What ignites YOU? Do It. Don't feel guilty doing what you love.

I need to be creative.

This blog has become a big part of my life. It has become my passion and working on it, is something that ignites me. I’m aware that it’s not important for many other people. The blog doesn’t have more than a few hundred followers and I’m aware that most of my blogposts might be read by only a couple dozen people. But that’s not what it is about. It’s about doing it for myself. Writing and creating my content makes me happy. Furthermore I learned so much in the making. I connected with like-minded people, learned about SEO and how to use more transition words in your writing.

I need to take time for things that make me happy.

What ignites you? Do you take enough time to do it? Many women and mothers knows how hard it is to find time doing the things she loves. During the school year I only taught a couple of German classes, so I could find enough time for blogging. To find the time in the summer was harder though. Ironically I had to work in the first few weeks and then we were often either away or busy doing fun things. When being at home this summer, my girls have been very good at entertaining themselves, but my younger one tends to ask me for things, advice or help frequently.

Once I actually sit down to write, I do not like to be interrupted. I tend to get distracted easily anyway and that doesn’t make writing in English easier for me. On Monday, after my 10-year old came into my office for the fourth time in what felt 30 minutes, I was fed up and made a “Bitte nicht stören.” sign. (Please do not disturb.) It worked.

“Magic Lessons” with Elizabeth Gilbert

Today, while packing and getting ready for our camping trip, I listened to Elizabeth Gilbert’s podcast “Magic Lessons”. I only heard episode 2.08 “Leap Into the Fire” featuring Martha Beck so far, but today I came back to it and started with the first episode 1.01. “Do What Ignites Your Soul”. What I heard totally resonated with me and I had to write this post.

Elizabeth Gilbert was interviewing the blogger Erin who didn’t write the book she really wants to write yet. And Mrs. Gilbert told her that a “Please do not disturb sign.” is a helpful tool to write undistractedly. I felt so confirmed putting my sign up!

I don’t want to feel guilty.

Initially I was feeling a bit guilty to turn my children away while just wanting to write for my blog that only some people will read. But in this episode of “Magic Lessons” Liz Gilbert also spoke about guilt that mothers feel when they don’t take care of their children but do something for themselves. She mentions that she became a creator, because her mother was a creator and she further says that “If you model martyrdom to them they will grow up to be martyrs. If you model creativity to them, they will grow up to be creators. It’s a public service for you to honor your creativity.”

And I absolutely agree. It is actually good for your children when you send them away while you’re doing what you love and need to be doing. First of all, it’ll teach them to find something to do on their own and eventually to find their own calling and path to creativity. I recommend you listen to this or other episodes of Gilbert’s podcast.

Hence, I will keep hanging up my sign on the door and trying to write stuff some people might read. At least my teenage daughter told me that her friends think it’s cool that her mom has her own blog, lol.