A lot of people think I’m a super mom.

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me ‘how I did it all’ I’d probably be rich. Between a job, running a business, raising a daughter, and still finding time to nurture relationships with family and friends…there are a lot of balls constantly in the air around here.

And it’s not easy, but I do have a bit of a hidden superpower that does help me ‘do it all’ (more on that in a second…)

This weekend, with a gentle nudge *ahem* shove, from a special mentor, I tried the super mom title on for size for real AND brought my pint size sidekick along for the ride.

In case you’re wondering — YES, we did go out in public like this.

You see, I’m about to leave tomorrow for a 4 day business retreat where one of our pre-work activities involved waltzing around town in full super hero get up for 2 full hours.

I almost hurled when I got the assignment delivered to my mailbox.

Instantly I settled into the fear of looking like a fool, finding the right costume, and wondering what in the heck people would think of me — a grown adult — wearing a cape. Eeeek!

Then, as I thought about it a bit more, I remembered that one time my HS girlfriend and I dressed up in costume and went to Target on Halloween night our senior year, and that other time when I lost a college bet and my friends made me dress up in a cow costume and sing karaoke.

I had a ton of fun doing those embarrassing things. Why not have fun doing this too, right?

Especially if it would earn me ‘mother of the year’ in my child’s eyes.

What began as a scary homework assignment from a trusted coach, quickly turned into a full on crafting project with one friend designing and sewing us capes by hand, an awesome husband and daddy making us foil armbands to complete our getup, and one other friend tagging along to capture our adventures in taking on the world.

Best quote of the day?

That most definitely came from the police officer who rolled down the window to exclaim, “Lookin’ good ladies!” as we whooosed across the street.

Brie and I certainly weren’t your typical wonder woman, or bat girl. But we were super heroes in our own right.  And we both had a blast if you couldn’t tell.

The truth is, for those of you who wonder how I ‘do it all’, I really don’t feel any more organized or on top of my game than any of you. (especially with a sink full of dirty dishes and piles of dirty laundry mocking me from across the room as a I type this…)

But this super mom’s hidden power is enlisting a team of helpers to encourage us, laugh with us, and help us accomplish our silly task. It’s these special people that make life interesting and keep things running smoothly.

As I’ve built up my business the past few years, I’ve also been lucky to have the help of some amazing friends, coaches, graphic designers, and copy editors. And today, I’m excited to also welcome a brand new email assistant extraordinaire into the mix!

I’d like to introduce you today to Blaire. Brought together by our daughters who are only a few weeks apart in age, we quickly discovered a shared love of coffee, hair bows, and photography.  Blaire will also go down in my history books as the very first person to make me feel like a celebrity in the middle of our local outlet mall (a story for another day). She is the talent behind Second Avenue Photography and snapped the photos you see here today on the blog. I’m lucky to have her here assisting me a bit behind the scenes in the upcoming months and helping make sure you are all taken good care of.

Plus she’s my constant reminder that with the right sidekicks, anyone can be a super hero!

Before you go today, tell me — what’s makes you a super hero? Do you have a special super power that everyone constantly raves about? Or are you just lucky enough to have some incredible sidekicks like me?  Tell me your own super hero story here today. I can’t wait to hear about it. xo.

Yesterday I had the incredible opportunity to be interviewed for an online woman entrepreneurial summit that will be aired this summer (more on that coming soon…). It was a total blast getting to Skype with another mama who is living out her dream of building  successful business and sharing with her just how surreal it is that I am about to live out mine.

Towards the end of our call she asked me an intriguing question:

What advice do you have for other moms who want to be fulfilled and have something for themselves while wanting to feel like an awesome mom to their young children?

I absolutely loved this question and think my answer spans beyond the woman entrepreneur and can be applied to any mom who is seeking fulfillment (aren’t we all?)

My advice was simple and is something I’ve been living out in my own life. It’s also something I try to instill in every single mama who wants to learn to love taking photos as much as I do. My words of wisdom?

Start Somewhere

This is me. Starting.

On March 1st, 2009 I started a 365 project because I thought it was “cool”. I used a Point and Shoot camera. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I never intended to become a professional photographer let along start a business. I just wanted skills to be able to better document our growing family and life.  And now look at me. I’m teaching moms how to not only use their cameras but love the life they’re capturing too.

Somedays Everyday that still blows my mind.

If you are a mom like me who feels like you’re serving your own soul AND providing for your family every time you snap a photo, I know exactly how you feel. I know you have high expectations, and long to capture professional quality images overnight – at least that’s what I wanted to do when I began my 365 journey.

I also know how easy it is to fall into the trap of comparing your photos to the ones you last saw on ____________ (your Facebook feed, on that beautiful mommy blog, on Pinterest, on your neighbors wall, etc…)

I want to encourage you to stop beating yourself up and stop comparing yourself to others right now, PLEASE!

Because every one of those AMAZING momtographers was once in your shoes.

I promise.

Today I want to prove my point. I did some digging through my archives. And I found some gems. Some of the very first ‘professional’ photos I captured for my family and friends. These were taken late 2009/early 2010. I can’t believe I’m doing this, but here they are in all their badly lit glory…

These make me cringe every time I see them! But they also remind me of the journey I’ve been to fully understand my camera, find the right light, and develop my own recipe for taking beautiful photos.

So next time you’re looking toward feeling fulfilled through photography, remember….do not compare — simply start.

Start Somewhere

Because for each bad photo you snap, you’re learning something. You may not achieve your desired end result right away, but those bad photos are certainly helping you get to more beautiful ones in the long run.

In my own experience, starting with those bad photos above slowly led me to where I am today.  I learned from my mistakes and kept playing, kept experimenting.

And now today I’m equipped with the ability to quickly and *almost* effortlessly capture snapshots of my own family like this unedited one I took like night.

So, my next question is for you and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Where will you start today? What will you do to stop making excuses, stop comparing, and allow yourself to feel fulfilled and accomplished?

If you not quite sure where to start on your photography journey and feel a bit stuck, try starting with this technical lesson and then comment below and tell how it helped get you going.

I’m just coming off of a whirlwind of a month birthing and bringing a brand new ‘baby’ out into the world. 

Laying my heart and soul work out on the line and releasing it into the world is *almost* as stressful as childbirth and motherhood. The feelings are quite similar actually. And really it was right around 9 months that the Momtographie Online course was being cooked – from the idea, to the planning, to the writing, and revising, and finally releasing it to you.

This process although quite rewarding, has also been a good reminder of my give, give, give tendencies.

I often find myself giving SO much to my work (as an entrepreneur and mom) that I find other relationships in my life getting pushed aside: with my husband, with my friends, and even with myself.

As I’m coming off of the high of this round of my work, I’m once again discovering that this quest to find balance in all of these areas of my life will most likely always be a challenge. But I do realize that the relationships I’ve let slide during this time are some of the most important ones of all, and I’ll be working hard over the next few month to refocus on them.

It began this month with DATE NIGHT extravaganza!

Brendan and I have been working *really* hard at scheduling these weekly. Sometimes at home, sometimes out and about. We’re on about a 3 week streak right now, and the word we’re trying to infuse FUN back into our dates and our marriage.

Before I go too much further I need to add:

Yes we love each other.

Yes we care for each other.

Yes we support each other.

But the missing ingredient when we looked long and hard at our relationship recently were those moments that invoked care free memories of when we first met, late night belly laughs, and the ability to just let loose and be silly and stupid.

So just in case you may be suffering from the same struggle to reconnect with the people you care most about in your own silly way, here’s a bit of a tour of our past few date night festivities with tips for getting your own FUN dates on the books and scheduled.

1) Get creative

Sometimes hiring a sitter is just not an option (ok a lot of times). You could attempt to swap child care with a friend, or just find a way to create an in-home date instead. A few weeks ago we literally sat on the couch for hours playing ‘Would You Rather‘ and taking random personality tests online (we quite enjoyed the Color Code).  We definitely had some interesting conversations crop up as a result of both of these activities! Also, creativity, silliness, and fun can crop up in the unlikeliest of places. See that pic to the left? Apparently buying this dress would make me cross dresser according to my husband. (heh!)

2) Be cheapos

If you are fortunate to score a sitter, find a way to make the date cost as little as possible! Instead of heading out for dinner and a movie ($$$) Brendan and I opted for fast food and slot machines at the casino 20 minutes away from home.  To keep the casino costs down we each set a $5 limit on the penny slot machines. My casino shy and financially conscious husband was the happiest guy there when he came home 5 cents richer than when he arrived. (I on the another hand lost everything…)

3) Take a walk down memory lane

Our dinner choice was popular burger joint, Five Guys. A place we used to frequent before kids, but now can’t set foot in because of their peanut bins that would be a big no no for our peanut allergic child. It was comfort food at it’s finest and it allowed us to relive old memories of a time when it was just the two of us.

4) Play a game

Many date nights for us had turned into errand running excursions to Target or the grocery store. (does this happen to anyone else? please say yes…) In order to change things up this time, our errands trip to Wal-Mart one night turned into an opportunity to buy gifts for each other in order to keep the focus on the fact that we were still on a date. We decided to split up and look for gifts for one another that were ring in at $10 or less.

3) Add an element of surprise

At the last minute I decided to take the gift game a step further and add in a time limit of 10 minutes. It was quite an invigorating experience racing through Wal-Mart trying to choose the perfect inexpensive gift for my man (I ended up with a $5 DVD with 15 no name horror films — right up his alley). And the smiles and appreciation we felt after checkout was the perfect way to end our fun focused date night. 10 in 10 has quickly become a new favorite date activitiy and I bet we’ll do this one over and over again in the future.

When was the last night you left the kids at home — or in bed, and reconnected with your husband, significant other, friends, or yourself? What’s your favorite thing to do on date night? I’ve found a few great ideas on Pinterest, but I’m definitely looking for more, so if you’ve got ‘em lay ‘em on me today in the comments! 

Last week a new cupcake shop opened up in town and I was one of their first customers.

As a terrible baker I rely on others to help me indulge in my sweet tooth every now and then.

You see, I never really had the patience or the desire to learn to bake properly so when I do decide to actually give baking a go, I always seem to be missing an important pantry staple.

Unfortunately flour and sugar are not staples in our kitchen.

When I do get inspired to bake from scratch, it’s hard to expect my decadent double chocolate cookies to come out right when I don’t have unsweetened cocoa and I’ve run out of baking soda in my pantry.  If I press on anyway with what I have available and make them with instant cocoa and baking powder…well, you get the idea!

A well-stocked pantry is a must if you want to bake successfully.

Perhaps up until this point your photography has been much like my baking.  

You’ve lost patience with your camera and the desire to use it properly.  If you’re a technology shy and/or busy mom you probably invested in a good camera so you wouldn’t need to spend a whole lot of time understanding how to use it.

I know that when I received my first ‘fancy’ DSLR camera I expected it to be just like an easy boxed cake mix, not a time-consuming layered cake baked from scratch!! I thought I’d simply open the box, add a few ingredients like a memory card and battery, and then snap away to bake up beautiful images of my family and our life.

I quickly realized that my camera didn’t always perform the way I wanted it to, and my photos looked nothing like the professional images that inspired me to own a fancy camera in the first place.

Fortunately I’ve become a much better photographer than baker, so today I’m inviting you to indulge with me as we stock your kitchen and work through the 3 key ingredients that make up the photography ‘exposure triangle’.

This week’s episode of Point. Click. Love. is a longer one, but I encourage you to set aside the 15 min. to watch it.

In the video, I’ll be introducing you to the 3 ‘pantry staples that are the foundational technical settings for every photo you snap.

Even if you’re not new to photography and *think* you have a good grasp of these staples, I encourage you to watch anyway and see what new knowledge you can take away from going ‘back to basics’.

After exploring these pantry staples, I’ll leave you with a hands on technique building assignment that will help you better understand how these ingredients all work together to help you create a perfect photo recipe.

Your turn!

In the comments below tell me one new thing you learned from watching this video or ask me any questions that may have come up while you were watching.

Did you have an ah-ha moment that you want to share? Is something still not making sense and you want some clarification? Which of these staples are you most excited to learn more about? Did you notice anything interesting after trying the technique builder at the end of the lesson?

If after watching you’re ready to dig into these ingredients a bit more plus develop the photo recipe that’s just right for you, this is the final week of registration for the 6-week Momtographie Online class that begins May 5th, 2013. I’ve even just added another ‘easy editing’ bonus webinar for anyone that signs on!

P.S. I won’t be offering this class again in 2013, so now’s the perfect time to join me right HERE if you’re dreaming of baking up delicious images of your family and life. xo.

My intention today was to share the importance of stopping and looking in your photography.

☐ Of looking towards the light first and foremost.
☐ Of looking towards the ground seeing how that light dances in the grass and on the pavement.
☐ Of fiddling with the ISO, and Aperture before you even think about pushing that shutter button.
☐ Of looking at your child’s face and into his or her innocent inquisitive eyes.
☐ Of soaking it all in and taking the picture in your mind before capturing it with your lens.

The checks above are ones I always do before taking my photos and are the ones that have allowed me to gain more consistency and control over my photos with time and practice.

Stopping and looking this weekend led to to spending hours with my eyes on the night sky waiting for the arrival of the east coast Aurora. I may not have gotten a glimpse into the gorgeous colors of the Northern Lights, but I did manage to capture a shooting star streaking across the night sky.

That star invited me to make a wish.

And I didn’t know what that wish was until the tragic events that unfolded in Boston earlier this week.

In the face of tragedy my typical reaction is to become paralyzed.  Glued to a TV or computer screen watching the events unfold.  Afraid of what might come next and overcome by the desire to hide, to hibernate, to turn away. I get stuck in this negative cycle of sadness, quiet, fear. I am embarrassed to say it, but I’m the perfect example of what the fear mongers want.

A reactor.

My wish is simple, and it’s a wish for me and for you and for all of us.

Don’t react.

Stop and look.

Find the courage to embrace THIS moment.  The one you are living. Not the one blaring fear across the TV screen.

☐ Where your child is showering you with kisses and telling you they love you.
☐ Where you make a date for cupcakes after work and school and totally ruin your dinner.
☐ Where you say yes to stopping at the park and playing in the bright sun and warm breeze instead of going straight to that list of to-dos of chores awaiting you at home.
☐ Where your cat sidles up besides you purring to calm your anxious thoughts.

And when these moments speak to you, pick up that camera and use that initial checklist above to stop and look one more time. Truly soak up all the goodness that is in your life today (even in the face of fear, loss, or sadness) so you can capture and remember it as you see it in your mind.

With love.

With gratitude.

With light.

P.S. My free One Ingredient Fix self paced lesson is all about stopping and looking for these moments of gratitude and play in your life. Have you seen it yet or considered joining me and a community of moms for the full 6 week Momtographie Online class that starts May 5th? Let’s make your wish come true…you know that one one where you’ll finally learn to love your photos and love your life too. xo.

Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to hit the road with my in person Momtographie class. My travels took me to Lexington, KY where I taught 10 lovely women how to get out of AUTO mode for good. Miranda was one of them and I’m excited to share her post-class progress with you all today!

Name

Miranda O’Banion

Camera/Lenses

Canon Rebel T3 / 18-55mm, 75-300mm, 50mm

Tell us a bit about your kids and their personalities

Alivia (9)…She’s the typical oldest child:  loves to boss the others around and play “mother hen”.  She’s extremely smart and very compassionate.  Loves all things girly and doesn’t mind to model for the camera!

Lukas (7)…He’s my rough & tumble only boy.  He’s very loving and protective of his younger sisters (not so much of his older one, lol).  He is sometimes stubborn to a fault, but I’m praying that it will serve him well in the future!

Layla (3)…She’s my little spit-fire.  The one that comes without a filter, so you never can be too sure what she might say.  She keeps things interesting.  And she melts my heart with her “your the best mommy ever I’ve seen in the whole world!”

Sydney (19 months)…The rotten little baby.  She may like to mock everything that her older siblings do and say, but don’t let that fool you!  She already has the loudest personality of all my kids…in fact, I see a little of each of them in her:  Alivia’s bossiness, Luke’s determination, & Layla’s unpredictability.  I may have my hands full with this one!

Tell us why you love being a mom

I love that I get to pour into these little lives and watch them transform.  I love that the more I try to teach them…the more I end up learning.

I’ve always loved art in many different forms, but the ability to capture a moment in time in a crisp, clear image that can invoke memories & emotions is just amazing to me…even more so since I’ve become a mother.

Tell us your biggest frustration before taking Momtographie

I felt like I was at the mercy of my camera, because I didn’t know how to control it.  I didn’t know what aspects contributed to focus or brightness, so I would often have photos that were too dark or too light or out of focus.

My “ah-ha moment” was realizing the power that adjusting your ISO gives you.  I tried to play around in all the different modes, but quickly found that I liked the control of Manual mode, and I haven’t turned the dial back since.

The one picture that I am always drawn back to is of my daughter, Layla.  I had a vest that my husband was supposed to wear for his mother’s wedding hanging on the door knob of our coat closet.  Layla decided to “try it on”.  I loved the way the light from the window was shining on her face.  I love her facial expression.  It’s definitely not the “best” picture I’ve taken, but I love to look at it.

Although the opportunity to travel with my class last summer was incredible, I’m even more thrilled that my teaching journey has led me to developing Momtographie into a 6-week online experience.  Registration is currently open for the May 5th Momtographie Online session! CLICK HERE now for all the details or to get yourself registered.

Growing up I hated being asked what my hobbies were. I didn’t think I had any. I was never that kid who played sports, or loved to paint, or collected things. My sister was the one with the hobby, not me.

In actuality I did have hobbies, I just thought they were too nerdy or didn’t fall into a nice neat category, so I didn’t want to share them.

I loved to read, I loved to draw, I loved to write stories, and dream up crazy skits with my friends.  In college I went through a phase where I learned to crochet. Later on it was jewelery making. Then scrapbooking.

It wasn’t until later in life that I’d realize the theme of creativity that weaved it’s way into all of these hobbies of mine and how they’d eventually steer me in the direction of my true passion, photography.

Fast forward a few years later, when Brendan and I began family planning. I wanted a new camera, or at the very least to learn how to master the powerful point and shoot we already owned.

Selfishly I had no clue how we’d ever afford professional newborn photography, and I was hoping to save a few bucks by learning to do it on my own.

Photography quickly became that hobby I never embraced growing up, giving me a sense of confidence and purpose as I started my rough journey into motherhood.

Now that those early selfish motives have melted away I’ve realized there will always be a need to hire a professional photographer so that I can actually get in some photos with my family too.

But, during the in between times I now have a skill set and a creative outlet that not only serves me and feeds my soul, but one that can be done with family and serves them as well.

Photography has granted me permission to pursue my own passions while also connecting on a deeper level with my daughter and my husband through play, activities, and moments we can document together.

If you’re a mom whose looking to explore and expand her photography hobby in a more meaningful and skillful way, I’d encourage you to check out my Momtographie Online class. Registration is currently open, and class begins May 5th, 2013.

I’d love to help you explore a hobby that’s going to serve you and those around you for a lifetime.

2 weeks ago I had the tremendous opportunity to lead over 1,100 moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and singles in transforming their photography.

We began by eliminating one pesky ingredient from their menu, CHEESE; and then replacing it with another simple yet hugely effective ingredient, PLAY!

The results are in, and let me tell you….everyone absolutely rocked my world with their enthusiasm and readiness to give this concept a try.

I’ve loved each and every email of kindness sent to my inbox, and I’ve soaked in each and every image of the world through the eyes of you incredible kiddos (big and small!) From bed time, story time, technology time to Easter egg hunts, parks, and playgrounds galore, you all had FUN!

Today I want to honor your work, the time your spent with me, and the time spent playing with your kiddos. Below you’ll find see some of the amazing submissions sent to me from moms all over the globe who participated in One Ingredient Fix.

Enjoy! xo.

Although my kids may not be smiling in these photos, their faces, actions, motions and the moments are priceless. ~Jessi

You have truly inspired me to put the focus back on my daughter and making amazing memories for her instead of focusing on trying to get that “perfect” shot. There have been so many times I have walked away from a special moment feeling frustrated and disappointed because my pictures weren’t turning out how I envisioned. Your mini class has helped me to uncover the balance between quality time with my daughter and photography. I can’t thank you enough! ~Christy

Your course is great! I managed to watch all the videos even with an 11mth old! ~Sabina

My daughter is almost two and your tip of “asking questions” has significantly changed the way she “interacts” with the camera. Typically, if she spied the camera or phone, she would ask to “See ‘dat!” as in, she wanted to look at the pictures. Now, if I bring out the camera and ask away – “What are you doing? Are you having fun?” I am thrilled to get a candid, in-focus shot her. ~Lindsay

Before your mini class I always felt like I had to set up a “photo shoot”, put on cute outfits, and have just the right pose. I have really taken your advice of taking shots during normal day to day life. During play. During conversation. During fun. I learned a lot just from this one week class, thank you! ~Katie

I had a blast following your tips and playing with my kids this week – working in different things to get their natural expressions and cuteness while biting my tongue from saying cheese ! This definitely captured them in their own element and if this is one week of improvement I am really looking forward to the full six week class! ~Megan

P.S. One Ingredient Fix was the mini-class experience leading up to my full 6-week Momtographie Online class. If you’re baffled by the technical settings of your camera and are looking for the perfect recipe to put it all together, this might just be the class for you! Details and registration are ready and waiting for you right HERE. (and you can still gain access to the One Ingredient Fix materials there too!)

I still remember, like it was yesterday, all the frustrations of being a new photographer and trying to learn everything there was to learn about my camera and using it properly.

At that time, I was not a mom. I did however have experience in an elementary classroom working with squirmy kiddos day in and day out. I was also building a base of photography clients who brought me plenty of babies, toddlers, and teens to begin testing out the abilities of me and my camera.

Apparently those abilities were hit or miss because I can remember coming home from my ‘professional’ shoots and saying to myself ‘I really hope something turned out from that session!”

Yikes!

Even back when I was looking to run a portrait business full time I still had the same frustrations that many of you might be facing with your own DSLR cameras.

Photos would turn out too bright, or too dark. Kids would run away or cry as soon as the camera would come out. I’d capture what I thought was the perfect shot, but when I loaded it up onto my computer at home the focus was off and the family or kiddos I was photographing would be a blurry mess.

Just for the record, I’m pretty much a self-taught photographer. Aside from one workshop I attended in early 2010, I haven’t had any formal training in technical photography. Just like you I read blogs, scoured the internet, and joined a few forums to work on improving my skills.

But the one thing I felt was always lacking from those experiences was a system to put all of my new knowledge together.

I understood the concepts of ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture. I thought I knew all that they did to make my camera work.

But for some reason I couldn’t synthesize all of that knowledge and put it together to produce consistently well exposed images.

It wasn’t until I started teaching that my system, my photography recipe, finally fell into place.

During my first local Momtographie class, a student asked…”How do you put all of this stuff together?”

I hadn’t planned for the question, so I less than elouquently spouted off what I thought I was doing each time I went to take a photo.

I shared the exact way I survey the light and my creative needs and then set my settings accordingly.

I had never really tested this recipe, but spoke from my experiences.  I hoped that what I was saying made sense to someone else and would ring true when we went outside to test the recipe I had just made up on the fly.

Fortunately it worked and has helped the hundreds of moms I’ve worked with revolutionize their family photo taking.

Finally pinpointing my system has allowed me to do a lot less tweaking of settings with my camera these days, and a lot more interacting and playing with my kiddo when I’m taking her picture instead.

This recipe is something I’ve been piecing together myself for the past 3 years, and is one I’m incredibly proud of.

It’s the one I also happen to share in my new class, Momtographie Online.

We begin with the basics (because everyone – even the pros) can always use a back to basics refresher, which leads perfectly into that final recipe where I show you exactly how to put everything together, every time.

Does it mean that after learning this system every photo you snap will bake up perfect? Nope! We can’t predict what mood our child will be in at any given moment and sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to get our settings just right for the perfect exposure.

But I KNOW Momtographie Online will change the way you approach your camera and it’s daunting buttons and dials for good.

If you’re wanting to learn this special system, my secret recipe, class begins May 5th, 2013 and is being sold at an earlybird price of $199 through Sunday April 7th. Click HERE now for all the details or to register.

There’s even a free lesson over there too if you want to give Momtographie Online a test drive before you buy.

I’d love to work with you next month as we cook up your perfect photography recipe together!

I’m THRILLED to have Megan Flatt back today to share an article with you that hits really close to home for us mamas (it had me cracking up and nodding my head the entire time!) If you struggle with ‘mommy guilt’ and the ability to make time for YOU, then read on. Be sure to keep on reading to the end of the post where we’ll be inviting you onto a FREE teleconference with both of us next Monday to seek out our memory making mama bliss.

I have never really been into video games.  (although, I have a 5 year old son, so they are probably on my parenting horizon).

My sister and I did have a Nintendo growing up.  And I think we had all of 3 games; Tetris, Duck Hunt and Super Mario Brothers.  Tetris was hands down my favorite, but we did spend a fare amount of time trying to ‘win’ Super Mario Brothers.  The basic concept was to complete all the challenges on a level, which would move you to the next level and ultimately you would get to rescue the princess.

Fast forward to becoming a mom and coming to the realization that as much as I LOVE being a mom, it is still important to me to be my own person.

My kids are the most important thing in my life, but they are not the only import thing in my life. 

I consider my two kids my greatest accomplishment, but I know I have more to accomplish as well.  I have been on a quest to find my passion, my Mama Groove, and I realize that finding my groove is a lot like rescuing that princess- my Mama Groove Princess.

Discovering who you are as a person after having kids is like a big video game with many levels to conquer.

Just when you complete one level, another one with a bigger, scarier, dragon pops up. 

But just like the video game, you have to take your self-discovery quest one toadstool and magic coin at a time.

My Mama Groove quest has consisted of 4 levels.

Level 1:  The Lost Land Of Who-the-Heck-Am-I

Once I emerged from my sleep-deprived, spit-up covered stupor, I had to redefine who I was again.  I had to figuring out what fulfills me now and how I want to define myself after kids.

Level 2:  The Evil Lair of Queen Mommy Guilt:  

Becoming willing to invest in myself.  I had to overcome that internal voice that tells me its selfish to spend time or money on my own health, happiness and personal development.

Level 3:  The Bottomless Pit Of the Time Sucking Day:

They say we all have the same 24 hours, but I swear there is some strange daily time warp moms get caught in.  Between childcare, house care and everything-else care, I needed super skills to find time to take a shower, much less take care of my own fulfillment.  (This is the level my Tetris skills came in handy!)

Level 4:  The Secret Sector of the Unknown 

Once I decided what was important to me, I realized I needed to learn the skills to actually do it!  Acquiring the skills to pursue your passion often stumps moms so much, we give up on the whole game before we finish.  Don’t!  Let me tell you this is the easiest level to complete, you just have to know where to find the key to unlock the secret hidden doors. (I’ll give you a hint, you’re reading this article on a hidden door right now.)

Want the secret codes?

I’ve been playing this Mama Groove game for a while and I have learned quite a few of the tricks and secret passageways to rescue that princess. And along the way I have met a few other Mamas who have shared their best secrets with me as well.

I am thrilled to joining one such Mama, our own Beryl Young, on a FREE call Monday April 8^th at 9pm EST to share our secrets on how we are conquering our own game’s levels.  On the call you’ll unlock the 4 Factors needed for Memory Making Mama Bliss and find that princess (you!) just waiting to be rescued.

We will combine personal stories, our struggles and successes, as well as share our best tips for helping YOU conquer the levels of your own Mama Groove game.

Not to worry if you can’t make it to the call live, it’ll be recorded and sent your way once it’s done too.

Plus…special bonuses await those of you who join us.  Sign up below to unlock your access now.

Megan Flatt is a Mama Strategist and a wellness expert.  She helps moms find their groove, claim time to do it, and find energy to support their own ‘Mama Revival’.  She is the creator of Nap It Out, a time management and productivity e-course for busy moms and the forthcoming Find Your Mama Groove, helping moms get out of their rut, and into their groove.