Embrace Balance in 2014

Balance!?! What is it!?! Who has it!?! Where is it!?! Maybe it’s your word for the new year…….

Or maybe it’s everyone’s word of the year—or years!?! I do believe that I’ve looked for balance for many, many years! Where is it? Who has the answers? Well….

My January 2014 issue of Real Simple arrived in the mail this week and the subtitle…you guessed it….how to live THE BALANCED LIFE. Well, it must be REAL SIMPLE or it wouldn’t have graced the cover….right!?! Sunday afternoon coffee time and reading time…reduce your debt…increase your strength…improve your diet….say no to perfect parenting…make peace with your gadgets…simplify your wardrobe…Solve your skin problems….sounds as if the editors at least covered all or most of LIFE’s focus areas! Balance answers…….MAYBE!?!

I believe that if you are looking withing YOURSELF and your household you can find the answers to embracing balance in 2014. I (Litsa) have many interests and a TYPE A personality that likes order and control over my life. Thus, organization and balance is key. How do I find it? Like I’ve told many classrooms of students, “STOP. LOOK. LISTEN.” I have to embrace my own directions when I’m seeking balance. I have to STOP what I’m doing and focus on what must be accomplished right here, right now—what’s important now!?! LOOK around in quiet moments of your day/week/season….life. Use this time to plan or FOCUS in on tasks that might help save time—or your sanity in the future….near future (i.e. Meal planning on weekends for the entire week helps me keep breakfast, lunch, dinners stress-free. Additionally, meal planning feeds into easy grocery store runs.). Eliminating ‘wasted time’ when I can be active doing helps keep balance. But, I must also LISTEN to my body—how can I take care of me…my household…family…if it is on my mind then I need to listen carefully and care for that need so that I’m not constantly revisiting that thought process that turns into worry.

Within my day, I focus on the joy in my life mentally and visually by penning gratitude! This helps too! I loved Real Simple‘s advice on a VICTORY log at the end of each day (see page 110 of Real Simple Jan. ’14)—celebrating our win, win moments—no matter how small—helps us run the race of balance in our lives!!

And if the balance is off one day…one week….one season….“Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again! Organizing is a circle, not a straight line. Roll with it!” Within this quote, one might also insert the word BALANCE. For balance too is a circle, not a straight line…….I do believe the traditional seesaw must have been designed incorrectly…

Embrace balance in 2014—it’s within you!

Bing Photo Credit: Balance Image

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Litsa @How to Have it All

Litsa is a stay at home mom to a beautiful little girl. She is a native of Greece and now resides in Tennessee. As a former teacher, Litsa wears many hats that it takes to make a home a functioning home!