One morning, I sat down and actually googled “How to be a present mom when you’re burnt out.”
While glazing over tip after tiring tip on how to fight Mommy Burnout, one mom’s perspective caught my weary eye.
As Vicki Glembocki wrote about how watching her little girl run to the bus stop made her smile, and how in that moment, she wasn’t thinking about anything else, I felt like I was right there with her. I could see her daughter’s “little bum” wiggling side to side under her giant backpack.
Her tip, to notice when you’re already being mindful, really stuck with me. It also got me thinking about the power of paying attention…in snippets.
When we catch ourselves being attentive, even in the most fleeting of moments, there’s a certain kind of magic at work. The kind that makes us present. The kind that creates a memory. The kind that brings us back to life.
No matter how tired you are, zeroing in on something with your senses, even for a few juicy seconds, is more than doable. And the ripple effects are remarkable.
Later that morning, JeeWoo knocked me down on the ground and started pecking at my chin with his nose. As I busted out laughing, I took a mental picture.
I pretended like there was a camera in my brain and when I blinked, I forever documented the scene. This split-second decision pulled me into the moment and lifted my mindset.
During lunchtime, we had a little picnic in front of the TV. While gnawing on a carrot and transfixed on the screen, JDub reached over and locked arms with me.
<click>
<swoon>
I captured that, too.
While carrying him from the shopping cart to the car the other day, I thought about how big he’s getting and how one of these days, I won’t be able to carry him anymore. As I held him tightly, I tucked my face into his neck, and <click> melted into it all.
Snapping mental pics has quickly become a little habit. For almost three weeks now, it has sweetened many situations.
Not only is it oh-so-accessible, but it has this way of making impossible moments feel possible. It takes mundane minutes of your life and turns them into vivid vignettes to remember.
All in the blink of an eye.
This post is part of the Mama Be Present series:
A joy-sparking journey + free community for moms who desire simple yet impactful ways to connect more with their little ones.
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Brit Stueven 