Mama Self Care Challenge- The Myth of Balance

Hello Mamas! Just because the littles are back at school and the leaves are staring to fall doesn’t mean summer is officially over! Like you, we have been focused on all those back to school tasks and in all honesty that self-care we’ve been chatting about all summer has taken a dip- but let’s get back on the self-care train and finish this summer with a BANG ( the first day of fall isn’t until Sept. 22- but I WILL indulge in those Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING already- I’m not waiting LOL)!

BALANCE is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. It is one of more core values, but I find I struggle to find it. I have been doing some shifting in my thinking about balance and its helping. My original thoughts about balance were these perfect pie charts with equal parts…

But I have come to know this just isn’t realistic. Those perfect pie charts are not real life when it comes to balance. If I continued to look at balance this way…it would be just another thing I could say I’m sucking at.

My shift to define balance as not ALL one thing with very little of another has helped. I think of balance as “making some space for all of the things that are important to myself and our family, even if not equal parts”. This feels much better!

I’ll admit this past weekend was out of balance for me. We did a whole lot of JOYFUL with our launch day at the market and then our Happy Camper Mini shoot in the evening with B2 Photography. In the midst of all the JOY it was great, so much fun and seeing all of our hard work in action was great. Sunday morning after this JOYFEST I woke up early and headed to my therapy office at Growing Roots Therapy to see some clients. Again, this was great work that I LOVE. I returned home to company, nap time and then headed off to a family dinner. Again, all those things are AMAZING. But, at the end of the weekend my rest reserve was so depleted. It’s taken me 2 days, 7:15 bedtimes (for mama) and dishes piling in the sink to recharge. It was a reminder that I allowed balance to get out of whack…too much work…work that I love…but too much. My balance isn’t and doesn’t need to be equal parts, but it does need room for the different kinds of parts that are important. For me rest, slowness and connection at home are REALLY important!

Mel asked me yesterday, what was the part that has been most stressful the last few days that leaves you feeling not so great? Sigh… I said… “I missed my slow starts…. for 6 weeks of summer I have been working on slow starts (snuggling and not getting up and going right away), and for 7 whole days we didn’t have a slow start. AHA- Balance comes when we know what parts we need to make room for…..so this weekend… BRING ON THE SLOW STARTS!

 

So Mamas, don’t throw in the balance towel just yet! Look at shifting how you think about it and get rid of the idea if perfect equal parts pie chart kind of balance.

 

Your Balance is what you need to feel well as a mama, as a person,  and as a family! Make a list of what all the “parts” of your life that are important and necessary (EX. Parenting, work, self, extended family, family time, friends, self-care, marriage/relationship, outdoor time, rest, play).

Is there a part that hasn’t gotten much time and attention lately? Pick that and do something there…. For me…. a date night….like seriously….when was the last time we did that….I swear we “shift parent”- trading off and on as we both chase dreams in our own ways and manage the craziness of a busy 2 year old and house renos…I’ll report back on how I add some balance to that!

 

Take good care Mama’s! You got this.. share how you are chasing balance with us, we’d love to hear!  We have a giveaway launching next Monday to cap off the Mama Self Care Challenge, so stay tuned and happy balance finding… you  got this!

 

XO Missy