Hey Guys!
Lately I’ve been thinking about “how I got here”. A little over 5 years ago, I was hitting the bars with my boyfriend on the weekend and now we’re married with 3 kids. What a LEAP! Needless to say, the bar hopping has been replaced with Daniel Tiger and extra coffee in the morning. I wouldn’t change a single second of the last 5 years but so much has happened so quickly it makes you think. I remember when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest and thinking, “what now? What kind of mom did I want to be? What kind of childhood did I want my baby to have?”.
Parenting is definitely a journey and I’m really not even sure there’s a final destination. You’re always going to be helping your children grow and learn, even late into their adulthood. Three kids later and my perspective on life has changed a million and one times and I’m sure it will change a million more times. One of the constants I’ve picked up along the way is trying my hardest to live mindfully. This will absolutely look different for everyone. No one will have the same journey and that’s the beauty of it.
When I first started even thinking about what it meant to me to live mindfully, I had to consider what kind of life I wanted my family to have. Some things that were important to me were to make sure my family prioritized each other and spending time together, prioritizing health and diet for myself so my children could learn the importance of taking care of yourself, and prioritizing life-long learning. The next step was to figure out how I could incorporate those values into my everyday routine and — the hard part — keeping up with it. Let me tell you what I’ve learned. If it’s important enough to you, you’ll figure it out. Will it always be perfect? Heck no. As long as you are aware and taking steps toward your end goal, you’ll get there.
If you’re wondering where to start, I suggest making a list of your priorities. Come up with two or three major life goals and then start thinking of daily routine changes you can make to strive toward your goals. If something isn’t serving your goal, say no! If you’re trying to stay on your own track, you may have to say “no” to things and people you’re used to saying “yes” to. Think about the daily decisions and routines you already have in place and ask yourself, “will this propel me toward my goal or keep me farther from it?”.
We can very easily get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle of life. Take some time to really think about what you want out of this life. You deserve the best life you can give yourself!
You are wise beyond your years! And, you write sooo well. Must have been those English teachers at SVHS!