Okay, besides the overwhelming responsibility of making sure my kids have love, support, food, encouragement, safety, clothes, shoes, learning opportunities, social opportunities, exercise, love, and then more love...being a stay at home mom can sometimes make me feel a bit, well, pointless. I would like to say that I'm heading up a huge humanitarian effort that will change people's lives, but due to the responsibilities listed above, that's just not possible until the kiddos go to school. I need something to keep me going and motivated to be...a person. No other way to describe it.
I started last fall with some crafts. Making them for friends and family and even did a craft show and did some online orders. It's fun and I'll continue doing that as a "side business". But it's also VERY time-consuming. So I started advertising less. But it's fun knowing I have those skills because now I'm doing the decorations for a baby shower and looking forward to planning Lil Man's birthday party coming up.
Then Christmas came and the fam and I had fun doing all things Christmas - making candy, buying gifts, watching movies, parades, wrapping presents, making ornaments and footprint reindeer. And then, kablam. Christmas was over. I felt so down and lost when I took down the tree...like, now what?
Well, what comes after Christmas? New Year's! And what comes with New Year's? RESOLUTIONS!! Boom! Got a project! It started small. I got the idea while on a run after a conversation with my bestest bud about lack of motivation. I pictured a waiger among friends to see who could lose the most weight in a set period of time, like on Biggest Loser. Then I thought bigger...whaaat if several friends need the same motivation? More friends - bigger pot, bigger payoff for the winner! Jan 3, The Biggest Winner Challenge kicked off with 14 members!
I'm consumed with it. I check FB all day to see others' progress, comments, trials, so that I can comment and hopefully use some of my college education (half of it is in Physical Fitness). This is week 2 and I've been going strong. Haven't cheated once. Haven't skipped a single workout. Sometimes I even work out twice a day. But that's got me worried. What happens when the challenge is over?
I've been carrying around a lot of extra weight for, oh, about 4 years now. And I'm not just talking about body fat. Since having kids, my body has been completely wrecked. It's been so long since I looked in the mirror and thought, YES! I haven't even bought new jeans in that many years because I hate that feeling when I try them on and there's just a little too much hanging over the top.
But I can't change all that in 8 wks. I've got to keep the exercise up and the good eating up. Basically, as they say, change my lifestyle. So how do I do that and still fill my life with 'projects'? This challenge is a start. I will just have to keep finding challenges. Hubby wants me to get a road bike. That will definitely be a new challenge. Then there's several races I can enter. More new challenges. Then I'm thinking I will try to get on the cover of Runner's World Magazine...ha just kidding.
I guess the point is that even though I'm living my life for my kids right now, it's okay to do something totally and completely for me. In affect, my kids (and hubby) will see a happier, healthier, less grumpy, center-of-all-the-pictures-again Momma. If that's not a project worth taking on, I don't know what is!
I check Biggest Winner constantly, too! ha. I'm so glad you got the idea!
ReplyDeleteWell, Bray and I are taking this way past 8 weeks, so we're here to support you, too, if you want to keep going!
And I think your next project should be doing homework for graduate students. I think I know one or two that could use a friend with that hobby.
Love you! Keep it up!! Reallllly proud of you!