It has taken a solid nine months for me to realize how much change has occurred in my life. I know I have written before about motherhood, the difference in being a parent, and lots about our daily life at various stages. Now I also realize that, becoming a mother changed not just my routine and my priorities but me. Here are four main ways I have changed since becoming a mother.
How I Have Changed Since Becoming a Mother
1) Focus on Joy
Every day, I make a conscious effort to focus on enjoying and being present in the moment. I know that Baby Boy will not be a baby for long.
I’ve learned that “saving” the expensive cream or delicious chocolate I got as a gift gets me nothing but expired cream and aging chocolate, but enjoying them now= joy.
I try to be aware of my choices, and answer the question: what will bring me more joy? For example, watching t.v. or watching Baby Boy play? Reading a blog or writing my own? Playing on the grass or staying indoors because I’m lazy to get us dressed for the third time?
I think the answers are obvious, and I must say that I have been feeling more and more like this is becoming a good habit!
2) Think Less About the Distant Future
In much the same thread as above, I’m really focusing on the present and the very near future, a couple of months at a time.
My guess is that for many parents this is actually the opposite as they focus on trying to provide the best for their kiddos. In our situation, however, thinking about the future only leads to question marks and fruitless worrying. I therefore try not to plan what I can not and focus on what I can, which is the now.
3) Stop talking about money (and other things students say)
Yes, we are still technically students and yes, we are still on a budget. However, I realized that talking about getting a great deal or how expensive something is in every conversation is really obnoxious.
We have been and still will be students for a long while, but we are also parents and make decision based on a number of other factors. I now make a conscious effort not to talk about money unless it is relevant to the conversation.
4) Try to do small tasks right away
I try to take care of little things as soon as I think of them because if I don’t, it takes me three times as long to get back to it.
This means, doing laundry every day, answering emails as soon as I receive them, putting things away as soon as I notice they are not in place.
I am still working on this one, as bad habits die hard, but I see so much value in OHIO (only handle it once) now that I prefer to spend my time on other things!
I think those are the main changes that I have experienced, how about you?
