There is no such thing as balance!
I’ve spent nearly a decade studying to be a chiropractor, been married for 9 years, have been a mother for 8 years – and the one thing I’ve learned – there is NEVER a balance.
Let me elaborate –
I’m a doer, right? So, that means I’m always shuffling and throwing too much on my plate. I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older (and wiser!) that I can’t constantly be running, but I’ve also learned that nothing every officially slows down either.
Everyday I wake up with a plan, and every day my plan changes. Whether it’s a sick kid, an emergency at the clinic, a broken appliance, a friend needing help … the list doesn’t ever stop.
So I say this: being malleable is the true answer to managing it all!
I run a clinic that caters to busy women. Know what that means? It means allowing them the grace to have OFF days. That means not shaming them when they call with a puking kid and can’t make it in.
That also means setting the space up to make things as easy for them as possible when they’re in here – coffee, kid proof space, yummy smells, extra diapers, and hair ties, and tampons, and make-up removing wipes.
Seriously, I’ve had to think about all these things.
This summer was the perfect example of lack of “balance” – but also, a ton of joy! Because at the end of the day, that’s what I’m after (even if it means I’m exhausted).
Here’s how it went:
We prepped the summer schedule with a Nanny and help from my mother.
Changed the schedule at the clinic – my husband took a morning – and we decided to skip any camps or extra-curriculars to keep the schedule simple.
Well, it was anything but simple. In the midst of summer, we found our dream home on a farm and decided to leap. That meant ALL PLANS SHIFTING overnight.
Late nights painting – early mornings sending emails – jumping around showings and carpet being installed … which meant the kids had to spend a majority of their time at the Nanny’s house (thank goodness for her and her family).
Not to mention, school started approaching and sports began – both for our Nanny and for our oldest daughter. UFFDA.
So, remind yourself on the daily that it’s okay not to feel balanced.
As long as you check in with yourself and make sure you’re happy and healthy. Perhaps allowing yourself to accept that you don’t have to always be balanced might even help you feel happy and more healthy. Worth a shot, right?!
