I live a full life. I work full-time, I volunteer, I’m a member in more than one professional organization, I’m a blogger, a wife and furkid parent. When I tell people I blog about work-life balance this often sparks a stream of questions about how I do it all. The truth is I don’t do it all, I just live the best life I know how.
I recently became a foster parent, and with this major life change other parts of my life needed to adjust to maintain balance. I am choosing not to worry or grieve over what I can no longer do as long as I’m living a life that’s important to me.
The beautiful thing about work-life balance is my life is in balance when I care for myself and spend my energy living a life that is meaningful and wonderful to me. Work-life balance doesn’t happen when I get it all right, or when I have less to do. Balance happens when I am grateful and content, peaceful and well.
Image courtesy of woooody
It starts with self care
I can’t have any kind of balance when I’m not taking care of me. When I am rested, healthy, and emotionally well I have more energy, make good choices, enjoy more clarity and focus, and I have more to energy to spend on living a life that’s important to me. For me, it all starts with self care.
Add a little gratitude
I’ve found I can’t be grateful and stressed at the same time- those experiences do not exist within the same space. Being grateful every day is all about celebrating all the big and small things that are awesome in life! Gratitude creates balance in my life because when I’m grateful I’m living life fully in the present moment being thankful for everything that’s good in this moment.
And live intentionally
Work-life balance isn’t about how many hours I work and how many hours I play. Balance is the experience of living a life that is fulfilling to me. I spend my time and energy in pursuit of goals that matter so that no matter the result, I am at happy about how I spent my day.
When experiencing balance I’m not living in fear of the past or anticipation of the future- I’m right here, today, and I practice doing what I love and loving what I do!
I experience balance when I mindfully interact with myself, my environment, and my life. Balance happens when my life is happy, healthy, and full.
Work-life balance is like riding a bicycle as I engage different parts of my body and mind, working together in motion. I lean to turn, I put my feet down to stop, I pedal to go and sometimes I coast down a hill, inhaling the wind as it rushes into my lungs, filling my body with the breath of life. I’m constantly adjusting, shifting my weight and focus, joyfully engaging with my life. That is what work-life balance means to me.
I don’t have it all figured out, and my life isn’t perfect; fortunately for me living a balanced, happy life doesn’t require omnipotence or perfection- what a relief! All I really have to do take care of myself, be grateful, and live intentionally.
Did you enjoy this content? There’s a lot more where this came from in my book, “Beautiful Badass: How to Believe In Yourself Against the Odds!”
I love your comments! What do you do to create balance in your life?