Personal Pursuits!

This 6 & 1/2 minute YouTube of a Ted Talk describes how and why mothers need to respect themselves as individuals and develop their talents and pursue their passions, not to avoid their offspring (which can be so detrimental) but rather as a means of progressing together with their little ones.

Momivate wants YOU, Mama, yes YOU! to continually nourish yourself! After all, a well-fed mama can best provide nourishment to her offspring! Momivate suggests a well-rounded diet in each of these areas (another acronym, of course…) This can provide some structure to your goal-setting routine as you consider each area of your life and how you want to grow!

• Spiritual
• Physical
• Intellectual
• Community
• Emotional
• Survival Mode

Please note — Momivate does NOT advocate selfishness! We trust in the Christian admonition that we find ourselves when we lose ourselves in the service of others. What does this look like in a life flavored with S.P.I.C.E.S.? Some examples might be:

• the mother who scrapbooks her child’s mementos uses this as a creative outlet!
• the mother who packs her baby on her back so she can hike builds more muscles while giving her baby fresh air!
• the mother who regularly invites other mothers & their kids into her home for playdates, filling her own needs for community as well as her children’s. 
• the mother who develops intellectually (like reading books about psychology) and then uses the knowledge she gains to give her children powerful tools to prevent or manage common issues, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar.

Putting effort into your religious devotions will benefit yourself as well as your family and friends. Volunteer for the food drive! Offer to train the nursery personnel! Show up to services early and greet others as they arrive. Read your holy books daily. Prayerfully consider how you can conscientiously upgrade your worship and truly Love God — that is, after all, the first great commandment!

Being physically active has incredible side-effects that we may not fully appreciate until we actually participate in something that gets our heart beating and our glands sweating! Among these, you can decrease your depression, sleep better at night, meet new friends and just have more fun!
Take time to figure out what gets you excited to get your gear on and go play! Think back to high school and what your extra-curricular activities included: did you dance? Play basketball or volleyball? Run track? Swim? Make time to continue those hobbies! Include your family as much as possible. 

We live in an era when education is literally at our fingertips. Learning something new has proven to help people avoid or overcome depression! What interests you? Sign up for a class through the local community college. Peruse your local library. Download the Duo Lingo app and learn a new language! Get a magazine subscription. Figure out how to feed your brain! This pattern of learning throughout your lifetime will set an example for your children! They’ll come to respect the broader purposes of education beyond getting a good grade or even a good job.Take time to figure out what gets you excited to get your gear on and go play! Think back to high school and what your extra-curricular activities included: did you dance? Play basketball or volleyball? Run track? Swim? Make time to continue those hobbies! Include your family as much as possible. 

Mothers tend to be social creatures — but if our work is primarily home-based, we need to put more effort into crossing paths with our co-workers (fellow mothers) since there’s no water cooler to gather around! Hopefully, joining a MomUnity and attending S.M.I.L.E. gatherings will help to fill this need! We are all part of a bigger community, and we need to be able and willing to reach out — either to offer or request help. Some “community” goals might include joining the PTA, hosting a book club, throwing a party for some reason, or posting uplifting thoughts on Facebook to uplift other mothers.

Acknowledging the wide range of emotions that you feel as a mother is essential to your mental health. Journaling is a powerful way to increase your emotional health. Therapy is a little more expensive than a journal, but might be worth the investment! Deliberately discover how to expand the happy moments of motherhood and effectively decrease the stressors, then make goals to accomplish this. Hint: hugging is an underused superpower! We are wired to get doses of oxytocin (a happiness hormone) with each hug! 

We will have periods of motherhood when we need to go into survival mode. Expect it — and prepare for it as much as possible by setting up schedules and systems that can run on “auto-pilot.” When these times come, know that you will overcome eventually, but in the meantime, accept the situation for what it is and reach out for help. Know what areas of life are dispensable and what to grasp onto for the most effective stability. Keep routines, as they feed your sanity. Explain to your children that you’re simplifying and how it will impact them and ask for their willing sacrifice. This can be a positive thing in the end — where your young ones take on more responsibility, practice problem-solving, and ultimately are strengthened amidst our weaknesses.

See our Goal-Setting Principles Here