7 Self Care Mantras for Moms

You have come to the right place if you are looking for some sayings to help you in your journey to take better care of yourself.  I have 7 Self Care Mantras for Moms to get you started.  


7 Self Care Mantras for moms.




Self Care is kind of a buzz word/phrase right now.  But I think that's just because we are all realizing how important taking care of ourselves is.  In this post I am mostly speaking to moms because that is what I know, but this really applies to everyone.  


What is Self Care?

I'm sure you've heard that when you are on a plane with children, in an emergency we adults are told to put on our oxygen masks before assisting anyone else with theirs.  That is because there's a chance we could pass out and not make it through the disaster.  The same rule applies to every day life.  We have to take care of ourselves or we will have nothing left to give anyone else.  

Now you might be thinking, what is self care?  Does self care mean ignoring all of my responsibilities and being selfish?   According to everydayhealth.comSelf-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care for others, and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in a day.

That just sums it all up right there.  Self Care means taking care of ourselves so we can do all of the things we need to do.  

Does this mean I have to get pedicures or massages and take bubble baths?  If that's your jam, then go for it.  I have found that self care has looked different at various points in my life.  When I had 3 little kids at home, my self care did look like getting out of the house to get a pedicure, wandering around Target and yes, getting a massage once or twice.  Or I would read a good book in the bath, stay up late to craft after my kids were in bed or even take a nap.  Now that my kids are older, self care looks much different.  (more below)


Self Care - going for a walk with a dog.


Why do I need to do Self Care?

This is kinda obvious - if you aren't taking really good care of yourself, then no one is.  And you WILL BURN OUT!  An analogy is that you can not keep pouring from an empty pitcher, the water is not endless.  You eventually have to refill the pitcher in order to keep pouring.  The same is true for us.  We all have to find ways to refill our tanks so that we can keep pouring into our families, our homes, our jobs and our communities.  

But self care is more than just taking a nap when we are tired.  It's living a life that caring for ones self is built in to.  It is weekly or daily habits that keep you running at your optimal energy and creative level.


Field of Black Eyed Susan flowers.


How do I know what kind of Self Care works for me?  

First ask yourself a few questions and jot your answers down in a journal.


  • How are you feeling right now? 
  • Do you feel tired, frustrated, hungry, or do you have low energy?  
  • How often are you feeding yourself real meals?  
  • Have you moved your body today?  
  • When was the last time you showered and put on real clothes?  
  • What makes you feel energized?  
  • Do you need quiet time or more time with your friends/family?  
  • Do you regularly make time to do hobbies that you enjoy?  


These are all questions that I asked myself in order to figure out what I needed to do for myself.  I considered all of the areas in my life that I was unhappy and the things I needed to put in place to increase my happiness.  Notice I did not say anything about involving my family.  These are all things I DID to take care of myself.


7 self care mantras mom self care


Now that my kids are older, my self care looks much different. Where pedicures and baths used to work now I make sure I get enough sleep, journal, read, schedule quiet time (no phones, music, podcasts etc), stretch and breathe, go for a daily walk, work on my blog and craft projects and I get ready every day.  


7 Self Care Mantras

When I first implemented self care, I'm not going to lie, it was kinda hard.  I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being selfish.  What kept me going was finding phrases that resonated and helped me remember WHY I was doing it.  If you struggle with self care, maybe you can take one of these mantras for a test drive and see how it feels.

The better I take care of my self, the better wife and mother I show up as.  My goal is to always be the best mom and wife I can be although of course I am imperfect.  I know I am a better person when my needs have been met.

It's my job to notice my needs and take care of them.  It is not anyone else's responsibility.  Waiting for someone else to notice me and/or take care of me left me feeling invisible.  Once I realized it was my responsibility, I was able to meet those needs without feeling constantly frustrated.

The more I work on myself, the more I am able to put good into the world.  I love this one.  The better I am, the better I can do!

I can celebrate my wins and give grace for my mistakes.  I try my hardest to do good but I am always going to be an imperfect person that makes mistakes.  I will celebrate the good and cut myself slack for the not so good.

No one can make me happy except for me.  Some may say this is negative but I only see the positive in this statement.  I am 100% responsible and have all that I need to make myself happy.  

If it isn't a heck yes, then it's a no.  We all have a limited amount of time in a day.  In order to take care of ourselves, we may have to say no to other, less important things.  Letting this mantra run through my head helps me to say yes to to the right things.

It's easy to keep living life right where you are.  Doing something different takes courage.  This is a great saying when trying to implement new habits, processes or hobbies.  If we want to grow and progress in this life, we have to try new things.  


7 Self Care Mantras printable


I promise, taking care of yourself will be better for not only you, but your kids, your husband, and all of the people around you.  Save the list and keep it on your phone for easy reference or print it out and place it on your bathroom mirror.  Using these 7 Self Care Mantras can really help you!


Other posts you make like:  10 Self Care Ideas for Moms  |  21 Ideas for Self Care at Home  |  6 Questions to Ask Yourself When You're Unhappy  |  6 Ways to Get Back on Track When You're Overwhelmed