Life as a single mum can be challenging and exhausting, especially around this time of year when all the shops are filled with heart-shaped balloons! Here are some top tips to help you improve your confidence and take control of your life and its direction.

1. Congratulate yourself for doing an amazing job under difficult circumstances. Children bring us endless pleasure but bringing them up alone can often be demanding and overwhelming. Acknowledging everything you do to ensure your child is happy and content should make you feel proud.

2. Ensure you are happy about your self-image. This doesn’t just relate to your physical presence but the skills you have to offer. It should only matter what you think and nobody else. Celebrate everything about yourself and have confidence in the person you are.

3. Allow yourself some quality ‘me time’. Schedule some time off by booking a babysitter or forming a babysitting group with mums in a similar situation to you.

4. List your life-long goals and plan how you can achieve them. Being a single mum should not stop you from living your life according to your needs and aspirations.

5. Enjoy time spent with your friends. Take the time to catch up with friends and have a good time together. Try to arrange the odd night out but if this isn’t possible, invite them round to your house and share each other’s news over a glass of wine. Share challenges and ways to overcome them: remember a problem shared is a problem halved! (more…)