Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Wellness in Motherhood

Balance, wellness, and self-reflection are important focus areas for all of us as Daughters of Zion, but as mothers, we share a unique responsibility. We have the
privilege of guiding our children along their life journey while navigating our own personal growth.

Due to our ever-growing to-do list as we care for our homes and children, burnout can become a reality at any stage of motherhood. To fulfill our role while maintaining a sound mind, we need to prioritize self-care in the form of spiritual, mental, and physical
wellness.

As a mom of two under two, I recognize the importance of this much more. So, in April, I hosted a 30-day challenge for moms to focus on spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. The challenge consisted of journal prompts, scriptures, discussions, and personal check-ins geared toward reflection and growth in these three areas. Let’s discuss the impact of spiritual, mental, and physical wellness in motherhood and some tips to optimize wellness in our day-to-day lives.

Spiritual wellness

Spiritual wellness is the pursuit of purpose and meaning in life. We know who the Most High Living God is, and putting in the effort to develop our relationship can positively
impact not only our spiritual well-being but also our physical, mental, and emotional health. How do we optimize our spiritual wellness?

On the day-to-day, this can look like:

 Prioritizing time for prayer throughout the day
 Daily scripture study
 Fasting
 Expressing gratitude
 Embracing our biblical roles as women
 Applying the fruits of the spirit in our actions
 Regular self-examination
 Connecting with other sisters
 Holding ourselves accountable
 Learning to purge our fleshy desires and aligning our desires to the will of The Most High.

As we begin to do these things consistently, we create the opportunity to have a genuine, healthy, and flourishing relationship with The Most High. If we have a flourishing relationship with Him, this strengthens our faith and trust, thus decreasing the daily stress and anxiety we may face in motherhood. This unlocks our ability to have more joy in our role as mothers and more balance and energy to pour into our children
righteously.  Scriptures for reflection:

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

• 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
• 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
• 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Psalm 37:4-5

• 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
• 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Proverbs 3:5-7

• 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
• 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
• 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Here is a journal prompt to get you started on your Spiritual wellness journey:
In your journal, draw a line down the middle. On the left-hand side, list situations/challenges you have faced in the past. On the right side, describe how The
Most High showed up for you and brought you through them.

Review this list when you find yourself having a rough day, feeling overstimulated by motherhood duties, or going through a rough situation. He has brought you through before; He can certainly do it again.

Mental wellness:
Mental wellness pertains to brain health, the ability to cope with normal life stressors, and the pursuit of growth through thought-provoking mental activities that expand our knowledge and skills.  Understanding the difference between a growth-mindset and a fixed-mindset is key. As mothers and women of The Most High God, we will face challenges, need to endure to receive our crown, cannot sit on our talents, and must ask for help/support when we need it. Adopting a growth-mindset and letting go of a fixed mindset is how we can successfully do this.

On the day-to-day optimizing our mental wellness can look like:

• Practicing positive self-talk
• Keeping a gratitude journal and an accomplishment journal
• Resolving childhood traumas
• Meditating on scriptures
• Breathing exercises when we feel anxiety creeping in
• Stepping away for a moment of peace if we feel ourselves becoming overstimulated with our children
• Working on mindfulness
• Letting go of perfectionism
• Coloring or painting
• Watching something funny
• Listening to music
• Take a warm bath with Epsom salt to relax your muscles and boost magnesium levels to decrease stress
• Try a new hobby or learn something new
• Help someone in need
• Asking for support from our husbands, family, or sisters when we need help or a break
• Seeking out a therapist/coach

Scripture for reflection:
Proverbs 12:25
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Matthew 11:28-30

• 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
• 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
• shall find rest unto your souls.
• 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Here is a journal prompt to get you started on your Mental wellness journey:

As your children grow, what characteristics do you want them to see in you as their Mother? Are you currently living out these characteristics? If not, what adjustments can you begin to make?

Physical wellness:
Physical wellness encompasses all areas of health related to the body, including nutrition, exercise, weight management, disease management, and disease prevention.

• What we put into our bodies greatly impacts how we feel and look, what hormones are released, if diseases will develop or become more severe, and how much energy we have. As we manage the many different aspects in our lives, planning healthy meals and snacks and making time to move our bodies may take a backseat for some of us, but because it has such a big impact, we must prioritize it. If we take care of our body, our body will perform for us in a way that allows us to better care for those in our household/around us. This also allows us to lead by example, so our children grow to prioritize physical wellness in their lives.

On the day-to-day, this can look like

• Making a realistic schedule
• Stretching
• Weight/resistance training
• Walking, jogging, running, biking, swimming
• Breathing exercises
• Meal prepping
• Making wellness shots
• Making/buying healthy snacks
• Making fire-cider to prevent illness, flu, colds
• Playing with the kids
• Removing (or limiting) fast-food from your diet
• Getting adequate sleep
• Drinking at least ½ your body weight in water
• Replacing refined sugar with alternatives
• Routine checkups (and listening to your body)
• Limiting alcohol
• Massage
• Selecting an accountability partner
• Using holistic remedies

Scripture for reflection
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

• 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
• 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Proverbs 31:17, 27-28

• 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
• 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
• 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Proverbs 19:15
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Here is a journal prompt to get you started on your Physical wellness journey:
Write out 2-3 goals for physical wellness and 1 simple way to work towards those goals.
Tape this list somewhere you will see it daily.

Sister, your family/children are counting on your love, support, nurturing spirit, and guidance. You cannot give your best if you are not prioritizing your personal wellness. It is a common mistake as mothers to feel we must put ourselves last in everything to be good mothers, but once our cup is dry how can we take care of those who rely on us daily? Challenges and stressors will continue to arise, and we will be in a better position to tackle them if we strengthen ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically.

With Love,
Kierra Israel