Meet Beth from Pot Luck Mama!

I‘m continuing my interview series today with another wonderful woman on the web!  Beth, the author of the blog, Pot Luck Mama is here to share some of her insights on working, motherhood and eating well.

She is also hosting an incredible giveaway for the main man in your life– I’ll include details after her interview on how to win a Team Grill.

Beth, thank you for taking your time to answer some of my questions.  Could you start off by sharing a little  about yourself and family?

I’m a (nearly) 30 year old wife and mother of a 3 ½ year old rambunctious boy. I met my South African husband while on working holiday in Scotland and we’ve lived together in Pretoria, South Africa as well as the greater Atlanta area.

You are a mother who also works outside of the home.  In what ways do you feel your work enhances your role as a mom?  In what ways is it a challenge for you?

Work is really about “me” time. I enjoy learning, interacting with people and creative problem solving and my position allows for all that and more.

Working outside the home I may pursue these activities with more focus and “silo” the work to a great extent. I still struggle to leave my laptop unopened some evenings and on others I don’t even fight the urge but most often I’m able to come home and give hubby and kiddo the attention they deserve because I know I’ve put in dedicated time to work already.

I’ve worked from home with kiddo when he’s sick and that’s another ballgame entirely. The constant distraction means I spend much time re-centering and re-focusing. My patience wears thin with these interruptions and if I’m not careful about how I handle it we start on a downward spiral that’s difficult to pull away from.

I may be short-changing my temperament but I suspect I enjoy my time with kiddo more because he’s not wearing me out during the work days!

That makes a lot of sense to me.  I especially get the time spent re-centering and re-focusing when working at home!

On your blog, you describe yourself as a “growthaholic”   I love that term (and I can relate!)…What areas of personal growth are you working on right now?

Right now I’m working on how to be a more patient mother. Kiddo talks all the time (just like I did;)) and loves it when his mama does things for him.

I’m trying to learn how to meet his needs for attention and care without spoiling him for his future roommates/spouse. I’m trying to find a disciplinary style I’m comfortable with that keeps the whole family happy.

I’m constantly working to be more thoughtful towards my husband, who sometimes gets the short end of the stick when I’m all wrapped up in me me me or kid kid kid…

How do you care for your mental health in the midst of the busy schedule you keep?

I process things – thoroughly and sometimes to a fault. There are a few practices I’ve incorporated into my week that allow me to process events, emotions and relationships and I do my best to keep them.

I go to a noon, midweek church service near my office and find the worship has different meaning for me when I’m not preoccupied with what kiddo is doing or how my hubby likes the sermon. I practice yoga whenever possible, sometimes bringing my mat with me to work and sneaking in a little session during lunch. In the summer I tend my yard and gardens and slip away for a solitary swim whenever possible.

These mindless, physical rituals allow my mind to wander and process and that’s generally when I find my balance. I also reflect on issues with loved ones, write or pray to process…whatever vehicle is on-hand and appropriate!

PS- I wake up early. The more time you give yourself, the more time you can make for yourself…and how could I forget Housekeeping Yoga!

Your job outside the home is food and cooking related.  Do you enjoy cooking?  What connections have you found between the food you eat and your well being?

I love food! I love growing, preserving, picking, prepping, creating, reading about, describing, tasting, plating, smelling, and eating food…all sooo good!

I’m fascinated by food culture and concerned about the way American food culture (in particular) has changed in the last few decades.

I think many people have forgotten how to feed themselves and when we forget how to do that, we have problems. Food is elemental to our being (not to mention yummy) and feeding others and oneself provides opportunities for enrichment.

Just think: You can exercise your brain preparing for your garden, exercise frugality in the execution of your plan, get a workout and vitamin E while tending the garden, give thanks as you harvest the fruits of your labor, indulge in creativity as you cook them, share the process (relationship-building) with any one you see fit, show love to those you feed through the efforts AND put wholesome fuel (free from conventional pesticides) into bodies!

To my mind, you cannot have holistic well-being without a healthy appreciation for feeding and being fed. Not everyone has to be a gardener or a cook – but as a key element to our survival, we should understand the process and appreciate it.

Absolutely, I couldn’t agree more!  Beth, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts…great discussion!

OK, now for the details on winning that Team Grill from Builders Specialties!

One winning video sharing why the Dad in your family is the “Biggest Fan” will receive a brand new grill with their favorite team logo on it.  Perfect giveaway just in time for Father’s Day.

Check out the promotional video here and then the contest details here.

So, tell me, what areas of personal growth are YOU working on right now?