Your greatest weapon as a mom shouldn't be your awesome vacuum, or that "as seen on TV mop" or your ability to see things happening behind you. Those things are amazing, but your greatest weapon against stress and chaos in your home is your ability to delegate. . . . . Get it off your plate, mama. Give it away, share it away, hire it away. You don't need to do it all.
And just like that, my baby, my first born, is off to start her first day of fifth grade. I am doing a lot of mom reflecting today and recognizing that once again, time takes no prisoners.
We live in a motivation-driven society. Everyone is waiting for that adrenaline-rich boost of motivation to fuel their actions everyday. But what happens when that never comes? What happens when you sit around waiting for to be motivated to do what you need to do and it never happens? Procrastination. That's the result of motivation unfulfilled. Moms are no different. The toilets need cleaning, laundry needs folding, meals need prepping, but the likelihood that you will have such a passion for those things that it sparks motivation is low. . . . What you need is momentum, the impetus gained by a moving object. In easy speak, the snowball effect. Start small, gain speed, build the snowball. Waiting for motivation is a great excuse to stick to bad habits and procrastination, but it won't move you forward. Momentum creates motivation. Choose a small task, do it, choose another small task, do it. Build the snowball by rolling it, not by standing in the snow wishing the giant sphere of snow would appear.
Let's be real. Cleaning your house can be a drag. It's a necessary evil that seems more evil than necessary most days. You're getting the bare minimum done, but what about all that deep cleaning that you know you should be doing? What about all those spaces that haven't seen a wipe-down in...how long have you lived there? Let's change that. Introducing the Clean It Like You Mean It Challenge: A 10 day deep cleaning challenge for mom's who deeply dislike cleaning. . . . So what do you get when you sign up? •10 days of emails with instructions, prompts, supply recommendations and encouragement from yours truly •An audio component for each email so you can listen while you do. •Regular live videos on my Facebook page for extra support, encouragement and the ability to ask questions. . . . This is a live challenge and the best part? It's totally free, baby. . . . Click the link in my bio to find the challenge page and all the deets to sign-up. Share it with a friend. We start Tuesday, September 5, mama. Let's get down to business and learn to clean it like we mean it.
Don't be a victim, mama. Be a victor. #homemakerish
We had a very long day yesterday. Two back-to-back outdoor parties no where near each other. We knew we would be gone the entire day and told the kids to bring some toys to keep them occupied. Everett grabbed 2 toy birds with an accompanying cage and this small slinky. That is how he entertained himself for the better part of our 8 our outing. He didn't touch his tablet once and never complained of being board. Instead, he used his imagination to create fun and enjoyment if other kids weren't around. . . . I have no inherent problem with toys, or screen time, or playrooms, but it is time we stop making the conversation about how many toys our kids should have and more about how many they really want. Kids made due for centuries and centuries without play rooms and basements packed full of toys. Our kids can, too. Don't feel guilty about the amount of toys you have if they fill your home with joy, but don't feel guilty about letting them go if they fill your home with stress.
I used to have a major case of reluctant homemaker-itis. That feeling of knowing I wanted to have it all together in my home and life like I saw other moms did, but also feeling really resistant to the whole idea because the word homemaker kinda made me wanna puke. It took me a long time to get over that feeling. Homemaking is a touchy subject for most moms, primarily because we've been force-fed idealism about the topic. It's shrouded in perfectionism and duty, when really it is more about strategy and systems than anything else. This is why I designed my free Reluctant Homemaker Starter Guide, so mamas could free themselves if the antiquated notions about homemaking and instead learn how to make this whole home management thing work for them, on their terms. Head over to my profile for the link to this free guide. Modern homemakers unite!
Her feet are almost as big as mine, she's only inches shorter than me and she still climbs in bed with us every now and then to snuggle. She still insists on sitting next to her dad wherever we go. She still holds my hand when we walk in public. She may be taller and bigger, but her heart is still small enough to need us. I like this stage.
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