I had to make a decision.

My daughter was running in a track meet on one side of the state, and I had to be at the airport almost 2 hours away from there to jump a plane for a business event. I tried to find the very latest flight out of New Orleans to Dallas because I was going to try to make it to her races, but she runs the last event and it wasn’t going to happen.

Enter major mom-guilt.

You know what it is if you’re a mom. It’s that little voice saying to think about your priorities; think about what’s important.

I realize that this stems a lot from being a single mom to my oldest two girls for so long and most of the time, I’m the only one at their events and functions. I knew no one else would be there to cheer her on. That’s upsetting to me,but she was okay with it.

I also shared my concerns with my husband and my inner circle of mom friends, because where would I be without them? Of course, they support me and gave me the best advice. “It’s okay to take time for yourself. Sure, it’s not a spa day, but it’s just for you. You deserve it.”

Here are some important things to remember:

1. Your kids love you no matter what.
2. They need to see you do things for yourself sometimes.
3. They want you to be happy.
4. You deserve a break once in a while.
5. It’s okay to have a life outside of your kids.

Sometimes, moms get sucked into getting lost in mom-life and we lose our identity. I often tell my friends, “remember when I was awesome?”, or tell my husband, “remember when I was brilliant?” Of course, they say that I still am. And they’re right! Moms often lose sight of this.

Get a hobby, go on a date, get a massage, pencil in a break for you outside of the home. Remember who you are and how amazing you (still) are! You may have changed some, but you’ve changed for the better. Now, you get to be the best role model, superwoman, amazing person that your family looks up to. Go show them how it’s done, and they will grow up to be awesome people. Just like YOU.