305: How to Hold Space for Your Creativity as a Busy Parent // Elizabeth Bergeland & Ben Brashares

July 24, 2023

Posted in Honor Your Needs, Pursue Your Purpose

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ANNOUNCEMENT:

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As parents, it’s difficult to carve out time to pursue our creative dreams and passions–between carpool and work and soccer practice and dinnertime and laundry and grocery shopping and bedtime and cleaning up another potty accident from the three-year-old…it just doesn’t seem to be a high priority. But for many of us, our creative interests and hobbies are what really fuel us and make us feel most like ourselves. And I’m not just talking about creativity in an artistic sense. You don’t have to be a writer or an artist to crave space to develop yourself and use your ambitions to build and create new things. Any drive that you have to learn or create something new, whether that’s a meal or a spreadsheet, is creative work. But the question is, how do we hold space for pursuing our passions in the midst of the craziness of parenting?

It’s messy, but it’s possible. And today’s guests are going to share some of their best ideas. Elizabeth Bergeland is a stay-at-home mother and an artist, and Ben Brashares is a stay-at-home father and an author. They both have young families that they are the primary caregivers for, but despite their busy schedules, they continuously chip away at working within their creative fields.

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3 Takeaways on How to Hold Space for Creativity as a Busy Parent:

Carve out a designated space for your creativity–both a physical space and a time blocked space–and make sure that it fits you and your unique creative personality. For example, Ben talked about how he works much better on a couch than at a desk. Figure out what works best for you, and once you’ve carved out that space, hold it sacred and believe that your family will only be blessed by seeing you prioritize your creative gifts.
Manage your expectations. Think about your hobby or your passion, and ask yourself, “Is there a way that I can still do this, but in a medium or method that’s more conducive to family life?” And you can always ask your partner to help you brainstorm. Remember everything is a season, and respect the season of parenting you’re in, but also respect your true need to carve out time for your creativity. It’s possible to do both.
Find ways to hold yourself accountable to your creativity, whether that’s by doing it as your job or finding an accountability partner or group to consistently check in with or produce for. Having some sort of accountability actually makes you prioritize it.

>>>Are these tips on saving space for creativity helpful? Tell us in the comments below.

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Get in touch with our Guest!

Elizabeth’s website: elizabethbergeland.com
Elizabeth’s Instagram: @elizabethbergeland
Ben’s Instagram: @bbrashares

Mentioned in the Episode

Book: Being Edie is Hard Today
Book: The Great Whipplethorp Bug Collection
Fall is fast approaching, and I want to give you time to think about joining my Self-Assured Motherhood program when it opens for enrollment. To get on the list to learn more information about this program, text SAM to 33777.