Before I had Ryder, I was full of passion. I loved writing, photography and my job. I was never bored and always had something fun to do. Then I found out I was pregnant, and everything changed. Morning sickness and first-trimester exhaustion set in, and by the time the second-trimester finally hit, I was too busy with prepping for the baby to feel passionate about any of my usual hobbies. Everything I used to love just fell to the wayside because I was enveloped in a new passion, my son.
Flash forward to a newborn who enjoyed sleep more than I did, and things changed again. Now, I no longer knew how to fill my free time. I couldn’t just sit over and watch him sleep, as much as I wanted to. So I busied myself with housework that I needed to get done before he woke up and planned activities I could do with him. Though, I ached for the long days spent writing stories at my desk, for creating social media posts and taking photos.
It wasn’t until Brooklyn called me and asked if I wanted to join Pretty and Smart Co. as a contributor that I slowly began to find my way back to my passions. I could write about a new passion of mine, being a mom. Now over a year later, I can finally say I have rediscovered my passions again and figured out how to juggle them while being a mom. So, after an extremely long introduction, here is a list of ways to start finding your passions again, post-baby.
Make Time for Your Passions
This sounds easier than it is, especially if your baby doesn’t like to nap throughout the day. Though this doesn’t mean it’s impossible, there are plenty of ways you can make time for your passions. Whether it’s getting up 30 minutes before you know your little one wakes up or craving out sometime during nap time. It could even be when the baby goes to bed. Just make some time whether it’s five minutes or an hour.
Start Small
I know, everyone wants to do all their passions at once but let’s be realistic and work smart. Find one passion, and focus on that for a couple of days. Then switch it up when you start to get bored. Trying to do everything at once, will only leave you frustrated and overwhelm, and absolutely nothing to show for it.
Remember Passions Change
Remember, your passions are going to change, I learned this the hard way. I used to be obsessed with fitness and going to the gym. After having a baby, something changed. Fitness was no longer something I was passionate about. I tried for months to force myself to go, in the end, I spent the hour wishing I was home with my son. If you begin to realize you are no longer passionate about something, do not force it. Move on, you can always come back to it, but for now, put your focus into something else.
Include the Baby
Finding a passion you can include your child in will make easier for you to do each day. It will also give you something to bond over. That’s why I decided to start running again. Running is something I can do for 30 minutes a day and have some me time but more importantly, I can also include my son. I bought a used running stroller off of Facebook Marketplace and now it has become something special Ryder and I can do together.
Rediscovering your passions again after having a baby can be difficult but, it’s something we should do. It will help us to regain some sanity. Whether it’s something you used to do or a new passion you’ve discovered, spend at least five minutes a day doing it. You’ll thank yourself later for it. If you’re looking for something you can do for just five minutes a day that will increase your happiness, check out Rachel’s blog post (here).
