Mom guilt. The relentless companion of motherhood that we can never really escape. For many of us, mom guilt leads us to feel like a failure when we don’t live up to expectations… however, today, I challenge you to view mom guilt as a coach that acts as a guiding light to help you become a better version of yourself.

Now, this coach doesn’t pull the punches; it calls you out when you start veering off the path that you really want to be on.

Now don’t get me wrong, mom guilt is very real and valid. It can feel awful. However, I also know that who you want to be is just as real and just as valid. Sometimes mom guilt helps us see that!

Here are 3 different lessons mom guilt can teach us if we shift our mindset:

Identify Misalignment from Mom Guilt

Mom guilt can serve as a mirror to help you reflect on moments when your actions don’t align with the vision of yourself that you’re striving to become. It’s that little nudge that reminds you of your desire to be a more patient, present, and loving mother. When mom guilt calls you out for losing your patience or being too distracted, it’s an opportunity to acknowledge misalignment between your actions and intentions.

So what do you do from there?

How To Deal With Mom Guilt

1. Self-Reflect: When mom guilt shows up, pause and reflect on the situation. Ask yourself, “Is this behavior in line with the mother I want to be?”
2. Set Your Intentions: Revisit your vision of the ideal mother you aspire to become. Write down specific intentions for your mothering journey.
3. Make Mindful Decisions: Use mom guilt as a guide to make more mindful choices. Instead of reacting, take a deep breath and choose a response that aligns with your vision.

Seek Learning and Growth

While some may dwell on the guilt and shame that inherently comes from mom guilt… you don’t have to stay in that head space. Instead you can think of it as a tough-love coach who believes in your potential to become the mother you’ve envisioned yourself as. When it highlights your shortcomings, it’s an opportunity for learning and personal development.

Take These Steps Towards Growth

1. Embrace Imperfection: Understand that nobody is a perfect mother, and making mistakes is a part of the journey.
2. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself when you stumble. Remember, every setback is a stepping stone toward improvement.
3. Get Motivated: Use mom guilt as a motivator to learn new parenting techniques or strategies that can help you grow. Stop whatever you’re doing and start to take baby steps to shift the trajectory of the situation.

Realign With Your Vision

Often times when we’re feeling the mom guilt, we have a nagging sense of what we could or should be doing instead. We know what we want to be doing better… these thoughts can help you get back on track. Think of it like a GPS for your motherhood journey.

It may remind you to slow down when you’re schedule is too jam-packed to savor important moments or it may help you to take action and do something you know should when you may not feel like it. Is that pile of laundry calling you, too?

It’s Time to Conquer Mom Guilt

1. Listen to Your Inner Voice: Instead of resisting, listen to what it’s telling you. Trust your intuition.
2. Make Course Corrections: When mom guilt prompts you to change your approach, take it as an opportunity to shift your behavior and intentions.
3. Celebrate Progress: Recognize and celebrate the moments when you successfully realign with your vision. Small victories add up to significant change over time.

If you can shift your mindset, then mom guilt may not make your feel so guilty at the end of the day.

Thanks Coach!

Next time mom guilt comes calling, welcome it as your coach, not your critic. We don’t always love our coaches or the things they push us to do, but in the end a coach only wants us to become our very best self. Let your coach hold you accountable. Put in the work, take that feedback, and grow.

What you think about mom guilt will determine what you do with it. Will you listen? Or will you let it derail you?

I hope you’ll let it make you stronger and wiser!

Listen to my podcast where we dive deep on the topic of mom guilt.

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