Finding The Perfect Balance
Living a healthy lifestyle means that you eat right exercise get the appropriate amount of rest that your body requires as well as take the time out to do the things that bring you peace and joy. For some that can be music, writing, laughing with friends and family or just being able to take a long hot bath or shower. Massages are always a great way to perfect the balance between work life stressors and family life stressors. I find a tremendous amount of peace writing songs, taking walks and holding conversations with my children and grandchildren. Whatever brings balance to your life you must stay committed to keeping in the forefront of your life. Burnout is real. I have seen geniuses literally burn themselves out by working constantly on perfecting someone else's vision and then staying up even later each night to dedicate time to perfecting their own vision. How do we find balance? What is balance? Is balance even possible in today's go, go, go, automated society?
I believe whoever coined the phrase "take time to smell the roses" was genuinely on to something. Life's simple pleasures hold the key to perfecting our balance. Working 8 10 12 or even 16 hrs in a day on a job when combined with meeting the demands of raising a family, leadership in ministry, and for me it was once being a full-time caregiver of a parent can truly become overwhelming. One major key is to create a schedule. Outline what your ideal day would consist of and then promise yourself that you will implement it.
Utilizing a system that will allow you to already have your priorities scheduled throughout each day makes weighing new projects and priorities easier. Does the new task outrank your top 3 priorities for the day? If so allow it to move one. If not simply decline the new task or add it to a list of things to do at a later date. Sounds simple enough right? Not for those who struggle with saying "NO". I learned that lesson the hard way. Laying in a hospital room waiting for the test results to come back hour after hour as they ran every test they could think of only to come back and say "Ma'am you're simply overwhelmed. Your physical symptoms are merely your bodies way of making you stop and take care of yourself. You're tired exhausted overworked overwhelmed stressed. If I could write you a prescription to take a vacation I would."
WHOA wait a minute! REALITY check! I am what!?! But I'm a massage therapist I create moments of relaxation and peace for my clients on a daily basis. Yes ma'am but you have swallowed every single thing that has caused you stress for the past few years and now your body is screaming enough!!! No more!! Stop!! Love yourself! I have to be with you for the long haul lady get a grip! You are not and I repeat you are not "Superwoman!"
