Balance is Possible

Maria Khalife
maria@mariakhalife.com

2015 / 3 / 13

Does your life feel like home to you? Do you step into each area of your life – family, work, socializing, free time – and feel as if it fits you in a healthy, satisfying way? Work, family, and other obligations are not only seriously demanding, they seriously define our identities. We pour energy and time into them because they are important to us. But downtime is crucial to establishing equilibrium. Without it, we will not be able to bring the sense of joy, ambition,´-or-mental energy we demand of ourselves in all arenas of life.
Even though you may have a well-established routine, it doesn t mean you can’t reshape it into something that fits you better. Every mother has the right to optimize all aspects of her life. See if you can recognize the following roadblocks to this:

Is your sense of self deeply embedded in how well you do your job? Achievement at work has become the cornerstone for how others define us, so it’s easy to internalize this for ourselves. Our professional lives are rigidly structured, highly -function-ing, and often rewarding. It’s no wonder we feel such loyalty to our careers.

Do you have a strong sense of who you are when you are not surrounded by the structure and sustenance that work provides? It is important to determine exactly what your personal values and passions are, and how they can be applied outside your professional life.

Are you satisfied with your weeknights and your weekends? Take note of how you spend this time. It should align very closely with what you envision will maximize joy in your life.

If you feel you have not yet found a way to optimize your personal life, take stock of this and spend some time planning ways to improve it, without judgment´-or-disapproval of your current state. Use that savvy you have built as a professional to shape the other areas of your life.

How, and on what, do you spend your money? Everyone feels intense pressure to provide for their families, and give them a comfortable life. It is, of course, a central priority. But it does not have to rule your life.

Consumerism can sometimes feel like a trap. Is there any expenditure in your life that you could pare down,´-or-even eliminate? If you are a “retail therapy” type, is there a healthier activity that could better suit your needs?

Start with small money goals, and work towards a big picture for how you’d like your financial future to look. This can help you feel in control, and eradicate money as a central focus of your daily existence.

Once you have made balance a priority, and you have clearly identified objectives for your personal life, you will naturally start to make decisions that are true to your foundational beliefs. Finding satisfaction in your personal accomplishments will expand your overall satisfaction with life.
“Without balance, a life is no longer worth the effort.” ~ Olen Steinhauer

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~ Thomas Merton

“Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.” ~ Barbara de Angelis



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