Intentional Motherhood: reclaim what matters

What’s your one word? Ummm……

One Word

Almost 5 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of having a word for my year. A word that encompassed what I wanted my life to look like or a word that I felt I was being called to live. I can’t recall what my word was that year, and I didn’t think to much about it beyond that time – but when my life needed an extreme overhaul last year, my one word found me. 

I was so overwhelmed, buried by the day to day of life that I was either shutting down or speeding up, but I was never participating IN life. I was just allowing it to drag me along! And as I was being dragged kicking and screaming (usually at my kids or husband) I found myself saying over and over: ” I just want LESS. I just want my home and my life to be more intentional.” And so my one word was born.

No longer using the B word

Fast forward to today (literally), a family member asked me ” how’s it going” to which I responded “pretty good” which was met with “been busy? I’m sure, it’s always busy”. First off, kudos to me!!! I finally had broken the habit of throwing out the B word (busy… I mean busy) and recognized that at this moment, I had 2 choices: Smile and nod and agree because, sure life can be busy and it is but in a different way these days… or I could share that yes, I do lots of things but they are intentional choices. I gave up those things I had haphazardly said yes to or had simply just stuck around and continued to do so that I could INTENTIONALLY invest my time elsewhere. I chose the latter and I think may have genuinely stumped my conversation partner!

Finding Truth

The truth is that when we chose to bring joyful busyness into our lives and our homes, it doesn’t feel overwhelming or overstressed. It feels like you are valuing something  important and creating a culture where that value matters. I didn’t tell this person how all the time invested into decluttering my home had created the white space for this, but I am telling you. There is hope. You don’t need to feel buried by your life. You don’t need to feel ashamed of it either. But you do need to understand it and how to get out from under it.

Even though I have invested countless hours and weeks to clearing clutter, I am always wanting it to be more (or less?) and so I was inspired today by a webinar that led me to this blog from Allie Casazza talking about Becoming a Woman of Intent  and I thought you should read it! I’m re-inspired to take my decluttering to the next level and her words give me motivation and permission to do just that. 

I love new friends!