Mom of Teen + Toddlers on Staying Empowered Daily

She Who Wanders

Jan 13

A convo with Angela from Adventure Mama Project

Meet Angela. Mom of two busy little ones + a teenager, she is a true inspiration for moms who want to know and love themselves on a deeper level. Seeking a life of nature and exploration, she and her husband built a cabin in the woods where they can raise their kids and be nearby to take care of her 100 year-old grandmother, while still traveling, hiking and exploring their own, beautiful backyard. She shares tips and real life advice for adventure-seeking moms who want to take control of their lives and stop living on auto-pilot. A powerhouse woman making an impact on the world, she’ll soon be launching her own life-coaching program to help other women with self-discovery, mindset shifts, and taking aligned action to live their own unique adventure.

@adventuremamaproject mom with hiking backpack and baby stands next to a lake in the PNW

Q: As a mom of both a teen and little ones, how do you stay centered + focused throughout the day and not let the chaos and demands of daily life overwhelm you?

It’s tough having age gap kids. They are all so busy, but in very different ways! They all have such different needs and wants, it can be overwhelming. It has taken a lot of work for me to stay centered and focused during the chaos (sometimes I still struggle, I’m human ha ha).

To stay centered and focused through the day I try to create less chaos and have less demands. Life with kids is chaotic enough so we do what we can to live simply. It’s important to figure out what’s important to you and your family and then prioritize those things. Do more of the things you love and less of the things you don’t.

In 2018 I quit my full time job as a hydrologist/environmental scientist to be a stay-at-home mom. It was one of the hardest transitions I’ve ever gone through, but I wanted to have more time together to enjoy my teenager and the little ones. We also wanted to raise our kids in nature and have space to play and explore like I was raised. To me, raising kids is so much easier and calmer in the outdoors. So we left Reno, NV and moved in with my family on my childhood homesteading property in SW Washington. We didn’t want another mortgage so we downsized and built ourselves a shop house on the property in 2020. Now I work a part time flexible schedule helping protect the water quality of Lake Tahoe. Working from home with kids is chaotic, but I love the freedom and the flexibility that it provides.

I know this isn’t an option for everyone, but my advice for everyone is to again to figure out what’s important to you and be intentional with the time that you do have.

Embrace the chaos. Acknowledge that things are crazy, that you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Accept that things won’t be perfect and know that it’s okay. You are still an amazing mom!

Q: The Great Wanderlust is all about moms stepping outside of the box and diving deeper in both travel and in life! The mission is to inspire mamas and families to feel fully alive through adventure and exploration! What is your great wanderlust? What most makes you come to life??

I’m not picky about where I go or how I get there. I really love off the beaten path adventures and I truly enjoy nature and being outside even if I’m just sitting near a creek. I have a passion for helping people and the environment and this is something that pairs well with travel. I have done water and sanitation projects in Africa and Panama, and in the future I hope to work on water quality projects in the Philippines where my family lives. I feel most alive and connected to myself and my surroundings when I am in, on or around water. I think this is why I decided to become a hydrologist, I get to be around water and help the people and the environment.

Q: For all the women out there who feel like they’ve lost themselves a bit in motherhood and serving their families or others, what advice would you give to help them begin to rediscover that inner spark and truly live inspired and happy again?

Motherhood changes you in so many ways. It’s a consuming role, so you have to prioritize yourself and make conscious choices to show up for yourself even if it’s in the most simple way.

To rediscover your inner spark, take time to get to know yourself. Just like when you make a friend, you take the time to listen and get to know them and you spend time nurturing that relationship. You have to be kind to yourself. Find out what makes you happy and what lights you up inside. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you. If you aren’t sure what you like then start by doing different things that seem interesting to you.

Q: What are some habits/rituals/routines you do everyday that enable you to show up as the highest version of yourself?

This is a great question! Moms often get stuck thinking they are their best selves when they are a good mom/wife, when the house is clean, they’ve run all their errands, and the kids are happy. But we are the best version of ourselves when we know, accept, and show up for ourselves. It isn’t about getting more done or being more productive, but we often equate how “good” we are with how much we get done.

Some things that I try to do everyday to show up as the highest version of myself are….

Take care of myself - This one is so important. I don’t have a lot of time and I’m busy caring for my kids and my grandma but I find little ways throughout the day to take care of myself.
Take care of my mindset - foster a growth mindset and overcome limiting beliefs, focusing on my strengths rather than weaknesses.
Be kind to myself - speak to myself with positivity and kindness so I can be patient, supportive, and compassionate with myself.
Practice mindfulness - practice being present and intentional with my time (not all day but moments throughout the day).
Support myself - ask for help from others when I need it.
Simplify - it’s hard to be my best self when there’s too many things to do and everything is so complicated. Doing less fand having less are great ways to make life easier.
Prioritize - focus on the important things.
Focus on Gratitude - I don’t keep a gratitude journal but I do try to pause in the moment to be grateful for things. It makes me much happier throughout my chaotic days.
Have fun and be joyful - the days are busy caring for other people and focusing on their wants and needs, but I try to do something that brings me joy every single day. It can be anything from going hiking with the kids to pausing for a moment to feel the warm sun on my face while I take a deep breath.

Q: At times the daily tasks of life as a woman and mom can feel overwhelming or monotonous. What are some ways you weave adventure into your week, and how do you maintain a sense of wonder amid the monotony of each day?

We weave adventure into everyday by living an adventurous lifestyle. We choose to approach life with curiosity and a sense of wonder that leads us to do adventurous things. We make adventure a priority.

Reframe your idea of what adventure is. In order to be adventurous, you don’t have to travel the world or do epic things like jump off of cliffs on a regular basis. You can be adventurous and still work a 9-5 job, live in a regular house, explore things locally, and play in your backyard. You can also be adventurous by learning something new or trying a new hobby. Adventure is not one size fits all!

I don’t wait on other people to go on adventures. In my life as a stay-at-home mom who works part time, I had to take a leap of faith in myself and my abilities to parent my kids solo on roadtrips, on hikes, on a paddle board, and on all sorts of adventures. If I don’t take my kids, then I’m sitting here at home waiting for my husband to take us. When I first started parenting I realized quickly that I don’t like just sitting at home.

To maintain a sense of wonder amid the monotony of each day I choose to see the joy and beauty in simple things. I learn from my kids (especially my toddlers!). Fully present in the moment, I follow them around and see what they look at and why it fascinates them. Practicing mindfulness daily helps me to be more present.

Q: Is there a question you wish I would have asked or anything else you’d like to share with other mamas relating to travel or life?

Something some people may not know is that I am a stepmom. Our 16 year old, Wesley, is actually my stepson. I met him in 2014 when he was 7 yrs old and shortly after that I became his full time stepmom. He calls me mom, and he lives with us full time. Though we aren’t related by blood, he’s 100% my son. It was a tough adjustment living a child-free adventurous life and then switching abruptly to having a kid with a school/extracurricular schedule. I went through a period where I felt lost and didn’t know how I fit into life with him and his dad. I was unsure of who I should be in my new role as a stepmom.

As soon as I decided to be myself things fell into place. I maintained my adventurous lifestyle and we began adventuring as a family. The hiking, camping, backpacking, and canoeing together truly forged a deep and lasting connection between us. My connection with Wesley would not be the amazing relationship that it is today without those adventures.

I also help take care of my 100 year old grandma who lives in the cabin next to our shop house. It is tough caring for so many people besides myself, but that’s why it’s so important to take care of myself too.

Life can be hard, but don’t wait for life to get easier, better, or simpler to be happy. Find small opportunities everyday to be happy. You don’t need the best or newest gear. My kids wear hand-me-downs, and my adventure vehicle that takes us to many amazing places is a 1999 Safari/Astro van. Just get out there!

Q: Who inspires you to dig deeper in life?

There are so many wonderful women that I have met through Instagram and the outdoor adventure realm! There are too many to list, but here are a few that have been really inspiring me lately. They’re all wonderful women, starting their own businesses from scratch and showing up and being vulnerable/real with the highs and lows.
@earthonmyskin
@explorewildelore
@gallimore.family.adventures