Another Mother's Day has rolled around.  Isn't it amazing how quickly one year passes?  As a way of honoring all mothers this year, I wanted to share with you some ways you can celebrate this day of recognition and appreciation.

We so often get up in the regular daily routine of mothering, we forget that this is a day of not just others appreciating us but also a time of self- appreciating.  Below are some ways I hope will help you celebrate the wonderful woman you are.  

Set an intention.
In our regular daily routine, we usually jump out of bed with our head spinning and a million things to do, never really giving much thought to how we want our day to go.
This Mother's Day, as soon as you wake up and before you get out of bed, set an intention as to how you want your day to go.  Not only think about how you want it to go, but visualize yourself already experiencing it.  Our minds are very powerful and we have more control over our day than we know. Setting an intention sets the law of attraction into motion.  Remember, what you focus on expands so if you are imaging a wonderful, joy-filled, fun day that is just what you might get!  Don't just use this for Mother's Day.  Try setting an intention every morning as to how you want your day to go.  You will be pleasantly surprised and begin to notice that your day begins to flow not just go.

Create a tradition
Is there something you and your family usually do to celebrate Mother's Day?  If not, start a tradition. What would be important and enjoyable for you? Maybe it's breakfast in bed, going to the Nature Park, visiting a loved one, going out to supper, ordering in, having a picnic.  There are many ways to begin a celebratory tradition.  Children love traditions and look forward to them because they know what's to be expected. Ask your family what they think might be a good way to celebrate Mother's Day. Who knows, maybe they'll send you to the spa for the day!  Now that's my kind of tradition!

Do what you enjoy.
Even though Mother's Day was created to be a special day, it can easily become a day like every other.  A day filled with things to do and usually shoulds not wants.  It is often our own fault that it becomes a regular day in our lives because we don't treat it any differently.  Make it a day of nurture and enjoyment.  Do nothing on Mother's Day that can be done the next day.  Create  a no housework, no office work, day.  Instead make it a day of doing what you enjoy.  If it's reading, make time to read.  If it's going for a great walk, go for a walk, if it's having a glass of wine on the deck, have a glass of wine, if it's going to a movie with your family, go to a movie.  Make it a special day. That is what it was intended to be.

Count your blessings
As a mother, there are so many responsibilities and demands that we can often be in a state of stress, forgetting the many wonderful blessings of motherhood.  This Mother's Day, make a commitment to recognizing all the amazing things that being a mother brings.  Be in a complete state of acceptance and gratitude (yes, even if your kids are killing each other in the back seat!)  During our regular daily routines, we become very wrapped up in all the things we have to do for our family, we forget the joy they also bring to us.  So, in celebration of Mother's Day, focus on having an attitude of gratitude.

Be Present
Make sure you enjoy everything this day has to offer. Our mind is usually everywhere else but on what we are doing.  Make a decision to be totally present for this special day.  Use all your senses, look at everything with curiosity and wonder and take nothing for granted. Each day offers us miracles, some big, some small.  Our problem is we don't recognize them because we are always thinking about something else.  Make it a NO MULTI-TASKING day.  Multi-tasking splits our energy and our focus.  Concentrate only on the task at hand.  Experiment with being totally present and see how much less stress you experience.  It takes practice to stay focused but as soon as your mind wanders bring it right back to what you are doing.  Continue to practice this and you will become more aware and present in your everyday life as well.

I would also like to take this time to acknowledge each and every one of you who mother in one capacity or another.  It may be with your own children, with an aging parent, with a friend's child, or a classroom of students.  We don't need to have given birth to be a mother.  We only need to have extended patience, love, acceptance and a comforting word.  

Happy Mother's Day to all.