REPOST: Balancing Act

Originally posted on May 17, 2012...

In my former life I worked in the sales industry. It was competitve. It was aggressive. It was what I did. In that field you have to be turned on at all times. For every minute that you spend checking your personal email or having a chat at the water cooler you miss out on money. That's what sales is about. A commission. You must be consistently productive to achieve any type of success.

Since becoming a mother and staying at home I have had a hard time adjusting to the lack of pressure. Motherhood isn't a competition and there certainly isn't a commission to be earned at the end of the month. Just hugs, kisses and milestones. So what keeps you going? What keeps us from becoming frumpy old housewives? Well, for me I think it has to be my type A personality. No matter how hard I try I just can't seem to turn it off.

I actually feel guilty if I don't take my daughter on an outing everyday. It feels strange to stay home for the entire day. I also I have not been able to do that whole "sleep while the baby is sleeping" thing, or even take a break when she naps. I feel that those are my opportunities to cook dinner or clean. I can get it done much faster when she's not clinging to my leg or asking to be held. However, after a few weeks of the constant going I do hit a wall. Today, I ran into one full speed. So, I did something I rarely ever do. When she went down for her nap I turned on the tv, peeped inside the DVR and caught myself up on one of my favorite shows.

I just sat there with a glass of tea. I must admit that midway thru the show instead of fast forwarding thru the commercials I got dinner started. What I realized was that it is completely okay to have one day a week where we don't have a plan. We don't have to go anywhere. I discovered today that she is completely happy playing with her toys right here in the comfort of our own home. I do not have to be turned on all the time. Every second doesn't have to be filled with flash cards or story time. She is happy playing and dancing and pretending. It's okay for me to have an hour of downtime. After all, I'm a Mom not a Ring Master. No one is buying tickets to this show. It's not a competition. I'm not going to get an award for doing the most housework or having dinner done by five. So, I can relax. It's ok.



This Blog In 2014...

So the New Year is approaching and it's time for goals and declarations about what will be. I don't know about you all but I have never really been a big fan of New Year's resolutions. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about goal setting but I just don't get into the hype surrounded by the New Year.

In February this blog will be two years old. What started out as a hobby kind of started turning into more of a business. I started to feel the competitive pressure to do more and get more numbers so that I could qualify for more opportunities. It became exhausting and time consuming. I like this space and what it does for me and I don't want it to start feeling like a chore. I want it to stay fun and effortless.

With that said, in 2014 you can expect more fun on this blog. I'll be doing some fun things with Baby Teems. There will still be reviews every now and then. I have already planned a pretty nice giveaway for February to celebrate my Flirty30 so be sure to be on the lookout for that.

This blog is about my motherhood journey as a stay at home Mom. Sometimes I'll write about fashion. Sometimes I'll share quick dinner ideas. You might find a fun craft to do with your kid. Hopefully you'll see more of my real life personality here. Some may like it and some may not. If you have ever talked to me offline you know that I'm a little bit more "fun" than I have been online. 2014 will not be a year to be demographically friendly or politically "blogger" correct. I'm getting back to why I started this.

The only goal I have for this space in 2014 is to continue to grow it organically. My numbers may not be as high as some other bloggers but at least I know I didn't beg, borrow or steal for the readers I have. I appreciate everyone's support of The Chic Stay at Home Mom. Please continue to interact with me on social media and in the comments. While I do love to make a dollar that will no longer be the only driving force behind the content here.

For the rest of 2013 I will be reposting some of my favorite posts from the past. I'll see you in 2014. It will be fabulous. It will be more real. It will be more me.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Mamas!