You deserve a trophy or some kind of reward. You’ve spent a lifetime being the super mom, the planner, the organizer, and the alarm clock. You knew how to find every lost item in the house, remembered every birthday event, and knew exactly how to motivate everyone to stay on task so they would all make it to school on time.
But lately?
- Your ability to focus and think clearly seems like a long-lost friend
- Your energy dips, and drains you so much that you keep scrolling and hoping for the next energy wave to be the one to motivate you to get off the couch
- And frankly, if one more person suggests a “motivational playlist,” you might scream
Here’s the truth: Shift happens whether you want it to or not. As a woman over 40, you’re going through life’s huge transitions. And now that the kids are leaving home, and hormones are switching off, a super mom like you can feel way off balance. So, what are some subtle ways to get through it? How can a super mom like you restore mental clarity, feel more balanced emotionally, and recharge your internal battery?
3 Strategies to Quiet the Noise
It might sound cheesy, but it’s time to give yourself one of those super mom hugs you used to give the kids and turn your attention to you. Because right now what you need is more YOU. It’s your turn to say “Now Me”—without needing anyone’s permission—or a 12-step system.
Try these 3 strategies to shift your attention, energy, and quiet your mind.
1 Get Clear, No Fear: Restore Mental Clarity
Mental clarity doesn’t show up out of nowhere. It comes from a place of—uninterrupted sleep, nourishment, movement, boundaries, and moments of not being everything to everyone.
It also stems from stable hormones and a routine that feels like home. But when the last kid leaves, it can feel like they took all your mental acuity with them to college—a good place for it (wink.) Meanwhile hormonal changes bring on forgetfulness, irritability, and fatigue to name a few. Don’t stress, there are some shifts you can make to restore your mental stamina.
It requires subtle shifts, it takes practice, and as you begin to shift your daily habits, everything else will follow. Find ways to get better sleep, eat healthy food, and take some time to rest. Even a 20 minute reset nap or walk in the middle of the day can help to alleviate stress and clear your mind.
Take a minute to assess what your daily routine looks like now.
- Do you spend time worrying about things that are out of your control?
- Do you have a to do list with items that are not really that important to you?
- Do you spend a lot of time on your phone, perhaps more than you would like to admit?
Be honest with yourself, if you answered yes to any one of these questions, then face the truth. Take a tiny step outside of your comfort zone, and try these techniques to start to get a sense of restoring your mental clarity.
Recalibrate your mental load, and try the following techniques:
Try these techniques:
- Feeling stressed?
- Ask yourself: “What’s mine and what’s not?”
→ Most of the stuff you’re stressed about? Probably not yours to carry.
- Ask yourself: “What’s mine and what’s not?”
- Pressured?
- Rename your to-do list: “Things I choose to do today”
→ Language matters. “Have to” feels like pressure. “Choose to” feels like ownership.
- Rename your to-do list: “Things I choose to do today”
- Drained?
- Mute. Unfollow. Delete.
→ Protect your inputs. If it drains you, it doesn’t stay.
- Mute. Unfollow. Delete.
- Overwhelmed?
- Use a “one-tab” rule
→ Only one thing open at a time—on your screen and in your head.
- Use a “one-tab” rule
Mental clutter = emotional static. Less is more. You don’t need more motivation. You need more mental clarity, and that starts with less noise, and letting go of unnecessary stuff.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
Side Note: Starting the day with a few of these questions can help you get into the habit of waking up with intention, learn more on how to make everyday intentional with this post Mornings Your Way or if you need a nudge on how to start letting go and how to embrace the power of saying no, check out this post The Power of Saying No.
2 Check Yourself: Reset Your Emotional State
Spiritual power isn’t about rules or rituals. It’s about giving yourself permission to come back to center. This chapter of life comes with so many ups and downs, make an effort to check in with your emotional state and ask yourself how you are really feeling?
You know it’s not always easy to notice when your irritability switch has been flipped or what triggered it. Step away from the reactivity zone, the moment you notice that feeling of irritability or upset, take some time alone to breathe and recalibrate. Put the following techniques into practice, and keep them in your back pocket to refer to on an as needed basis.
Try These:
- Ask one clear question: “What would feel good right now?”
→ Not what’s productive. Not what’s expected. What feels right? - Write one line in a journal: “I’m done with _______.”
→ Clear the space. Reclaim the room. - Repeat quietly: “I am allowed to feel good without earning it.”
→ That’s the whole message. Let it land. - Play your favorite feel good song on repeat and belt it out like a Broadway star.
→ Music is one of the quickest ways to reset an emotional state.
3 Recharge Your Personal Power
Not only is it about feeling good, it’s about laughing out loud at stupid silly little things. It’s about remembering to find the funny in each day and each moment. A positively recharged internal battery feels like your whole self is smiling from the inside out.
Never forget, you are still that super mom, and right now you are focusing on your Super Me energy. Try the following tips to refill and recharge.
Tips to Help You Refill Your Super Energy:
- Re-watch your favorite funny movie
- Finish reading that book you couldn’t put down but then you did…
- Make time for a no shame naptime
- Take a 30 minute nap in the middle of the day just because you can.
- Or simply go for a leisurely walk without the dog for a change
- Observe and listen to the sounds of nature
This is your reminder to reignite that light from within and make these small shifts to reclaim the space that was always there from the start. Because once you’ve started making space for yourself, you’ve stopped stressing over what’s not yours, and now you get to decide what comes next—and it’s time to rebuild with intention.
Words of Inspiration & Wisdom
“You often feel tired, not because you’ve done too much, but because you done too little of what sparks a light in you.” Alexander Den Heijer Author of Nothing You Don’t Already Know
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11: 1 NIV