Australian Single Mum Lifestyle Articles

3 Ways a Single Mum Can Boost Her Self Confidence After Having Kids

Shannon Clark | Personal Trainer | 27 February 2015

Young confident woman in red cape and mask

Let’s go over 3 ways that you can

boost your self-esteem quickly…

As a busy mum, chances are you’ve had very little time for yourself over the last few years. Depending on how old your kids are, they may be demanding almost all of your attention, leaving you very little time to take care of yourself, be it hitting the gym, taking that yoga class, or having your regular date with your hair stylist.

The result?

You’re left with lower self-esteem despite the fact that you’re doing one of the most incredible jobs possible – being a mum to your growing kids.

It doesn’t have to be this way however. Being a single mum doesn’t mean you need to take a hit to your self-esteem because you are always putting others ahead of you.

It’s all about being smart with how you think as well as your time management strategies.

Let’s go over three ways that you can boost your self-esteem quickly.

Adjust How You Look At Your Body

Body angst. For many women, this is the number one thing that’s taking a toll on their self-esteem. It’s no secret your body has changed since you’ve given birth and for some women, your body just hasn’t bounced back as you would have liked it to.

Rather than constantly looking at yourself in a critical light however, assessing how the weight you’ve gained, instead, consider what your body is doing for you.

Not only has it given you a child that you love so dearly, but it’s also helped you take care of that child. Be it breastfeeding or simply having the energy to keep up with him or her on a daily basis. Your body is allowing you to do this and that should count for something.

See this when you look at the mirror – not the 15 pounds you’ve can’t seem to shake off from pregnancy.

Exercise In Small Doses

Did you know that even 5-10 minutes of exercise can give you an instant boost to your energy level and your self-esteem? It can – and you can now take advantage of this.

If you have a young one at home, you’ll be hard pressed to find a solid hour to hit the gym on a regular basis, especially going at it alone. With everything else that he needs to get done, there just isn’t time.
Mother And Baby Gymnastics, Yoga Exercises

Don’t sweat it. Instead, focus on doing 5-10 minute mini-bursts throughout the day. Take your child for a walk to get the mail or do a few strength training moves with him or her strapped to your chest or back. If you’re just doing bicep curls, overhead tricep extensions, or shoulder moves for instance, these are all perfectly possible to complete with the baby right there.

Just don’t attempt any bent over moves as that won’t be safe for your young one.

Or, while the baby is sleeping, take 10 minutes and run through a quick circuit training routine. Remember that it really doesn’t take much exercise at all to start seeing positive changes.

You might even want to look into joining a class designed for mums with kids, in which you’ll get together with others as you exercise with your baby by your side. These are also a great way to try new exercises, firm up your body, add that tone you desire, and regain your healthy glow. Plus, you’ll meet other mums that you can connect with. Having other adults in your life to talk to is important for keeping you feeling balanced as you care for your child.

Get Support

Finally, the last thing that any new mum should be doing to boost your self-esteem is getting support. Connect with other mums in your area and the extra moral boost you get will have you feeling that much better about yourself.

You can join online single mother communities such as the Australian single mother forum and Australian single mother Facebook Page community.

Sometimes it’s easy to be overly critical of yourself when you’re all alone. But, when you realize there are other women just like you experiencing the same thing, you may not be quite so hard on yourself.

This in turn can boost your self-esteem up a notch.

So there you have three quick strategies that you can use to improve your own self-esteem and start feeling better after having your baby. It can be a hard time in any woman’s life, but with a few changes, you really can feel at your best as you begin building your family.

This article is written by Shannon Clark, in collaboration with Gym and Fitness Equipment. Shannon Clark has been working in the personal training industry for the last 12 years and has helped many people achieve greater fitness success, both in person, and through her online writing. She holds a degree in Exercise Science from the University of Alberta and practices what she preaches. Leading the healthy lifestyle herself, she loves trying new theories with her own diet and workout to discover what works and what doesn’t when it comes to fat loss and muscle building.