“Find what it is that you are so passionate about doing that you can’t wait to jump out of bed every morning.” Have you ever heard that quote that before? It sounds great, but does that actually happen to most people?
I would guess probably not. I am not one of them, anyway.
I’m a thirty-something single mom raising two boys.
Do I love being a mom? Yes, absolutely.
Do I jump out of bed every morning eager to get my kids ready for school, pack lunches and do my laundry list of chores and errands for the day?
Nope.
When I had my first son seven years ago, I decided to take on a new (and very important) role as a stay at home mom. Staying home to raise my family was something I had always hoped to do, so I was very excited to start a new adventure. I had a few jobs in the corporate world before my son was born, the last one as a sales manager for a large hotel chain. It was a great job and I was really good at what I did……but I felt that being home with my family was where I wanted to be at that time.
A few years later, we welcomed another baby boy into our family and that added to the happiness, love and chaos 🙂 Being home with my kids was the best decision I ever made. I have enjoyed being with them to watch them grow and learn every step of the way.
But something happened in those L-O-N-G days (and nights) of doing laundry, making meals, washing dishes, taking care of sick kids, cleaning, having two little humans reliant on me for everything — I lost a part of myself. I got so wrapped up in taking care of everyone else that I forgot what it was that I enjoyed. I forgot to take care of myself.
I forgot what it was that made ME happy too.
I’ve dealt with my share of struggles along the way. I have gone through a divorce and have felt the pain, loss, emptiness and stress that comes along with that. I moved my boys out of the only home they had ever known and we are slowly starting to adjust to our new life. I have also suffered from anxiety for as long as I can remember. It is something that affects and complicates my life in one way or another on a regular basis.
Going through these things put me in a place where I could hardly recognize who I was as a person. I felt like I was going through the motions every day, but I was lost and unhappy. I needed to do something for ME. I needed to find that something that made me excited to get out of bed in the morning.
So I started writing, which is something I have always enjoyed. It started as a form of therapy…..a way to express my emotions. I wrote about how I was feeling on a certain day. I started making lists of new recipes and craft projects I wanted to try. I wrote about cute things that my boys said and did (because they really do grow so quickly and you forget their cute words and actions over time)!
I realized that when I wrote, it made me happy. It made me feel calm. It made me feel really good inside. It made me think that maybe I’m not as alone as I sometimes feel with what I have gone through in my life.
Maybe I’m not the only one who has searched for their passion and purpose in life.
Maybe I’m not the only one who has had the stress of being a (singl
e) parent and felt the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Maybe I’m not the only one who struggles with anxiety.
Maybe I’m not the only one who could use some positive encouragement in this ever-changing, fast-paced world we live in.
Maybe if I started a blog to reach out to others and add some “sweetness” to their lives; that would make me happy too.
That is why I created this blog. It’s my reason for being here. When I realized the excitement and passion I had for writing and creating the blog, I knew it was absolutely something I was meant to do. And, to be honest, if it weren’t for the hard times in my life, I would have never been lead in the direction of sharing my story with others. My struggles have in fact made me into the person I am today. They have brought out a strength in me that I never knew existed.
Have you ever searched for your purpose and what you’re truly meant to do in life?
How did you find what you are passionate about and love doing every day?
How has it made a difference in your life?
I would love to hear your story!
