The Journey to Balance

Balance—it's that all elusive thing that we want. I feel like everyone strives towards it their whole lives and no matter what we do, we never feel like we achieve it. Part of the problem is that balance is incredibly individualized. Everyone can handle a different mix of activities in their life. It also depends on if you are introverted or extroverted. You may be single, married, single with kids or married with kids. A 25-year-old's idea of balance will probably be different from a 65-year-old's. You have to figure out what balance is to you and then work towards it.

As a 35-year-old mom who is very much introverted, I cannot handle an extremely busy and stressful life. It was very hard for me to handle a full time job and raise my young daughter. I thought it would get easier when she got in school but then after school activities started. But I love having her in activities. It is a priority for me for her to be active and involved. It is also nonnegotiable for me to bring home a paycheck. But working a 9-5 job and having my daughter at school for 9+ hours wasn't working for us. We would rush from after school care to activities and then get home late. We were both burned out and I knew I needed to make a change.

At the time, changing my work situation wasn't going to happen. So I started off making internal changes in my life. I started meditating and I started truly making time for self care. I started a business selling handmade bath and body products on Etsy and as I was doing that I became more interested in helping busy moms (like myself) relax. I realized that there were so many moms in the same shoes as me. So instead of just making products to sell, I also wrote a blog about relaxing and included tips on my social media. I started taking my own advice to heart. I figured out what really made me relaxed and how to recharge my batteries. I tried to spend more time reading and less time on social media. Taking baths and going to bed when tired become more of a priority. And all of a sudden, even though I was still working my full time job, running a business and raising my daughter, I was more balanced than I had been in years.

We were still so busy though! And it was effecting my daughter as well. I didn't want my daughter to have to go back to after school care once summer was over. But I wasn't sure how to make that change. Somehow the stars lined up for me. I am now blessed to be working part-time at a job that works with the hours I need so my daughter gets to come home straight after school. I am still running my business and I am blessed to be working part time from home billing for a couple of clinical counselors that I am friends with. It has been such a blessing to transition to the life that we have now. My daughter loves being able to come home and play with friends and have a snack and just hang out before going to an activity. We are not nearly as rushed as we used to be. We're still adjusting but we are getting there.

I hope to teach my daughter that the typical 40 hour 9-5 is not the only way to go. You have to create your own life and figure out how to balance out all of your dreams and responsibilities. Everyone's journey is going to be the same. Some people may be fine with working 40 hours a week at the same job but just want to tweak their hours a bit. Many may try and telecommute. A stay at home mom may decide to start a home based business to bring in some extra cash for vacations. It's all up to you how to make it work. Just remember that you have so many options these days! If you enjoyed this article, please share it on your favorite social media platform!