Is there a certain amount of time it takes for you to be a great mom or expert mom?

It's been said that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice in order to become an expert in something. Well, you're a mom 24/7...so that would mean about 417 days or about 14 months. If you ask most moms of a 14 month old if they consider themselves an "expert mom" most will probably answer, "no."

So how do you know when you have reached "great" or "expert" mom status?

Maybe it isn't the 10,000 hours, but it does take a whole lot of time, patience and work.

The more you practice, the more you learn and the better you get. So really, the answer is forever!

Maybe not the answer you want as a mom; but know that you are a fantastic mom now and as you learn and practice your mothering more, you will become even better!

The only way to be a great mom is to learn and grow! The reason you work on yourself, learn personal development, read the books is to better yourself. And when you better yourself you better your children and those around you.

Today, take one small step to learn and grow as YOU: buy a book, check a book out from the library, download a podcast, read an article, watch a video. Do something today that will help you to grow and become an even better mom and person.

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

"There is a vast difference between better and best. You may be better than the rest, but you are not a success until you make the effort to become the best you can be.”
- John Wooden Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success

How do you become your best?

There is a big difference between better and best. But the only way you become your best, is by getting better. You commit to becoming better each day and that is how you become your best.

Only you know what your "best" looks like. And you probably don't even know your best right now because as you become better and better it becomes clearer.

If you want to be your best...
The best mom you can be
The best entrepreneur you can be
The best knitter you can be

The only way to get there is to commit to getting better.

What is one small thing (I mean stupid, small) that you can do every day for 1 week to bring you closer to being your best? Pick one thing that you will 100% do and do it every day for 1 week and see how much better you become. 

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

Has your patience already been tested today?

If you're a mom, my best guess is...yes!

We've all had our patience tested and one that most moms have in common is waiting for baby. From the time you found out your were going to have a baby to the moment you help that child in your arms...you had no choice but to wait.

Your patience was tested even before your baby came into this world.

When I was overdue with my first I said, "They shouldn't give actual due dates, it should just be a range...like end of July."

If you've ever gone over your due date you know that each day, and hour over that date is agonizing. It because more and more difficult to wait patiently.

But hey, here you are on the other side! You had your patience tested and you survived.

Each time your patience is tested it is a time to learn and grow.

Think back to when you were waiting to meet your baby/babies. Did you do so patiently? Was it different for different children? What did you learn from your waiting?

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

You want more patience. You want to teach your kids to have more patience. But what does "patience" actually mean?

Coach John Wooden has an excellent definition: "The ability to wait and calmly preserve."

It is not only waiting, but doing so calmly; preserving your energy for thing you CAN control.

Often we don't have  patience over things we can NOT control and you are wasting your time and energy!

A great example of patience is Major League Baseball and how they develop players. Often the best players come up from the minor leagues, they play in A, AA, AAA leagues for years developing their skills before the get up to the big leagues. The players as well as the teams know that in order to create the best players it takes time, dedication, consistency and most importantly...patience!

Patience is the ability to wait and to do so calmly!

Think about a time you had to wait. Did you do so calmly and patiently? What can you do better next time to practice more  patience and focus on what you really can control?

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

"I want to be more patient with my kids."
"I don't want to lose my sh*t anymore."
"I'm tired of repeating myself to the point where I finally lose it!"

Patience is one of the top abilities and skills that moms want to cultivate.

I have yet to meet a mom that says, "I'm just so patient with my kids all the time. I rarely get frustrated and overwhelmed!"

I'm sure there are a few unicorns out there, but for the majority of moms; patience is a skill they feel they could use more of. For both themselves and their families.

The best definition of patience I've heard came from the great basketball coach, John Wooden - "the ability to wait and calmly preserve."

I don't know about you, I've done plenty of waiting, but not always "calmly."

How can you add more patience to your life?

Focus on what you can and can not control. You can't control your kids, but you CAN control your reaction to your kids. Focusing on your reaction and what YOU can do in the situation can help to bring more patience to the situation.

Repeat the MamAffirmation today: I AM patient. 

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

What have you been putting off because you are afraid of failing or making a mistake, or being ridiculed?

Why do you keep putting it off?

Did you know that you have survived 100% of your challenges, bad days and difficult situations so far? Dang, that's a great success rate!

If you are putting off the thing for fear of failure or making a mistake; consider that maybe, just maybe, you aren't afraid of failing, but really you are afraid of succeeding!

If you "fail" or feel you have failed then you are pretty much back where you started...you know that life. But if you succeed, then that is the unknown. You don't know that life, you don't know what it feels and looks like and that is scary!

Think about a time you faced a fear and you did the thing regardless. What was the outcome? Was it a total failure? Or did you learn something? Or did it turn out way better than you thought?

Regardless of the outcome, you survived, you're here!

So what are you really afraid of? Failure...or success?

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

Are you making the biggest mom mistake of all mistakes?

“…doers make mistakes, but if we aren’t doing anything we’re making the greatest mistake of all.” - John Wooden Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success
 
When was your last mistake? Are you making mistakes regularly, or are you afraid to make a mistake so you don't take action?

Go do it today! Here is your sign!

If you make a mistake, you make a mistake. We all do. Life would be pretty boring if you didn't make any mistakes. That means you aren't taking any chances, that life is totally predictable and you are staying the same for the most part.

When you make a mistake it isn't a failure. Ask yourself, "what did I learn from this?"

This is also a great way to handle mistakes with your kids. Instead of shame and punishment (which is how many learn that mistakes are "bad") ask you child; "What did you learn from this and how can you do better next time?"

Keep making mistakes and keep growing and learning. It's not the mistake that causes the feeling of failure its how you view the mistake.

View your mistakes through a lens of learning and growing. 

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

Ever notice how things in life repeat?

Seasons repeat, same four seasons every year. School years repeat. Holidays repeat. The calendar repeats.

It can often feel like you are living in the same cycle. It can be defeating when you feel like you are in the same place as you were a year ago. But, even though the cycles may be the same - YOU are not the same person.

Think of a kid on their very first day of school. They are timid, a bit scared and unsure. Throughout the school year they become more comfortable, make friends and have fun!

The next school year starts after summer (the same cycle) but they are not the same person. They already have one year of school experience, they know some of the teachers, they have friends and they've grown in the past 365 days.

No matter how many times you enter the same situation and cycle, it is different because YOU are different.

Think about how you respond when you are forced to change your habits and actions. Do you do so willingly? Or do you push against adapting?

Do you feel like you simply "can't" change because you continually find yourself in the same predicament and cycle?

Remember, it may be the same cycle, but you change every single time.

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

Being a mom isn't about having the answers, it's about adapting.

 Up until now, you have adapted to 100% of the challenges you've faced! That's a pretty good success rate!

It may not have been easy, you may not have wanted to adapt; but you did it!

You don't know everything, you can't fix everything; but you can adapt and do your best.

You have adapted to your life and all the speed bumps and detours thus far; so know you will continue to adapt.

Think of a time that you were forced to adapt to a new situation. You may have fought it in the beginning and didn't want to change, but you found a way to be resourceful and adapt.

Next time things are rough and you aren't sure if you will get through it or find a solution; remind yourself that you already have a 100% success rate in adapting to challenges, people, situations, life and motherhood.


www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

You don't have all the answers, but you are resourcesful!

You know that time you thought you had extra diapers and wipes in your bag...then your kid poops and you promptly discover that you indeed, do NOT have a diaper in your bag.

Your mind starts going to all the possible solutions to your current conundrum:
*Ask the random mom you don't know if she has a diaper.
*Is it really that long to drive home? Surely they can sit in it for a couple minutes...
*Possibly you could scrape the poop off, wipe then use the same diaper...I know, gross, but could be better than sitting in the poop!
*Buy some more diapers.
*Get real creative with some undies and a feminine pad!

None of the above are the correct or incorrect solution. Heck, I'm sure you thought of other solutions!

And the reason you have so many options is because you are resourceful!

You find creative solutions to solve problems and meet challenges.

Being a mom, you meet challenges in all sizes every day. And you continue to find solutions!


www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett

www.allyoumama.com
IG -@MeghanQBarrett