*This post is sponsored by Fundrage– where you can channel your anger to action when reading the news. * 

Hey hey sweetie pies! You all know that I am a woman of many hats. Being a wife and mom are two of my greatest titles yet. Loving, supporting, and experiencing life with my husband and daughter bring me so much joy. And I love nothing more than to be there for them. I’ve come to the realization that in order for me to be the best wife and mother for them – I have to take care of me. That means showing up for myself everyday with things that not only fill my cup but improve the world around me. 

Balance in my personal and professional life is essential for me to be at my best. Including time for self care is so much more than just a plush spa routine. It means showing up and doing the work even when you don’t want to or are afraid to. Something I definitely struggle with as a mom is prioritizing myself. You grow accustomed to someone always needing you or 
your attention that it happens inadvertently. 

Donate to a good cause

I’ve mentioned in previous posts how I suffered from depression and anxiety since becoming a mother. As a mom, I get anxious about the state 
of the world often. The kind of world my daughter will grow up in. How will the world treat her based on her ethnicity and gender? Watching the news typically heightened those anxious feelings. I am sure we’ve all experienced seeing 
something on the news that infuriated or worried us. Well with companies like Fundrage, we’re given the opportunity to shift the narrative. 

Fundrage is a social platform that helps you channel your anger into action. Whether you’re reading the news, listening to a podcast, or out and about – Fundrage connects you with nonprofits relevant to what you’re raging about. 

How It Works: Fundrage works as a chrome extension that can be downloaded to your desktop. (App is 
currently in development and set to launch next month) You download for free via Google 
chrome store. A Fundrage icon will appear on national news websites and, when you read something that makes you want to take action, you can click the icon for Fundrage to suggest nonprofits to donate to based on what you’re reading. (It’s the technology for me!) 
I love that there’s technology out here that allows us to begin to make a difference in this world in real time! All of it is done through the convenience of our tech devices! As an optimist, Fundrage gives me the opportunity to improve the world around me and enrich the lives of my family and community. 

Fundrage is a startup company in its early stages so any way that you can support is beneficial. You can download the chrome 
extension, shop their merch and download their app once it’s 
available! Check out more information about 
Fundrage’s mission as well as websites and nonprofits here. 

Other Ways I Practice Self Care 

Physical Activity

Studies show that 30 minutes of daily physical activity is good for your health. For me, that’s dancing. I am lucky to make a living doing this but it’s great for keeping me active. I try to also 
exercise outside of dancing because the physical demands for my gigs vary. 

Self expression

Allowing space and time to feed my inner child has been therapeutic for me. Growing up I liked to play with Barbie dolls. Now instead of dolls | play dress up. Fashion is a means of expressing myself. I like sharing that in my clothes. Dopamine dressing is a real thing people! whether it’s through my lookbooks or style recaps. 

Intimacy

I prioritize intimate time with myself, my husband and my daughter. I try to meditate for about 5-10 minutes a day. I aim to have some alone time with just Amara and I. Sometimes that’s through breakfast, story time, playtime or watching a movie – on a good day. On the usual busy days, it may be just a few moments during an embrace. Then lastly I try to have some quiet time with my husband. Sometimes it’s only for 10 minutes where we talk about our day or before we go to sleep. Whenever I can squeeze in those precious moments, I do and I am completely present. 

Do things that make me feel like Myself

I like to have time for things that allow me to feel like Stormie instead of Stormie, the wife or the mother. I like going brunch with a girlfriend, going shopping, getting coffee and shopping at Hobby Lobby or Home Goods. (I promise it’s a vibe!) I like to dress up and go do something 
where I can take my wife and mommy hat off. 

Self Improvement

This can come in many forms. Whether it’s therapy, reading self help books, hiring a mentor or life coach – self improvement can take on many definitions. Whatever area in life that you 
are struggling with, find ways to seek help. Heal yourself because otherwise you’re just passing on shared trauma and we know you don’t want that mom. 

What self care methods do you practice? Will you be adopting any of these? Let me know in the comments! 

“Don’t get mad. Get giving.” ~ Fundrage 

XO, Stormie