Balance and Strength

Finding balance and staying strong is achievable. This website has provided you with many resources, strategies and information to manage your own situation and find balance.

Here is a brief overview of each module and important points that will help you find balance and stay strong. The great thing about a website which we could not do in workshops, is to enable you to revisit and re-read information and do worksheets when you want too. In that way, we have tired to tailor this website to you and your own journey.

Identifying effective ways to communicate; organize and manage essential tasks; building resiliency; understanding others; advocating; and finding ways to strengthen supportive connections and life supports. 

1. The Journey of Mothers

• It is important to take perspective and reflect on your life and events.
• Reflection can bring self-compassion and help understand why you feel impacted or how events may impact you.
• The journey of mothers is validating for many mothers.
• Taking care of your own health when you are taking care of others is difficult and the journey shows this.

2. Health and Research Findings

• Research findings from the past about mother’s health aren’t so great.
• Poor health is preventable.
• Anyone can make healthy lifestyle changes if they know why it is important and how to do it.
• Small changes begin with steps towards healthy eating, physical activity and emotional wellbeing
• Seek professional help if you need it.

3. What Mothers Say About Stress

• The evidence is strong that mothers experience much higher stress that others.
• Some of the issues that cause stress can be reduced but only if we identify and then act to minimise the effect on us.
• It’s worth spending time and understanding your emotional wellbeing as this will make you entirely capable of helping yourself.

4. Healthy Mind Healthy Mother

• Balance is needed to feel in control of your thoughts and emotions and also daily roles and responsibilities.
• Numerous effective strategies are available—find what works for you by trying some.
• Regular health promoting and social activities need to be a part of week.

5. Active Healthy Mother

• Women need to be physically active regularly and keeping national guidelines in mind
• If you have a health issues that prevents your engagement in physical activity, seek professional help.
• It’s never to late to start including exercise in your week.

6. Healthy Eating

• Healthy food is important for you and your family.
• There are useful strategies to increase the nutritional value of the food that you eat and organise the family diet.

7. Bringing Support Around You and Your Family

• Recognising that your family needs support to meet the needs of everyone is the first step towards organising that support.
• Bringing support into your family life can open up time for you to care for yourself.
• Implementing supports is a sign of strength and recognition that help is okay to ask for.

8. Managing Healthy Home Routines and Having Fun in the Community

• All families set their own routines based on values, beliefs, responsibilities and culture.
• Routines and habits can support for self-care and health.
• All families belong in the community and with support and preparation your family can enjoy activities in your local community.

9. Time for Me Planning

• Identifying the assets and challenges of your own situation will help you work out how to strengthen assets and contain challenges so that you can take care of your health and wellbeing.
• Setting goals in different time frames helps to focus us on our wishes and on what we need to do for ourselves.

10. Finding Balance and Staying Strong

• Together, mothers can find strength and community to learn form and support each other.
• This site offers some information and tools to help you.
• You are amazing and you can bring about positive change in your life.
• You won’t be strong all of the time, no-one is, but you will feel good and find the right balance for better health and wellbeing.