The Balance: A Woman’s Pursuit of Control and Peace

I am not anyone special. I’m just a woman who, admittedly, gets too overwhelmed with life. Constant cleaning, cooking, teaching, spending time with my kids. The harsh expectations of others around me to take care of their needs, with no concern to me or my needs. But such is the way of life sometimes. Some people thrive, while others are just existing.

Knowing things aren’t right and actively trying to fix it, makes a huge difference in the way life is perceived. Taking small breaks and clearing my mind can help in a pinch. For example, I try not to run myself ragged. If I know I need to slow down or get a drink, I will. I don’t push myself farther then I feel comfortable. Also, setting schedules for daily tasks can help me feel more in control, and help manage my time better. Focusing on what is in front of me keeps me grounded and level headed so I can follow the schedule for the day.

No matter how much or how little I have on my plate, I see how much time there really is in a day now. Getting up early and taking an hour for myself, really helps set my mind straight, and writing down my thoughts help me find peace. It doesn’t go smoothly everyday, but I always tell myself that it’s temporary. I can get back on track.

I take weekends to plan out the next week, and get most errands done. I work on lesson plans for the kids to make sure we all stay on track, and I grade papers from the previous week. I listen to my kids going on about their days as they play and work on projects. Throughout the week we have school, and then we do our chores right after, so our evenings are filled with laughter and fun.

While I am not where I want to be completely….. I will get there. I will be content. I will live life the way I have envisioned it. I now ask for help when I really need it, and understand I can’t do everything. And I am fine with that. I now know that life isn’t as stressful as I thought.

Just take some deep breaths. That’s the first step.