Keeping the Gender a Surprise
The moment that I found out I was pregnant, I began planning. My husband and I both decided that we did not want to find out what we were having. That's right. We did...
Taking the Time to Follow My Passions
For a long time, I put my passions aside for what I believed to be the good of my family. Some of my passions cost money. They all cost time. And in 2003, as a new mother, I now had a child that needed ALL of my time.
I've had a lot of abandoned hobbies and passions over the years. Many of them sit untouched in my basement. I am a serial hobbyist.
The violin (deep discount on eBay).
The scrapbooking gear (I've only ever created three scrapbook pages since I stocked up on everything in 2003). I really think that I could get into scrapbooking.
The knitting stuff (I traveled all around Atlanta looking for the best yarns and got these HUGE knitting needles but have yet to even open the instruction book).
The oil paints (someday I should really try that again).
And much more. All abandoned because of time.
It took me years to realize that I was worth it. I was worthy of giving myself time to devote to my passions. I just needed to discover them again.
The first thing that I discovered is that my biggest passion is my family. I adore them!
If I hadn't been an experimenter, I never would have re-discovered my childhood passion of writing. For years I thought who would read what I wrote? One day it hit me, that I knew at least ten people who care so why not do it for them? And the few magazines and websites that wanted to pay me for writing. I also started a blog.
My advice to you is to find your passion. Pursue it. Experiment. Take the time to discover your passion(s) or even the time to devote to your current passion. You are worth it!
Disclosure: This post was the entry into the Mabel’s Labels BlogHer ‘10 Contest. The directions- Write a post on your blog in response to the following hypothetical situation: Electrical storms are going to wipe out the Internet (perhaps forever). You have one day left to write about your passions: what do you want to say to the blogosphere in 300 words or less?
Contest details here.
Stopping by from SITS I love your post! I think most of us have that violin in the basement in some form. Nice to see you’ve found your passion. 🙂
Have an Extraordinary Day!
.-= InspiredDreamer´s last blog ..Be My Guest Monday! Beyond "Life is Not Fair" =-.
I feel the same way. I started off in 2005 wanting to make jewelry while raising my new born daughter. Forgot about it until one day I saw an old Huggies box that I had packed away filled with all things jewelry. Started it, then I sorta lost interest in it and now have finally become confident enough to really pursue jewelry designing. Good to see someones else has been there too.
It is amazing to me how we as women, kind push things that we like to do off to the side when we have children. I don’t regret but I missed it.
Come back and leave a link to some of your jewelry designs. And good for you for following your passion.
My passion is my family, my blog, and camping.
.-= Tammy´s last blog ..Amy Grant’s New CD Somewhere Down The Road =-.
Although I didn’t need the reminder, I am nearly surrounded in my office by lots of rubber stamp/paper crafting stuff (that I should list on ebay already…) and a whole closet of scrapbooking stuff (that I should get back to…)
.-= Becki´s last blog ..Random Tuesday Thoughts =-.
I know exactly what you mean. I am now divorced and ironically single for the very first time and over a decade. I have a teenage son that is growing more and more self efficient – the majority of the weekends I am left at home alone.
Now that I am single and now that my son is a teenager I can get back to what I love the most – Fashion. I started six years ago as a Fashion Stylist and was in it to win it until my marriage was slowly falling apart and I knew my son needed me the most. So I put aside my passion to focus on the thing I love the most – my son.
Now that he is set it is time to show the world who I am. 🙂
I left you an Easter Basket on my blog! http://angiemarion.blogspot.com/2010/03/hersheys-better-basket-blog-hop.html
I hope you stop by and check it out, as it’s for a good cause!
Like you, I encourage women to pursue their passion. We CAN have it all. Maybe some of these passions have to wait a while until the kids get a little older, but I believe if you are passionate about something, you are going to make it work. I am passionate about blogging and find the time every night.
By the way, did you see my post about free digital scrapbooking? http://dagmarbleasdale.com/2010/03/free-digital-scrapbooking-how-fun/ It’s free and the possibilities are endless!
Best,
Dagmar
.-= Dagmar Bleasdale´s last blog ..Not Me! Monday — Life =-.
Great post! At one point I was going to be a golfer, pianist and I’ve got a brand new sewing machine ready to go!
Now I’m actually playing tennis, running and spending more time with my kids.
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
.-= Wifey´s last blog ..Just In Case You Didn’t Know Where Milk Comes From =-.
Stacie — I’m so excited that you are a finalist!! Great post too!
.-= MusingsfromMe/Jill´s last blog ..Letting Him Down =-.
Hey, lady! So glad to see your name on that finalist list! 🙂 What a great entry – I, like you, have a closet full of “good intentions” (otherwise known as hobby junk), so I totally feel you on that. Blogging is much less messy, and ultimately more rewarding for me. Love that you spoke to that. 🙂
.-= Stacey @ Tree, Root, and Twig´s last blog ..Blooming Heart =-.
Glad I’m not the only one to abandon scrapbooking. Congrats on being a finalist – inspiring post!
.-= Ironic Mom´s last blog ..Recovering Addicts, Celebrities, and Parenting =-.
I keep thinking I should take up scrapbooking, and then I remember the photos that have been waiting to be stuck in our Christmas album since 2007. I just can’t see doing it.
Congratulations on making it to the finals – this is really a lovely post!
.-= Amber´s last blog ..Bicycle Dreams =-.
Hello, I have not been here in a while. I need to get better at commenting. Stopping by from UBP. Great post. I was actually thinking about taking guitar or tahitian dancing lessons lately. I have not done much for myself in years. Hope you get back to one of your hobbies.
Lucy
http://postpartumillness.com/?q=node/315
I thougth that once I retired I would have all the time to do the things that I never had time to do. Ha! Got all the scraping stuff out. The watercolors. The sewing maching.
Then came four grandkids..now I am busier than ever and loving every minute. Go figure. How did I ever have time for a job!?
Wow! You ARE a serial hobbyist! It’s so true that we (moms especially) need to find time for ourselves! And I think it’s important to prioritize. Maybe you DON’T have time for knitting but I’m glad you find time for writing!
.-= Colleen at Travel Mamas´s last blog ..Best Cupcakes in California…Maybe in the World =-.
I think it is very important for us to live out our passions. My passion is helping parents remember how they felt as children and recreate that with their own children.
I have determined I can’t die because I have too many things to do- I am an avid quilter and have so much fabric I could start my own store. I also want to pick up the guitar again… my excuse? I never get around to getting it restrung.
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