Living a Purposed Motherhood

I always wanted to be a mom. I grew up dreaming of having a husband, house, and kids. I wanted to have babies and watch them grow up into independent adults. When I became a momma, I put all of myself into it 24/7 and don’t regret one minute of it, except for one thing. I forgot who I was. You see, I had wrapped all of my dreams up in becoming one thing – a mother, and once I became one, I forgot who Janis was. I don’t want this to happen to you, my friend, so I want to share my story to ensure you are living your life to the fullest.

Life Changes
In favor of mothering, I let friends fall to the wayside, and any hobbies I had quickly moved to the side. This is a normal thing to happen. Newborns take all of your attention and time in the beginning, and it is hard work to be a mom. However, I never went back to the old me, thinking my life was just fine with my growing family.

I never permitted myself to be Janis when my kids were growing up. My husband and I would take weekend trips away, but I never felt like I was me, and I couldn’t have told you what I was about if you had asked. I was the mom of Jacob, KellyAnn, and Abbie. Always worrying about how they were and wondering if they had been picked up to school or taken to dance. I could not release myself from being a mom to enjoy the time with my husband as a wife.

God Gave You Purpose
It is not healthy to base your life on your kids. As women, we think our God-given duty is to pour into our children to help them grow, and I totally agree that we need to give them the attention they need. However, I don’t believe God meant for us to do this at the expense of the person he created us to be, our goals, and our dreams. God placed us on the Earth with a specific purpose, and this seed of purpose needs tending to grow. I let my seed just lie there in my heart, never giving it the water and food it needed. I hid it so well that I couldn’t find it.

Searching For Me
Fast forward 20ish years from Jacob’s birth, and you find a woman who feels very out of sorts. My children were becoming adults, and the middle one packed up for college. I expected that her leaving would fracture my spirit, but instead, it inspired me to begin the search of finding me once again. I just had to figure out where to look. I spent a lot of time praying during this time – asking God to illuminate my path and give me clarity. It wasn’t an instant answer, but He did it slowly, letting it unfold into a beautiful trail I am enjoying walking on.

It took one last year at a job I loved, despite it burning me out, to give me a kick in the pants to make a change. In May 2019, I gave myself permission to leave my job – if I could make as much money writing and VAing during the summer. In July 2019, I resigned from my position and dove headfirst into freelancing and independent contracting, and thus began my true journey to finding who I am.

Tending the Seed
I have learned quite a bit about myself over the last year. First of all, I went to a business conference in November all by myself. It was totally out of my comfort zone, but it was what I needed to begin moving my side gig into a full-time company. I started listening to podcasts, spending time with God, and reading about personal development. I met some of the best people through the business conference, and they are still an important part of my life. We support each other, pray for each other, and they rank among my best friends, even though some of them I have never met in real life.

I can feel the seed inside me continuing to sprout and grow, and it fills my heart with such joy and pride. My purpose is to help other moms realize they are so much more than a mom. You were created to have goals and dream dreams. You have a purpose. Even in the throes and chaos of motherhood, God wants you to grow and flourish. We all can be more than a mom. We can be the woman God wants us to be – from mom to speaker to author to business owner to encourager and more. What is your dream?

Are you overwhelmed with the mom life? Do you lack purpose or passion for something that is all your own? Are you trying to figure out what your purpose is? Do you think you don’t have time to work on yourself and your passions? I am offering a workshop, A Purposed Motherhood: Finding Your Passion in the Crazy you want to be at! It is online LIVE on October 22nd, 7 PM, on Zoom, but there will be a recording for those who miss it! Visit here for more information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/120567981077