Life Updates and Seeking Balance

I’m sharing a compilation of life updates and thoughts with the hopes of being helpful in some way and maybe even offering inspiration. Most of my focus this month has been on rebalancing my life and being kind to myself. Perhaps you’ve been struggling with the same and I hope this will be beneficial or give you something to consider.

Something I want to cut back on is the frantic way I’ve been living recently. I tend to fill my planner to the brim and constantly search for ways to be productive when I could — and should — be relaxing. As fun as this summer has been, it’s time to slow down for the sake of my mental well-being. I know I am not alone in feeling this way simply judging by the number of people who regularly post about how busy they are. Call me crazy, but I don’t want to be busy. This month I’ve been trying to do less and focus more on self-care, but it can be challenging. Being busy is difficult habit to break.

How do I balance working from home, blogging, my fitness goals, marriage, plans with friends, self-care and being home with my daughter every weekday? The honest answer: I don’t. There are few days in which everything is perfectly in balance. On some days I cross off everything on my to-do list, but that leaves me with little energy left for my family or self-care. I realize now that I would rather let go of certain expectations in order to be more relaxed and present as a parent, friend, wife and human.

Balancing it all at every moment is impossible. It’s unfair to expect people to have all of these aspects of their lives be perfect. We need not be too hard on ourselves when we can’t have a perfectly tidy house or we have to push a task off until tomorrow in order to spend time with family. My priorities are becoming more and more clear in all areas of my life. And even though I don’t have everything entirely figured out, reaffirming my priorities is something to celebrate.

I used to thrive on deadline pressure when I worked at a newspaper. Now I don’t relish that same intensity or busyness I once loved. This gives me something to think about when it comes to my career and where I want it to go. It mostly reiterates the desire to work for myself.

Do you feel like your life is balanced? Is self-care a focus for you?

Other updates:

• I was over the moon about going to the Lady Gaga concert at Wrigley Field last week, and it was just the mom’s night out I needed. She was the first woman to headline a concert at the ballpark, and she put on an emotional, entertaining show. My only complaint was that it didn’t last longer! I rarely go to concerts anymore, so I allowed myself to splurge on floor seats, and I do not regret it at all.
• My renewed desire to be more present was partly sparked by the book “Present Over Perfect,” which was recommended by Kait (of Communikait) on Instagram recently. I fully believe that you receive what you need from the universe, and I needed a reminder to take a step back and reprioritize thanks to this book. Shauna Niequist writes about her own frantic way of living and the changes she made to make her life more simple, happy and fulfilling. The book is a series of essays about being more connected to yourself, your family and God.
• My heart breaks for Houston and everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. I feel so powerless and sad when I read stories about what’s happening. The New York Times has a list of ways to help and avoid scams if you, too, are looking for ways to give. 

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