My husband was late for breakfast. My son was cranky with a cold and just wanted to be held. I hadn’t slept well so I was dragging. And it was raining outside for the sixth day in a row.
The last thing I wanted to be was a happy homemaker. Or wife. Or mother.
More days than I’d like to admit go like this. Definitely not my best.
But you know what?
The one thing that will make you the best homemaker isn’t all the skills you have or the things you know.
It’s not all the activities you enroll your kids in to give them the best experiences.
It’s not the finest meal cooked and presented beautifully for your family.
It isn’t the perfectly decorated home.
It’s not the way you look when you greet your husband at the door in full makeup and a pretty outfit.
It’s your attitude!
It’s my attitude!
Attitude is the one and only thing that I can control when the rest of my world is topsy turvy. The way I choose to react to each situation is completely up to me.
Sure, other people can make me grumpy and frustrated. The weather can make me blue. My extensive to-do list can overwhelm me.
But those circumstances only have power over me if I let them.
Read More: What I Learned from My Grandmother About Homemaking
The one thing that will make you the best homemaker is no walk in the park.
Choosing your attitude daily, hourly and by the minute is not easy. It takes practice and self discipline. It requires strength to rise above the situation and choose your best reaction.
That’s why I find practicing gratitude so helpful for my mindset. Focusing on all the things I have, my physical abilities and simple gifts – big or small – keeps me grounded and reminds me that another grumpy boy day can’t control me.
But just because I practice gratitude for a better attitude doesn’t mean it works all the time!
In one breath I can marvel at the beauty of the birds at the feeder and the next get frustrated at the flour art that my son doused my kitchen with.
It’s a constant choice – difficult at first. But the more I choose gratitude the easier it gets and the better I react to each situation.
Read More: How to Be a Joyful Homemaker
What I’m NOT Saying
I’m not saying you should gloss over everything and be June Cleaver
Sure, you’ll have heated moments.
But don’t let that moment ruin your day or attitude. You can have emotions and react to what’s going on around you without it wrecking everything else. And without hurting any bystanders’ feelings.
Life happens. So, for me, sometimes I just have to walk away. And when I’ve readjusted my mindset and attitude, then I return.
We are humans with emotions. But how your husband and kids see you deal with those emotions will teach them more than any lesson they’ll learn at school.
The One Thing that will Make You the Best Homemaker: Give Credit Where Credit is Due
I don’t keep my gratitude circling around in my brain with no escape. As a Christian, I can’t take credit for where I’ve gotten in life. I can’t take credit for how my husband provides for us. I can’t take credit for my health and physical abilities.
I owe all my thanks and gratitude to my Heavenly Father and Maker. God blessed me with all these things. The ability to work, learn, love and live in wonderful country on this earth.
To take credit for all my accomplishments would be lying to myself.
But the cool thing about having someone (my Lord and Maker) be the orchestrator of my life is that when things go bad for me, I still know who to turn to. I know I don’t have to go it alone. I know that He is in control of the good, the bad, the ugly and the great.
Whew! That takes a lot of pressure off of me having to be the best homemaker!
In the end, I really truly only have complete control over my attitude.
And that is the one thing that will make you the best homemaker, too. How you react.
Other tips that will Make You the Best Homemaker
1. Be willing to learn.
Don’t ever have the mindset that you have arrived at being the best homemaker. Keep reading and learning. I don’t know who said it, but the quote:
“The more I learn, the more I don’t know.”
is very fitting. Learning has a way of keeping us humble and always striving.
Read More: Homemaking Skills for the Modern Housewife
2. Focus on others.
By focusing on your husband, children and passersby, you can be a wonderful homemaker. I’m not saying forget about yourself all the time.
But sometimes by making others happy and blessing them, it helps you out of your dark, brewing place.
Read More: Honoring Your Husband with Your Homemaking
3. Teach others.
Teaching others is an amazing attitude check! When you know that someone (young or old) is looking to you for learning and training, watching your every move, you will be more conscious of your attitude and how you react to each situation.
4. Get sleep!
It’s amazing what a good night or few hours of sleep can do for your outlook on life. Make quality sleep a priority for yourself. And your kids! Everyone’s attitudes can be adjusted with some good rest. Check out this article for some great tips on improving your sleep.
Enjoy the Ride to Becoming the Best Homemaker
With your new perspective on attitude and how it affects all areas of your life, take every opportunity to find the silver lining.
Some days it may be easy to see the silver lining because it’s brimming out everywhere. Other days you may have to push back several layers of cloud to find anything remotely shimmery.
Either way, by daily practicing gratitude and flexibility you can learn to approach situations with a positive attitude.
And remember, your attitude is the one thing that will make you the best homemaker!
Oh my goodness!! It’s like you read my mind and knew EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. We just barely moved to a new state, away from all our family, and I’m starting to feel a little down in the dumps. But this reminded me that this is when my family needs me the most! We’re all overwhelmed, but having a frazzled mama will just make everything worse.
It’s amazing how mama’s attitude sets the tone for the entire household. Thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome! Yes, this reminder is so often for myself. 🙂