Becoming the Happiest Mom: Go With the Flow, Your Perfect Day Awaits

Have you ever stumbled upon a perfect day? This can only happen when we go with the flow in our lives. This morning, I was hoping to wake up to coffee and donuts from my favorite Vegan restaurant. As it turns out, I had no such surprise i store so I decided to take my 3 year old, otherwise known as my "moon child" on our first mother-son date to get donuts. Did I mention that the vegan bakery is about 38 miles away from my house? Didn't let that stop me. The donuts were delicious and my son was perfectly behaved; he was just thrilled to have alone time with his mommy. It is not easy being the middle child.

A friend texted an invitation to the beach and I carefully weighed my options. Let's see, go to the beach or clean the bathroom?  An hour later, I was sitting in the sand watching the kids make sand castles, and joyfully splashing around in the water. Later, we continued the party at my friend's house, where the kids had pizza and played game, while mommy had some always welcomed adult conversation.
 

On my way back from the beach, I even found time to read Chapter 6 of the Happiest Mom, entitled, "Go with the Flow." Go with the Flow means to set your life up to allow for last-minute changes and crises and to find the right amount of flexibility so that every day is a little bit smoother, saner, and happier. Today's word of wisdom from the Happiest Mom -

• If there is any doubt about whether you will be able to follow through on a promise, don't make it.
• Kids need free time to play, think and chill. Boredom teaches them to be creative.
• Not everyone is a "go with the flow" kind of person. If you are not, then set up your life to accommodate life's little surprises.

Have you ever found that you are so heavily scheduled that when you unexpectedly have a free hour, you are in such shock that you waste it trying to figure out what to do? Plan no more than your top 2 "must do's" for the day. I started down this path after finding myself overbooked and overwhelmed on a Saturday (work, 2 soccer games, lunch, piano lesson, play date and meeting with a friend).  A good plan can be helpful but leave room in your mind, heart and schedule for the unexpected. When the unexpected happens, go with the flow; you may actually find that your perfect day awaits.