Monday Must: How to Stay Driven AND Sane

Hi my name is Elizabeth, mother of two little boys and entrepreneur. This year while raising my tiny humans, I launched my Etsy shop selling Kids Kindness Cards. While my days are quite full, I find joy in sharing the honest moments of motherhood on my Instagram account, while sparking inner joy through my side hustle. 

Balance, something that can be difficult and sometimes impossible to find. Truth be told within the role of Motherhood I have come to realize it’s less about finding time and more about making time. I’m not talking about the convenience of a 2-3 hour chunk, I'm talking about the off hours, late at night while the house sleeps and the 20 minute pockets before someone wakes from a nap (yes children sleeping is pivotal to get things done). So here we are meals, messy houses, too many bedtime stories and mama needs a minute. So how does one stay both driven and sane? Lucky for you I've compiled a nice little list, but in all honesty I am still figuring it out as I go...

Use Monday’s as Your Guide

This is how I set myself up for success, it can be any day but for some reason Monday’s feel therapeutic as I have the entire week ahead. On this day I set my intention for the week, figure out what my big and small goals are and sprinkle in a few things that would be nice to get done. I also use this day to communicate with “my village” what my week will look like and when I’ll need help, this ties into “making time.” The next item on my list helps to materialize this idea.

Physically Write It Out

There is nothing like putting pen to paper. I have found that typing out a note in my iPhone does not have the same effect as writing a physical list. This list is comprised of my 1. Weekly Intention ex. (be more present) 2. Big Goals (launch new product) 3. Small Goals (new creative for social, laundry) 4. Wish list (organize pantry). I prioritize my list this way as it allows me to use my bite sized time slots accordingly. The most satisfying part of this list is the simple act of crossing things off! At the end of the week I’m able to assess what I did vs. what items seem to keep carrying over from week to week. 

Find A Community

One of my main motivators is relatability; knowing that people are going through the same thing as I am. For me this means two communities, motherhood and entrepreneurs, which I was surprised to find align closely, as many mothers have passion projects by night while raising littles by day. To me this community is therapeutic in nature as it provides me with people to share my highs and lows. Both motherhood and entrepreneurship are similar in nature as they can be super rewarding but also come with many struggles and learning curves.  

Say it Out Loud

Life is messy and it helps to have someone to hold you accountable and stay on track. My someone is my husband Carlo, it helps when this person is easily accessible and generally knows about your days. I often share my frustrations and talk about things I need to get done and when he sees I am losing motivation you bet he gives me the pep talk I need that steers me back in the right direction. Your person doesn’t have to be a spouse, it can be a best friend, a parent or a sibling, just someone that has your best interest at heart and wants to see you happy and succeeding.  

Do Something for YOU

Grab Starbucks, do your nails, workout, buy a new sweater, okay you get the idea... just do something for yourself. I’ll tell you why... because when your days are spent thinking about other people’s happiness your sanity depends on a little self indulgence. This gives me the motivation to keep going and show up as my best self everyday. It’s easy to fall into a blur when your days blend together, it’s the trap of early motherhood. I have honestly found that having just a little something for me helps to get through the tough times and slows down the sweet moments that are gone too soon. 

That’s all I have for now, but I’d love to connect and hear about your journey. For more on my honest recollection of motherhood you can find me here.

And I'd love for you to check out my Kindness Cards on my Etsy shop!

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