Once you have laid the groundwork, you can start looking at alternative ways to continue growing. Here are 5 unique alternative ideas to help you find yourself. From sleep hypnosis to minimalism, these ideas are perfect to go deeper in your rediscovery journey.

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I started doing yoga in high school. I’ve never been a die-hard Yogi but I stumbled upon Yoga Zone on the TV and loved it. I started following one every morning before school.

One of my favorite parts was the meditation at the end. I noticed that it really set the entire tone for my day and I was definitely affected when I missed a day. It had such effect that I have continued doing meditation even when I fall off the fitness wagon.

How I Started

That’s how I started opening my mind to more alternative methods of wellness and growth. Later, when taking psychology in college, instead of being turned away from these ideas they actually made a lot more sense. The brain is incredibly powerful. Countless studies show that and the myriad unconscious things that it does for you daily are further proof.

When you are exercising, focusing, and strengthening such a powerful organ, is it really any wonder the amazing things you can accomplish? For that reason, even if you think this stuff is a little “hippy-dippy” for your tastes, I urge you to give them a try.

Sleep Hypnosis

This one I’ve only recently started doing in the last 3 months but it truly makes such a difference. For starters, if you struggle with falling asleep at night, like me, these sessions help you fall asleep. As you continue doing them, you will find yourself falling asleep more and more quickly. This is because you are training your brain that it is the cue for sleep in addition to the words that are spoken.

Furthermore, as you hear the same phrases and affirmations again and again when you sleep, they will stick in your brain. As with most things, don’t expect instant results. To give it a fair try, do it consistently for a week. If at the end of the week it still isn’t your thing, what have you really lost?

Recommendation:

I listen to (and highly recommend) Thomas Hall’s sleep hypnosis. You can try it for free on his YouTube channel or you can buy the audio to listen to without needing an Internet connection.

Life Coach

This one I haven’t tried yet but it is something I hope to do within the next year. A life coach is someone who helps you determine where you want to be (in life, your career, and your relationships) and then helps you create a plan to get there.

This isn’t like therapy (which I have done). Therapy is typically meant to help you explore your past, learn who you are, and heal from hidden pain or “fix” something. A life coach helps you focus on the future and then help you with the plan and accountable to attain what you want.

Notes:

There are different types of life coaches. I recommend finding one who specializes in what it is you want to achieve. If you don’t have a career (or plan on getting one) then a career coach isn’t for you.
Many life coaches offer a free consultation. This is important because it allows you to make sure you are a good fit personality-wise. Don’t feel like you need to go with the first one you meet with. Find someone who vibes with you and is what you need. That’s what they are there for.

Take a Solo Trip

Much like dating yourself, taking a solo trip really helps you get to know yourself and grow. When there are no expectations and no one else to take care of, you can do anything that you want. More importantly, it forces you to bravely try new things alone. That is a powerful experience.

If you do find that you spend the entire time in your hotel room, you can come home with an idea of areas you need to improve. A trip is meant to be an adventure. Don’t let fear prevent you from trying new things.

Try Meditation

As I said above, I love meditation. It is the only time in my day that my brain isn’t running a thousand miles an hour. It takes practice, but when you focus everything on your breath or the words spoken in guided meditation, there isn’t much room for other things.

Moms especially seem to have trouble turning their brains off, so to speak. Meditation is an intentional way to do this. It is amazing how focused and refreshed you feel after even 10 minutes of meditation.

I don’t have a recommendation for this because I don’t use much guided mediation outside of the ones at the end of my Yoga Zone DVDs. There are plenty out there for you to try, though. Start with YouTube to dip your toes for free. Then you can invest in items once you discover your personal style.

Minimalism

This is another one that I have yet to try but when I look at all of the ‘stuff’ in my house, it is intriguing. For starters, living with less frees up your time. Less things in your home mean less things to clean and maintain.

Secondly, when you don’t have all of the clutter, you find more mental clarity and can even see an improvement in mood. I suffer from depression and when things are chaotic in my environment it translates to feeling more chaotic inside. I have more flairs, my thoughts are unfocused, and I struggle with motivation when my house isn’t clean and organized.

Keep in mind, that you don’t have to be an extreme minimalist. Figure out what minimalism means to you and aim for that. Here are a few resources to help you get started:

All of these unique alternative ideas to help you find yourself will help you on your journey of rediscovery. Remember, you’ve already done the hard work. Now it’s time to build upon it and create lasting change in your life. If you haven’t already checked out the other posts in this series, I urge you to go back and work through them now. They truly help you lay the foundations that break you out of the mom rut and truly love yourself and your life.

See where I’m linking up!

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Do you have a bucket list? If so, how many of the things on it have you actually done? Don’t worry if your answer is in the single digits. These tips will help you make a bucket list you’ll actually complete.

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I have been lucky enough to do many great things and have tons of awesome experiences in my life. Then one day, I realized I had stopped. I got caught up in raising a family and daily life.

It happens to the best of us but once you realize it, you want to do something about it. A bucket list is a great way to change it around.

If you actually do it, that is. That is exactly what these tips help you do.

Start with What You Have Done

Start by making a list of all of the amazing things you have already done. When you see how much you’ve already accomplished, it will motivate you to start again. That’s how you get the initial push to start again.

There are no wrong answers here, either. Everything that you feel is an accomplishment, unique experience, or enriching should go on the list. Here is a short example for you:

Visit Montreal
Go to Disney World
See Boston in Concert
Crowd Surf
Fly in a Plane
Write a Book
Perform Live on Stage
Try Out for The Voice
Go Skinny Dipping
Perform in a Play
Win an Award/Trophy
Complete a 5K
Ride a Horse
Pet a Shark
Ride an Elephant
Feed a Giraffe
Attend New Orleans Jazz Festival
Eat Alligator
See the Nutcracker Ballet
Get Paid to Sing

Not all of these are huge things but they all meant something to me. Seeing it all laid out on a list makes you feel pretty awesome and accomplished. You are a person, a unique individual who has so much more to give than what you give yourself credit for.

Make Your Bucket List

Once you complete the list of things you have already done, it’s time to make your bucket list. You were likely inspired by new ideas while compiling the list above. Write them down: all of them. Anything and everything you can think of that you want to do, try, and experience.

Here is another quick example:

Be an Extra in a Horror Movie
Go Snorkeling
Visit Hawaii
Take a European Vacation
Go on an Overnight Ghost Hunt
Stay in an Over-water Bungalow
Go to Super Bowl
Attend Comi-Con in San Diego
Throw an Over-the-Top Birthday Party
Go on a Huge Tropical Zip Line
Try Glass Blowing
Go on a Cruise
Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank
Earn a Million Dollars
Attend a Crab Boil
Eat at the Hello Kitty Food Truck
Meet the Core Buffy “Scooby Gang”
Sleep in a Haunted House
Go on a Safari
Donate Blood

Notice how there are seriously all kinds of things on this list. From places to visit to conquering fears and even to financial milestones, they are all part of my bucket list. Remember, you decide what goes on it and it can be absolutely anything you want.

Prominently Feature Your Bucket List

After you finish your bucket list, you need to keep that baby front and center on your mind. A great way to do this is to literally hang it on the wall.

If you have a large dry erase board you can write your bucket list on there and hang it. You can also make the super easy DIY chalkboard in this tutorial to write them on.

Share Your Bucket List

Lastly, share it with your family, including your kids. There are 3 reasons for this:

This helps keep you accountable.
It prepares your kids for the times you do things without them.
Lastly, it’s a great behavior to model for your kids.

I love kids for their honesty. When they see you checking off items on the list, they will get excited. On the flip side of that, they won’t hesitate to point out when it has been a while since you checked one off.

Bonus Tip: Schedule It

In case you haven’t notice, I’m a big proponent for scheduling things. When you take the time to write them down and plan them, it makes it easier to stick to. Additionally, it gives you a deadline. I recommend scheduling at least 4 bucket list items a year. Ideally these would be 3 smaller ones that are simple and inexpensive to complete and 1 large one that is consumes more time, planning, and money.

When you start with your accomplishments, keep your list prominent, and share it with family you will finally make a bucket list you’ll actually complete. The life we live and who we become is essentially made up of each one of these experiences. They shape and form us which is pretty cool when you think about it. That means we have a lot more control over who we become than we like to believe.

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I’ve always loved the quote from Coco Chanel, “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” These words are absolute truth. We’re not talking about heading to the salon for a trim. We are talking about going bold and how a haircut can help you find yourself.

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I have always experimented with my hair. I’ve gone crazy short and grown it super long (multiple times). It has been almost every color you can think of and a million different styles.

I think this is the product of growing up in an abusive home. When your entire life feels out of control, you grasp at anything you can control. For me, that was my hair and that trait has stuck with me into adulthood.

That’s why I think that changing your look can be a game changer in your life. Before we get to why, let’s talk about ways to change from drastic to color.

Drastic Change

When you feel like you have completely lost yourself, your life feels out of control. One of the quickest and easiest ways to take back that control is to change your look, especially your hair. In situations where you are feeling desperate, go drastic.

Even if you regret the decision later, it’s an impermanent form of change (unlike a tattoo or, more drastic, plastic surgery… eek!). When we feel lost, out of control, or in desperate need of a change we are thinking with our emotions instead of our head. I never recommend doing something permanent to your body when you are in this state of mind.

If you have always had long hair, cut it off. Or, if you keep your hair short then consider extensions. You can even completely change your look and switch up your hair color, too.

Less Drastic Change

The thought of chopping off all of your hair is scary, especially if you’ve sported that style for years. Sometimes you aren’t ready to take such a leap (although I totally recommend it). If that is the case, you can dip your toes in with some less drastic changes such as:

Bangs

Bangs are a great way to change your look without going into shock. Of course, if you’re a mom who has been going through the motions for years, you could probably use a good shock to shake things up. In addition to the less drastic change, if you decide you hate the bangs you can always style them so that they’re hidden.

Change the Style

Another option for a less drastic change is to change the style without changing the length. This can be done with a cut (such as adding layers to your long hair) or even with a hairstyle that doesn’t involve a cut at all. For example, you can even style your hair in a way that gives you “faux bangs” like the video above or a try a braided Mohawk for an edgy look.

Color

While I feel like part of rediscovery is being brave enough to try new things, sometimes even the less drastic ideas are too far outside of your comfort zone. In that case, try a color change.

These don’t even have to be permanent. You can try wash out chalks and crayons for an instant (and easily corrected) change. Or try a semi-permanent color that comes out after a few washes.

How Does This Help You Find Yourself

So much of a mom’s look is dictated by exhaustion, lack of time, and routine. When you are bold enough to change your hair, it empowers you to change other areas of your life.

Changing your hair also changes your perception of yourself. When you like the way you look, it gives your confidence, can help you feel more energized, and feel more sociable. All of these lead to big, positive changes in your overall life.

There is a lot of wisdom in the adage, “Change your look, change your life,” and not just from beauty people. Your outward appearance should be a representation of who you are and make you feel good. That’s how a haircut can help you find yourself. When you express who you are outwardly, not just in actions but appearance as well, you find the confidence to dive deep into other areas and make a true change that lasts.

See where I’m linking up!

Unique Alternative Ideas to Help You Find Yourself

How I Started

Sleep Hypnosis

Recommendation:

Life Coach

Notes:

Take a Solo Trip

Try Meditation

Minimalism

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series

Make a Bucket List You’ll Actually Complete

Start with What You Have Done

Make Your Bucket List

Prominently Feature Your Bucket List

Share Your Bucket List

Bonus Tip: Schedule It

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series

How a Haircut Can Help You Find Yourself

Drastic Change

Less Drastic Change

Bangs

Change the Style

Color

How Does This Help You Find Yourself

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series