I Abandoned My Routines and Felt Lost; Here's What Helped Me Find My Way Back as a Mom and Entrepreneur
I just had a call with one of my best friends. There is something so powerful about having a friend who is in the same stage of life as you, with similar values and goals…
The shared feelings, the validation that what you are going through is normal, the way you feel seen and heard and honored because you feel safe to share and be real, and witnessed without judgment.
I am always and forever grateful for these relationships, because the breakthroughs that come through during these conversations ALWAYS shift me.
And today was no exception so much so that I had to share what came out of it with you.
Today we both realized our lives had been giving us a bit of the “ick” lately.
So, as the empowered and conscious women we are, we asked ourselves:
“What has been going on to create this for us?”
“What has shifted in this chapter of life to make us feel this way?”
Full disclosure, we both have young children under 4 and are building businesses and while you may not be in that exact place, I think anyone in a busy season of life can relate to what we uncovered.
We got to talking about our practices, rituals, habits…
For her, she noticed that the habits she once held dear:
Early morning meditation and reading, she had quietly put on pause over the last six or so months. She was using her early mornings, days, and late nights to build her brand and care for her family, rather than care for herself. And while the pause felt necessary at the time, the sacrifices were starting to take their toll.
She realized she couldn’t keep hitting pause.
She needed to bring them back because without these habits, she doesn’t function at her highest level. She’s simply less satisfied, less energized, less excited about life.
So she unpaused. And much to her delight, she told me she is excited to get up in the morning again. She looks forward to those 30 quiet minutes of meditating and reading, while the world is still and no one needs anything from her. She could do these things at other times of day, but something about the morning just hits different for her right now.
Can you relate? I knew I could.
Her honesty cracked something open for me too.
I’ve gotten back into journaling at night before bed.
I came across a podcast, thanks, Spotify algorithm, where the host talked about the power of journaling. Not a new concept to me, but something I clearly needed to be reminded of. I’ve been journaling on and off since I could write; I have journals from 5th grade.
But since Alena was born, I’d been in an off phase. Honestly? After a long day of running a business, a home, and a family, I just didn’t have it in me. So the journaling went first.
And slowly, I started to feel it. My thoughts felt more scattered. It was harder to fall asleep. I was carrying more anxiety into my days. I needed to bring back what I had let go.
Luckily, the podcast found me at the right time.
They recommended a journal I’m linking here called This Journal Fucking Works. You can listen to it for free if you have Spotify Premium for the prompts (like I did) or buy it (like I will).
These are the night-time prompts that have been helping me:
What were the main events of your day? (e.g., taking Alena to music class, going to yoga, client calls, making dinner, a deep conversation with a friend, taking a walk, shoveling snow…)
Did I live the way I wanted to live today? (yes or no - or a sliding scale of 1–10 like I use) If not, what is one thing I can do differently tomorrow?
Who did I help today?
Who helped me today?
This isn’t the same way I used to journal, but it’s more intentional for where I am right now. And that’s the point.
If you’ve been feeling the “ick” lately, or just a little less lit up than usual, maybe it’s time to bring back something you’ve let go - in a new, more fitting way for this chapter. If you’re not sure what needs to start, stop, or pause, try this 10 min exercise I have used for years to help guide you.
Maybe you borrow some of my practices. Maybe you find something entirely your own. Either way, after a few days you’ll probably start to notice a shift - in your energy, your clarity, your mood. And you might just find yourself a little more excited to get up in the morning again.
P.S. If you’re feeling stuck in building and growing your personal brand and business and would love my eyes on it to find your blind spots and bottlenecks, I’m currently offering one-on-one coaching sessions at a limited-time rate. E-mail me at Nicholemchphotography@gmail.com and we can get started.