fbpx

Self-Care Community Spotlight: Theresa (Austin, TX)

Self-Care Community Spotlight: Theresa (Austin, TX)

Meet Theresa.

Today’s spotlight highlights founding SCS member, Theresa Haddow!

Get ready to be inspired when you learn how Theresa turned a “failed” experience taking the bar three times into a path to her true passion — bringing creativity to children. 

Learn about what Theresa’s weekly Sunday hack for a little confidence boost, and how she squeezes in self-care as a mother juggling entrepreneurship. 

Theresa shares about breaking the “all-or-nothing” mindset, her journey with postpartum depression, and the tools she uses to overcome the hardest days. We hope you love getting to know this inspiring mama and entrepreneur as much as we have!


Theresa 101

Location: Austin, TX

Current Bio:
I am a wife, mom, and business owner who lives in Austin Texas. After I failed the bar for the 3rd time to become an attorney we moved from California for my husband’s job and I decided to take a chance on embracing my creative side and began selling my art at different markets in town and started a craft subscription box for parents of little kids.

A central component of Beth’s personal journey:
There’s a lot from my childhood that I still carry with me, but the thing that shaped a big part of who I was for a long time was the failing or passing of a test. I put my worth in the hands of the people that grade something. That fear of failure has continued to haunt me. I am learning to break free and see that failure is a chance to learn a lesson, that it can bring the most amazing gifts, and that failure is how we grow.

Something you may not know about Beth:
I’ve worn red lipstick almost every Sunday for the past 10 years…I call it Red Lipstick Sunday because I was looking for an excuse to not feel silly when I would wear my bright bold lip. It brings me so much joy to put on a fun color and wear it just because!

Favorite Books: I’m currently working through The Artist Way and Profit First!

If someone is new to self care I would remind them that they are worth the time. It doesn’t have to be hours a day. Try one thing and see how it makes you feel. The worst thing that could happen is that it does nothing, but once you see and feel the magic, there’s no denying it.

Theresa’s Self-Care Journey

What initially drew you to self care?

I’ve heard a lot of successful entrepreneur’s say that their self-care practice is the key to their success. I figured I’ve tried everything else, why not!?

When did you start and what did that look like for you?

About 2 years ago I started tracking a daily gratitude list and a list of goals I was manifesting.

Do you have a regular self-care routine? 

Not really due to the current state. My son was supposed to start preschool and with my husband working full time I have to squeeze my work in somewhere in the middle. I do try to find pockets of time before he wakes up or after he goes to bed and implement small self-care habits that I am trying to implement. 

It can be something as simple as dry brushing before taking a shower or going through old clothes after putting away laundry to see what can be donated. What Self-Care Society taught me is that it doesn’t have to be perfect but finding small bits of time to celebrate you is so very important.

What are some go-to self-care practices? The ones you know serve you best.

Breathing. When I get overwhelmed or notice that I have overreacted I take a second and breathe. I have even started getting my son in on the action and when he has a tantrum we will work on his breathing so he can slow down and figure out what is wrong.

What is the biggest area of growth that you are working on at the moment?

I’ve already mentioned but getting over the hurt and self-doubt that comes with failure is a lot. I was planning my whole life from the time that I was in 4th grade to have this career and it feels like it was ripped from under me. It makes it hard for me to trust if my decisions now are right because they were leading me down the wrong path for so long.

What is one struggle you’ve transformed into a strength?

My battle with postpartum depression. When my son was born I was struggling to connect with him after an undiagnosed medical condition. I started doing craft projects at home with him and I saw how much fun he was having and how much he was learning that it really strengthened our relationship and gave me confidence in my parenting.

What lights you up? When do you feel at your highest and/or most inspired?

When I am painting or designing crafts. It amazes me that I am able to think of something and turn it into that thing on paper and that people want to open their homes and their hearts to an idea that I had. Also whenever my son runs up to me full speed with his arms open for a hug, that makes my heart really happy.

Theresa’s Self-Care Pro Tips

What tips would you give someone new to self care? 

If someone is new to self care I would remind them that they are worth the time. It doesn’t have to be hours a day. Try one thing and see how it makes you feel. The worst thing that could happen is that it does nothing, but once you see and feel the magic, there’s no denying it.

Any self-care hacks micro-habits that you’d recommend to others?

Habits are made over time. This was hard for me at first because I am an all or nothing kind of person. Now, for instance, my goal is organizing. Every day I take one small space and tackle it. Now it doesn’t feel so overwhelming and little by little everything is getting a place!

What do you do or tell yourself when you need a little boost?

When I’m going through a tough time I journal. I put the pen to paper and just write whatever comes to mind first. Usually, I’ll write out all the different ways a situation will play out because what causes me the most anxiety is not knowing what will happen. This allows me to feel like I have a plan in case the worst does occur.

Any SCS takeaways so far?

It is so incredible to be in a group of people who are striving to be better. Class is always a great way to remind me that I am on the right track and that I can look within myself for answers. The classes are doing an amazing job of helping me heal from past hurts. SCS has made me realize that my failures don’t define my worth and that I am so lucky that things didn’t work out the way that I planned.


Theresa’s Future Bio

Manifestation time…

Theresa is a dedicated wife and mother. She inspires the world with her breathtaking works of art and helps so many parents see the joy and learning that come from creative play. Theresa loves spending time in her garden and kitchen where she prepares fresh-made meals for her Air B and B guests that frequently visit their tiny home oasis. You can often find Theresa connecting with her friends and inspiring them to chase their dreams.


Bonus Theresa

Theresa’s message to the self-care community: You guys are amazing!

Please join us in celebrating Theresa today! 

You can find her on Self-Care Society, or on Instagram — @thecreatekit or @theresahaddow.

Finally, you have to check out Theresa’s incredible business, The Create Kit — monthly craft boxes to help children learn through crafting. Whether you’ve got a kid, know some kids, or are just a kid at heart, trust us when we say that you’re going to love it!


More Self-Care Resources You Might Enjoy

Related Articles

Responses