10 Tips for a Happy Mother's Day

As Mother’s Day approaches, it’s bound to stir up all kinds of emotions from joy to sorrow. Mother-daughter relationships can be complementary or complicated, vibrant or non-existent, friendly or oppressive. And, what a tangled web you can weave when you add step-mothers, mother-in-laws, deceased mothers, biological mothers, or adopted mothers to the mix! So, instead of wishing the day after Mother’s Day couldn’t come fast enough, why not embrace it and have fun. Here are ten things you can do to have a happy Mother’s Day.

1. Be Vocal
If you’re a mother, don’t wait for family members to figure out what to do or give you for Mother’s Day. Being a mother is the hardest job in the world. You deserve to name your own bonus! Your loved ones might even be relieved to have the burden of what to do taken off their shoulders. Be honest with your requests, whether it’s a reservation for brunch or a day to yourself. Whatever it is, get what you truly want by asking for it.

2. Remember the Divine Feminine
Mother’s Day isn’t just about being a mother, it’s also about being a woman—a goddess. As a woman, you have a natural ability for compassion, intuition and communication. At one time, women were revered for these innate charms. Read The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone or The Goddess of Happiness by me to remind yourself of the incredible and powerful goddess you really are and always have been.

3. Cut Your Mother Some Slack
Chances are you and your mother have “issues”. Maybe she’s a bit judgmental, overbearing, or overprotective. Maybe she doesn’t understand you. Instead of reacting in the usual manner when she pushes all your buttons on Mother’s day, why not give her a break this time. Turn the other cheek when she throws a stinging comment, laugh off any criticism, and be a “yes” girl for the day. She may even back down once she sees your feathers aren’t ruffled!

4. Recognize All Motherhood
You don’t have to have human children to be a mother. If raising, teaching, feeding, sheltering and loving is what a mother does, then I am certainly the mother of my dogs! Celebrate with your own four-legged children—take an extra long walk together and afterwards solicit as many loving wet kisses as you can get! You can send Mother’s Day cards to your friends and family with pets and you’ll be sure to make their day special too!

5. Give Yourself a Break
Whether or not you’re a mother, do something special for yourself on Mother’s Day. Take a break from your normal routine—indulge. Don’t worry about cleaning or making dinner. Skip your work-out. Eat a delicious dessert. Don’t check work messages. Do whatever makes you happy. If you are a mother and you’ve followed the advice in number one (being vocal), you can enlist the help of your loved ones to insure you take a break.

6. Celebrate Mother Earth
The earth is a living being—constantly changing and renewing. Mother Earth can offer you renewal as well. Take a hike on a mountain trail, have a picnic in the park, or walk along a lake or the ocean. Smell the sweetness in the air, listen to the birds singing, feel the cool water on your toes. Celebrate earth by giving back—help preserve and replenish her resources for generations to come. Perhaps you’ll decide to join an environmental group.

7. Gather with Girlfriends
Girlfriends form a unique bond that is different from family. They share their secrets and their dreams. They support and love each other through thick and thin. Have a girl’s day or night out, particularly if your family is not close or around for Mother’s Day. Plan a day at the spa or a movie marathon. See a play followed by a sumptuous dinner out. No pretences necessary and no family issues to deal with. Just pure fun with your goddess friends!

8. Make Love
If you have a special partner in your life, celebrate the day by doing something that brings you together physically, emotionally and spiritually—making love. In ancient times, it was believed the closest spiritual connection a man could have with God was during orgasm with a woman. So, be a goddess of love and create a romantic setting for a leisurely afternoon of love-making with your partner.

9. Watch a Mother-Daughter Movie
Movies provide a wonderful opportunity for us to make sense of our own lives and
relationships, particularly those complicated mother-daughter ones. They teach us how to accept imperfection, how to forgive ourselves and others, and how to laugh at our insecurities. Have a good laugh and cry with movies like, Terms of Endearment, The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, or Mermaid.

10. Be Grateful
Whether or not you know your mother, like your mother, care about her or not, you must acknowledge one thing—she gave you life. And for that, you must be thankful. Even if your life hasn’t turned out the way you wanted, you came here for a reason and your mother made that possible, whether through birth or adoption. By giving thanks, you suspend all bad feelings, even if just for a moment, thereby making your own life lighter, brighter, and happier!
Happy Mother’s Day!