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Helpful Tips on How to Become a Go-Getter Again

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Image via Pexel

This is a guest post written by Charley Sunday at https://astrongfoundation.net/:

Life can certainly be a rollercoaster at times, with highs and lows that are hard to predict. And while it’s easy to feel on top of the world when things are going your way, it can be quite another story when things aren’t. So, if you haven’t been feeling like the most authentic version of yourself, here are some helpful tips on how to become a go-getter again, presented below by Just Buy Her a Dress and She’ll Be Fine.

Change your way of thinking

Sometimes all you need to feel better about yourself is to think and talk yourself into feeling better. For example, you’d be surprised at how well a few positive affirmations can work in instantly transforming your mood and your frame of mind for the better.

Take note of your appearance

Often it is our appearance that is one of the easiest things to let slide when we aren’t feeling at our greatest. However, it is vital to still take pride in your appearance, from the way you dress to the way you present yourself to the outside world. So take that shopping trip to buy some new outfits you’ll feel fabulous in. Or get your nails and hair done if your personal grooming habits need a bit of an update. Then concentrate on how you present yourself to people if you have been shying away from interacting with others as a result of a lack of confidence. For example, you could enlist the help of a life coach to start redirecting your life in a more positive direction and go from there.

Turn your home around

Perhaps your home is in a dismal state, and you just need to get rid of some negative energy and start injecting some positive energy into a space that desperately needs it. Furthermore, just a few simple changes like letting in more fresh air and natural sunlight could do the world of good for your mood as well as your family’s mood if they have been overly critical as of late.

Take a step and a new career direction

Perhaps you need to take a big step in your career to give you that confidence boost, in which case starting a business might be the answer. If you are planning on taking that brave step but don’t know where to start then you can search starting a new company online for valuable tips on how to create a business from drawing up a business plan to registering your business to thinking up a creative business name, and much more. Speaking of formulating a business plan, you can gain valuable tips on what should be included in your business plan including details pertaining to how to structure your business, how you plan on raising capital, and how you are going to project your financial forecasts going forward, etc.

Getting the additional help you need

Suppose you feel like you have tried everything possible in order to feel better about yourself, but you just need a push in the right direction. Then an online licensed therapist may be able to help. Plus there are many advantages to seeking therapy online including more flexibility if you decide to change your mind down the line, there are a range of therapists to choose from, and it is often more affordable than seeing a therapist face to face. Also, you don’t need to travel to consult with one, which means you can take it in your own stride in the place you feel most comfortable. Furthermore, with online consulting, you will often be offered a free consultation to find the right therapist match for you.

Certainly, getting your life (and confidence) back on track, especially if you’ve experienced setbacks, is achievable if you have the willpower to do so. And you’re committed to the process, of course.

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How to Move Past a Low Point in Your Life by Moving to a New City

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Picture source is Unsplash and this is a guest blog written by Charley Sunday at https://astrongfoundation.net/

How to Move Past a Low Point in Your Life by Moving to a New City

We all face low points in our lives, and some are harder to get past than others. Sometimes, to move on, we need to make a big change, and moving to a new city might be exactly what you need. Here are some tips from Just Buy Her a Dress for how you can successfully move to a new city and start fresh.

Choosing a New City to Call Home

The first step that you will need to take is to find a new city that will help you to rebuild your life. There are many considerations you will need to make, starting with ensuring that you will be living in a place where you can find a job and be near the amenities that you need in your life. You should also look at things like the crime statistics in the area if there are good schools, how far your commute may be, and other concerns.

This could also be a time to try something new. So, if you live in a more suburban area now, then you can try a bustling metropolis to get the blood flowing. Or you can move from a large city to a medium-sized area. You’ll also need to consider if you want to continue to live near family and choose cities based on proximity. Take as much time as you need to make these decisions.

Finding a New House in the City

Once you choose the city that you plan to call home, you will want to think about where specifically you will want to live. Some people choose to rent when they move to a new place so they can get a better lay of the land, and then if they are comfortable, they may buy a house a couple of years down the road. If you do decide to go all-out and buy a house, then you should first research the home prices in the area and see if this is something you can truly afford. The housing market is constantly changing so you will want to take the time to research before you take the plunge.

Consider Starting a Business

Although you are looking for a chance of scenery, you will still need to pay for rent, food, and utilities in your new city, so you will want to research potential jobs. If you like where you work now, then you can ask your manager if you can work from home and that way you can move and still keep your job.

If you really want to start fresh, then this might be a good time to start your own business. Take a hobby that you enjoy, like writing or woodworking, and try to make a side-gig out of it. If you have never had a business before, then consider this guide which covers all the steps to start a new business. They recommend creating a business plan that will outline every step that you need to take to make your company a reality. That includes how you will find funding, how you’ll produce your product, how many employees you need, and how you plan to market your product. Get all of this down in writing and then follow your plan step-by-step until you have success.

Making the Move

Once you have taken the time to think about the best city for you and it is time for the actual relocation, it is a good idea to look into using professional movers. This is especially important if you are living thousands of miles away or you have a lot of furniture. Go online and research the best companies and then reach out to them to request a quote. Also, read the reviews from previous customers to ensure that they are a reputable business.

In the end, the choice to move to a new city is a decision that only you can make. To get the process started, take the time to think about choosing a city to move to, finding a new home, starting a business, and hiring movers.

Just Buy Her a Dress is a free blog and podcast about mental health, parenting, and more! Click here to check out the book!

Music Therapy

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

I was recently contacted by Joseph, who is part of the Community Outreach team at White House Recovery & Detox, and their goal is to educate the public on life skills and essential therapies and resources for mental health and wellness, in hopes to raise awareness and prevention.  

After reviewing my website, they thought their new article on Music and Mental Health would be an excellent addition to my resources and I agreed, which you can see here, https://recoveryatwhitehouse.com/music-therapy-and-mental-health/ . I have also added their main website as a resource on the About section of my website.

Here is some more helpful information Joseph provided: “As you may know, mental health issues are at an all-time high with more cases of anxiety and depression than ever before. The silver lining to the pandemic is that the stigma around mental health has dropped, making it easier for people to seek the help they need. One type of therapy I’ve found interesting to learn about is music therapy. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is an evidence-based practice of a board-certified music therapist to help clients achieve non-music goals such as improving mental health and recovering from addiction.”

I have actually been meaning to add more to a newer section on my site called “Music and Mental Health” including some blogs and podcasts about how music has helped improve my own mental health, so keep an eye out for new posts on that soon! Please feel free to share in the comments how music has helped your mental health and what music specifically and how? Or as always, feel free to share with me privately if you want me to share your story confidentially.

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.

Baby Formula Injury

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

I had someone contact me to see if I would put information on my site about possible injuries caused by some parents giving their premature babies Enfamil or Similac formula. I was a little hesitant to honestly because I have no solid evidence to support these certain formulas caused the injury, nor do I have personal experience with it or know anyone who has. When I try to research, I only find it on law firm sites trying to make money off the lawsuits. However, if there is any possibility it is true, I thought that if I was a parent to a premature baby, I would probably be cautious and use another formula, if possible, to be safe, so I figured I would at least do a post on the subject. However, they don’t seem to be saying any formula is okay, only breast milk even if it is donated, yet they seem to be only suing the two largest formula companies. I also wanted to ask if anyone has had a personal experience they would like to share. I would love for you to comment, or if you prefer to stay confidential feel free to private message me and I can post something for you without using your name if you would like.

As a mom who did no breastfeed due to anxiety, I don’t want to do anything to discourage formula use as I had a great experience with Enfamil particularly, but my daughter was not premature (actually technically 3 weeks is early and she was 3 and half weeks early, but she was 8 and a half pounds and lungs fully developed and all so I honestly think that they had my due date wrong and it is a guess within about 4 weeks usually, but that is another subject for another time). Also, I have read it is often even more challenging for many premature babies to breastfeed due to health issues they often have so some rely on formula.

My advice is that if a doctor you trust advises you it is okay, they are probably more trustworthy than lawyers on the subject, but do you own research if this concerns you. Not that the parents claiming this are not trustworthy but if I lost a baby or they were injured badly and someone was providing a possible reason and solution to stop it from happening to others I would be so open to that, it might be easy to take advantage of me and convince me something or someone was at fault even if they were not. Even before you become a parent, it is so hard to make these decisions and all you can do is what you personally think is best for you and your baby with the information provided to you based on your own personal experience.

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.

6 Ways to be More Productive During Addiction Recovery

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Photo via Pexels

I personally have not struggled with addiction, but many close to me have or still do. This is a guest post written by This is a guest post, written by Lucille Rosetti. You can find more information about her, her book Life After Death: A Wellness Guide for the Bereaved and other articles at bereaved.org:

6 Ways to be More Positive During Addiction Recovery

When you’re focusing on recovering from addiction, it’s easy to get lost in feelings of guilt and shame. You might feel guilty for the grievances your addiction caused family and friends, or shame for the way you handled your finances.

These thoughts creep into nearly every addiction recovery process. Finding healthy ways to overcome them, though, will help you fully heal from your addiction. Staying positive is essential to being able to celebrate that you are a survivor.

Keeping this in mind, Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine takes a look at six ways you can start working on positive emotional empowerment.

Stop Negative Talk
There are plenty of great benefits to replacing negative emotions with positive emotions. According to the experts at Mental Health America, pessimistic people have a 20 percent higher risk of dying over a 30-year period than their optimistic counterparts. In addition, people who kept a gratitude journal were more upbeat overall with far fewer complaints. There’s plenty of reasons to get working on your new glass-half-full approach today.

Get Back to Work
Returning to work is a critical part of any addiction recovery plan. Working will help you regain your financial foothold and keep your mind on things that are beneficial to your life goals. At the same time, it can keep you away from negative social interactions and the emotions that come with them.

Be sure to talk to your employer about their Employee Assistance Program. As scary as it may be to share your addiction recovery with your boss, these programs are designed specifically to help people with personal issues that are interfering with their work. This helps the company reduce absenteeism and improve productivity, so take full advantage of it.

If you’re currently out of work, you could ease your way back by starting a career in freelancing. Whether you write, design websites, or offer video editing services, there are many jobs available through online freelancing platforms.

Put an End to Black-and-White Thinking
Black-and-white thinking, also known as all-or-nothing thinking, is when we believe that just because we have failed once, we will always fail. According to Planning Mindfully, you can eliminate this way of thinking with a few tricks: avoid using extreme words like “never” and “every,” reframe your thoughts, and search for middle ground.

Master the Art of Saying “No” and “Yes”
People who are on strong psychological ground know what serves them best and what doesn’t. It’s important for you to establish boundaries and learn to say “no” to things that will hurt you. Likewise, now is a good time to learn to say “yes” to things you want in your life, such as support from loved ones. The experts at Psych Central report that by learning to say “no,” you’ll be boosting your confidence and your self-esteem.

Surround Yourself with Positive People Who Bring You Joy
Spend time with a co-worker who told you what a great job you did versus one that talked about his latest drunk escapades. Or, reach out to family members who are living lives you admire instead of ones who are struggling and disenfranchised. Choosing to be around positive influences will help you reframe your negative thinking. Plus, research shows that strong social connections lead to increased happiness, improved health, and longer lives.

Enjoy More Music
Elton John may have put it best when he said, “Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.” It’s true: music — whether through listening to it, learning to play an instrument, or musical therapy — has many wonderful benefits, including its abilities to:

⦁ Increase motivation
⦁ Improve mood
⦁ Reduce symptoms of depression
⦁ Help manage pain
⦁ Improve memory
⦁ Reduce stress
⦁ Help with insomnia
Help heal addictions, such as overeating and alcohol or drug abuse

Shifting to a more positive way of thinking takes practice. It won’t happen overnight, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time and practice. Start working now not just on your positive thinking, but on self-compassion. Remember, you’re human, and all humans make mistakes. Allowing yourself to fall down with grace is important. Now, it’s time to master getting back up.

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.

Easy to Implement Hacks and Tricks to Reduce Anxiety

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Picture Source -Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/photos/rXrMy7mXUEs) “This is a guest post, written by Lucille Rosetti. You can find more information about her, her book Life After Death: A Wellness Guide for the Bereaved and other articles at bereaved.org. While I think some of this is helpful, as someone who suffers from OCD and anxiety, I realize cleaning and decluttering doesn’t always help your anxiety and sometimes having to do so may make it worse, while other times once the mess is gone, I feel so relieved. I personally have benefited many times from yoga breathing during a panic attack and it has helped calm me. I hate drinking water and have to force myself, so some of these hacks and tricks below are easier said than done, like the drinking one if you suffer from alcoholism, and of course we all have the intention of eating healthy, drinking healthy, getting enough rest, etc. but we don’t live in a perfect world and that is not always easy to do, but these things can help certain people at times, and some may be at least worth trying, especially when you want some immediate relief and don’t have medication, therapy or other methods immediately available, or if they take some time to help since they usually do…” -Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Easy to Implement Hacks and Tricks to Reduce Anxiety

If you ever have feelings of extreme stress or anxiety, know that you are not alone. In fact, one out of every five people have had some form of anxiety disorder and are looking for solutions. Luckily, there are many different natural methods that you can try to reduce these feelings and feel better overall as you go through your days. Here at Just Buy Her a Dress, we love to promote relaxation with our meditation and life coaching lessons, so we have great tips for how you can reduce the potential for anxiety attacks and live an overall happier life.

Listen to Relaxing Music

Whenever you are feeling stressed or a situation in life is starting to cause panic, take the time to listen to some relaxing music. Something soft or ochestrial will do wonders. To get the best experience, listen to your favorite music through a set of noise-cancelling headphones, which come in many different formats and sizes and you can take them with you wherever you go. Find a quality pair that fits in your budget. You won’t regret it.

Yoga

When you feel an anxiety attack coming on, then you need to take a moment to calibrate and centralize your breathing so you can return back to a feeling of normalcy, and you can do that by practicing yoga. The idea of yoga is not so much about losing weight as it is about toning your body while focusing on meditation so you can make your stress melt away. Even if you don’t often deal with anxiety attacks, yoga is a great activity to pair with cardio and weights to create a healthier lifestyle.

Clean Your Home

If you often feel anxiety while you are at home, then it could be your residence that is causing the stress. This can often be the case when your home is full of unnecessary messes or clutter because the lack of organization can cause confusion and a feeling of suffocation. You can remove bad energy from your home by clearing the clutter, wiping down all surfaces, and then you can ensure that that negative energy stays away by lighting some sage and bringing it through the home so it can do its work and cleanse the premises.

Avoid Fatty Foods

There are many reasons to consume a healthy diet. The most obvious reason is that by being smart about what you eat, you will be in better shape so you can feel better overall and live a longer life, but there is also a mental health component. Many bad foods like those sold at fast-food restaurants contain trans fats which slow down our bodies and make us feel sluggish.

There are also many fatty acids that can affect our brains and our behaviors, leading us to feel anxiety. While the occasional unhealthy meal is okay, try to stick to healthier options like salads, high-protein foods like fish, and nuts and almonds that are high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Alcohol is Not the Answer

If you are feeling down, the last thing you should do is resort to drinking alcohol to feel better. The issue is that by drinking beer and liquor, you can actually feel worse because these beverages are considered to be a depressant that slows down our bodily functions and the way we think. If you are feeling depressed, the best beverage you can have is a cold drink of water because it helps your brain to work faster while improving your concentration so you can be more productive and less anxious.

In the end, trying the tips above will help you to feel better overall so you reduce the chances of an anxiety attack and live a happier life.

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.

Moving House After the Death of a Loved One

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion
https://threemovers.com/

Image provided by https://threemovers.com/. This is a guest post, written by Lucille Rosetti. You can find more information about her, her book Life After Death: A Wellness Guide for the Bereaved and other articles at bereaved.org. When I went through severe postpartum depression, dealing with the death of two family members was one of the many things that left me feeling overwhelmed, so when she asked to share this story on here I was totally on board. Hope some of you find it helpful…

Moving House After the Death of a Loved One

Navigating grief is a personal journey, and there’s no set time frame of when you need to approach the emotional and practical aspects surrounding the death of a loved one. Following the death of a loved one, you’ll feel raw and overwhelmed. At some stage, however, you’ll need to take steps towards creating a new life for yourself. You have to build on top of your grief in order for the rawness to disappear. One way of doing this is to move for a fresh start, which provides a change of scenery and an opportunity to move away from feeling trapped by grief.

Getting Your House Ready To Sell

There are certain steps you need to take in order to make your house more appealing to potential buyers. 

  • Deep clean. Get carpets professionally cleaned and tiled areas polished.
  • Paint. Wipe down walls or get them painted by a professional.
  • Plumbing. Make sure that the plumbing works properly and the water pressure is good. 
  • Buy light bulbs. Change lightbulbs in the house. 
  • Declutter. Make your home more appealing by removing clutter. 
  • Window repair. Clean all windows, and repair cracked windows and window frames. 
  • Flowers. Add bunches of fresh flowers throughout the house before a viewing to entice potential buyers.
  • Garden maintenance. Get a garden service to remove weeds and tidy up.

Benefits of Moving for a Fresh Start

Moving provides an opportunity to live and not merely exist in your grief-stricken comfort zone. 

Here are a few benefits: 

  • New friends. Although you rely on the support of old friends, new friends don’t constantly feel sorry for you and ask repeated questions about your grieving.
  • Alternate perspectives. When you move to a new place, your perspective on life might shift. 
  • Career opportunities. These can provide a new focus.
  • Fresh scenery. New sights and areas to explore can provide you with a new lease on life. 

Sorting Out Stuff

Sorting out a loved one’s stuff adds a whole new dimension to grief that others might not understand.  It’s important to keep a few things but to also remember that stuff is just stuff. 

Clothing and personal belongings. Invite close friends and family around to help sort through clothes, as it can trigger waves of emotion. Give them an item of clothing that reminds them of your loved one. Keep a few items for yourself for memory’s sake. 

Furniture. You might not need all your furniture, especially if you’re moving. Keep a piece that holds a lot of memories. An idea is to sell the rest, and donate the money towards a cause that your loved one was passionate about. 

Photos and memorabilia. You can always digitize old photos if there are too many. Alternatively, sort through them and hand them out to friends and family who might want them.

Paperwork and contracts. Enlist help if you need it to sort out paperwork, cancel contracts, and find passwords to accounts. 

Moving Forward

The only way out of the raw grief phase is to take small steps towards a new life. Move forward by moving to somewhere new, and embracing the new chapter. 

Visit Just Buy Her a Dress for more information about mental health and how to adjust to the world around you.

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.

Getting Ready for Motherhood

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Image Courtesy Pexels

This is a guest post written by Julia Merrill of befriendyourdoc.org:

The final weeks of pregnancy are full of conflicting emotions and emotional turmoil. Maybe you’re calling your mom every day for advice, or trying to spend a lot of time with your partner while it’s still just the two of you. You’re excited, you’re exhausted, you can’t wait for this pregnancy to be over. But you’re nervous too, unsure what to expect. The one certainty is that your life is going to be irrevocably altered.

You’re Going To Be Different:

As big a change as your body has gone through, your personality has changed as well. While you were growing a little person, you were growing into a mother, yourself. Your brain has changed, along with your center of gravity. You’re going to question assumptions you held before you had children. Your opinions may change, sometimes radically, once you’re a mother. Before I had kids, I rarely locked my door. I was trusting, and thankfully, no one ever took advantage of that. Once I had a child, it was as if my sense of danger turned on. Someone flipped a switch, and the world looked different, more random and dangerous, full of terrible drivers and rude people, and toxins and slippery surfaces and other things that can hurt your baby.

You’re Going to Get Powers:

Maternal instinct is real. When my first child was born, I questioned whether I had any at all. I loved my baby, but I didn’t feel warm and fuzzy and bonded when I breastfed him. I felt icky and uncomfortable and a little bit resentful of the tiny stranger at my breast. I questioned whether I was up to the challenge of being his mom. But I vividly remember the day that I got my answer. I was feeding my son little bits of chopped up sausages in his high chair. He began choking. Instantly, I whipped him out of the high chair, turned him upside down, swept the bits from his mouth, and he was fine. It wasn’t in the books, it wasn’t any way recommended to handle a choking child. But I did it instinctively, without thought, and it worked.

As I sat there shaking afterward, the adrenaline coursing through my body, it hit me like a tidal wave: I knew what to do. When called upon, I had what it took to keep my tiny human alive. It was humbling, and awe-inspiring to me.

When their children are in danger, mothers have lifted cars and successfully fought off wild animals to protect them. You might think you’re the most nonviolent person in the world, but once you’re a mother, you’re going to find that you do have it in you to hurt someone, if that someone is a threat to your child. There is no one more dangerous than a mother protecting her offspring. You’re going to grow eyes in the back of your head, and develop a sixth sense for when your kid is in trouble.

You’re Going To Be Tired:

Prepare to lose sleep for the rest of your life. Okay, I’m kidding, it’s more like for the first six months, and then again, for some months around the terrible twos. And then again, later when they start driving, until they’re around twenty-five. My own mother assures me I’ll start losing sleep again once mine have their own kids. The point is, kids make us worry, and they take a great deal of energy.

Take these last few weeks of pregnancy to nap as much as possible, and once the baby comes, sleep whenever he does. The housework will still be there when you both wake up. If you can afford it, consider hiring a cleaning service. If you have pets, consider a dog walking service. Take help when it’s offered, and ask for it when it’s needed. Give yourself time to rest, and when the baby is awake, play with the baby. No one ever lay on their deathbed wishing they’d done more housework. The moments with your baby go by so fast, and you’ll never get them back again. Spend as much time as you can together, making memories.

You Want to Take Care of the Details

With so much overwhelm in the final weeks, a lot of details will slip through the cracks. When the time comes to head to the hospital, you will feel a mix of exhilaration and terror. A lot will be going through your head, and the last thing you want to worry about is whether you’re wearing shoes or if you have a cord to power your phone. That’s why it’s always recommended that you put together a hospital bag in the weeks leading up your due date. Pack whatever you anticipate needing. Hair ties, a robe, a labor and delivery gown, socks, slippers, lip balm, moisturizer, device chargers, headphones, clothes for the baby. Any creature comforts you can think of. Then be sure to pack up copies of your driver’s license and your insurance card. Gather it all up, and put it in a bag that you can leave by the front door, right next to your comfy shoes. It might not feel like much, but having control here can almost feel like an accomplishment.

It goes without saying that your life is about to change. You’re going to have baby-proofed cabinets, corners, and light sockets. You’re going to wind up reading food labels and second-guessing all your decisions. That’s normal. But you’re embarking on the greatest adventure of your entire life. You’re getting ready to meet the most important person you’ll ever know, and you’re going to love them more than you ever thought was possible.

For regular insight into parenting, motherhood and more, check out Just Buy Her a Dress blog and podcast today!

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.

Do You Want to Share Your Story Through My Site?

Posted on by Amanda Dodson Gremillion

Do you have your own story you would like to share through my website? I can share your name as well or you can share confidentially. If you do share your name, please feel free to include links to any websites, podcasts, social media, etc. if you have them. Do you think you have you gone though postpartum depression, postpartum OCD, postpartum Anxiety and/or any other postpartum mood disorders? Do you or have you suffered from depression, anxiety, OCD or any other mental health disorders? What was the hardest time of your life, and how did you get through it? Are you still recovering, but still have something you want to share? Do you have anything else to share that relates to parenting and/or mental health? I would love for you to submit a guest blog to me! If I feel any edits are needed, I would let you know as soon as possible. Once any edits are made and your blog is approved, I would share on my own website and through my social media as well!

*Not a writer? I would be glad to tell your story for you or help you tell it. You could approve it before posting of course. Everyone has a story to tell. “Be the change, tell your story!”

*If you have something you want to share on my site, you do not feel fits into these categories, please submit to me anyways, and I will consider it and may be able to somehow tie it in. Thank you for interest!

Please email to: amandalgremillion@gmail.com

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.