About

I’m a newly single mom heading into my 30′s with a 3 year old. I have spent the better part of the last 10 years doing things for someone else. My life was not about me, and who am I kidding?? It’s still not. However, in that time, life handed me many challenges, as it does many people. I truly didn’t think the challenges would ever end, and until recently I thought that was a bad thing. Then I had an epiphany: Challenges in life are where we draw the deepest strength and sense of self. And here life is handing me yet another great challenge. The beginning of a new chapter where nearly everything in my life will change – and it is my opportunity now to take advantage of it.

Now, it is now my time! I can cook whatever I want – decorate however I want – pursue whatever hobbies I want. Now is my time to learn who I am, find my own happiness within myself and show my daughter what it means to be a strong, independent woman who deserves success, happiness, and to be loved. I know that I am a lot of things, but I’m also not entirely sure what all of those things are yet.

I almost don’t even know how to begin, I am so excited at this new prospect and my mind is bursting with ideas! Some things will be highly personal that I will not share about here, or at least won’t share fully. Other things, like the pursuit of new hobbies and re-doing my home, I will!

Do I know that parts of this change will not all be rosy and happy? Of course I do. Let’s not fool ourselves. The end of my marriage is going to send me into a tailspin at times. But don’t you worry – I will be working on that piece of it as well outside of this blog. There are just some things that need to remain private.

I will be starting this blog with a home make-over, among other things. This home is the home that I made with my husband. As it stands now, it reflects our relationship, and I intend to make it into my home – one DIY project at a time. Since I’m a single parent now, it will obviously be done on a fairly slim budget, but I will tackle one room at a time with DIY projects, buckets of paint and tools to organize and purge. As I make over this house, I intend on making over my life. I will discover the real me and what I truly love and want to surround myself with. As they say, a home should be your sanctuary. Right now, it is not, because I didn’t know myself well enough to know what I would love.

If you’d like, follow my blog to see the transformation. Leave a comment if something inspires you!

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Single Mom Smiling’s blog reflects the views and opinions of the author, and not those of my employer, family, friends or loved ones. Feel free to challenge me, disagree with me, or tell me I’m completely nuts in the comments section of each blog entry. However, I reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason whatsoever (abusive, profane, rude, or anonymous comments), so keep it polite, please.