4 Things To Do To Combat the Overwhelm, Exhaustion, and Stress of Motherhood
Listen on:
Apple | Spotify
It is really easy in the day to day of motherhood to end up feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or just flat out stressed. So how we do combat that in the context of our health and fitness journey? Can you actually still be consistent? If so... how?
Whether you're in that newborn phase and relearning how to do everything or are just navigating a hard season with your little one and it's taking it's toll, this episode is for you!
Let's start off with what these feelings of exhaustion and stress result in when it comes to your health...
They lead to lack of motivation, simple as that. Your mental energy is getting put into so many other things and we only have SO MUCH OF THAT each day.
When we don't have that capacity, it's frustrating and causes an unwelcome tension.
Now that you have that awareness, which is one of the most important things to DO to combat these unwelcome feelings — you can recognize it's happening and the emotion gets taken out of the "lack" of feeling motivated.
You can now see things as they are the moment objectivity arrives on the scene and motivation has need to be present because you're in your logical mind.
After you recognize what’s going on, change source of your action and follow through.
What does this mean? Make a shift in the REASON you're showing up and then follow through. This is not easy by any means, but it keeps you showing up in the midst of overwhelm or exhaustion.
The Third thing to do is to keep your focus small instead of big picture change.
I know you're frustrated because you're so stuck in the day to day GRIND, but when you're too focused on where you want to get long term and you're in a season that your pace towards that has to slow down, all you're doing by only thinking of that end goal is creating MORE tension in your mindset and your thoughts.
It's not worth it.
I know I teach you taht it's vital to keep that long term vision in the forefront of your mind, but in these hard seasons, I don't want you to forget about it, but I also don't want you to keep all of your focus on that.
Lean into your your moment to moment and day to day choices.
The final thing to do is to SIMPLIFY what you're doing in your journey.
In an all or nothing mindset type of society, people often end up throwing everything out the window and waiting until “things get easier.”
Don't do that.
Hard seasons, overwhelm, exhaustion — none of these mean drop it all. All I want you to do as a is pare things back.
Workout 1 less day a week
Change your routine to be more conducive to the other needs around you
Shortern your workouts
Get more sleep
So here is your recap:
Recognize it's happening
Change source of your action and follow through
Keep your focus small instead of big picture change
SIMPLIFY what you're doing in your journey
Are you ready to go from overwhelmed and stuck to disciplined and consistent in your journey?
Join Starting Point School and let's get you on track to your healthiest life!
FULL TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] It is really easy in the day-to-day of motherhood, the laundry, the tantrums, the naps, strikes, the 14 hours straight of someone needing something from you, , right to end up feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or just flat out stressed. So how do we combat that? When we have to show up in the day today, we have to be in the moment.
So often, how do we combat that and face those feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion, whether you're in that newborn phase and relearning how to do everything, or you're just navigating a hard season with your little one. This episode is for you.
Hey, mama. Welcome to the Tough Love Mom podcast. I know you're here because you're ready to get consistent and finally lose that weight, and you're not afraid of a little tough love. You know what to do to lose weight, but following through on those things feels impossible. You wish you could just feel like you're strong, confident self again, and want to be a good example for [00:01:00] your little ones, but you get thrown off by mom guilt in the unpredictability of motherhood.
It's frustra. Taking on your journey postpartum is hard, but it's not impossible. Hey, I'm Liz, and I've been where you are. I gained a lot of weight in my pregnancies, 90 pounds and then 60 pounds. I needed to lose that weight to take control of my health, and honestly just wanted to feel like myself again with the sustainable approach to weight loss.
Simple consistency in working on my mindset. I lost it all in just over a year, both times, and I'm here to help you do the same. I believe that we have an ingrained ability to figure out what we need to do, make it happen, and do it in a way that AWS the world. If you're ready to stop falling off the wagon, create solid, routine, and healthy habits, and finally feel your best inside and out, all while enjoying Dino nuggets on your salad.
You are in the right place. We're about to transform your journey. My. Get pumped up. It is tough love time.
The [00:02:00] overwhelm and exhaustion, like literal physical exhaustion is something I've been combating a ton lately. I still haven't figured out if Cal my two year old is ready to drop an out or not. But since before the time change, before daylight savings, he's been waking up between 4 45 in the morning and 5:30 AM fighting.
And then fighting sleep at night. So physically and mentally, I'm feeling the heat . It has been a, uh, intense couple of weeks, but what I'm gonna share today are things that I'm personally prioritizing and walking through doing literally right now to combat what feels like a constant attack of overwhelm and exhaustion.
I remember feeling this way as well when I adjusted. Having a newborn and the constantly changing schedule. So whether you're in that early season and relearning how to go about everything in life, or you're just going through a hard season like I am right now, uh, this episode's going to be for [00:03:00] you. So let's talk about it.
Let's start off with what these feelings of exhaustion and stress result in, in the context of your health, in the context of your journey. What will happen when you're feeling this day after day after? It will lead to a lack of motivation. Simple as that. I'm sure you're like Liz. That's literally why I'm tuning in right now because I need you to kick me in the butt
But I'm gonna give you a little bit of grace here because your mental energy right now is getting put into so many other things, and we only have so much of that each day. We have like a bucket that's filled of mental energy after we sleep and throughout the. It gets drained and then it refills back up as we sleep, and yours is just getting drained faster because you've got a season right now.
It is a season and it's a little bit more difficult, so that mental energy is getting put into all these other areas and all these other buckets that usually it doesn't have to get poured into, and that's exhausting. . So it will lead to a lack of motivation. Normal. So normal. Like think about [00:04:00] when you're in a good routine, you know, it's predictable.
You know what your kid needs when they need it, you know, everyone's, you're kind of in a flow, you know that feeling I'm talking about. And so it's easier to add in new tasks or habits, or put something extra on your plate versus when you're in a season like you are now, where you're really over. You're exhausted.
The mental energy is going to the needs of a child and your basic needs like food and sleep, and you really don't have capacity for extras for putting more stuff on your plate or adding in a new habit, or really even addressing certain things in your health journey that you were trying to address.
when we don't have that capacity, especially if you're like me and you have a personality that thrives in productivity and in routine, which obviously has its pros and cons, but when that capacity isn't there, it's frustrating and it can cause attention. So now that you have that awareness that this is normal and you're understanding why you're feeling the way you're feeling, this is one of the most important [00:05:00] things that you can.
To com combat these unwelcome feelings is just recognize that it's happening and why it's happening. So this is really step one, because then the emotion, the that feeling of frustration and guilt and sh shame, whatever is coming up, gets taken out of that lack of feeling motivated instead of looking at it subject.
And getting all emotional about it. You can see things objectively now, and honestly, the moment objectivity arrives on the scene, there's no more need for motivation because you're, you're in your logical mind, which has a lot of power, especially for us as women and as moms. So the fact that you can just sit here and go, okay, I recognize I'm really overwhelmed and exhausted and frustrated, and all these.
And this is why. It's because my mental energy has to go to other things that right now I'm not used to prioritizing as highly or that usually feel more routine and predictable and they're not right now. So simply recognizing that and saying, I don't need to feel guilty about this cuz this [00:06:00] is just the season I'm in.
And it is just the priorities that I have to prioritize right now. And it's okay. The season will end. I've walked through it for years. On and off, on and off. Tough seasons. Predictability, tough seasons. Predictability. That's motherhood. So if you're feeling that lack of motivation, it's okay. Super normal.
Just recognize that it's happening. The second thing I want you to do is change your source of action and then follow through. So what does this mean? You're like, change your source of action. What simply means make a. And the reason that you're showing up and then follow through again, this is another mindset shift that you are making tangibly what this could look like.
Cause I think this is best described with an example, and honestly this is an example from my life right now. , you were in a consistent routine. I'm gonna take you back to before. So in a consistent routine, working out before the kids get up, uh, and the kids start getting up ungodly early, and you're like, what's happening?
Where is this coming from? And you don. So [00:07:00] now the first priority in the day, instead of working out, which is what you're used to, it takes no mental effort. You just do it cuz it's routine. Now your first priority is momming and you're having to figure out some point in the day to work out. That's different in, you're having to take into account kids and your husband's schedule.
And it's been a while of that. So that motivation to work out later in the day. Now that your routine is off, it's gone. It's. You don't feel that motivation really at all. You can't rely on habit because working out later in the day is not a habit. In this case, someone who is facing this routine change and how it's impacting her motivation to work out needs to change the source of reason she's working out.
It's no longer because I'm consistent, it's who I am, and it's just when I do it, like aka it's my habit of when I work out. You've gotta tap back in and dig deeper for. In the midst of this struggle and frustrating circumstance, the source of action is now because I need to stay [00:08:00] consistent for my health.
If I don't, my lower back's gonna hurt worse. I'm going to gain weight and, you know, gain, go to an unhealthier weight that, that my body doesn't want to be at. You know, I'm more patient with my kids and my husband when I work out all hours of the day, . So even though my motivation is waning because of these circumstances, my consistency, consistency, I can't believe I have trouble saying that word.
Sometimes my consistency is not going to wane because I changed the source of action and I'm still going to follow through. It's not, this is not easy by any means, but it will keep you showing up in the midst of overwhelm and exhaustion when you simply shift why you're doing what you're doing and you have to, you have to latch onto that.
You cannot say, okay, this is why now, and just then go back to trying to lean on motivation cuz it's not. You cannot lean on motivation. You have to engage your mind in this process. You have to recognize what's going on and then shift why you're doing it or you're gonna go right back to wanting [00:09:00] to lean on motivation and it will not be there for you.
Okay? Third thing to do. Last mindset mindset shift to make is keep your focus small instead of big picture. Especially when it comes to change and progress. I know you're frustrated because you're so stuck in the day-to-day grind of motherhood, but when you're too focused on where you want to get long-term and you're in a season that your pace towards that has to slow down all you're doing by only thinking about that end goal, the big picture change that you wanna make, all that you're doing is creating more tension in your mindset.
More frustra. More of that, and it is not worth it. It is not worth it. Mama, I know I teach you that. It's vital to keep that at the forefront of your mind. But in these hard seasons, don't forget about that, but don't keep all your focus on it. That's just gonna lead to more overwhelm because you can't make progress towards it as fast as you want or as fast as you were making it.
So get [00:10:00] a small focus going, focus on your moment to moment and day-to-day choices. Simple as. . Last thing I want you to do, and this is a shift from mindset changes. So we talked about the three mindset shifts I want you to make, cause that's really the biggest piece of this puzzle. Um, this is something tangible, so I know you're gonna love it.
simplify what you're doing in your journey. Now in an all or nothing mindset type of society, people often end up throwing everything out the window in seasons like this and waiting until things get. Don't do that. Please do not do that. We are not about that here because we are not about all our, nothing mindsets here.
That's not how this, that's not how this works In hard seasons, when you're feeling overwhelmed, when you're feeling exhausted, that does not mean drop it all. All you're gonna do is create more frustration in your life. All I want you to do is a tough love. Mom is pair things back, simplify things in your.
What could this look like? Workout one less day a week. Shorten your [00:11:00] workouts, change your routine to be more conducive to the needs of those around you to the needs of those that are, you know, trying to refigure things out too. Your little ones changing the schedule. Okay. How about you change your schedule too, to be more conducive to what they need, so it works for everyone.
uh, get more sleep if you need to. And that might look like you might have to combine some of these, you know, get one less workout in a week and get more sleep. , if you're, you know, all of a sudden having to wake up in the middle of the night. Again, whatever it is, simplify things in your journey. Don't add on more to your plate.
I mean, I have dropped things. What happened last? , I was about to do the David Goggins four by four by 48, which is running four miles every four hours for 48 hours. So you total in 48 hour timeframe running 48 miles. And I'd been training for a couple months to do this, and I get to the week of I'm, the week that I'm supposed to do [00:12:00] it, and I get a stomach bug.
I mean, I'm like on the. I ran maybe once that week and I felt horrible, so I said, you know, I'm still gonna do this, but this is not the week unless I literally wanna end up in the hospital, so I'm just gonna push it back a week and I'll do this on the weekend that no one else is doing it, but I'm still going to follow through.
I had to pair it back, my routine majorly, I had to pair back on a major goal, and it was frustrating, but it was necessary and I still did it. What do you do when you're in the season of frustration? Overwhelm, motherhood's, just getting the best of you and you wanna combat it cuz you still wanna show up, but you're really struggling too.
Three things with your mindset. One, recognize that it's happening. Two, change your source of action and just follow through. These are so hard to do, but they are simple. Okay, so change why you're. and latch onto that [00:13:00] and follow through. And the third thing with your mindset is to keep your focus small on what you're doing day to day.
Like focus on the process instead of the end goal. Remind yourself of the big picture of where you wanna get, but don't get, don't get consumed by that, cuz your progress towards it. Slowing down a little bit for now, but it's not going backwards. Okay? And tangibly simplify what you're doing in your journey.
When you're in a season like this, that is the best thing you can do. Work on your mindset. Simplify. And when stuff gets a little bit easier, you'll be able to recognize that and go, Hey, I can add this back in. Or Hey, I can not sleep in as late now because I'm actually getting a full night's rest again, whatever it is.
And it will be so exciting that motivation's gonna shoot back up through the, through the roof. When you get out of this season, you just gotta give it time. And I know that phrase is annoying, but do you understand why I use it now? You have to work on your mindset. You have to weather the season. You have to show up still in the midst.
As best you can. And on the other side of that, [00:14:00] that motivation will come back. That overwhelm will not be as strong. It might still be there, but it won't be as strong. And you'll be able to pick back up what you were doing before. Your progress will move faster. Eventually you just, you know, it's not a straight line progress and our journeys is not a straight line.
And there will be days when giving your all looks like only giving 40% of what you can give in an easier season. And that's, I hope and pray that if you're in a season like this, this episode today encouraged you but also equipped you. You are not weak and you're not a victim to these circumstances. You don't need to be because the day will come when you overcome it.
The day will come when this season ends, and you'll be better for it because you are intentional and as consistent as you could be through the season. Go get after it. Mama, before you go, thank you for spending this time with me on the Tough Love Mom podcast. If this episode encouraged you in any way, the number one way you can thank me is to leave a review letting [00:15:00] me know how this show has impacted you.
Then send this episode to another mom friend, or. Take a screenshot, post it on social media and tag me so I can personally thank you for helping me on this journey to impact thousands of moms. I'm so grateful to be on this journey with you, sister. Until next time, get after it.
