“Before I had kids I used to…”, “Back in the day…”, “It’s been so long since I…”
Do you find yourself saying that a lot when someone is asking you about the things that you love to do for fun? Was there something you loved to do before you had children? And now you feel like you just don’t have enough time for a hobby because of the kids, work, laundry, making dinner, grocery runs, bath time, homework, life, you name it! There is always going to be “something” to do, but if you love doing something and it makes you happy, bring it back into your life! You will feel so much better when you do.
Finding Your hobby
For me, the hobby I needed to reconnect with was running. I used to run marathons and did triathlons back in the day (aka pre-kids). Luckily, I am still able to run every now and then (again) and am getting back into longer runs and races. After seven years out of racing, I just finished a half marathon and it felt so good — I truly missed it. I had a goal in mind, which was to finish and feel great and I did just that! I am much older now, so my goals were a little different than my races before kids. Now I have the race bug and I can’t wait to run the Marine Corps Marathon in the Fall.
Whether you used to love biking, photography, hiking, baking, traveling, painting, reading, you name it…. I know if you want to bring it back into your life, you can find the time. A big part of this is support you’re your family. My husband and my three daughters were so supportive of me and my running. It made it so much easier and special to do this race for all of us. Also, your partner should not have to say “before I had kids I used to…. “ either! My husband loves hiking and goes away for one week each year on a hiking trip with his good friends. I know this trip makes his so happy. We support each other in the things that we enjoy so that we can be best parents and parents to each other.
DC is such a wonderful city with so many resources. If you have a passion for something and can’t leave your kids then include them, make it a family affair. There are running clubs, book clubs, gyms, art classes, you name it. So many people out there that forget about what makes them happy after they have kids — don’t let that happen to you. Get out there and do something for yourself! Now, after I go for a run, my next goal is to actually finish a book. I wish it wasn’t so hard – but I know I can do it!
