobby. Mine is crafting, mostly crochet for now. But I’ll be adding quilling to the mix soon.
So there.
Having a rough patch? Keep calm and keep going. And then write about it. 🙂
Do you, have questions, comments or feedback about this post?
Please leave a comment below, or post them on my Facebook Page.
Marge, also known as The Happy WAHM, is a virtual assistant who turned her passion for entrepreneurship into a worthy endeavor of offering complete business solutions to CEOs and business owners around the world. She turned her back on a thriving corporate career to become a hands-on mom and created a lifestyle that allowed her to build a homebased career, homeschool her children, and still have time to pursue her passion for arts and crafting.
She only posts her content on her website, TheHappyWAHM.com. If you see this content on someone else’s site then it is NOT by any means authorized.
