For a long time I was trapped in a belief that I couldn’t accomplish anything as a Mom.
Most days I just tried not to drown in the piles of laundry as I did my best to keep the tiny humans alive.
I couldn’t see how to dig my way out of the mess, let alone accomplish a real goal.
My priorities were to stop the kids from fighting, clean my house, and get school done.
I didn’t dream about the future, explore the possibilities of what could be, or let myself believe that I could really accomplish anything.
Then I read about JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, who said, “People very often say to me, ‘How did you do it, how did you raise a baby and write a book?’ And the answer is - I didn’t do housework for four years. I am not superwoman. And um, living in squalor, that was the answer.”
Maybe I have had it all wrong? Maybe I don’t have to just survive the chaos until my kids leave my house to then reach for a real goal?
I’m not saying that we should all let the laundry mountains descend upon our homes unrestrained as we shoot for the stars. What I am saying is that JK Rowling was so determined to accomplish her goal that she didn’t let anything unimportant get in her way.
She was not superwoman.
She was just an ordinary mom, who had an idea of what she could contribute to the world, and she got busy.
She did what was necessary, and let go of the rest.
She didn’t feeling guilty that she couldn’t do it all.
She chose what she would do on purpose.
If I actually believed that I could make a difference in the world, what would I do?
What would I be capable of?
What would I get busy with?
I want to let myself start exploring these questions instead of shutting them down.
When there is no bigger goal to our life - a purpose, a passion, a direction, the little things consume all of our time.
Would folding the laundry take three days if I knew that I was capable of something bigger?
Likely I would finish in 30 minutes and get busy with real life.
Would cleaning my house be a never ending project?
Likely I would do what was necessary, be done in 20 minutes, and get busy with my passion.
Would homeschooling take all day?
Likely I would make time for what mattered most, then let the kids keep learning on their own as I dove into my goals.
I would not check facebook, instagram, and the news multiple times a day.
I would be too focused reaching for the stars.
Remember the little engine that could?
What set him apart from the bigger, stronger trains, was a thought.
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
He believed he could, so he did.
Determination comes from a belief that it is possible.
If I really believe I can, I will feel empowered and determined to do it!
Someday it will be said of me “She believed she could, so she did.”
What will they say about you?
You have the power to make it happen.
Let’s do this together.
Love,
Delight