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I was standing in the middle of Main Street in Disney’s Magic Kingdom and I realized that my cell phone was almost dead. I had used it all day long to check the wait times for rides, check the weather about the pending storm, order our lunch food and text with my family about our long list of plans for the rest of the day at Disney. 

I had taken countless pictures and used my cell phone all day long. Now, I stood there concerned about what would happen if my cell phone battery died. It was blinking red and the phone was glitching, the apps would not open without an error message and I realized, without a full battery, I was going to miss the next photo moment or a text with updates from my brother or not have a poncho for the storm that was definitely coming! I would not be able to function properly, I needed to recharge my phone!

We are like those cell phones, we glitch and all functions do not work properly when we have a low battery. But how low has my battery gotten?

I have come up with 5 levels of “Mom battery”, ranging from Very Poor, Poor, Fair, Good, to Excellent. Let’s run through each level and see where you think you are at right now?

5 levels of Mom Battery

The lowest level of Mom Battery is at Very Poor. She is dragging, exhausted, with poor concentration, low motivation and mood swings. She is irritable and annoyed most of the time. She wants to check out and describes herself as burned out. She feels disconnected and it is difficult to feel joy. She is drained and dreads looking at her to-list. She is hardly taking care of herself, let alone the house or making quality meals. If she sits down to pray, it feels empty and she does not hear a response from God. She is at a battery level of 1 and everything is glitching!

Right in the middle of the battery scale is a Fair Mom Battery level. She knows what she wants to get done today, but drags to complete it all. She has a poor attitude about most of her tasks and people are generally all feeling needy. She laughs sometimes and tries to get creative. She has a list of wellness tools to do, but hasn’t committed to anything yet. She wants to spend quality time with her husband and kids, but finds herself buried in tasks and then guilt. She has a fantasy to get outdoors and enjoy nature more often, but puts it off. She has joined a women’s group at her church, but has never attended. She wants more God time. She is at a battery level of 3 and feels stuck.

The ideal Mom Battery level is at Excellent. She is getting so much done and has time for herself too. She has quality time with the kids and is in good balance. She is a great listener to her husband and feels a strong connection. She is praying regularly, attends worship, and is looking forward to a volunteer project. She feels joy and spreads a message of hope. She is taking good care of her body and mind. Her strength and health show it. She is at a battery level of 5 and has found her tranquility. 

These 5 levels show us how strong a broke down mom can feel. Once she is able to identify where she is currently at, she is able to set up the goals and wishes for where she would like to be. 

Just like when my cell phone is dying, I needed the exact power cord that would recharge it. Moms need the right factors to refuel, as well. Moms need the GLOW model to fully recharge!

The GLOW model is what will power up moms, in body, mind and soul. She needs God-centered living, Love connections, Outdoor nature and Wellness choices. I developed this model from my own wish to go from mommy burnout to finding my place of no distress, my tranquility. 

Living a God-centered life is about focusing yourself on who and where your thoughts come from. When moms rely on social media or even some good intentioned friends for their motherly wisdom, she often falls flat and ends up with more guilt than pleasure in motherhood. So many of us believe we need to have all of the answers and all of the strength. Yet, we are exhausted and depleted. We feel a pressure that may implode on anyone or anything at any moment. 

When we turn our hearts to God and ask for His wisdom and guidance, we will have a deeper sense of calm and assurance. When we pray and listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we are recharging our hearts and our faith. If God is at the very center of your decisions and your actions, you cannot go wrong. Instead of a me-centered life, let's choose a God-centered life. 

When you have God at the center, it is going to be so much easier to have deeper love connections with those around you. Most of us wish for better communication in our marriage and to truly understand each child. By connecting and listening to our spouse and kids, we are enriching a special relationship we have the privilege of being in with them. We want to feel love and joy more often, instead of tension and frustration. By making quality time together and learning which love language they need most, you are recharging yourself from the amazing results.

It may be in your alone time or on a family walk that you get to enjoy some outdoor nature. Even by sitting outdoors and observing the sounds, sights, smells and beauty around you, you are recharging your battery. You are breathing in quality air and taking note of the slowness of nature, as each seed takes root, sprouts up, develops one leaf, then another and slowly a tiny hint of color appears as the bud prepares to burst from the leaf. God’s masterpiece certainly puts us at awe and humbles us in our “rush around” mentality. The serenity of nature will calm your mind and give your soul a refresh.

I have shared that I believe our family vacations are a wonderful way of incorporating each of these GLOW areas to enhance our lives. You have the time off to rest and recharge. You have time to pray, read scripture and reflect on God’s goodness in your life. You have the quality time each of the family relationships have been craving. You get to appreciate all nature has to offer in the ocean or mountains or scenery from your cottage. You can also add in some wellness to enhance your well-being. I am calling this DIY Wellness Travel. You can do it yourself! You can apply the serenity and healing tools from wellness travel into your family vacation. You can kick-start a healthy lifestyle on vacation and take that back home to improve everyone’s well-being.

The list of wellness choices feels endless, so it is important to select the ones that best fit you and you know you need most. I became a Certified Health Coach at the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute and I have always appreciated the simplicity of Dr. Sears’ LEAN model of wellness. The categories of Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude and Nutrition encompass the main areas to make life-changing choices. When you select a wellness lifestyle, you are turning from your old ways and making daily choices that make you stronger and healthier. Exercise was the area I dreaded most on my health journey. Yet, by incorporating some small movements, walks, yoga videos, I can get rid of my daily anxiety and tension, while strengthening my body and clearing my mind. 

Moms, you have been called to care for and care about your family. With a wellness plan, you can Power Up today and be filled with strength and joy!

Upcoming book in 2022 by Kathryn Gardner ~ Find Tranquility on Your Family Trip: Rest, Recharge and Connect on Your Family Trip. Plus 100 Christian Family Travel Activities

So glad you are on this journey with me to go from stressed to refreshed! Find your tranquility today! 

Be well and God bless,

Coach Kathy

Kathryn Gardner, mom of 2, police wife, and Therapist specializing in the wellness of moms & Certified Health Coach moved with her family to Tampa, FL to be near the ocean and explore the health benefits of nature. Her passion is helping stressed moms find tranquility! Check out TranquilityMoms.com for the latest blog post and YouTube video. She posts encouraging messages on Instagram and Facebook.

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