Are you in a mommy rut? Do you need a little excitement in your life (other than the chaos created by your two-year-old)? I know the feeling. I like play dates as much as any mom, but a steady diet of parks and fast food play areas has the potential to turn a once pretty cool chick into a dull girl.
It’s time for some rut-crushing adventures, girls, and I have some ideas for you:
Host an outdoor shark party night with a twist.
Show a shark movie on an outdoor screen (ex. Jaws, Sharknado), but here’s the twist: have your friends watch the movie while floating on tubes in a pool. The sensation of water, nighttime, legs dangling in the water and shark awesomeness is pretty freaky. Bonus points if you and your friends watch the movie in a pond or lake.
Do something requiring a helmet.
Biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, zip lining, sky diving all require helmets and all scream adventure.
Spend a weekend backpacking.
I spent four days with 20 of my friends hiking part of the Maryland portion of the Appalachian Trail, and the experience was empowering and crazy fun. I didn’t know one thing about backpacking, but my former Marine-friend knew all things woodsy. I am certain I am still alive today because of this amazing woman.
Find a cause you are passionate about and get involved.
Some of the greatest adventures begin with giving and serving. Living out your passion with a friend can turn an ordinary friendship into something extraordinary. Bonus points if you and your friend start a new ministry or non-profit.
Break Your Momma’s Rules and Go To That Concert.
Gather a group of girlfriends and go see your favorite band from when you were in high school. Bonus points if you dress for the concert in an outfit you would have worn when you were a teenager. Double bonus points if your momma would not have let you leave the house dressed like that.
Host a slumber party.
Figure out the details for making your house kid and hubby free, and invite your friends to a mommy sleepover. Turn on Netflix, eat lots of fun food, stay up too late and enjoy just being a girl with your friends. Bonus points if someone pees a little from laughing too hard. Double bonus points if you and your guests sleep until noon the next day.
Organize a scavenger-hunt-double-date-night with a friend.
You and your friend are the organizers of the scavenger hunt, but the actual hunt is for the husbands. Have the husbands try to find you and your friend by placing clues throughout your city: a certain bicycle rack, a vintage sign, a touristy must-see, map coordinates, a geocache. The boys will like the challenge of the hunt, while you and your friend enjoy the fun of being mysterious. Bonus points if the evening ends with an overnight stay somewhere fun.
Get off the bench.
Get off that park bench and let your kids reteach you how to play. Go down that slide. Jump in that pool. Run through that sprinkler. Slide head-first down that waterslide. Kids find adventures every day. Maybe we are in a rut because we have forgotten how to play. Bonus points if your child isn’t the only one who scraped their knee that day.
Go to your favorite restaurant and order something different.
Gasp! I realize this is way outside the comfort zone for some of you. Be brave, live on the edge, and eat something new. Bonus points if you order something you can’t pronounce.
Go to MOMcom 2015.
Registration is now open for you and a group of your friends to attend the MOPS International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis on September 17-19, 2015. Bonus points if you and your friends compete to see who can make the most friends while at the conference.
The easiest way to get out of a rut is to try something new. An adventure doesn’t always require a helmet, but it does require risk and attention. Sometimes resisting the need for to escape by choosing to be present in the wonder of your everyday life can be rut-crushing enough.
Listen to your soul. Your rut is telling you it’s time to make some changes. Call a friend, climb a mountain (both literally and figuratively) and start living differently. You were not created to live a life void of passion. Live life to the full; adventurously expectant as we ask the question, “What’s next?”
What adventure do you need to plan into your life?
Tasha Levert, Ph.D., is a licensed professional counselor in New Orleans who provides face-to-face and online care. She is a conference speaker, worship leader and the author of Stories of Hope for the Sleep Deprived. Tasha and her husband Tim (Pastor with Students at the Vineyard Church of New Orleans) have three beautiful daughters and a lazy schnauzer named Gumbo.
To find out more about Tasha or her practice go to tashalevert.com or broomtreecounseling.com.