A new start: designing the Mum that I want to be

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I’ve been absent from my blog for a while now. After giving birth in November, motherhood hit me and I just have not got a chance to sit down and put my feelings into words. But here I am. I’ve found a little time and I’m attempting to put my creative hat on.

Motherhood – quite honestly the hardest, most stressful but most rewarding ‘job’ I’ve ever had. It’s like two full time jobs thrown together that you never get a break from. Not until your hormones have stopped making you feel guilty every time you leave your baby with a family member or even their dad. Until those crazy hormones subside, you just don’t switch off.

Now my boy is 6 months old, I’m making an effort to find ‘me’ again. Old Abii has gone and I couldn’t imagine myself not being a Mum, but I now get to create new Abii – a healthy balance of ‘Mummy’ and me.

Everyday now, I’m making the effort to do something that makes me feel more glamorous than just throwing on leggings, a baggy t shirt and hair into a bun. I’ve bought some new dresses and have decided to wear them, not just save them for date night or lunch out. I’ve started painting my own nails (I miss being able to have my gel nails – but maternity money means it’s a no no) and also putting on a little makeup. It’s amazing how much of a difference this makes to me mentally.

I’ve also said to myself to start thinking like the woman I want to be in a years time. As in, start creating mental habits that will stick for when my body catches up!

I make the effort to exercise everyday, ideally outside with Bertie and the dog. I drink a bottle of water everyday. I incorporate fruits and veggies into every meal we eat. I’ve cut down on naughty treats and chocolate/ice cream.

I’ve also started working towards my dream career by freelancing for a marketing company – investing time into my own skills so I can afford a comfortable lifestyle for our family.

Doing all of this is hard. It’s a lot harder than just grabbing a chocolate bar and just letting the dog walk herself around the pony paddock – which I unfortunately spent a few too many months doing.

What I’ve learnt is that to accomplish everything above, effective time management is key. In motherhood, your whole day revolves around feed times and wake windows so not over planning your day to start with helps with the load. I try not to book us any back to back activities as I know I just feel knackered afterwards. Something that wouldn’t have bothered me before.

So with my new healthy outlook and the start of my new lifestyle habits – this Homebird is going to be using her blog space to stay accountable.

Connect with me and let me know your thoughts – mamas I would love your help with my journey!

Inspire: Be Inspired

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The reason I created Habits of a Homebird was because I felt there was an audience out there that didn’t quite fit with the typical “country girl” persona. I’m a horsey girl who has evolved into a country bumpkin; something that has happened organically through my lifestyle choices, environment and the people I surround myself with.

I am actually sat here editing this post at 7:30am on a very drizzly and grey Monday morning; yet, I know that this is the time I am most inspired.

My goal for this article is to reach out and help my readers figure out when they’re most productive. My homebird community is all about bringing likeminded people together and I truly believe your most productive time should be used to invest in yourself. I’d love to hear your thoughts so comment, share and tag me in! 

To inspire, you must first be inspired, a circular idea that always starts with you putting down your own ideas and somebody taking initiative from what you’ve written. You may then read somebody else’s ideas and be inspired to create your own and so it goes. Surrounding yourselves with people who inspire you frequently is so important for self-development and it will motivate you. So start putting your ideas down on paper and slowly build up the courage to share them with others.

Another thing you should know is that to write blog articles, one doesn’t sit down only once and a perfectly formed piece will emerge. I’m always jotting down notes on my iPhone and usually in the morning before work, I will sit at my laptop with a cuppa and start putting down my ideas. The first draft will often take a couple of days and then editing a few more days if I am concentrating solely on that creative task. If I am juggling multiple projects then this often takes longer. So don’t be put off if your own creativity takes time – you’re not on your own!

Anything can be an idea! If I go out for the day with my camera, I will often write about my adventures. If I have a eureka moment in my equestrian training, I will most likely write about it. But also, if I come across some handy tips that I feel could benefit those around me, I will share those as well. I take inspiration from everything around me so making sure my surroundings are interesting and positive is crucial. If you’re stuck with your own creativity, I urge you to look at your circle and make edits. Hopefully, your creativity will then blossom.