The word of the day...

... is BALANCE.
This is what we all need to be happy. I'm sure of it.

I know. You're thinking "All I need to be happy is chocolate." "... or more time." "... or money." But think about this...

Did you ever eat SO much chocolate that you feel sick to your stomach and swear you never want to see chocolate again?
Time is another one... some days I have barely enough time to get the essentials done. Other days, time drags on so slowly it feels like eternity.
I've never had the problem of too much money, but I wonder... does money really buy happiness or just drag along other problems that you have to deal with?

Think about this, too...
Stress.
Stress is a good thing, to a point. It challenges us, pushes us out of our comfort zone, helps us to change and grow.
Not enough stress and you go insane from lack of stimulation.
Too much stress (for too long) and you blow a mental fuse.

THIS is why we all need balance.

Balance will give us just the right amount of everything so that we can are satisfied. "Just right" as Goldilocks said. But how to we achieve balance? It's easy to talk (blog) about, right? What about putting it into practice.

First things first... priorities?
What are yours?
I made a list. I know what's important to me. REALLY important to me... none of that 'this is what society tells me is important to my demographic.' I sat down and figured out what drives me (at this point in my life - it may change down the road).

Second... how do these all fit together?
That's the challenge we face. With every choice, there is often a trade off. If I want to bring home more money do I have to work longer hours? If so, am I willing to give up time with my family to do that? Would I be happier if I had quality time at work and home but earned less?

What if I want to achieve ULTIMATE satisfaction with how I spend my (work) day... could I find a job I could truly be passionate about -OR- should I be okay with a job and find another outlet for things love doing?

I try to make choices to create balance.

But let's be real for a minute:
Life gets out of balance sometimes. Maybe a day is crazy-insane busy. Maybe it's a weekend. Maybe it's a year. Will the scales come back into balance? Eventually, yes. But I truly believe that we play a role in how long or short the imbalance is... with our choices.

There will always be things in life that are beyond our control. But so much of our own lives can be ever-so-slightly modified based on the choices we make. I'm going to try to balance my world the best I can.... so I am happy (most of the time) with where and who I am.

So, on that note... I have some work to do, then I'm going to snuggle with the kids and relax.

Find your balance.