Being a working mom is hard. Sometimes it feels like a constant state of multi-tasking schedules and shifting priorities. Your time is spent from the moment you wake up until you crash in the evening. It can be really easy to let go of things you loved to do before you became a mom.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. I always wondered how some moms make it look so effortless to do it all. I realized after being a working mom for so long that it really isn’t effortless. It actually takes a lot of effort. A LOT.
Ruthlessly planning your time is a must. And part of the plan should include time for yourself with that kind of something that fuels your soul. We all have a hobby or passion that we love to do without the kids. My passion is horseback riding.
I started riding when I was around 9 years old. A friend of mine showed me how to ride. She was a natural trainer. She used to ask me if I wanted to go hang out with the horses, brush them and clean the stalls. I loved it and went most weekends. We lived in Silicon Valley when horses were still part of the landscape and we could ride the mountain trails. It was heaven.
I stopped riding for a very long time between my last year of high school through most of my 30s. When we moved to Arizona, I remember telling my husband that I wanted to get back to riding, even if it was once a month. It took a little while but I found the right barn and the right person to train with every other Sunday. I tip toe out of the house by 7:00 am to make the 7:30 am lesson. Sometimes I’m barely awake when I arrive.
It’s my passion, my hobby, and my love of being with the horses. I also love riding with my friend. I make time in my schedule to do it and my husband supports it.
One of my working mom friends cuddles babies at the hospital in her community. She’s been volunteering for years. She started out with the 2:00 am shift. I admired her for getting up at that time to go cuddle with the NICU babies because it was her passion to help them.
I always hear people say they “don’t have enough time” to do things. If you want to do something you’re passionate about, you’ll find a way to fit the time into your schedule. Your soul will thank you for it!
How do you make time for your hobby?
Stephanie Lema 
One thought on “Finding Your Passion as a Working Mom”