DAY 1709... Mom Hobbies

As a mom,

I some times forget that I'm also suppose to have a life.

I need to take time out of the most fulfilling and insane world of motherhood

to do things just for me.

Even Mom's need a break sometimes.
Seems totally impossible,
I know.
But I promise,
it is possible.

I forgot about myself and my needs for about 2 1/2 years.

Having kids will do that for you.

I forgot that I needed to take time for me and relax and do something I enjoy.

It's so easy to get caught up in motherhood,

and diapers,

and preschool,

and dance class,

and nap times,

and schedules,

and grocery shopping,

and cleaning,

and all the numerous jobs of being a mom.

Being a Mom is by far the most rewarding job I have ever had,

but it's also the most emotionally,

physically,

spiritually,

and mentally exhausting and draining job in the world!

Can you actually call it a job if you don't get paid with anything except loves?

But then again,

love is probably the best payment ever.

Anyway,

I was recently reminded about the importance of having hobbies as a mom,

and so I jumped right on that train.

I recently purchased my first bow.

Maybe I've watched Disney's Brave one too many times,

(one hazard of motherhood)

or perhaps I read a little too much Hunger Games,

but I felt inspired and now I am obsessed!

I am definitely still a beginner,

and learning how to properly handle and hold a bow,

as well as how to shoot,

but I am loving every single minute of it!

It's something fun that Spencer and I can do together as well.

Once again,

I am so thankful that my parents have land.

We just keep our target out there and go and shoot frequenter.

Of course we repay them by sharing the bow love...

Even Aniston gets in on the action occasionally!

Like mother like daughter.

Spencer also bought me a keyboard when he was in Vegas,

and I cannot wait to start playing and singing again!

I have also started running.

Guys,

my body HATES running!

It hates every aspect of it and fights me 100% of the time.

It's horrible!

But I really want to learn to love it.

I am currently on week 5 of the C25K app,

and I am super shock I have lasted this long.

Everyone is super shocked that I have lasted this long!

I am definitely that runner that real runners see and correct the heck out of their form while passing them.

I have a 5K the first weekend in June and I have a very specific goal.

I am not going to share it with you because I'm convinced that will jinx me,

and honestly,

I don't even know if it's possible to accomplish,

but after my race I will let you know everything!

I have already broken down in tears yesterday after accomplishing a 2 mile time that I never thought possible.

Seriously,

bawling my eyes out.

Probably looking a little ridiculous,

but they were tears of straight joy.

I have to get up an hour before my family wakes up in order to run.

That is a HUGE sacrifice for me,

Every sleep deprived mom understands that,

but it is my time alone and it's peaceful.

Plus the weather is generally perfect at this time of the day.

I always see my Dad driving to campus,

and as silly as that sounds,

it makes me really happy to wave to him every morning.

Once Spencer realized that I was getting a little more serious about running this time around,

he took me out and bought me my first pair of running shoes.

We got a killer 50% deal on these babies and they are awesome!

I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for,

but they are definitely a HUGE improvement over my active Nike shoes.

Here are a few tips about making time for you!

1. Leave the house

I know it's tempting to stay home and just lock yourself in your room or in the bathroom, but it's also going to be really hard to completely focus on you if you stay in the environment with the little's around. I know that leaving might not be an option for some, and in that case, wait until y our children go to sleep and then find your hobby time. Or you can switch it up and wake up earlier than your family. Of course you still have the risk of the kids waking up, and mine always do, but once you settle into a schedule it's easier to manage and you'll learn tricks to keeping your hobby time to yourself along the way.

2. Do everything to find something

Try everything! You never know what you might end up loving if you never give it a chance. I never thought I would be shooting a bow, but it is AWESOME! There are so many different hobbies to try and to combine together. Everyone is different, so shouldn't our hobbies be different too? My sister started crocheting one year and did it every day and she is amazing at it, but she tried several things to end up where she did. Try so many new and different things and through this experimental phase, you will find something perfect for you!

3. Start with one

It's tempting to jump both feet into the river and to get several new hobbies. That's kind of what I did, but expense wise and sanity wise, I probably wouldn't recommend it. Keep lists of things that you want to try, and then try each one for a couple weeks. This is also a great idea for someone like me who often quickly grows tired of activities. That way you don't end up spending a ton of money, or if you do, you will still fall into the 30 day return policy.

4. Be consistent

This one is hard. And I know that. As mothers, it's really hard to find a lot of time to dedicate solely to ourselves. There's always laundry to be done (seriously, does it ever stop?), or a part of the house to clean, and surprise surprise, we need sleep too, but it's also really important to be consistent and to make sure that we are constantly making time for ourselves. Even if it can only be 10 or 15 minutes. That is better than nothing and can really help to relieve stress and clear your mind.

5. Educate yourself and grow

I think that one of the funniest parts about finding a new hobby is to be able to educate yourself on a new topic and to grow and become better at it. Thanks to Pinterest, YouTube, and Google, there are so many outlets open to us to better ourselves in pretty much any hobby we choose. Even if instead of actually performing our hobby, we take some time to educate ourselves on proper technique, or news ideas regarding the hobby, we will greatly improve our ability to grow and this will also allow for a greater sense of self pride and feeling of accomplishment.

6. Share your hobby

I love coming home from a run and sharing with Spencer a new time I reached, or shooting with him and having him see me hit my target. It's exciting and the encouragement is, surprise surprise, very encouraging. It motivates me to do better. Including your family in your hobbies doesn't mean that it's not time specifically for you. There also may be other women in your sphere of influence who might be looking for a new hobby, and your hobby might motivate them to get started! I encourage you not to tear others down if you are better than them. Choose your words wisely and focus on building each other up and not trying to one up each other. So not cool and this can also be devastating to a mom who is trying something for the first time. Encourage one another. I'm not saying that you have to allow people to run with you in the morning, because I have said no to people who have asked. That is my personal time, I have to be listening to music, and I don't want another person dictating my pace. It's okay to say no, but do so nicely and thoughtfully.

We have got to keep our sanity as Moms,

the best that we can anyway.

I really believe that having meaningful hobbies in which you can set goals and achieve them,

is one of the ways to stay sane!

That and constantly reminding yourself of how cute your kids are...

What are your favorite Mom Hobbies?