Over the past few months, I’ve started (and then abandoned) so many blog posts – posts about minimalism, intentional living, journaling, self-care, and more. Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to finish a single one.

Why?

Because what I’ve learned these past few years is I struggle to write when it doesn’t come straight from my heart – if I’m not being open and honest, the words just don’t flow – and the truth is, I’ve been keeping a big secret from you all … but today I’m ready to spill the beans 😉

… we’re having a baby!

It’s our first and the little one will be joining us in September!!

(Regular readers might remember my last post, when I said: “After months of go go go I felt an intense and instinctive urge to just slow down.” – turns out my body knew about the bub before my brain did, haha!)

I’ve wanted so badly to share the news, not just because I’m horrible at keeping secrets (which I am), but also because it’s hard for me to write about anything when I don’t feel like I’m being authentic and open.

Simply + Fiercely isn’t going to become a mommy blog (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but I know without a doubt that the baby is going to influence and possibly challenge a lot of what I write about. I’ve always believed that minimalism and intentional living are for everyone, so it will be interesting to put my beliefs to the test moving forward.

I know from the many emails I receive that a lot of people are inspired (and often curious) about my life, so I promise to be as open and honest as possible about my fears, challenges, and also joys moving forward – starting with today’s post.

I want to share some of what’s been going on in my mind these past few months. Although I’m obviously talking about pregnancy, I think a lot of the fears and doubts I’ve had are relevant to anyone going through a big life change, so I hope you’ll all find this relatable!

LET’S TALK MINIMALISM

As I’ve already mentioned, I believe minimalism is for everyone.

I don’t subscribe to the idea that minimalism equals owning as few things as possible; instead, I believe it’s about making mindful, intentional choices about what you bring into your life. Generally, this means you own less – but it’s not one size fit all. You own just enough to make your life work for you.

So on that note, I obviously believe you can have kids and be a minimalist – but of course, it’s easy for me to say this without any firsthand experience …

What will happen once I have a family? Will I be able to walk the talk and live up to my own rhetoric?

Deep down, I believe I will, but to be honest I haven’t always felt like a ‘good’ minimalist lately.
I started showing quite early and very quickly found out most of my wardrobe was not very pregnancy friendly. Add to that a nesting instinct … and suddenly I feel like I’m at the shops ALL THE TIME.

My brain knows it’s ok – for the most part, I’m only buying things I genuinely need and I also know a few extra purchases does not undo years of life changes. I’m not going overboard (I haven’t bought a single baby outfit yet!!) and so far everything I’ve bought has added significant value to my life (I’m talking to you smoothie maker and fancy vacuum – I never knew I could love appliances so much!!).

But to be honest, I feel a bit guilty, even though I know I shouldn’t; after all, this is something I actively discourage here on the blog! I know minimalism isn’t about deprivation and if something makes your life easier, then there is no reason to say no or give it up just for the sake of ‘being a minimalist’. But apparently, my brain and emotions aren’t always communicating at the moment!

RELATED POST: 6 Tips to Stop Mindless Shopping

AND WHAT ABOUT INTENTIONAL LIVING?

In additional to minimalism, I’m huge advocate of intentional living, which I define as “asking yourself why you do things – and being happy with the answers.” Again, I believe everyone can practice intentional living … but on a practical level, this looks different for different people.

For example, in recent years I’ve had the freedom to make bold changes whenever I felt my life was out of alignment, like deciding to work part-time or to go travelling. Admittedly, I have this freedom because years ago I made slow and more painful changes, like embracing minimalism and paying off all my debt, but I’d be remiss in not acknowledging that lately, I’ve had it pretty easy.

Now I’m facing a future where, like many of your reading this, I’m going to have more responsibilities – and yet again, I’m wondering if I can walk the talk.

How well will I be able to live true to myself and also take care of another human being?

I know this is something every new mama probably wonders. I’m realistic and I know I’m going to be facing a steep learning curve, but I hope the basics will still apply. My personal mantra – listen to your heart, do more of what you love, and let go of all the rest – shouldn’t change, but I expect I’ll need to be even more realistic about my available resources (time, money and energy). Specifically, I think it’s going to be more important than ever that I know my priorities and how to let go.

But as with everything … right now time will tell. I truly believe this type of mindful thinking is so valuable, but I know that sometimes survival mode is the best we can do and that’s ok. (To be honest, that’s how I felt for much of the first trimester; I often struggled to get out of bed!)

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is just a small glimpse of everything going through my mind right now but don’t worry, there is also a lot of joy and excitement as well! There are a lot of question marks but I’m trying hard to be present, enjoy the moment and go along for the ride!

Ultimately, I feel there will be challenges and, of course, compromise but deep down I feel positive about finding balance. Wish me luck 😉

PS: I know these last two posts have been mostly personal updates but stayed tuned for more varied content! I think I’ve got some interesting posts in the pipeline!

So, for you wise mamas out there, what are your thoughts? I’d love to hear any feedback about how you view minimalism as a family, or how you balance being true to yourself with your responsibilities (that one applies to non-mamas too!). Let me know in the comments! xx

Photo credit: me! (and the ultrasound tech!)

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