From Overwhelm to Empowerment: How to be your own parent coach
Parenthood is its own transition but there are so many others within that it can feel overwhelming.
Maybe you’re facing empty nest syndrome, struggling with managing family and career, or just feeling lost in your parental role?
Whilst I’m a huge advocate for getting support, I also recognise the importance of finding ways to navigate these challenges yourself… and empower yourself along the way!
Parent Coaching Principle 1: Celebrate the Small Wins (My favourite!)
Parenting is a journey filled with both big milestones and small victories. Often, we tend to overlook the small wins and focus solely on the challenges. Our brain is wired to be like Velcro for the negative and Teflon for the positive!
However, celebrating small accomplishments can have a powerful impact on your overall well-being and self-confidence. Encouragement is a keystone in understanding that you can handle what comes!
Take a moment each day to acknowledge and appreciate the progress you’ve made, no matter how small it may seem.
Measure the progress, not the gap!
By encouraging yourself and recognising your efforts, you’ll cultivate a positive mindset that fuels your journey towards empowerment.
Parent Coaching Principle 2: Observe and Reframe Your Self-Talk
We all have an inner voice that can either lift us up or hold us back. Pay attention to your self-talk, especially when you find yourself using SMOG words ( “should,” “must,” “ought,” “got.”).
These words often come from our own (often perfectionist) perception of external expectations and judgements. When you catch yourself in this negative self-talk, ask yourself
“Who it is really that’s judging me?”
“Does it really matter?”
“Is this really true?”
Reframe your thoughts with compassionate and empowering statements.
Turn the negative to the positive.
Switch off the negative inner-voice and talk kindly to yourself, like you would to your child, reminding yourself that perfection is a fallacy – you can only ever do the best you can at the time, even if it’s not your best now!
Parent Coaching Principle 3: Prioritise Self-Care
As a parent, it’s easy to prioritise the needs of your children and neglect your own well-being.
However, looking after your own needs is essential for maintaining your physical, emotional, and mental fitness- frequent flyers will understand the well-known phrase ‘you can’t put on someone else’s oxygen mask until you’ve put on your own.’
Make time for activities that recharge and rejuvenate you.
Engage in hobbies, get some alone time (my number 1!), exercise regularly, practise mindfulness or meditation, and ensure you get enough restful sleep. By taking care of yourself, you’ll have the energy and resilience needed to effectively care for others and manage stress.
Parent Coaching Principle 4: Managing Stress
Parenting comes with its fair share of stressors, but it’s important to find healthy ways to manage and cope with stress.
Identify what triggers your stress levels and explore different stress management techniques that work for you. This could include deep breathing exercises, journaling, seeking connection by chatting to friends or family, or engaging in activities that help you relax and unwind.
Understand your stress enablers and reducers.
By developing effective stress management strategies, you’ll be better equipped to handle challenges and make informed decisions.
Becoming your own parent coach can be a effective way to navigate the complexities of life transitions and empower yourself in the process. So, celebrate the small wins, reframe that self-talk, prioritise YOU, manage stress and you can transform overwhelm into empowerment. Remember, you are capable, resilient, and deserving of self-compassion.
But you don’t have to do this alone. If you want any support to talk this through then don’t hesitate to contact me for a FREE chat, book a discovery call
hannah@thepeoplepracticegroup.co.uk
Hannah Porteous-Butler is a parent and maternity coach supporting her clients with life transitions brought about by parenthood. She specialises in career and relationship change and returning to work after a career break/parental leave. A trained neuroscience coach, Hannah takes a holistic approach to her work, delivering long lasting results with the ultimate outcome of helping clients create healthy family dynamics. Please get in touch via Hannah’s profile page
December 1, 2023
