Saturday, July 5, 2008

The plight of being overwhelmed...

We hear it all the time... Kids are too busy with lessons clubs etc. Let them be kids, time to prioritize, take less lessons. The experts say.

But what about mothers?

A few years ago I was like that myself. Swimming in the ocean surrounded by sharks trying to keep everything in my life afloat. Trying to be a mother, wife, writer breastfeeding counselor/advocate, scrapbooking, artsy tallented, church going/calling serving woman. (I'm sure I left some of it out) Then I hit a wall of depression and dysfunction. I couldn't keep it up and I began to drown in everythiung that I represented and resembled. I dropped everything for a while (yes even being a mother) and recouped.

At that point I decided that I had it all wrong. I had way too many things in my life and keeping all of them afloat was impossible. I had to realize that I had to be true to myself and no one else, and that when I did it became easier to do what was truely required of me.

I am a Wife and Mother. Those are my most important callings. They are the ones that I will be forever asked to fulfill. But I can't be just a mother and a wife. To do that denies my creative muse any stretching. I have found that when I feed my muse I am happier, and therefore a better wife and mother. So I am a Writer and an Artist also, regardless of what the art is. I am a breastfeeding advocate also but my Heavenly Father has moved me to a place where I am not needed in this calling for the moment and for this moment I am content to let this part of me rest. I have two church callings and they are perfect for me one is a once a month and one is once a quarter. I can deal with that.

I had to learn at a tremendous price to myself my marriage and my family that trying to keep everything afloat was impossible. I steped back and reassessed and pared down. This is a good thing.

I am Michelle, I am a Wife and Mother, I am a Writer, I persue artistic tendencys when I have time or need a creative distraction. I am other things, but they will not detract from those things I deem most important.

5 comments:

Stephanie Humphreys said...

Good for you Michelle. It's so easy to take on little things that come so gradually until we find ourselves overwhelmed. The best word I ever learned was "NO". Of course I still struggle with being overwhelmed and trying not to succumb to guilt trips when I do say no. Thanks for posting today. You remind me that the balance can be found and how important that is.

Unknown said...

I'm afraid this is a dilemma all women face today, Michelle. I think what you've written and the realizations you've come to will be helpful to all of us.

Jewel Allen said...

I can relate, Michelle. I need to watch that I balance my time for writing with my family. When it is imbalanced, my husband gets really crotchety about it. I used to resent this, but then I realized, how would I feel if I were put in this situation? Thanks for the post.

Shanna Blythe said...

I'm glad some of you are getting this stuff down. Facing what I am right now, I just feel simply overwhelmed and have NO CLUE what to do to find balance. I hope it will happen, but right now . . . SHEESH!

Marilyn said...

I think it's way too easy to get involved in too many things that used to rejuvenate and now bog down. You have some great realizations. I too feel that I still need an outlet outside of being a wife and mother, but only when I feel I need it, and not so it is forced.