Passion is in Fashion

" Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."

 - Oprah Winfrey

All made up and nowhere to perform.

Sometimes you get to a point in your life when you need to reevaluate everything - or so it seems.

Some items taking up too much space need to be edited out and some new things need to be added to reflect where you are now.

I am going through this kind of metamorphosis right now.

If you've been reading, you know I've been struggling really hard these past few years with depression and anxiety.

One thing I knew I had to address was the fact that I was not really doing much that I am passionate about - just for me.

I had stopped blogging (which I have obviously started again) and began getting more into drawing - creating art is something I have always enjoyed.

Now I'm ready to address my love of performing. I love to act and sing and music and to be on stage but it has been a long while.

While acting in community theatre is a little too time consuming for where I am in my life at the moment - I am seriously looking at joining a contemporary choir. I'm really excited abut it and hope to participate in this at least a few times a month.

Bringing writing, art and singing/performing back into my life is all part of my plan to acknowledge the fact that I need to take care of my needs and passions just as much as those of my kids.

Like so many mothers of school-aged kids (my boys are currently 16, 14 and 7), passions and interests are so often pushed aside - and this (I have found out) can make life much smaller - less fulfilling.

And I would sometimes feel guilt for wanting to do some things for myself. I'm a mother - isn't that enough?

Shouldn't my beautiful children satisfy all my needs?

In a word….no.

I have learnt the hard way that letting things slide and losing myself in motherhood - especially after my divorce - has been more detrimental than helpful.

Kids need happy parents. Kids need good role models.

Kids need to see that feeding your passions and trying new things (within reason!) are good things and add the colour and texture to life.

So I'm cutting the mother-guilt bullshit.

And I'm slowly coming back to myself.

Which is cool…because I kind of like that chick.

She's pretty extra.

And if you take a look in the proverbial mirror, you will see that you are pretty rad yourself.

Give yourself the time and energy you deserve. When you fill your own cup and give to yourself, I am learning that you then have much more to give to others.

Smiles,

Lora