LOVING YOU
The Time Has Come
Creating and curating Treasuring Mothers has been an important piece in the fabric of my life’s journey.
It’s now over two years since I ceased working on Treasuring Mothers. It was a crazy mix of blog posts, podcasts, radio shows; and subscriber engagement via email, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!
Actually, it was quite convenient when a global pandemic crept up on the world in late 2019. Because at the same time, burnout was creeping up on me. Back then, I had a feeling things couldn’t continue as they had been. Then, as 2020 progessed, the quietening of the world created an easy option for the quietening of, well, the quietening of me.
It was so needed though.
Podcasting, radio show hosting, blogging, audio editing, social media posting, interviews, events, meeting, church, friendships and even family – deadline after deadline after deadline. Some daily. Some twice weekly, Some monthly. Some quarterly. Some annually!
Task after task, together they built
to a frenzied rush
Task after task, together they built to a frenzied rush from one achievement to the next. Forget downtime. Forget stopping to celebrate a win. Another deadline always loomed.
And for the first time ever, I was so busy I forgot to watch for burnout. I used to say things like, “Oh goodness, better be careful and have a break this week. I don’t want to burnout!” But who had time for breaks? I was so intent on making Treasuring Mothers a success, I didn’t realise I was making a monster.
It was exhausting.
Good things to aspire to – but to what end?
In the end it was my body that said, “Enough!” The shakes and the tears stopped me in my tracks.
Stubbornly, my head didn’t given in though. Not to start with. I still wanted to be like those world-famous bloggers, who inspire 1000’s with their weekly words of wisdom. But I had to die to all those dreams. My aspirations were doing me in.
And so I slept. For nearly 18 months I slept at least two hours a night extra. Sometimes more. Just as well for the pandemic. I could be cocooned in my own space, and relish being unnoticed. Rest is still a gift which I cherish.
Strangely, I had thought my early days
were fairly normal.
And I wrote. You, dear reader, cannot see my copious notebooks full of stories – early memories of my life. As the stories came, I unravelled my past. I finally acknowledged the depth of my trauma and grief. Strangely, I had thought my early days were fairly normal. But I gradually realised that the unholy mix of my Dad’s post-war PTSD, the school-day bullying, and the loss of my Mum when I was a teen, had affected me far more than I ever realised.
Somehow, I had survived it all with a smile on my face, and a glint in my eye. I had squashed all that bad stuff deep down into cracks where few could see, least of all me.
Thank you
So now the time has come. The Treasuring Mothers website will close on the 15th of November.
If there are resources, podcasts or blogposts you would like to download or share, now is the time!
I have added a PRINT, MAKE A PDF and EMAIL button to every one of my blog posts and pages. By all means, take advantage of them.
Thank you for your love, encouragement and support over those crazy years.
All my love,
Jenny
Jenny Baxter – Owner, Treasuring Mothers
[email protected]
