It is natural to feel elements of guilt from time to time when you are a working mum. You sometimes feel as if you are doing the wrong thing all the time, even when you are doing your best. If you decide to stay home and look after your children, you think that some people are looking down their noses at you, accusing you of not contributing enough. Conversely, if you decide that you are going to return to your career after you’ve given birth, guilt arises here as well, as you think that some people criticise you for “abandoning” your children. It appears that you cannot win. Understand that it is quite usual for you to feel lost and somewhat alone and you might like to consider professional coaching options. This kind of specialised online coaching for women can help you realise that all is not lost, that others are in a similar position to you and that you can really look forward with optimism and confidence.
Whether you decide to go back to a career, or to take the bold move of setting up your own business, more power to you! In either way, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your decision and you need to realise this and be at peace. A working mum has everything to be thankful for and she should be confident that she is providing for her family and for herself, very well.
You know how you sometimes feel guilty about a situation when you are confused and do not know all the facts? There is a danger that you do not know all the facts about your given situation. Come out of the darkness and understand all the facts, reducing your stress level to manageable positions. By being informed in this way, you can assess all the risks and opportunities presented to you and form a highly educated view of the situation. Taking a concerted action and finding out all the facts will in turn give you internal strength and make you feel much better about your position.
Surround yourself with people who support you and who are positive. Create distance between you and all those negative people and in fact it would be far better if you lost their contact details! By surrounding yourself with positive people in your support group, you will be able to turn to them with any issues or challenges, getting a lot of confidence from the positive feedback that they will give. Don’t expect them to take on all the problem solving for you; quite the contrary. Contribute to this group pro-actively and understand that it represents a two-way street. These days, online coaching can be another source of support for you to consider.
Remember to travel light when you are getting ready for your big challenge. This means that you should get rid of anything that is not appropriate from the world all around you. Create a very positive workspace all around you, which is very important if you are working from home, have your own business or are telecommuting. You will be amazed how much more positive and focused you feel, when you have a clear environment all around you.
Amanda Alexander is Director of Coaching Mums and a highly acclaimed ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working mums who yearn for success, balance and fulfilment. Are you a juggling mom? Download our free eBook for working moms that will give you 5 simple and instant ways to balance your life right now!
