Parenting|

How to Find Your Inner Zen When You Also Have Kids

by Team Scary Mommy
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

When you have kids, it can be a challenge to find your inner calm and still somehow keep the household functioning. Even the chillest among us has had at least one “screaming into a pillow” moment, right? Hey, it’s better than screaming at your kids even though half the time it seems like your kids don’t listen until you yell at them anyway. The truth is, we’re just doing the best we can here to cling to the remaining shreds of that “free spirit” everyone used to comment on back in our pre-kid days.

So how can we get better at protecting our peace? How, even in the midst of “I had it first!”, “No! It’s MINE!” and “Tell her to stop loooooking at me!” can we re-harness our power to chill? Like anything else, the first step is to set yourself up for success — even if that means just faking it til you make it. Here’s how it’s done.

Put Yourself In A Time Out

The power of the pause is real. Taking a moment to regroup is a true zen power move. So start by swapping your screaming pillow for a calm space of your own design where you can become your best self. Or build your screaming pillow into the decor. Either way.

Even if you’re the type who can make magic in the kitchen with random ingredients and no recipe, you probably appreciate a little direction when it comes to choosing paint colors. The Sherwin-Williams® ColorSnap® Color ID Quiz has you covered. It’s a fun quiz to help you discover the perfect combination of colors to best suit your personality. You just answer a few questions and Sherwin-Williams provides a perfectly curated palette that fits your unique style. If you’re aspiring to create a grown-up “time out” space for reconnecting with your inner zen mama, the Free Spirit palette is for you. It’s a 16-shade palette of coordinating colors to help you develop your “No, it’s cool” attitude. Honestly, walls painted with Gorgeous White SW 6049 help everyone take it down a few notches.

Focus On the Big Picture

Every mom knows how easy it is to get caught up in day-to-day frustrations. Stepping back and looking at the big picture goes a long way when you’re feeling overwhelmed. If a giant meteor was headed for Earth tomorrow, would you be upset at your kid for tracking mud through the kitchen? Probably not. Take a deep, cleansing breath and hand your kid a mop.

Speaking of the big picture, when planning your grown-up “time out” space, it can be helpful to see how colors will work together before committing to actual paint. Use the Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap® Visualizer App to preview any Sherwin-Williams paint color on a wall without having to break out any paint supplies. You can even see what colors look like in both day and night lighting. (Pro tip: simply using the app to daydream is its own little oasis of creative calm.)

Reminders Everywhere

Post-It notes on the bathroom mirror. Pop-up notifications that say things like “You’ve got this!” Inspirational Instagram accounts. All of these can give you that gentle reminder you need to keep calm and carry on. Yeah, yeah – we know no one says that phrase anymore, but you get the picture. Just create little memos for yourself to help you remember the mom you want to be.

Be Right Or Be Happy

If we’re honest, lots of blow ups with kids (and partners) are the result of a desire to be right. But if you choose to be happy over winning every little battle, your life will be way more peaceful and you’ll become a more relaxed parent. At a certain point, you’ve got to decide which is more important to you.

With a few simple tweaks, you can become that mom who doesn’t yell about the laundry. Before you know it, you’ll be the deep-breathing, om-chanting mom you’ve always imagined yourself to be. Head over to take the Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap® Color ID Quiz and start planning your very own personal relaxation station. And be sure to post your finished space online with tag #SWColorLove!

From trying to buying to loving, at Sherwin-Williams, you’ll always get your color, your way.

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