Layer in the Fun
Recently I had the realization that I am not nearly as much fun as I think I am. Have you ever had a moment like that? It was a little bit of an ‘aha’ moment, seeing things with a little bit of clarity.
When Work/Life Merges
I describe my day job as being the air traffic controller, keeping everyone on course, problem solving and improving processes and communication. Some of this is my inherent nature, and it is a skill set I use in my work life, leaning into those tendencies and using them as strengths.
And these are strengths and skills we use in mom life. Keeping things organized for school and activities, managing schedules, planning grocery trips and meals. While there is satisfaction that things generally run smoothly on both home and work fronts, it felt a little disappointing to stick my head up above the chaos and see that I was not adding enough fun to my life, for myself and for my family.
I keep things going smoothly and on plan at work but what I don’t plan into my days nearly enough are moments of fun.
Moments that let my spirit feel free
Moments where I feel my magic
Moments that really make life meaningful
Do you feel this way too?
So what can You do?
Start with making a list of things that you enjoyed at different parts of your life. It’s as simple as making a list of things you like and don’t like, what you want more of in your life and less of. We all want more sleep, more time, a long vacation. But life is made of up the small moments. Focus on the small things, the seemingly inconsequential moments that gave your day a little boost. Write down moments that you really felt something and maybe haven’t named before.
Was tater-tot Tuesday the best part of 5th grade because of the mountains of laughter you shared with your friends?
Was making friendship bracelets after school your go-to activity after school in junior high?
Is there a song that reminds you of that time in college when you… well, you get the idea…
“Life is a collection of moments”
Think of things that you loved to do and made you feel most like yourself.
Get started
Schedule in what you are adding into your days. The great thing about little moments is that you don’t need a huge block of time. It’s adding in the layer of fun to what you already do. It’s like Mary Poppins says, “in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun”.
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.”
It may feel weird or fake to plan to be fun, to have more moments you enjoy in your day. But you are building a muscle here and it takes some intention to build that strength, that habit. Our adulting has gotten in the way of letting the fun happen, so it’s okay if you need schedule it in. Start off easy…
Make it tater tot dinner night and ask Alexa to tell some funny jokes
Break out the embroidery floss and start braiding while relaxing before bed
Belt out “that song” next time you’re in the car
What else can you think of to add little moments of fun into your days? Let your past memories kickstart ideas for something fun now. And layer in the fun, one dinner, one moment of down time, one post-drop off drive at a time.
Know that this is a process and it’s okay to take small steps forward.
They all add up.
Keep Going
How does it feel to know a small, actionable step you can take right now? I hope you feel a bit lighter, a twinge of excitement and a smile growing on your face as you realize that the trappings of motherhood haven’t totally buried that true sense of yourself.
Do you feel a little bit of guilt or anxiety at doing these little things for yourself? Or that you’ve let so many moments pass you by? Take some time to reflect on it in your journal or on a walk outside. And to really help you feel grounded, take the time to write down on ways you can layer in the fun by naming what you truly want more and less of in your life.
Leave a comment here or on the Instagram post if you are scheduling in your small steps to remembering your magic. I’d love to know what you loved to do growing up and how you are layering in the fun!
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