Momma, Find A Creative Outlet

 

I have been seeing a lot of my momma friends share this post by another worn out momma.

I totally get it. 

As moms, we don't get much of a break. I find myself looking forward to basic things like going to the store by myself, and showering without someone needing something from me. I get it. It sounds kind of sad, doesn't it?

I want to speak right now to the momma who has lost herself in motherhood.

Just three reminders — not to make us feel bad, but to remind us of the goodness that is in this time, and encouragement to find your "you" now! (I can't help it ya'll — it's the enneagram seven in me.)

1. This time is a season. You're going to miss this time. I'm going to miss this time. Savor the moments you have with your kids who need you. Because one day, they're not going to need you as much anymore. It feels nice to be needed, doesn't it?
2. Not every one gets the blessing of being a mom. There are women all over the world grieving lost children, or unable to get pregnant — women who long to have all the mundane and demanding responsibilities of motherhood. We are so fortunate to have these little people to be mommas to.
3. Explore creative outlets for you. It's important to fill yourself up with something you love. Maybe you don't know what that is anymore. Try different things, make goals and see what works for you. Here are some things that I am doing (or want to do) that fill me up!

My Creative Outlets

Having an Etsy Shop

Can you make something that you enjoy doing that you can sell? It's so fun! When the kids go down to bed for the night, I work on two etsy shops — one for hand lettering, and another for cute homeschool downloads. It's just fun for me! And every time I make a sale, I'll get a purchase notification. Throughout the day, I'll get sprinkles of motivation and affirmation from those. It feels like a bonus to get paid for something I already enjoy doing — even if it's small.

Taking up a New Craft

When I first had Diesel, I felt these "lost" feelings intensely. I had resigned from my job to be a stay-at-home mom, and I felt like that's all my life was. But then, I discovered hand lettering. So, I started spending my evenings casually learning this new skill. Great things came from this leisurely new craft — peace, satisfaction, wall art for my house, an opportunity and audience to teach it to, and eventually (and unintentionally) jobs and commissioned work.

Learning a New Language

I just recently found out about Mango — an app that lets you learn just about any language you want! With a library card, you can get free access to all of their lessons. I've always wanted to learn French, so I try to practice it a few nights a week. I think French is one of the prettiest languages in the world. And I want to go to Paris one day!

Starting/Joining a Book Club or Bible Study

With COVID-19 being a thing, getting together with people has been pretty difficult. Some people are super social distancing, others a little, and some not at all. Zoom or FaceTime transcends all of that right now, and allows us to still see people from the comfort of your own home. If you are needing some outside social interaction (sans kids) while still respecting each person's comfortability with the whole Corona thing, this might be a great way to feel a little more like you again. Not too long ago, I started doing this, and it's been really fun, refreshing, and something I look forward to.

Honing an Old Skill

Did you ever learn how to do something when you were younger, but just never picked it back up again? Well now is the time to bring it back! My things are watercolor and piano. I've been painting a lot more recently, and to good music of course. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I would love to work on a new piano piece as well.

My Creative Outlet Goals

Is there something you've always wanted to do? Choose to use the time you'd usually spend watching TV or aimlessly scrolling instagram to work toward that. I guarantee it's so much more rewarding. ALSO, don't do something you feel like you should do (like laundry, meal planning, or light cleaning) — do something you really WANT to do. Here are some of my goals I have but haven't gotten around to, to give you an idea:

• Write and illustrate a children's book. (I've actually written most of it!)
• Make a VoiceOver demo.
• Design graphic tees and start an online t-shirt shop.
• Blog consistently ;)

I truly believe that creativity is life-giving! Making something out of nothing is so satisfying. It's good to learn new things, to evolve — not just be the people we used to be but the people we want to be. It will give you a new sense of purpose, and something to look forward to. Just try it, and you might just find yourself again momma.

*Also, please note that whatever creative thing you choose to do, make sure it feels *restful* and not a chore! Sending you happy, creative vibes friend!