Self Archives - Page 3 of 30

Do you celebrate your eccentricities or do you hide them away in a corner of yourself? If you feel like you have to put on many different masks in your life then you aren’t being true to yourself. Find how to start embracing your weird as a mom and discover how freeing it is when you do!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”How are you embracing your weird as a mom? Find out how to throw away the masks you put on and be unapologetically you for a happier and freer life.” username=”diyadulation”]

This is my absolute favorite part of this entire series. I want all of us to embrace our weird because it leads to a more interesting and fun world to live in. To quote Alice, “The best people are.”

Little Weirdo

I realized at a very young age that I was never going to be what society considers “normal” and it upset me. We couldn’t afford the cool clothes or the latest gadgets and I was teased endlessly throughout most of grade school.

Then one day I simply made the decision that if I couldn’t be cool then I was going to be me. The messy, quirky me that evolves daily. All of it has led to the weird mash-up of a woman that I am today.

More importantly, I am teaching my kids the importance of being yourself. Frankly, I think I’m a pretty cool person and if you don’t like me then you’re not my people. That’s cool. There are other people out there for you.

When you take that stance in life, it becomes amazingly free. That’s why I’m such an advocate for embracing your weird as a mom.

Like What You Like

You don’t need an excuse or to explain yourself when you like something. For example, I will totally admit that I like some of Justin Beiber’s songs. I don’t owe any explanation to people about it. The same goes for you. If you find yourself qualifying your reasons behind why you read romance or listen to gangster rap, then you aren’t owning it.

When you catch yourself giving a reason for something you like think about whether it is a qualifying statement or not. Here is the difference:

Healthy Conversation:

I love this painting because he pioneered this brush stroke technique.

Qualifying Excuse:

I know it’s meant for kids but I love watching Frozen. It has a really good story line.

Throw Away the Mask

How often do you put on a mask for people? When you don’t feel up to par and still feel the need to put on a smile and get through it. Do you behave differently with different groups of friends? These are all situations that you are putting on the mask.

Part of embracing your weird as a mom means learning to throw the masks away. Don’t be something you’re not for people. For starters, it prevents you from creating meaningful relationships. Furthermore, it also is draining and can potentially lead to physical illness if you do it frequently enough.

Note:

This doesn’t mean that if you love to curse and make dirty jokes that you should be that way everywhere. Use your best judgment and know that there is a difference between being yourself and being rude.

Beware of Perceptions

I’ve referenced this before but it’s important to remember the Looking Glass Self when embracing your weird. Essentially, this is the psychological theory that you form your sense of self based on what you think people think of you (even if it isn’t even correct). That’s why it’s so important to beware of your perceptions.

The easiest way to do this is to simply not care what others think of you. However, if you struggle with that, try reminding yourself that your perception of what people are thinking about you is more than likely incorrect. That will help tame some of those destructive thoughts that can lead to inauthentic behavior changes.

Make a List

You know how much I love lists and this is yet another exercise in which it is useful. Pull out that beautiful journal and write down everything you love about yourself. This can literally be anything.

Example:

Love my obsession with Buffy
My Eyes
Creativity
Eclectic Taste in Music
Nerdy Style
My Strength

Admittedly this is a very short list to provide you with an example. I recommend coming up with at least 15 things that you absolutely love about yourself. This makes it easy to gauge when you aren’t being true to yourself and embracing your weird as a mom.

For example, if I ever met someone who hated Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I said, “Yeah, it’s okay.” (Okay, I’d totally never say that, I’d try to convince you why it’s awesome.) In that example though, I immediately know that I’m being a people pleaser instead of being me. When you write it all down you notice things that you might not have otherwise.

Flip the Script

This is my absolute favorite and one that I am happily teaching my tiny humans to embrace as well. In our family, it’s totally a compliment to call someone weird. Why? Because if you’re weird then that means you’re being true to yourself. People who don’t seem weird are either lying or never got a chance to learn about themselves. Either way it’s truly sad.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I had the BEST conversation with my 9 year old recently that truly swelled my momma heart with pride. He told me that he had gotten in trouble at school because he called someone weird and they told the teacher on him. I didn’t even know this had happened.

It led to him telling me that when his friends get upset about someone calling them a name or other hurtful thing, he reminds them that just because someone says it doesn’t make it true. Hello my minivan analogy! Calling a minivan a sports car doesn’t magically change it into one.

That is what embracing your weird is all about. You should see the looks on people’s faces when they call you weird and you just smile a huge grin and say, “Thank you!” It is fantastic. Don’t believe me? Try it sometime. Furthermore, it doesn’t take long for the people you care about to catch on and soon it becomes a term of endearment instead of chastising.

How are you embracing your weird as a mom? I hope you are convinced to throw away the masks you put on and be unapologetically you. You will be happier, freer, and you’ll teach your kids the importance of being true to who they are (a trait that can help them through the hard teenage years, for sure).

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series

Unless we are running errands or taxiing the kids, stay-at-home moms don’t get out of the house as much as they should. That’s why you need to change it up and make a point to enjoy some of these 10 mom date ideas to get out of the house. You will feel more refreshed and be less tempted to get distracted by chores or parenting tasks.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Check out these 10 mom date ideas to get out of the house once a month. You’ll feel more refreshed and more energized for your day-to-day life!” username=”diyadulation”]

Full disclosure, I’m not great about date nights out. Other than the crops I schedule throughout the year, I don’t do much outside of the house by myself.

It’s not that I don’t do things, but if I go to the movies or see a concert it is with friends. Going on dates by yourself takes practice and intention. Luckily, with this list I now have motivation to try some things alone. Hopefully you will be inspired too.

Paint and Sip Event

I have done one of these alone and with a large group of friends. (You can read about the experience here.)These are so much fun and perfect when you want to get creative but need a little guidance. You can pick your class ahead of time so that you know the painting is something you like.

At the end of the night, you’ll feel recharged and have an awesome new piece of artwork for your home.

See a Movie

The beauty of hitting a movie by yourself is that you can see any guilty pleasure you want and you don’t have to share the snacks. Hello bucket of popcorn! It’s also great because it forces you to disconnect from your phone for a couple of hours. This is exactly what moms need sometimes.

Enjoy Dinner Alone

Have you ever actually sat and enjoyed a meal by yourself? Treat yourself to a dinner that you don’t have to cook at your favorite restaurant. Don’t forget to save room for dessert while you’re out.

Play Games at an Arcade

Get in touch with your inner child and hit the arcade one night. Try different types of games to see what you like. For example, I’m not big on shooter games but there is an Amazon one with giant bugs and stuff that is always so much fun. You don’t know until you try.

At the end of the night, don’t forget to spend your points on something fun at the ticket counter. You can’t go wrong with fun glasses and squishy toys!

Attend a Crop

As I’ve said before, crops are great for scrapbookers and stampers. Many schools and churches host these events for charity so the money goes to a good cause. For around $50 you get 9 hours of paper crafting, 2 meals, and fun giveaways. I cannot recommend these enough.

Head to the Library and Read

How many times do you pick up a book only to reread the same sentence 20 times because the kiddos and your husband keep distracting you? Get some quality, uninterrupted book time by heading to the library. Find a comfy chair and kick back with a great book.

Go on a Local Ghost Tour

Get your chills and thrills fix by taking a local ghost tour. You learn more about your city in the process which is super fun too. Don’t forget your camera when you go. A lot of tours encourage you to take photos at certain locations to try and capture orbs and other anomalies.

Ice Skating or Roller Skating

If you have an indoor roller rink or ice rink near you, check them out. Lace up your skates and go sailing across the rink for a fun and active date night. Don’t worry about looking like a fool. If you fall, get back up and try again. Remember, you’re doing this for you and it’s meant to be fun.

See a Play

A play is another great date night to try out. See a musical you’ve always wanted to check out. If you’re on a budget look for plays or musicals at local high schools or colleges. This is a great frugal alternative to expensive shows downtown.

You can also look into local theater troops for excellent shows that fit within your budget. There are plenty of options to find a show you’re interested in at a price you can afford.

Grab Dessert

Instead of getting an entire meal, just grab some dessert. Hit a fancy ice cream parlor or a specialty bakery and grab a decadent dessert for one. The bonus here is that you don’t have to share bites with tiny humans. When is the last time that happened?

When you make it a point to get out of the house for a mom date once a month you will find yourself more refreshed and more energized. Start with these 10 mom date ideas to get out of the house then begin coming up with your own. This is a great place to work on your bucket list. Turn some of the items on it into date nights with yourself and don’t forget to check them off when you get home!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series

It’s important to date yourself even when you can’t get away for a few hours. Just like your marriage, your relationship with yourself takes work and effort. Make yourself a priority with these 10 mom date ideas you can do at home.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”You will be enjoying nights alone in no time with these 10 mom date ideas you can do at home. Many of them free so they make your budget happy too!” username=”diyadulation”]

It’s not easy to make a conscious effort to date yourself. Especially when there are so many distractions, from chores you need to get done to the demands of tiny humans. That’s why it’s important set and protect boundaries.

Make it clear to your family that this is time you are taking for you and that you are not to be disturbed. Most importantly, stick to it. Don’t make exceptions, especially in the beginning.

Now that we have the ground rules, let’s get onto these super fun date ideas!

Take an Online Class

You can find classes for everything online. Whether you want to learn how to crochet, write poetry, or decorate cakes you can find a class for it. Find one that interests you and spend an hour a week working through it. The great thing is that you work at your own pace so it fits into your schedule, not the other way around.

Live Maker’s Event

Attend a live Maker’s Event and make your own gorgeous projects in the convenience and privacy of your own home. You purchase the kit and then Amy walks you through creating it step-by-step. The kit contains everything you need to make the project and the process is super easy. You can even connect with other attendees through chat.

Purchase a kit here.

Have a Fancy Dinner

Making a fancy dinner for yourself at home is a budget-friendly way to indulge in your favorite foods. For example, I love lobster but it’s not a meal I make a lot because it is so expensive. After the kids go to bed, I can indulge in a delicious homemade lobster dinner by candlelight for a fraction of what it would cost if I bought it at a restaurant. Whatever your favorite meal is, get the ingredients next time you’re at the grocery store and have a candlelit dinner alone.

Rent a Movie on Prime

Gone are the days that you have to put on clothes and run to Blockbuster to pick out a movie to rent. Have your own movie night without even leaving the house. Pull up your Amazon Prime Video and pick a movie to rent. Then pop some popcorn and settle in for the show. It’s the perfect last minute date idea.

Take Fun Quizzes

Remember how much fun you used to have taking those quizzes in magazines? Recreate the fun with online quizzes like these or buy a book of fun quizzes to enjoy. What Hogwarts House do you belong to? Where should you go on your next vacation? What’s your personal style? These are questions you need answers to, am I right. This is another great easy date night idea.

Sleepover for One

It’s time to have a sleepover like you did with your best friend growing up by yourself. Enjoy all of the stereotypical sleepover activities like covering yourself in body glitter and watching 90’s RomComs. Put makeup on for fun instead of to “look better”. Wear a super soft, comfy robe and chill out in your room for the evening.

Learn a Dance

You can find tons of YouTube videos that teach you how to do different styles of dance. Try your hand at hip-hop, ball room, or tango for a fun and active date night. You can also go the route we used to growing up and watch your favorite music video over and over until you get the moves just right. Either way you are in for a super fun time all from the comfort of your own living room.

Play Video Games

Don’t feel limited to Minecraft or Call of Duty. There are tons of game options out there from The Sims (my personal favorite) to Wii Sports. Video games can be a lot of fun and let you blow off steam or even create your own alternate world. You never know, you might find your next fun obsession.

Tackle a Mini Home Improvement Project

Sometimes refreshing a space is just as relaxing as any game. Choose a small home improvement project for your date night. This can be as small as adding new wall art or move out furniture and paint the room. I recommend choosing something you can complete in an evening or weekend so no demolishing the kitchen or anything. Save that for another time.

Watch a Comedy Special

Laughter is the best medicine and Netflix has a ton of comedy specials for you to choose from. Start with The Standups because these are short episodes that each feature a different comedian. This lets you feel out your style and see what is funny to you. From there, you can explore some of the longer specials.

You will be enjoying nights alone in no time with these 10 mom date ideas you can do at home. Many of them won’t cost you a penny so they make your budget happy too. Don’t forget to enforce your boundaries so that your kiddos understand that this is time for you or enjoy these after the kids go to bed. Do whatever it takes to take time for you and recharge weekly.

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Start Embracing Your Weird as a Mom

Little Weirdo

Like What You Like

Healthy Conversation:

Qualifying Excuse:

Throw Away the Mask

Note:

Beware of Perceptions

Make a List

Example:

Flip the Script

Out of the Mouths of Babes

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series

10 Mom Date Ideas to Get Out of the House

Paint and Sip Event

See a Movie

Enjoy Dinner Alone

Play Games at an Arcade

Attend a Crop

Head to the Library and Read

Go on a Local Ghost Tour

Ice Skating or Roller Skating

See a Play

Grab Dessert

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series

10 Mom Date Ideas You Can Do at Home

Take an Online Class

Live Maker’s Event

Have a Fancy Dinner

Rent a Movie on Prime

Take Fun Quizzes

Sleepover for One

Learn a Dance

Play Video Games

Tackle a Mini Home Improvement Project

Watch a Comedy Special

How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood Series