For the first 8 months of my son’s life, he cried. He didn’t sleep and wasn’t easily comforted at all. What I didn’t realize until later was that he was having trouble digesting casein, a dairy protein. I was nursing him, and I ate a lot of dairy back then.
I was so overwhelmed, exhausted, and dealing with postpartum depression. This was not how I expected to feel as a new mom (except the exhausted part). So many people would see us together and tell me to enjoy every minute of motherhood because it goes by so quickly.
As an overwhelmed new mom, I felt such guilt and pressure to not let time pass by without enjoying it all, and it only overwhelmed me more. Moments were passing me by, and I couldn’t seem to do anything about it.
When I had my daughter 3 years later, I decided ahead of time that if I could just look for at least one moment in each day that brought me joy, I would hold onto it.
Just one moment.
Suddenly, the pressure to enjoy every minute left, and I started embracing the joyful moments I found. I captured them in my mind so I could remember them. Guess what? It worked.
I have been in similar places regarding my health over the years. I have been through dozens of health protocols, which can be brutal at first. They have always left me feeling as if I was just watching life go by, which feels incredibly unproductive.
Two years ago, when I was beginning another protocol, I remembered what I learned with my kids, and I started purposefully choosing to embrace joyful moments each day. When I had the energy to go outside, I would purposefully notice the nature around me. This is actually what started my love of nature photography.
When my body was working very hard to heal, I decided to just look for at least one moment that brought me happiness or joy each day. One moment, and I held onto that. This took the pressure off of feeling like I was unproductively watching life pass me by.
I wanted to share this in case you are in a similar place today, no matter what the reason. God will sustain you through times like this if you look to Him. Ask Him to help you see what He sees right now.
Productivity will look much different in this season than it will in another. If we can stop and grab a hold of moments of gratitude and joy in the seasons where we feel sidelined, we will be able to embrace what Jesus has for us there.
Look for one moment and hold onto it. It can be something incredibly small. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember to do this each day. Ask Him to show you something you wouldn’t have noticed before.
Write it in a journal. Take a picture. Hold it in your heart in whatever way works for you. It’s amazing what a difference it can make.
If you do this, I would love to hear how it worked out for you!
