Are you stuck in the mundane routine of stay-at-home motherhood? Learn how to reignite your dreams and create a vision for your life!
We all can relate to the excitement of something new. New outfit, new love, new home, car, pet. Whatever it is, the excitement of the anticipation and then the excitement of finally having it are one of the joys of life. Eventually, though, the newness wanes and the excitement fades away.
Perhaps you’re in that place. The excitement of welcoming your new baby has passed, along with the emotions that come with stepping away from your career to raise your child. The mundane reality of everyday life, the real-life version of Groundhog Day, has made you lose your spark and excitement for life.
If so, I promise there is a way to get it back. It’s one word…VISION!
Having a vision for my life has made all the difference in renewing my joy and excitement. It has built my faith and given me hope that my best days are not behind me but still ahead of me.
In addition, vision has helped me get laser focused on what I truly want out of life and gives purpose to my days. Even the more mundane routines of life are filled with purpose and intention.
Proverbs 29:18 tells us where there is no vision, the people perish. Some translations say the people cast off restraint.
It makes me think of a young child. Their imagination runs wild, and to them, anything is possible. Their ability to dream and wonder fills them with excitement and energy and laughter. They are living in a life of possibility.
It’s a stark contrast to an adult going through the motions of day-to-day life often tired, downcast, just trying to survive until the weekend or retirement.
Or the stay-at-home mom who is exhausted, believing her dreams are behind her now that she’s a mom, just trying to survive until her kids are school-aged.
So if you feel like you could use some help reigniting your dreams and getting laser-focused, here are my best tips for starting.
1. Create vision by listening to inspiring, faith-filled messages
Perhaps the first step is building your faith. It’s hard to do something you don’t believe in. It’s hard to dream big dreams when you don’t even think they are possible. For me, I listened to inspiring, faith-filled messages that showed that achieving my dreams was still possible, no matter my age or stage in life.
My favorite expert on this topic is Terri Savelle Foy. She shows you how with God, any dream is possible. The bigger the better!
I also listened to personal success stories of different people. To hear how people came from nothing and built amazing lives for themselves and their families built my faith and made me believe my dreams were still possible.
2. Get a notebook and start writing down your vision
Take time to sit down by yourself in quiet and just dream. A great time to do this is during your early morning routine.
Write down whatever comes to mind. You can also use the following prompts to guide you. You don’t have to answer them all, just the ones that speak to you.
Journaling Prompts:
- What would you like to accomplish in the next 5 years? 10 years?
- What impact would you like to make in this world?
- What is something you’ve always wanted to do?
- If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
- What do you want to pass on to your children? When they are finally on their own, what do you want them to be equipped with. What do you want their character to be?
- What do you want your family relationships to be like?
- What do you want your marriage to be like?
- Where would you like to travel? By yourself? with your spouse? with your family?
- What are the dreams you’ve always had that are still unfinished?
- What is your dream home like?
- Where would you like to live?
- What would you like to drive?
- What does healthy look like to you?
- What is your idea of a good mom?
- What is your perfect day?
- How much money would you like to make?
- How much money would you like to save?
These are just a few prompts to get you started, but the things you can dream up are endless!
This exercise alone has been vital in helping me get clear on the values I want to pass on to my children, the family routines and habits that are important to implement, and the life I want to create. It’s helped cut through all the different voices telling me what I “should be” doing. I’ve been able to define it for myself and stick to my own standard without guilt, comparison, or condemnation. That alone is incredibly freeing!
It has also helped me realize that while I’m a mom, my hopes and dreams weren’t meant to go out the window just because children came along. In fact, it’s become more important than ever for me to go after my dreams so I can be an example to my children to do the same.
3. Put your vision and dreams in pictures!
Yes. Make a vision board. I’m going to be honest. I used to think vision boards were a bunch of mumbo jumbo until I learned how to actually use them.
Habakkuk 2:2 says, “And the LORD answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.'”
God instructs us to put our dreams and visions on paper in such a clear way that we can glance and be reminded of the vision. Why does God want us to keep our vision before us? Perhaps because he knows that we are susceptible to out of sight, out of mind thinking.
Having your hopes, dreams and goals fixed before your eyes everyday keeps you focused. It’s a constant reminder to take action towards the life you want each day.
And don’t just look at them. Speak to them! Thank God each day that the hopes and dreams on your board are yours! Speak life over them. Show God your faith in Him by giving Him praise before it ever shows up in your life.
As Steve Harvey likes to say, “God delivers to faith street.” What better way to show your faith than to thank Him in advance and then take action that day to move you closer to your dreams.