Finding Beauty in Monotony

We all know how exhausting motherhood can be. It’s dirty, loud, scheduled, and all-encompassing. To mother and mother well, we must put ourselves aside more often than most people are naturally inclined. We are tear-wipers, nose-blowers, toy-picker-uppers, chauffeurs, chefs, and more. A day in the life of a mom is not always beautiful to onlookers. Often times, a day in the life looks pretty monotonous, boring, and, quite frankly, lame.

So how can we look beyond the dull landscape? How can we unveil fragments of joy and peace between lunchtime fruit pouches and bedtime bathroom episodes? Over the past few years, I have tried to be more purposeful about creating beauty in the monotony of life; this practice is all the more important as the number of children has increased and the time for me has subsequently decreased.

Finding My Beauty

On my search for magic in the mundane, I found the following brought life and beauty to my day-to-day life. Maybe a few will find themselves on your list as well.

1. Fresh flowers. I don’t buy them every week, or even every month, but when I do, fresh flowers can sure brighten up the most dreary days of motherhood.
2. Open blinds and curtains. Never underestimate the power of a little vitamin D, especially when you’re stuck inside.
3. Yummy candles at nap time. I know, I know, fire and children are a recipe for disaster, which is why I leave candle time for when the kiddos are sleeping. Nothing refreshes me more than turning off the lights in my bedroom, lighting a candle, eating a “mom snack” (a. k. a. chocolate, duh), and either blogging, listening to kid-unapproved music, or binge-watching Netflix.
4. TV off, music on. Once naps are over and the witching hour begins, I’m usually on major sensory-overload. To avoid over stimulating myself and the kids, I try to keep the TV off and turn on some music I know will relax me; some days it’s classical music; some days it’s The Civil Wars.
5. Belting my favorite tunes in the car. I have always loved to sing and I didn’t realize I had stopped singing in the car until a few months ago when I was driving alone. The radio came on and I belted right along like old times (to Adele, let’s be honest). In that moment, it hit me — I couldn’t remember the last time I had really sung along with the radio. I vowed then that I would sing whenever and however loud I felt like, regardless of who was in the car with me.
6. Journaling. I have always been a journaler; it’s how I process life. It helps me put to words all the jumbled thoughts I have floating through my brain at any given moment. After we added kids to the equation, journaling took a backseat. I miss my journaling days and I am determined to resurrect them.

Finding Your beauty

I understand these things may not work for everyone, so it’s important to find your own list of things that cause you to stop and savor the moment. When creating your list, reflect on what you enjoyed before you became a mom. It’s likely those same things will give you life now in the throes of motherhood. Did you love to paint? Break out the easel and acrylics during nap time. Did you love to write poetry? Buy yourself a small notebook and jot down a few lines while you’re sitting in the carpool line. It’s easy to lose ourselves in the mundane, but it is oh-so-important to hold onto who we are and where we naturally find beauty.

What gives life to your run-of-the-mill days?