The phrase that makes me a better mom, wife, and friend -

These 3 words have change my outlook on my life. In every way, shape, and form. Because I work from home and am a stay at home mama (2 jobs really), I needed to change my perspective on my day to day. Not only has this phrased helped me be a better mom and employee, it has also helped in my relationships. I wake up every day and say these three words: I GET TO.

I can’t explain enough how much this has changed my attitude throughout the day. While we have our own struggles, this phrase has helped me find the positive and given me gratitude. Here is how I use the phrase every day and how it has helped me become a better all around person.

I get to…work from home

When I rephrase how I approach my work from “I need to get some work done” or “I need to do some writing” to “I get to work from home” or “I get to work down the hall from my son” or “I get to work on my back patio”, it really changes how much I can accomplish and appreciate my work. I no longer see my work as “work” and instead see it as something that I enjoy. While I have always enjoyed teaching at the college level and found joy in it, it still felt like work. Now that I have reframed how I approach it, I find much more joy and satisfaction in my work.

I look forward to every Monday now. I look forward to opening up my laptop each day and writing or grading. I look forward to interacting with my students on a daily basis. I look forward to any evaluations that I have. I know that before I dreaded Mondays and grading. But now, I have a fresh perspective and newfound enjoyment in my work. I get to work from home.

I get to…be a stay at home mama

When I rephrased my life as a stay at home mama from, “There’s laundry I need to do” or “My to-do list is a mile long!” to “I get to do laundry so my son and hubby have fresh clothes” or “I get to do the dishes because my family has full bellies”, it really impacts my daily mindset and my relationship with my son. Don’t get me wrong, being a SAHM is work. There’s a lot to be done to keep a household running. But by reframing how I approach it, I enjoy it much more. There was a time where I dreaded having to stay in the house or had way to much to do and felt overwhelmed. Now, I feel grateful that I have things to do because I have a family that needs those things to be done.

I look forward to my to-do list. I look forward to the mounds of laundry. I look forward to putting away the dishes. All of this means that I have a family that needs clean clothes or has full bellies. It means that I am doing everything that needs to be done to keep the house and my family running. I get to be a stay at home mama.

I get to…be a wife/mother/daughter/sister/friend

When I rephrased how I viewed my role in my relationships with others from “I’m just a housewife” or “I’m just an older sibling” to “I get to be a wife” or “I get to be the oldest daughter”, it changed the way I interact with those people. It has made me more considerate in each of those relationships. I feel grateful to have so many relationships now because I have changed the way I view them. Instead of seeing the bad in the relationships or the hardships, I see the opportunities and the best parts of each of us.

This rephrasing has also made me reflect on moments in those relationships where I focus on making the other person happy and not myself and how to make the changes necessary to continue those particular relationships. Relationships are work. They are a two way street. And there is one of my current relationships that feels like it is deteriorating. While still using my “I get to…” mantra, I have decided that instead of saying “I get to be a [relationship label here]”, I am going to say, “I get this opportunity to rebuild/fix this relationship.” Even though I know that what it takes to fix or rebuild this relationship will hurt and require time to heal, I am learning that this rebuilding is what I need to be happy and to continue to be a good wife, mother, and overall person.

The power of “I get to”

I encourage everyone to approach anything they are doing or facing with and “I get to” mindset. It really has made a difference in my life. I have seen practical changes as well as emotional and mental changes. With this mindset, I am a better person which allows me to be the best wife and mother I can be. And that is what matters most, my family.