I’m not quite sure how it happened. It definitely wasn’t planned. I swore I wouldn’t become that mom! I use to get tired of seeing other people’s children all over Facebook. Didn’t they have anything else to share!?! I remember telling one of my pregnant friends (before I ever had children) to please remember to post more than just her baby on Facebook. Now when I look back on my Facebook page… I’m that mom!
I think back three years ago (before children) and I wonder what I did with my time. I guess the true answer is I did whatever I wanted. I left the house when I wanted, went to the gym, got pedicures, met friends for dinner and drinks, went on weekend getaways, and slept in. Fast forward three years and things are much different.
Now when I think of exercise, I think of my son and how important it is for me to get him outside to burn energy and stay healthy. Pedicures are now in the past and instead I’m the one giving pedicures to my two little ones, making sure their nails are trimmed. I’m lucky if I have time to put a nail file to my nails. Dinners are about making sure my son gets enough to eat as I shove food down my throat in fear that I only have a minute before the baby will need me. My social life consists of play dates and I couldn’t tell you the last time I went shopping for myself, but baby girl looks adorable in her Matilda Jane. I spend my evenings researching baby milestones and ways to calm a tantrum. Oh, and I probably talk a lot about my children too… heck, I even blog about them! As you can see, they are my life!
A few weeks ago I was relaxing while both children were taking naps and it dawned on me. Who am I? What do I enjoy doing? Yes, I’m a mom, and that is a big part of me, but what about “me”. When my children grow up, what will they remember about my interests and hobbies? It saddened me to think that I couldn’t answer those questions with confidence. That’s when I decided to dedicate more time to being more than just a mom. I did some reflecting and thought of ways to help find “me”. I started with an action plan:
- Sunday yoga class.
- One mandatory “girls night” a month. ( And my hubby gets his night out too!).
- One mandatory “date night” with my husband a month.
- Read something for enjoyment (not kid related).
- Start tapping into what I “enjoy” and do more of it.
Simply relaxing.
It’s been about a month and I’ve naturally stopped researching about parenting and instead I’m learning about photography, listening to inspirational Podcasts, and I’ve even discovered new, uplifting music. I made it on a girls night out and caught up with a few friends I haven’t seen in quite some time. My husband and I went on our mandatory date and it was to a concert! We had a blast! I’m reading for enjoyment and I have a list of future reads. The finding “me” project is refreshing and I’m excited to see what I discover.
Do you make time for yourself? Have your personal hobbies followed you into motherhood, or were they left by the wayside? I love to be inspired by other moms and their ways to make time for themselves. What have you found to revitalize you?
