No Rain, No Flowers
We used to think that there were two phases of life you could be in—either a good phase or a difficult phase. Now we realize that life is usually both good and difficult at the same time (especially if you have kids)! The joy and the struggle can fluctuate back and forth hundreds of times a day!
We believe that we are meant to experience triumphs and hardships, and often simultaneously. Sometimes, when you're in a dark place and you feel like you're buried, you've actually been planted. Isn't it interesting that seeds are buried in darkness, watered by storms, then they crack open and slowly struggle past dirt and rocks? All of this must happen before the plant can gain enough strength to break through the ground and bloom. This is the pattern humans follow as well. For some reason, the storms of life are what will give us the strength to grow into who we want to be—if we let them fuel us rather than drown us. Savoring the good moments of life and not giving the difficulties complete power over us takes continual, intentional work.
What is Your Rain?
For us, depression has loomed over both of us like a dark cloud for years now. Feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled, getting stuck in the mundane routines of life, struggling with body image, and tantrums from our children leave us feeling trapped in a downpour at times. The list could go on of the things that get ALL of us down in life! We're definitely still learning, but we're trying to make conscious efforts to use these "storms" as fuel to bloom
A Path of Growth
The ways we've found the most growth for us personally are through meditation, being in nature, developing new skills and hobbies, and focusing on creating experiences in our families. One of our favorite things we've done with our families are going on "playcations"—imaginative play that feels like a vacation, but from the comfort of our own homes. We love to make dinner recipes from a different country, listen to music from that country while we eat, and then do an activity or watch a movie that celebrates that culture. It's such a fun way to feel like we are traveling without the hassle, and we get to teach our kids about different cultures.
It's so easy as adults, especially in parenthood, to start feeling lost. It is common to feel you've lost your time, your interests, your personality, and even your identity. Uncovering these important parts of you should be a priority! Go after things things you want, and allow yourself to want things! It is absolutely possible to do this without neglecting your loved ones. Sometimes as a whole, we think having desires is selfish, but when come from a mentality of gratitude and abundance rather than wanting things because we have fear and feel we're lacking, having desires can be a powerful tool that propels our growth. We weren’t meant to stay stagnant or buried underground. So, allow yourself to dream and take a step towards fulfilling one of your dreams. If you want to feel like you are thriving and not just surviving, this is one of the biggest breakthroughs you can experience.
Frolic & Flourish
One of our dreams was to focus on and create more magical moments in our own motherhood and spread that magic across the world. We are working towards that dream by building a community of supportive women and giving moms tools to create more joy in their homes. One of the tools we've created is a passport printable that comes with passport "stamp" stickers and a huge list of ideas for playcation activities to provide countless hours of imagination, learning, and fun with your littles. We're here for you, rain or shine!
-Mae & Whitney from Frolic & Flourish