Challenge: Father's Day for us single mums!

Bonjour everyone,

Do you find life challenging? Well I have been having many challenges in my life recently and I am learning that I have to build more resilience to be able to make it everyday.

There is no doubt that, even waking up everyday, can be a challenge and we must make sure that each day we are ready to push through and live our life to the full.

It was Father's Day in London last week and someone posted a message on Instagram about single mums who are also doing the job of a father.   That is a big challenge, because we often have to wear mummy and daddy hats!

I am so proud of you single mums who work hard everyday and look after and bring up your children well. However as I know and believe that God is a Father to the fatherless, making Him known to our children is also a way to share that heavy burden of everyday life.

If our children, who might not have their father in their life, could relate to God as their Father, I believe it could have a great impact on their future life too.

I am very lucky that my children have access to their dad regularly, but that might not be the case for everyone unfortunately.

So, single mums, when we do not have a partner with us, who can be a dad to our children, let us remember that God is and can be that partner.

For those of whom the children's father is not around or not getting involved with the kids, I ask you to pray for that person, for God to open their heart and let them see the responsibility they have towards their children. I believe that God can make that happen.

Have a great week! And keep pushing through!!!

Au Revoir!

Reflection: Live Your Life!

Bonjour everyone,  

I hope you are all well out there, especially my hard working single mums who are trying to make the best out of life for everyone around them, including their children, well done!

So today is going to be a smaller post than usual because I wanted to share some news and photos with you all!

I went back to work on Monday and so far so good.  Things are getting better. Apart from that, well, this week was also my 40th Birthday! I know right the big 4 and 0! Well to me, it did not matter because apparently life begins at 40, so, I can say that I have started living since that day!

When we are a single mum, it is not always possible to afford a big party, so this time I decided to do different things throughout 2016.  That means that I am not rushing and I do not feel bad about it!

As I have been approaching that age, I have noticed that not only am I thinking and reflecting a lot but that I also worry less and want to live my life to the full! I suppose that can also be seen as living a successful life, just to live your life every day to the full!!

Enjoy and see you all soon!
Au Revoir!

Reflection: Stress, Burnout and Mental Health Part 2

Bonjour everyone,

I hope you are all doing well!

Now, in my last blog, I explained how I ended up burnt out after a long period of stress.  I promised to share some of the things that you could do if you found yourself in a similar situation or if you find yourself getting really stressed out!

When you are a single mum, it can be a big problem if you are not well, especially if the children are little and you do not have enough support around you!  If you have to go to work to provide for them, then staying as healthy as possible with limited stress is so important.

The problem is you get overwhelmed and yes people were telling me to stop saying that to myself, but I not only knew it, I also felt it, right there in the middle of my chest.   The more I tried to fight it, the more overwhelmed I became.

So as my little work leaflet advised me to exercise regularly , I enrolled back at the gym, actually I sacrificed other things to do that as it was a must because of how I felt at the time!  I first went back to swimming ( I love swimming it relaxes me!!) and spent some quality time in the jacuzzi.  I will be hitting the treadmill  in the next couple of weeks too so I can get the most out of exercise!

As a single mum, I know what it is to struggle financially and some of you might not be able to afford to go to the gym.  In that case, there are many things you can do at home,  using weights, you can also go for walks with a friend, cycle, run,etc.  YouTube has some great videos for home exercises.

So, my next step is to get into the habit of eating healthier.  I have a teenager daughter who cooks very well.  However, being from Belgium means I love my chocolate and I have a very sweet tooth, so here goes the next challenge!

Here you go single mums. Try some kind of exercise, at least 30 minutes a day each day, even if you are off work due to stress, by doing this you get into a habit and get stress free.  By the time you go back to work, you will have a great exercise routine to follow!

God Bless.

Au Revoir

Reflection: Stress, Burnout and Mental Health Part 1

Bonjour everyone,

How are you all doing? Hope you are well.  Today, I would like to talk to you about being burnt out. I feel I can talk about it because I have been off work for three weeks now because I literally took on more than I could handle.  Stress led to the inevitable burnout!

So, here I am at home, looking at my workplace leaflet and information on helping fight stress and I would like to share that information with you guys out there in the hope that it might help.

Burning out when you are a single mum is just a no no!  There is only you who can look after those little kids, I am lucky that my last one is almost ten, but some of you may have really little ones.

I also believe that stress and burnout can lead to depression if you are not careful, then things can become much more complicated!

Of course there are some signs and symptoms of stress, which, if they become persistent, can lead to burnout; these could be physical signs (headaches, muscle tension, etc), emotions (irritability, anxiety, overall tension, etc) and added effects on your everyday life and function.

So, as I looked at my little leaflet, I decided that while off work, I would force myself to take practical steps to control the current stress.

It is important to note that as a single mum, there are many burdens we carry on our shoulders.  Most things fall on to us, without the partner to work as a Team.  If you add in a very demanding job, this can definitely lead to stress.

For the next couple of weeks, I will share with you my experience in dealing with this issue and ways to go about it.

If you feel stressed right now, it is important not to ignore the signs. I know that as single mums, we tend to hide how we feel and how we are from the people around us.  We want to put on a brave face and a strong attitude; well, doing this has led to my burnout! So just watch beware! Admitting that you are struggling is not a weakness, we are all humans after all!

Au Revoir!