Do you keep waiting for “someday” when you’ll “have more time” to pursue your creative goals or life goals in general? When the kids are more independent, or when you aren’t so busy with work? I used to wonder when that day would come. I realized I was losing my creative spark, drying up inside and losing what made me special, waiting for a day that may never come while I became someone capable of only mundane, repetitive tasks centered around my family’s needs. My people were getting a burnt-out, depressed version of me: that’s not a “good, selfless sacrifice to make for family” because it’s not healthy for anyone!

Don’t get me wrong, I TOTALLY believe being a stay-at-home-mom is a meaningful job, and why I have always wanted to be one. However, allowing my gifts and the activities that inspire me to go to the wayside or stop altogether was not making me a happier mom or wife or individual. I decided that perfect time would never arrive, I disagreed with the idea that shelving my paints for “this season of motherhood” (i.e. 18+ years), and I determined that I wouldn’t postpone my dreams any longer waiting for the perfect moment to start.

BTW, You can follow the creative projects I have going on lately over on my YouTube channel! This is my latest project!

What made some women better managers of their time so that it wasn’t just dishes, laundry, and child rearing taking up all their time? Why were some able to produce amazing painting or quilt or run marathons? I needed to find out, because my family needed me to stop being Zombie Mom all the time. They needed to see me smile more, to see me enjoying life and being who God made me to be: an artist and creative who gets excited about something once in a while. Someone who is productive and fulfilled instead of drained and depleted.

Well, I went on a year-long (and counting) quest to learn all I could about time management. I think my ADD tendencies kept me feeling always behind, so this was a very helpful and eye-opening experience. I went from being a sworn definitely-NOT-morning person (also not night owl) to someone who hopped out of bed at 5 a.m. with excitement to start my special projects before kids interrupted them that year. Probably something that made me feel more proud of myself, after years of running late and feeling miserable about being a notoriously late person, was becoming capable of arriving on time for things, even early! (I credit the tip of using a phone alarm with drive time and leaving a 15 minute cushion for getting to every event). THANK you Audible books on Amazon for introducing me to Michael Hyatt’s Your Best Year Ever! * I also began decluttering my life and pursuing more of a minimalist approach so I had less inventory to manage in my home, and fewer frustrations and distractions like mess and overwhelm.

Is life still hard? Yes. Are my kids still high-needs at ages 6 and 8? Yes. Are we expecting surprise baby #3, meaning we’ll be launched back into days with sleepless nights and more responsibilities? Yep. I will definitely not have more time in the future. But I will take time for the things that help me shine brighter and happier so that I am the best version of myself, living with purpose and joy. I hope you can find a way to do the same. Blessings on your journey, friend.

*Links provided for your ease are Amazon Affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through them, you help support my content at no extra cost to yourself and enjoy the product you were interested in, too.