Beyond ‘Mommy Juice’ – Finding Real Relief Through Breathwork
As I continue building the brand of HEN Mindfulness and creating in-person breathwork events, I’m often met with a familiar response when I share what I’m doing. People nod and say things like, “Just got my toddler to bed after a 3-hour bedtime saga. Pretty sure I need a PhD in breathwork now.” Or, “Nothing says ‘I could use some breathwork’ like realizing my only ‘me time’ today was hiding in the bathroom.”
Mom Rage We Meet Again…
This weekend was a tough one. My kids were whiny, my husband was grumpy, and I felt extra short on patience. The days dragged on, filled with battles with my son over everything from which shoes to wear to whether he’d come on a walk with me. I made a lot of food, washed a lot of dishes, and folded a mountain of laundry. I did my best to carve out moments of self-care—a morning hike with the dog, a final dip in the pool before the weather cools. But none of it worked. I was overwhelmed. By Sunday evening, after asking my kids for the hundredth time to get along, I hit a breaking point. The sounds and tension became too much, and I finally exploded. Yelling, crying—the whole adult meltdown.
Awareness is the first step to being a mindful parent.
I want to start by saying that I was you, I am you, and I continue to be a human parent with all the emotions that come with it. What I can tell you is that when I began to engage in mindfulness practices (yes, I’ll explain that), became more embodied (don’t worry, I’ll break this down too), and learned to control my breath, a fundamental shift occurred. I re-calibrated how I reacted and how I felt about myself as a mother.