The Secret to Creating Family Memories As a Busy Working Mom

This past weekend we took the kids camping. It was our first-time tent camping as a family and was it ever memorable!

When our good friends invited us several months back, we didn’t hesitate to say yes!

An opportunity to get away for the weekend, be outside in nature, disconnect, and make memories? Count us in!

But as the camping trip approached and we started making lists, and running errands, and buying supplies, we realized it was way more work than we anticipated.

Packing and preparing for a trip while you’re working and managing kids is not easy. (If you know, you know.)

And I started to feel all kinds of anxious.

• I was anxious about the amount of stuff we were acquiring and borrowing.

• I was anxious about how the kids would do sleeping in a tent, outdoors.

• I was anxious about getting my work completed so I could fully unplug.

• I was anxious about setting myself up to return on a Sunday and be back to work the very next day.

Uggh. It was a lot of anxiety and worry and overthinking right up until the very last minute.

I was rushing to load the car, get the kids from school, set up the tablets, organize the snacks so they were within arms' reach because, oh I forgot to mention, I drove there with the kids on my own! (My husband double-booked himself with a work retreat and joined us late.)

But something happened as soon as we were all buckled in and on the highway...

I relaxed.

With the city in my rearview mirror, I took some deep breaths. I looked out at the horizon. And I prepared myself for whatever was coming next. Because when you’re camping with kids (6, 4, and 2), nothing is guaranteed.

And as soon as I relaxed, my kids relaxed.

It’s amazing. As moms, we are so powerful. Our energy is palpable. We can influence so much just with the way we are.

And so for the rest of the weekend, as much as I could, I tried to remember that.

• I breathed in the fresh (and freezing) air.

• I accepted the tiredness that came after not sleeping much.

• I welcomed the comforts of hot coffee and s’mores around the fire.

• And I relaxed.

When I'm Old

I’ve said that when I’m 90 and I look back at my life, I’ll remember the adventures, the trips, and the memories that I created with my family more than I’ll remember how clean my house was or how many projects on my to-do list I crossed off.

So in order to have a life where I have adventures and make memories, I have to do things that are different, that are outside my comfort zone. Things that might make me a little anxious.

Feeling anxious is ok. As long as it doesn’t stop you.

The Brink of Summer

So as we are on the brink of summer, with restrictions loosening in many areas around the country, it’s the perfect time to think about what you’ll look back on someday and remember.

• What experiences do you want to have?

• What memories do you want to make?

• How do you want to feel?

And then how will you make that happen?

Memories, adventures, and experiences don’t just happen. With careers, kids, responsibilities, and routines, an entire season can pass you by if you don’t think about what you want to create.

And then make a plan to carry it out.

If you want to create that dream, that vision, with someone who can help you make it become reality, I would love to show you how.

A life that we remember takes intention, but it doesn’t have to be hard.

If you’re ready to live a life full of memories, relaxing, and enjoyment, I am all here for that. Book a clarity call so we can decide what that looks like for you.