The Power of Positivity: How Being Open to Change Can Make Major Changes in Your Personal Time – better managing personal time with family responsibilities

Step 1: Recognising the Rut – Are You Stuck and Don’t Know It? Maybe you’re not managing personal time with family responsibilities?

How do you realise you are in a rut?

The problem with being stuck is that you often don’t realise you’re in it. It just happens. You wake up and realise nothing is that interesting anymore. You are just getting through. You feel like you are on autopilot. Your day starts and then just finishes, and you think, well, I need the money. You go through your day, but being happy feels like an effort. You tell yourself, This is just how my life is.

But it isn’t. Life isn’t meant to be so mundane—it’s meant to be lived.

I wasn’t facing a crisis, yet I felt drained. Days blurred together, and the thought of changing anything felt overwhelming. Truthfully, I was playing it safe, holding on to what felt familiar, even if it wasn’t helping me to be any happier.

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Step 2: Realising Something’s Off — But What?

Ok so I have never really liked routine, but having a family, I wanted to be reliable. This was my compromise. But you know, I can’t say I haven’t worried about feeling stuck—days feeling the same as the next.

Nothing was technically wrong… but what do you do when things just don’t feel right? I wasn’t miserable, but I wasn’t exactly happy either. I was floating through, and slowly moving in the wrong direction, becoming more unhappy—and I didn’t even know what to do to change it.

Time always felt tight, and even trying to reflect felt like a luxury.

Maybe this sounds familiar to you?

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Step 3: Simple to Start – A Small Shift Sparks a Change

Well, almost by accident, I stumbled upon something that shifted my thinking. It wasn’t anything major, and required no effort from me actually. It was simply a realisation—and one I needed.

It started when I met a person who reminded me of who I want to be.
We met while I had been rushing from a meeting and decided to take a moment in the sun at a park to soak it up with my child—my busy body ball of energy, who leaves a trail of toys, snacks, and glitter behind them…

Ok, scatter-brained and busy day aside, there was an effortlessness in our conversation.

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Step 4: The Moment It Shifted – Just Say Yes

So, on this bright sunny day, I introduced myself. She introduced herself. We had general things in common. Having a laid-back conversation on our mom goals, I actually forgot about the walls I had built.

At that moment, I realised I just had to decide I wanted a change—and commit to start. So, she invited me to join her at the gym and I said yes. I set a date and packed a bag ready in advance. From then, I said I would stick to these dates.

I had been sure that making a change would have to be painful, but this belief was blinding me to opportunities. I had previously listed things that I needed to do (see below for my free journal prompts), but I didn’t know where to start. I just didn’t realise that saying yes was all I needed to do.

And honestly, it didn’t break the budget—just a small change in how I planned my week. 

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Step 5: Letting Positivity In – Building Momentum Over Time

On that day, I realised the way you think really does shape the way you experience life. I became aware of how much negativity I had absorbed, without even noticing. Doubt, holding myself back, fear of failure… it was breaking me and impacting on managing personal time with family responsibilities

It hit me hard: if I wanted my life to change, I had to be open to change.

So I did go to the gym. It wasn’t terrifying. It wasn’t as much effort as I thought I’d need to muster. And yes, I really did enjoy it. I felt an awakening.

So, I made a decision. I blocked out the noise from then on and started saying yes to opportunities that made me nervous. I surrounded myself with people who had the mindset I hoped for—who were positive.

I listened to positive vlogs with honest stories of people moving out of a bad space, and began to shift my perspective. I practiced gratitude—not just listing things I was thankful for, but truly feeling it.

Little sticker reminders as notes (click here to read about The Science of Gratitude: Time to Give Thanks | Psychology Today) to myself around the house helped when I forgot what I really was happy with in my life. Realising this took a journal prompts list (check this out for free below).

Even then, balancing self-care with parenting life was something I had to practice. I had to be more mindful about how I spent my time. That’s when I started learning time management tips for busy moms—not from a textbook, but from watching others who made space for joy.

And little by little, things started to shift. My energy changed. I found joy in small moments. I felt lighter. More in control.

The best part? Opportunities I never expected started appearing. It was like opening a door I didn’t even know was closed.

Don’t get me wrong though—this did take some time to build momentum. But even my sleep started improving. Fewer worries and clearer routines meant improved sleep quality for moms like me who hadn’t had a good night in years.

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Step 6: Your Turn to Commit – Are You Open to Change?

If you’re feeling stuck but can’t quite put your finger on why, ask yourself:
Am I truly open to change?

Because the moment you allow positivity in—even just a crack—things start to move forward.

Do what I did and repeat this across the different areas of your life that matter to you. (See below for my free journal prompts to explore which areas need work—areas where you are happy, areas you aren’t—along with ideas for gratitude and setting simple, doable goals.)

Maybe not overnight. Not all at once. But steadily.

And before you know it, you’re no longer just surviving—you’re thriving.

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So, what’s one small thing you can do today to invite positivity in?

Whatever it is, say yes to it.
You never know where it might lead.

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Free Tools to Support the Above Steps

1. Journal Prompts to Explore Areas for Improvement and better managing personal time with family responsibilities

Use these prompts to explore different aspects of your life to identify areas that need work and areas where you feel content:

• Areas of Happiness:
  
  • What aspects of my life currently make me feel joyful or fulfilled?
    
  • What are the moments in my day when I feel most at peace or most alive?
    
  • What are three things I am most grateful for right now?
    
• Areas for Growth:
  
  • In which areas of my life do I feel unfulfilled or frustrated?
    
  • What things in my life drain my energy or cause stress?
    
  • What habits do I have that prevent me from feeling more joy or peace?
    
• Setting Goals for Improvement:
  
  • What small changes could I make today that would bring more joy and balance?
    
  • What are three steps I can take in the next week to focus on the areas where I want to improve?
    

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2. Journal Prompts to Identify Negative Things in Your Life that impact your managing personal time with family responsibilities

These prompts will help you identify areas in your life where you might be holding on to negativity. Once you recognise them, you can begin to take steps toward removing what no longer serves you.

• Identifying Negative Patterns:
  
  • What negative thoughts or beliefs do I often hold onto about myself or my situation?
    
  • Are there any habits I have that are holding me back from growth or happiness?
    
  • What are the things or people in my life that consistently drain my energy or cause stress?
    
• Reframing Negative Thoughts:
  
  • How can I reframe these negative thoughts or beliefs to something more empowering?
    
  • What would it look like if I let go of the things that no longer serve me?
    
  • What positive actions could I take to replace negative habits or thoughts?
    
• Narrowing Down What You Want:
  
  • What is one thing I want more of in my life?
    
  • How can I align my actions today with the vision of who I want to become?
    
  • What is one step I can take today to move closer to the life I want?
    

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3. Science of Gratitude

Here’s a link you can use to explore the science behind gratitude:

• The Science of Gratitude: Time to Give Thanks | Psychology Today
  This article from Psychology Today explains how gratitude works in the brain, its positive effects on mental health, and how regular practice can improve overall well-being.