Embracing the Good Life: My Journey to Self-Care and Audiobook Narration

Finding Solitude in Chaos

In 2021, I found myself in an unusual situation. I was sitting in my living room, working on a puzzle—alone. It felt like the first time in nearly 15 years. After 11 years of homeschooling, moving from state to state, and navigating career upheavals, my kids finally chose to return to public school. What a relief! But also terrifying.

Gone were the days of juggling seven different ages, stages, and curricula. I went from a noisy house full of constant activity to a quiet living room with my cross-eyed cat and my Aussie. Just me, my puzzle, and a cup of herbal tea. As an introvert, I don’t get lonely easily. But the thought of loneliness still scared me.

I spent about two hours cleaning the house, preparing dinner, and getting ready for the day. What would I do with six hours of school and a one-hour bus ride on either end? I was ecstatic!

But, as life often does, things changed. I began to wonder if a career path I had always found interesting was worth exploring. I also had one child back home—public school isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

The Shift to Narration

My quiet puzzling days lasted just one trimester. Then, I dove headfirst into my narration career. It felt like a floodgate had opened. Motivation, excitement, and ideas rushed in. Yet, there were setbacks. First, I hated social media. Second, I was stressed about everything—every single thing! I was a stress-mess. I think I was born that way. And third, I quickly realized that balancing a career with seven kids wouldn’t be easy.

I rarely give advice. The older I get, the more I realize how little I know. I’m no philosopher or career guru, but I did learn a few things during this process. One of the most important lessons was about self-care. I’ve narrated about a dozen books on self-care, and I learned something new from each one. But self-care for a mom of seven starting a career looks different than it does for a mom of one who works outside the home, a retired empty-nester, or someone with no kids—or ten kids!

Rediscovering Self-Care

It became clear that I hadn’t taken good care of myself. One quiet morning, I sat in my study, staring at a wall of boring homeschool books and manuals. That’s when I decided to return to something I love. I pulled out my yoga mat and turned on my favorite instructor—Yoga with Adriene. She speaks to my soul. 😊

I've always loved exercise and clean eating. I even enjoy researching all the nerdy stuff about it! But for several years after our move, I neglected that version of self-care. I realized that to think clearly and manage the chaos of my life, exercise would be my sanity IV. It wouldn’t be easy. It would be real and difficult.

You see, I went through a bout of depression after our move. Yes, the move I keep mentioning. It was a crucible. My husband, James, and I have faced many trials. We’re not immune, nor will we pretend to be on social media or anywhere else—life can be tough. This move was one of those “rug being pulled out from under you” moments.

We were doing just fine—until a newborn, a career jolt, building a new house, living with the in-laws (bless their patience), and three of our children became teenagers—all at once. Not to mention COVID in the middle of everything while trying to build a “non-essential” business. We were unprepared for how challenging it would be. It took a solid seven years before we got back on our feet.

During that time, my parents also made a big move to Idaho. They lived in a trailer in our yard while their home was being built up the road. I was so depressed that I spent at least an hour a day in the trailer with my parents and sister. There I was, munching on ginger snaps and those evil chocolate balls wrapped in shiny foil.

The Turning Point

One day, I realized I was no longer healthy or fit. That’s where my journey back to fitness began. It wasn’t just about my body—though that was a crucial transformation. It was a journey toward fitness for my whole life. A lifelong work in progress, of course, but at least I stepped onto the path.

I am the quintessential “J” type. If you know anything about Myers-Briggs personality types, you’ll know I love checklists, schedules, calendars, seatbelts, rules (at least the sensible ones), bedtimes, organized sock drawers, decluttering, traditions, and goals. But all of that had fallen apart, and I no longer trusted myself. The path to rehabilitating my “J” would be long and hard. And it was.

But it’s also been healing. I lost 15 lbs and discovered I love the gym—even though James and I used to secretly mock the “gym people.” Now, they’re “our people.” I also got back on the path of habits that have helped shape my career—a lifelong pursuit.

The Balance of Chaos and Happiness

My life remains a blend of chaos and attempts to manage it with to-do lists, love and logic, and multiple planners. But I am a thousand percent happier. I know for a fact that I wouldn’t appreciate the present nearly as much without going through those seven years.

So here I am—a mom of many, trying to break into the narration business, a “gym-goer” with a lofty goal of benching 100 lbs in six months, and a realist. I love the good life and am fully aware that setbacks will always be part of the journey. But like muscle memory, once we’ve practiced good habits, we can always find our way back to that path again.

In this ever-evolving journey, I embrace the ups and downs. I encourage you to do the same. After all, life is about finding joy in the chaos and celebrating every small victory along the way.