Note: I had much of this post pre-drafted before hearing of the tragedy in Japan. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone effected by the natural disaster. The gravity and severity of the disaster further illustrates that what most of us deem as a “problems” usually mean very little in the great scheme of life and to keep life in perspective and in balance.
I have had such a busy week! TGIF! Working full time and being a parent is the hardest balancing act I’ve ever had but the show must go on. And on it has.
Included in life’s balancing act the past 24 hours…
A great salad
With Homemade Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing
And a fresh batch of Sweet & Tangy Un-Chicken Salad
I got in a great workout. 20 minutes running outside in 72 F and sunny….
….and then came in and did 20 minutes of workout moves on my exercise ball and yoga mat.
It’s all about working smarter, not harder, and streamlining my workouts. Being efficient at everything I do from cooking in batches so I have planned leftovers to working out at full-tilt for 40 minutes, but then being done so much quicker, works best for me.
Because I have this little girl to play with. I’d rather be with her than lolly-gagging over a workout or starting from scratch with every single meal that we need to eat. Having some leftovers on hand is key for me to balance it all.
I’m glad you enjoyed my Candy Friday post filled with enough candy recipes, chocolate, and sugar for a trip to the dentist.
Thanks for filling me in on what your favorite candy is and with some suggestions for candy you’d like to have me try to re-create at home.
Speaking of candy and sweets, how about snacks and dessert.
This one is not filled with sugar or chocolate.
No-Bake Flaxseed Cookies. Skip the syrup and they are very portable, and fast & easy to make.
But this one is filled with sugar and chocolate.
Questions:
1. Weekend Plans?
Working, being with Scott and Skylar, working out, possibly meeting up with a friend, tackling life chores like cooking, cleaning, meal prep, laundry. Nothing earth-shattering, but busy nonetheless!
2. Balancing Life. Do you feel balanced?
I don’t think anyone would say, oh yes, I feel 100% balanced every day.
Some days I feel much more balanced than others. The days I feel most balanced are the days when I have no crises to deal with, no unplanned fires that are burning, no unexpected snags.
Day to day ife is hard enough when it’s humming along well. Throw in a snag, and my sense of balance goes out the window. Until I fix or tend to the problem.
Snags could be anything from illness, to unexpected car repairs, to unplanned for traffic jams, to thinking I had enough fresh produce on hand but don’t and have to somehow squeeze in a grocery store trip, to Scott all of a sudden can’t watch Skylar, to someone sending me some nastiness in my email and having to not let that effect my headspace to Skylar having a hard day and I can’t just go at full steam because it’s just not that kind of day. I could go on and on. We all could!
Snags suck and can derail that sense of balance we all try so hard to achieve.
3. What do you do about snags and unexpected changes in plans as to not derail your overall sense of balance?
I take a deep breath, and remember this too shall pass.
I also remember that in a day, week, month, year(s), the crisis du jour will not matter. Nor will I even remember it, likely. So I remind myself not to stress about it too much.
I stop worrying, fretting, panicking, or complaining about the change in plans and just get down to handling business.
When the chips are down, the only thing I can do is action. Inaction, wallowing, worrying, complaining is not going to help me or the situation. Brainstorming, coming up with ways I am going to handle the problem,
4. Do you spend more or your time feeling in or out of balance?
I would not say I feel out of balance as much as I feel rushed. I have more to do than hours in the day. Rushing around can definitely contribute to me not feeling balanced. And as much as I’d like to say, oh I’ll just slow down, nope. The show must go on and that’s fine. Just smile, breathe, get through it. When I am 75 I will look back on my life in these moments and likely smile and feel proud that I was busy, I worked, I raised a child, I kept my household together, I wrote a blog, and it was great! Even if it was a little hairy and rushed.
And with that, I am rushing off to an appointment.
Have a great Friday night and weekend, everyone!
As dorky as it sounds, making a list helps me balance everything. I can what needs to be done, I feel accomplished when I finish something, and I know that I have a plan. Even if it get derailed, at least there’s a plan.
I feel very balanced in my life. I have a satisfying and successful career, a lot of education, that I am continuing with, and a very active social life. I also take a lot of time to relax.
My workouts are not very balanced though. I workout like crazy in spring and summer, and then slack BIG time in fall and winter.
Averie! :)
Sometimes I definitely feel like I am stretched a wee bit thin, but I always take a moment when that happens to become more balanced and realize that I am just so blessed to be living this wonderful life! It always helps me feel like I can get back into the swing of things! Have a wonderful weekend!
I love your motto, “this too shall pass.” This is such a great attitude and I actually try to remember these wise words of yours when I’m in the midst of an unpleasant situation that seems interminable — so, thanks! It’s so true that most glitches in life will not at all matter when looked back upon in even a few days, let alone months and years down the line; they’re just not worth getting so worked-up over. Some people find it harder to stay objective and on-task (constructive) rather than blaming and self-victimization (destructive) but it seems like you have it down pat.
glad the wise words help you! and thanks for the the last sentence :)
Weekend plans: my baby’s turning FIVE this weekend. Big party planned. MIL is in town for it, and have another bday party this weekend too for my son’s friend.
Balance…ah, forever searching for it. Sometimes I am balanced. I’ve been trying to give up sugar and alcohol for a month. Well, I lasted 11 days, but work’s been nuts, so today was the end of that. When work gets crazy I take a full weekend off, like this weekend will be (I hope). I would say I am more balanced than not because I have to be. Otherwise, I turn into something that I don’t like.
Short workouts really help that too. I can’t go “all out” on cardio anymore, because for me that’s running, and I can’t run right now. But instead of forcing myself to work out for an hour, I am happy to do a hard 40 minutes of yoga, lifting, biking, or swimming, and then move on. You know I love my leftovers too. :) And my son’s birthday party is going to be catered by the local sandwich shop.
Praying for Japan <3
Averie, I don’t get to come here often as my schedule is hectic – and I honestly don’t know how you work full-time and are able to comment on so many other blogs! BUT, when I do come here – it’s so nice to see the reflection in your posts…stuff like this about “balance” and family and real-life stress – it’s not ‘sugar-coated’.
It’s real. And for that I really want to thank-you for being authentic. For awhile I felt the blogging was getting too commercial – with too many links or just too much. But then I’m reminded of this.
Nice :)
And do you work full-time hours?? Can you blog from work – how do you do it?!
(P.S – Am I the only one who thinks Skylar looks like Julianne Hough?!)
hi hon! i understand about busy schedules!
i do work FT hours and cannot blog from work, at all. So I do all my blogging/commenting at home. I sleep very little :)
Thanks for feeling like I am authentic and real and not sugar coated. Life is not always easy, and although I dont wallow in problems or anything, being upfront that not every day is Easy Street I think helps others realize they are not alone in their worlds, either :)
I’m so sorry that people write you nasty things. Written or spoken, words do hurt and the internet can be such an easy method of spreading hate. Ultimately, I think we have to realize (though it is SO darn difficult) that the people that say awful things must really be hurting themselves on the inside. It is not easy to not respond, let alone respond with kindness, but in my life, I do try my best. On TWO occasions this last week, I was feeling happy and balanced, when I was suddenly cut off in traffic by enraged drivers (nearly causing accidents). Both times, the other drivers sped away and gave me the finger. It is odd how hurt I felt, seeing as I didn’t know either of the drivers, and it was their fault. As I drove away I just tried to concentrate on not absorbing their negative energy. Their foul moods were not my fault. BUT IT WAS HARD. And, I didn’t appreciate being pulled out of my happy balance. I think it was a gift though, just a little chance to practice coming back to my center! That’s what every little event is, an opportunity to practice!
Have a lovely (busy) weekend. Tonight I am making some vegan date balls, from your recipe box of course :)
thanks, betsy, for your kind comment. What you said about it being a reflection on THEM, not me. Yes, it took me about a year – 18 mos of blogging to realize I simply bring out something in some people, and it’s about them, not me. It’s their issues, I am just helping those issues to rise to their surface, but it’s on them, not me. But yes, easier said than done sometimes :) Sounds like you live your life in a beautiful, compassionate manner…and that is lovely!
Yum, more sweets! Balance… I’m working on it :)
wow…that fudge looks amazing! yum!
great blog – i love veggies and yoga too : )
happy weekend,
cailen
http://www.cailenascher.blogspot.com
You are so wise. I needed to read this today. Beautiful post and wise words!!!
thanks Sable :)
My weekend plans are hopefully recovering from a silly fever that I have so I can teach kids’ yoga and take a ride to a lovely coffee shop that’s also a lovely bookstore tomorrow. Or resting and watching disney movies. ha.
Life is totally a balancing act. Sometimes I feel balanced. When I feel myself unbalancing, I need to take action Sometimes I need to go on a mini cleanse. Sometimes I need more sleep. Yoga, meditation, and going to the gym also help.
As a whole, I feel balanced. But there are plenty of days when I feel like I get nothing done and I’m running around like a maniac and I just want to cry! Thankfully that doesn’t happen TOO often!
I do worry, quite a bit, and when something derails my plans, I tend to get really upset. Not angry upset, but depressed upset. I’m working through it though. Again, it doesn’t happen as much as it used it, and I’m happy about that!
Amen regarding the people of Japan.
I feel like I’m getting MUCH better at balance. It is always a work in progress though as a mother which I know you relate to oh so well. I think planning ahead is the biggest help.
I have to say, looking at that picture of Skylar, made me think “she’s getting so big.” Sometimes I can roll with the punches easier than others. It all depends on the situation. Though, sometimes I think it’s all under control (balanced) and then one tiny thing can throw me off kilter. I do have to remind myself to take deep breaths, to remember the positives, and try really hard to accept what I can vs what I cannot change.