Regardless of whether we are professionally occupied or otherwise, motherhood stress catches up. It transcends career choices and affects mothers from all walks of life. To alleviate the stress and the mental load, it is necessary to be more vocal about your feelings. If not vocal, at least sitting with the thoughts and feelings, categorizing or labelling the emotions that they generate and taking necessary actions to build more resilience in us is mandatory to be more in sync with the present.

How to build resilience is the question moms always ponder. In this fast-paced world where feelings are more precarious and emotions are threadbare, it seems too difficult to navigate in the pool of unsettling mental undercurrents without getting ensnared by their claws. With tiny tweaks in your perception, you can guide your emotions to a safe place and channel them to a healthy path when you are teetering on the edge of a precarious house of feelings.

When going gets tough, here is how you show resilience:

• It is okay to feel – It is absolutely important to feel all sorts of emotions. Emotions allow you to understand more about yourself.  Understanding your feelings and the emotions attached to them is the first step to being more aware of your inner turmoil. It will open the gates to better understand yourself and take remedial actions to mitigate the effects of your big feelings.

• Feel everything but return to positivity – Making positive your second nature is not easy. Serious work is involved. Mindfulness techniques, being in the present and focusing on your strengths and the tasks that drive you to do more will help you return to a state of peace and positivity.

• Set intentions - Set intentions for the day. Do not build castles in the air or aim for unrealistic goals. That can make you frustrated and frazzled very easily. Setting focused intentions like ‘I should be happy, I should try controlling my anger, I should listen before reacting, I should make myself a priority’ will help you shift your attention to them and by repetitive process, you will get close to your intended path.  

• Arm yourself with coping techniques - Several coping techniques can assist in dealing with the stressful life of parenting. Journaling, reframing ideas, exercising, spending time outside, socializing, improving sleep hygiene, and engaging in creative outlets are among them. Tailor the coping techniques to your schedule and order of the day. Get easy on the techniques as too many coping mechanisms can also make you overwrought.

• Mom friends come for rescue - Establish strong social connections to help you become more resilient. Assess your connections and weed out the ones who exude negativity.  Strong supportive and positive relationships can provide emotional and practical help during tough times. To weather storms in your daily routines, you need a reliable circle safe from unsavoury judgements and bias.  Mom friends can relate to your unique experiences and can help you navigate the complexities of motherhood. They sit with you to listen to your difficulty, do not throw in their opinions unnecessarily, be more receptive to your feelings, and repeatedly tell you that you have a tremendous amount of courage in you.

Many moms, but words remain the same: In our virtual community meet that we hosted, the one thing that bound all the moms were the words that they uttered. These words are the fulcrum in which they juggle their everyday routine. The phrases were a common denominator, a common vocabulary, unifying each mom’s belief in motherhood and the strength in it. The question was, What advice do you have for new moms? Without hemming and hawing, quick came the responses from moms – Take one day at a time and Go with the flow. A little amount of preparation and planning is needed but you cannot be certain of what awaits you in parenting so it makes sense to go with the flow and take one day at a time.

Momly Resilience group – How does it work?

Momly has proven to be your 4 am friend and life-saving circle to help you be more resilient. Momly’s moms are a group of moms who are at different stages of their parenting journey. From aspiring moms, and expecting moms to moms who are in the early motherhood stage, you have a large spectrum of women. Some of them have battled or are presently battling the same struggles as you. You can exchange suggestions, take advice and interact with them to find out more calming strategies. Moms in Momly offer unbiased opinions and encouragement at every step which is a big driving force to be more driven and focused on your goals.

With motherhood instinct and intelligence, and sisterhood emotions in the heart of exchanges, you will certainly make more progress on your path of building resilience.

Can you tell me more?

• Momly Chat Exchanges – Our mom groups are inundated with messages and queries. They don’t stop with that as every query gets answered by the other moms, who take time and a moment to catch up on the moms’ needs and answer them with simple, easy-to-follow tips.

• Momly Offline and Online meets – Be it offline meets like Momly Socials or online meets like Momly Virtual Date, offline and online interactions strengthen the bond and add value to the community. It builds trust in each other as well as forge new ties. These friendships go a long way and act as a pillar of support for moms.

• Momly Experts – Incorporating expert advice to heal yourself is highly recommended in your mental strength-building journey. Our Momly experts from across the domains of women’s health offer a well-rounded perspective on the problems essayed by moms.

• The atmosphere of Inclusivity – Momly breathes inclusivity in its approach. Being a community that ensures inclusivity, it sees to it that it maintains its welcoming nature throughout its interaction and in all the services that it offers. Every voice and concern in Momly is heard and addressed. This inclusivity nature brings in varied perspectives and becomes a ladder for moms to learn and grow their mental muscles.

Summing up

Motherhood is fruitful, rewarding and fulfilling but it is also demanding. By embracing vulnerability, cultivating resilience, and seeking support from mom friends, you can navigate challenges with greater strength. Having said that, building resilience requires consistent effort so continue putting your little something every day and most importantly, celebrate the wins no matter how small.

What/who is your source of strength in the tougher times? Let us know your thoughts on building positivity around you so that others get inspired by them and start implementing at the time of need.

Join the Momly App and Momly WhatsApp group. Subscribe and enjoy uninterrupted exchanges with fellow moms.