Moms — How to Prioritize Yourself + Reclaim Your Time
Let’s be honest: moms are professional givers.
“Balance doesn’t mean giving less — it means allowing yourself to receive enough.” ~ Shelby Castile, LMFT
You give your time, your energy, your sleep, your snacks, your sanity — sometimes all before 8 a.m. You keep everyone else’s lives stitched together while quietly ignoring the unraveling edges of your own.
And if you’ve ever found yourself saying, “It’s fine, I’ll just take care of it,” this one’s for you.
The Invisible Job Description
Motherhood is the ultimate full-time, no-days-off position. Somewhere between school drop-offs, work deadlines, and remembering which child has the green water bottle (not the blue one, God forbid), your own needs end up at the bottom of the list.
You tell yourself you’ll get to it later — that walk, that doctor’s appointment, that friend you’ve been meaning to text back. But “later” often never comes.
The truth? You can’t pour from an empty cup, no matter how determined or loving you are.
“The world doesn’t need more exhausted women. It needs moms who are grounded, rested, and fully alive.”
Giving and Receiving Are Not Opposites
A lot of moms I work with struggle with the idea of receiving. It can feel indulgent, selfish, or even lazy. But balance doesn’t mean giving less — it means allowing yourself to receive enough.
When you let yourself rest, accept help, or do something just because it feels good, you’re not taking away from your family — you’re modeling what healthy care looks like. You’re teaching your kids that self-respect, boundaries, and joy matter too.
“You deserve space, softness, and support — not as a reward, but as a requirement.” ~ Shelby Castile, LMFT
A Few Therapist-Approved Ways to Rebalance
Start with small pockets of time.
Ten minutes of quiet coffee in the morning before anyone wakes up counts. You don’t have to overhaul your life; you just need consistent micro-moments that remind your nervous system you exist.Practice saying “yes” to yourself.
The next time you’re tempted to say no to something restorative — yoga, lunch with a friend, a solo Target run — say yes. Your mental health is not a luxury item.Receive without apologizing.
When someone offers to help, let them. Don’t say, “Are you sure?” or “Only if it’s not too much trouble.” Just say, “Thank you.” That’s it.Redefine ‘good mom.’
The best moms are not the ones who do it all — they’re the ones who know when to pause, breathe, and recalibrate.
The Takeaway
Being last on your own list might feel noble, but it’s quietly unsustainable. The world doesn’t need more exhausted, resentful women. It needs moms who are grounded, rested, and fully alive. So this is your reminder — not to do more, but to receive more. You deserve space, softness, and support. Because when you start putting yourself back on the list, everyone around you benefits too. ♡♡
Newport Beach-based Psychotherapist specializing in anxiety, perfectionism, and women’s emotional wellness
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Newport Beach-based Psychotherapist specializing in anxiety, perfectionism, and women’s emotional wellness 〰️ ♡ 〰️
Ready to start putting yourself back on the list?
If you’re a mom who’s craving more balance, clearer boundaries, and a little breathing room in your own life — I’d love to help. Therapy can be a space to reset, reconnect, and finally make yourself a priority again.