It’s hard out here for a Mom.

You are expected to raise your child(ren), keep up your home, have a career, have friends, look a certain way, act a certain way……..should I keep going?

You are supposed to find time for it all. The extracurricular activities, sports, birthday parties, PTO.

Many of us want to do all of these things, too. We want to do all the things and be all the places. We strategically plan our weekends around plans & chores. We use our vacation days at work to take our kids to the doctor. We get a babysitter for the little one so we can volunteer at the older ones school parties.

When we finally sit down, we immerse ourselves in technology. Scrolling Facebook & Instagram comparing ourselves to other Moms. Pinning ideas to make our kids next birthday original. We look for DIY ideas to make our children’s lives fun. Projects to make our homes better. We add to the mountain of things in front of us.

If you weren’t already overwhelmed, you are most likely on your way there. It is daunting to try to maintain a balance.

You try to figure out how to be two places at once. How to throw an epic birthday party but not recycle Karen’s ideas from last year. How to feed your family a delicious, yet healthy home cooked meal after working all day. How to have a date night, meet your friend for drinks, and not miss bed time stories for your kids.

I have faith in all of us that we can do it all. I also want you to know we don’t have too.

Everyone will make it out alive if you show up in a messy bun to the class party. No one will remember that you served store bought cupcakes for the birthday party instead of making them yourself. If you have to phone in dinner more nights a week than not – everyone will be okay.

Instead of spending precious time figuring out how to do it all, realize you don’t have to. Rather than comparing yourself to other Moms on the internet, unplug and be the Mom your kids love – just your authentic self.

Comparison is the thief of joy. Rushing to the next moment puts a cloud over the present. Even if you manage to do it all, you will still feel like you are missing something.

Your list of tasks will never stop growing; but neither will you kids. So next time you find yourself asking “How am I going to do all this?” remember you don’t have to. Don’t sacrifice yourself or your family to cross something off a list.