About Me
Hey there!
I'm Barbara and this is my Joyful Life Experiment.
Just like you, I’m a busy full-time working mom, with lots of goals and dreams. I’m a middle school teacher, blogger, writer, and mother of two little ones.
My weeks are spent lesson planning, teaching, shuffling kids around to their various activities, taking care of the household, and writing my blog in the pockets of my time. I’m married to an incredibly supportive husband, who also loves to cook! I know. I’m a lucky woman. I’m just his seux chef.
If calories did not exist, I would eat grilled cheese sandwiches, frozen yogurt, and drink red wine everyday. But alas, my age and a slowing metabolism will not allow it. *Sigh*
And in my free time, I like to nerd out on online business and personal development audiobooks and podcasts. Ha ha ha… “free time.”
But as a multi passionate optimist, you would think that I have always been a time management ninja and super organized. Far. From. The. Truth! I feel like a disaster most of the time. Can you relate?
As a busy full-time working, multi passionate woman, I had to figure out a better way to not only be an awesome mother and wife, but to make time to enjoy my passions on the side.
I love teaching, but I am also a creative. As a child, you could always find me sketching something, writing, or singing in the choir. Then I grew up (like we all do), got the degree, the job, got married, had kids, and BOOM, 20 years later life consumes you with endless emails, kids activities, and the daily grind of maintaining a household.
Where did the time go? And why do I feel like I’m missing something? At least, these are the thoughts I had, until one day I made the decision that I can live a more intentional life and have more joy.
During the summer of 2018, I had just finished listening to the audiobook version of The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin. Sooooo good! Gretchen is a widely acclaimed writer. The premise of the book is about her yearlong journey to find out if she could feel happier at her stage of life. It is an “approach to changing your life” by identifying what brings you joy, satisfaction, and engagement, while also figuring out what causes you guilt, anger, boredom, and remorse. Then she comes up with “resolutions” each month to start doing things that make her happier, and stop doing things that cause negative emotions.
The goal is not to be happy all of the time; this is not possible. However, it is to increase your joy and happiness by living more intentionally.
Inspired to create my own “Happiness Project,” like Gretchen, Joyful Life Experiment was born on October 27th, 2018. But there was a long road ahead and many obstacles to make this creative adventure a reality.
In late 2018 I was a hot mess. I was working a very stressful job as a school administrator. I barely had time for my young family. It was my “dream job” (or so I thought). I had worked so hard to become an administrator, but the long hours, endless meetings, and a difficult boss, turned that dream into a nightmare.
In 2019, after two short, yet challenging years, I made the excruciating decision to return to the classroom as a middle school teacher. I felt like a failure. That same year, my husband lost his job. As a result, our income was cut in half and we were left wondering where we went wrong and what to do next.
With two small children and working with half our income, the stress was immense. We had to get super intentional about our time and finances. I felt like I had lost control of my life.
One day, and several motivational podcasts later, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and just focus on the things I could control. My family and myself.
Slowly and steadily, I began to clear the cobwebs of my life by creating home systems for organization and time management, that would allow me to not only have more time with my family, but to also have time for other creative things that bring me joy, like writing Joyful Life Experiment.
A year later, I realized that a joyful life is not found with money and a job title, but rather in time spent with family and the things I love to do.
My goal with Joyful Life Experiment is to help other full-time working moms get a handle on their daily lives, so they too, can have more time to do the things that bring them joy.
To get you started I created this Joyful Life Experiment Starter Guide to provide you with a road map to follow as you begin your own journey.
To begin, you will learn about the key steps I took to start my own Joyful Life Experiment:
- Do a Joyful Life Audit
- Create a Joyful Life Productivity Plan
- Take Massive Action!
The truth is, there is no perfect journey. Your journey is unique to you and what brings you joy. But if you are ready to get started to living a more intentional and joyful life, then you’ve come to the right place!
Finally, if you have questions or would like to provide some loving feedback about my site or this resource please feel free to reach out via email at barbara@joyfullifeexperiment.com .
I can’t wait to hear how your own Joyful Life Experiment has changed your life!
What this website is all about
Joyful Life Experiment is a website dedicate to helping you take back control of your life and eliminate the mom guilt that so many working moms feel.
Increase Productivity
Joyful Living starts with living intentionally and having better habits. Learn how to put yourself and your family on the calendar, while getting more done at the same time! Yes, it is possible!
Click on the heading above to find all of our Productivity posts!
Get Organized
Having a cluttered and disorganized home and work space causes increased stress and anxiety. At Joyful Life Experiment, we believe getting organized doesn't have to feel like a chore. Learn simple and effective ways to get and stay organized throughout the year.
Click on the heading above to find all of our Organization posts!
Be a Confident Parent
Just like we put our meetings and events on the calendar, we believe in having intentional times set to be with the family. At Joyful Living, you will find resources to make parenting feel less like a "job" and more like a gift with simple systems and solutions.
Click on the heading above to find all of our Parenting posts!
Live Joyfully
Living Joyfully is a state of mind and a choice. Find posts and content on choosing "joy" over worry, stress, and anxiety as you try to navigate work life and home life. You got this mama!
Our simple and savvy systems will give you the work-life balance you desire and help you show up as your best self at work, at home, and for your family.
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