Get Pretty, Kick Butt | My Mom Rut

Dec 27, 2013

Hi pretties!  I’m back today to share my first excerpt from my book “Get Pretty, Kick Butt!“.  If you missed Monday’s post, I announced that I’m taking a break from my regular blogging format to bring you a series on preparing for 2014.  There won’t be any new outfit posts but there will be loads of inspiration for being your best YOU in the new year – including an amazing personal training package giveaway from Morganize with Me.

I’m also taking a mini-break from answering comments and visiting other blogs so I can spend some QT with my family.  Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon refreshed and ready to go!

Today’s excerpt is from the introduction of my book which explains how I got into (and out of) my own mom rut.

“Being a mom shouldn’t mean losing yourself.”

From the day I graduated college through the next seventeen years, I worked in a corporate office environment – dressed to the nines every day in heels, pencil skirts and pretty blouses.  Oh how I loved getting fixed up every day.

But what I didn’t love was my job.

With three kids at home, I desperately wanted to be with them.  Each year I watched as my department shrank more and more, a casualty of evolving technology and the economy.  Every time a lay off happened, I prayed to be on that list so I could take my severance package and finally be free of the confines of corporate America.

After fourteen years of waiting, it finally happened!  I was able to be the at-home mom I always dreamed of being.  During that same time, I decided to step away from my part-time career as an actress and print model to fully dedicate myself to my family.

Without a job or auditions to go to, my closet full of high heels started to become pretty useless.  I slowly transitioned my wardrobe, starting with footwear.  Flats took the place of my prized collection of heels.  Skinny jeans took over for skirts.  Cardigans replaced blazers.  T-shirts pushed out button-downs.  Ponytails did away with my need for daily hair styling. Tinted moisturizer took the place of foundation.  Then…

Yoga pants replaced jeans.

Sneakers replaced flats.

Moisturizer replaced makeup.

Uh oh.

Six months later, I was a full blown yoga pants addict, never getting ready or fixing up.  I picked my kids up from school wearing the same workout clothes that I had on when dropping them off that morning.  Worst of all, I would go the whole day without showering.  Eww.

The house started to get messier.

I slacked off on my work outs.

The healthy food in our fridge and pantry slowly got replaced with convenient junk food.

The pounds started creeping up.

All of my motivation and drive was gone.  It was all I could do to drag myself through another day.  A dark cloud of depression set in over me.

I was in a full-blown mom funk.

I desperately needed to find a way to get out of my rut and into my groove.

Something had to change.  One morning I decided to try something different.  I woke up an hour earlier and planned out my day.  My plans included getting my workout done, taking a shower, putting on makeup, fixing my hair and getting dressed in a real outfit – all before picking my kids up from school that afternoon.  Drastic times called for drastic measures.

So I did just that.

When I picked my daughter up from school that day she said “Wow, mommy!  What happened to you?  You look…pretty!”

That moment was my wake up.

I realized that pretty actually matters.  I wanted to do it, not just for me, but to set a good example for my daughters.  The fog that I was living in had lifted, at least for that day.  I felt productive, energized and PRETTY.

I vowed from that day forward that I would make an effort to shower and get fixed up every day, no matter what I had going on.  I sat down and made up a schedule for the next day.  I would have a routine and stick to it.  Getting pretty would be a big part of it.

I had found my way out of my mom funk.

For more kick butt inspiration, download “Get Pretty, Kick Butt!” now on Kindle.  As my gift to you, the book is ON SALE through December 31st.

PERSONAL TRAINING GIVEAWAY

Start the new year off right with 30 days of FREE personal training from Morgan of Morganize with Me!

Her 30-day virtual personal training plan includes the following:

• A specific written plan tailored to help you to meet your goals.
• Continued communication via email throughout your consultation package.
• Ongoing support, encouragement, motivation, and accountability.
• Commitment to walk with you every step of the way.

As an added bonus, the winner of the personal training package will also get a free copy of “Get Pretty, Kick Butt!” to kick start your new year.  Just choose any or all of the easy ways to enter below! You can also earn 10 additional entries for sharing a link to this post on Facebook!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to come back on Monday for the next installment in the series where I’ll be sharing my secret for getting more done!
Buy the book on Kindle NOW!