Brave Writer Podcast: Community is Self-Care with Jennifer Hunter
Homeschooling can be a lonely journey. Our days are filled with little faces, but quality time with a fellow adult might be sparse!
Our (Canadian!) podcast guest of honor, Jennifer Hunter, wrote to me about experiencing loneliness in her current season of life as a large, single-vehicle family with small children.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the effort, expectations, and disappointment of making new friends? I’ve been there! And I’m here to help.
Being part of a community is an essential part of your self-care.
Jennifer and I chat about:
- Taking the risk to be vulnerable & reveal a need
- The importance of modeling Awesome Adulting
- How to engage in your passions with or without your kids
- Leaving perfectionistic guilt in the dust
Are you ready to take the courageous leap and carve out a slice of sacred time for yourself?
Start with this episode: pour yourself a mug of something warm, and press play.
What about when homeschooling is lonely?
Our fantasies for more don’t go away when we ignore them; they grow and they become a voracious appetite for your soul. If these feelings are pushed down, the appetite becomes so large that it could shipwreck the thing you value the most.
So, pay attention to your hungers and value them. If there’s a pain somewhere, that means there is a need that matters and needs to be addressed. It’s important to give yourself love and kindness, just like you do for your children. You’re modeling self-care for your kiddos!
When looking for new friends, whether they’re people who you can spend time with to get a break from your children or potential family friends, remember that everybody has different needs and desires. It might take multiple attempts to find a good match, but don’t give up!
Julie’s Advice
- Start by defining for yourself some affinities. What are you curious and passionate about? What will make you happy? Get as specific as possible in your free write and remember this is for your eyes only, so anything goes!
- Put your intention in multiple places. You have the freedom to test things out until you find a match, and you’re not married to anything – and if it doesn’t work out, know that there will always be another opportunity.
- The anticipation of an upcoming event can be a lifeline to hold onto during periods of drought. So, stay alert and look for opportunities that will nourish you. It doesn’t have to be a weekly group get-together; choose what works for your comfort level.
- You should also make some space to be alone with yourself and have introvert time. Journal about your intentions, and the energy you put into your intentions will be matched. Trust that the realization of those intentions will not only come from sheer grit – sources outside of your own will become apparent, and will come to your aid as you stay attentive.
- Make a bulleted list of your ideal situation: what kind of friend you want, what their family looks like, their interests, activities you could do together, etc. Try to focus on the possible positive outcomes and don’t worry about failure!
- Now look at your list in three categories: Social Media. Local Support. Collaboration.
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Help a homeschooler like you find more joy in the journey. Thanks!
Tags: Ask Julie
