The First Step to Thriving as a Mom

I am so excited to announce that my dear friend, Keri is guest posting today. She is an amazing writer who encourages women to choose intentional and joyful living. She is an inspiring blogger and her writing is so relatable. She has a unique way of immediately drawing readers in. She has encouraged me so much as a mom and as a writer and I can’t wait for you to read what she has for you today….

The months after I came home from the hospital with my second son were spent in survival mode. My days were filled with learning how to balance two very different children. Exhaustion overwhelmed my soul and I felt like a failure as a mom.

Throughout my entire pregnancy with my second child, I had envisioned the days ahead spent playing Thomas the Train together and running around outside. What I did not envision was a baby who did not sleep well, potty training being such a struggle, and so many other things. I did not expect to stare at the clock every day, eagerly waiting for evening when my husband would return from work.

When I was in the depths of surviving, I started to believe the lie that so many moms believe that motherhood is just meant to be survived.
That simple lie can quickly grab a hold of us. It can control our every thought and turn the gift of motherhood into a quest for survival.

In the middle of this season, I reconnected with an old friend who lived on the other side of the country. She was also in the thick of learning how to be a mom of two little ones and living away from extended family. As we shared our struggles over text messages, we started to realize we were not alone. God used my friend to open my eyes to little changes that I could make and overtime, I started to thrive.

My heart recognized the truth that motherhood was a beautiful gift and it did not need to be characterized by survival mode. Yes, there will still be moments of survival. I still am eager for my husband’s return from work, but the key is that my life is not characterized by one of survival.

Often when we are in the middle of a challenge, we believe the lie that we are the only ones. It is a slippery slope we fall down with this lie. One of the main reasons, I was able to start to climb out of survival mode, was because I connected with someone.

If you are struggling right now as a mama, I encourage you to reach out to a trusted friend and share your struggles.

If you do not have a trusted friend, now is the time to find some. Recently, I have been given the gift of true friendship with a group of encouraging girls, because one of the girls had the courage to invite others in. She was struggling and decided to reach out. The first time we all met, I was brought to tears by the common thread of struggle in each of our lives.

Friends, we are all struggling with something. Look around you and ask God, “Who can I build a friendship with?” Then take the first step to thriving and invite her to coffee.

Let’s change the song of motherhood from one of surviving to thriving. Let’s bring back the joy.

Want to learn more about thriving as a mom? I would love for you to pick up a copy of my book, Why Just Survive When You Can Thrive. Within the pages of the book are eight quick chapters where I share things that I have learned. These are lessons from a mama who is in the thick of it. Friends, I am right there with you, learning and growing and I want to encourage you right where you are.

This is not a book of how to train your children or even how to be a better mom- it is a book about how to learn to embrace your unique self so that you can fulfill the calling that God has called you to.

Keri lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and three kids. She loves to use her day-to-day life to encourage moms to live with purpose and joy.

Follow along with her over at Keri Lynn Snyder and on Instagram.