Have you ever experienced that slip-slidey feeling of not being able to dig your heels into the ground hard enough?  You know when you’re running at full speed, adrenalined-up, and then whooooops!  Where did the ground go?! 

Thunk! 

Ah, there it is!  (Ouch!)

OK, so here’s something I’ve been learning over the past couple years as I’ve added more joy and excitement to my life, as well as more responsibility.

Pay close attention to the signs – those loving whispers from your body that may feel like aches, the increased demands of your children, the realization that you miss your partner with whom you share a home, or whatever that may look for you.  Pick up on them as soon as possible, before the slip, before the tip – – and make a little shift.

Balancing all the loves of my life is well worth the time and effort.

Recently for me, that meant a change in my schedule to accommodate my son’s now early-rising habits and my daughter being home from school.  I was so accustomed to having my mornings to work that the first couple weeks of not having that time was a real shock to my system.

The first stage was denial; I tried being rigid and entertaining them “on the side” but that clearly was not working.  Nobody was happy.  In the end, it was easier to switch my perspective.  Now I have a much earlier start to my work day before the pitter-patter of feet are heard around 8 am.  Once they’re up, I’m theirs.  On the three days a week I have some childcare in the afternoons, I hand them over to another caring adult and I can turn my attention back to what needs to be done in the world of writing and fundraising.  I’ve noticed that in the time I spend with my children I am more “fully present” because I’m not trying to figure out how I’m going to get my work done while I’m pushing them on the swings at the park.  I know there’s a time for that, even if looks a little different now.  And that’s not to say that something won’t linger in my mind while I’m with them.  I assume it’s that way with parents who work outside the home, too.

And I know that one day, this routine will change and I’ll have to bend with it.  It may just be a couple months away, if not sooner!

Avoiding the thunk is the goal because I’ve been there and it hurts.  I trust that whatever I need to be able to do my life’s work and to raise my children the way I want to is within my reach.  Sometimes that’s a big leap of faith, but it’s getting me somewhere.

Do you have signs that you look for to check for the balance in your life?  What do you do to maintain that balance?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Have a lovely Friday!

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