Balance. It's a simple word, but can be so hard to achieve. Between two jobs, a homeschooler and toddler with extra needs, life can spiral very quickly. We definitely have had our times that it seems like we are going crazy, but I am going to share some tips we have found that have helped us.
First: Find your support system and let them support! This is such a hard thing to do sometimes, but can really be the difference between failure and success. Whether its family, friends, coworkers, or some other form of support group. Find people who have your best interest in mind and surround yourself with them! Micah and I are so fortunate to have a great support system in our families and church. They have helped us through some of the most trying times, and just having people to let you talk about how you’re feeling without judgement is amazing. I realize that everyones situation is different, and some may not have supportive families, so in those instances, I would suggest finding the people you have in your life that you can count on. Micah and I have both had bosses that understood when we needed to take Nate to the hospital last minute, and bosses that didn't. There have been tough situations that we have had to switch job's or positions so we could have that flexibility, but in doing so we have found the best tribe.
Second: Date nights!! At the risk of sounding cheesy, Micah is my favorite person, and I am his. ❤ We fell in love, got married and started a family together for a reason, date nights help remind us of those reasons. Sure we talk daily and mostly eat dinner as a family, but there is something so fun about getting to go out together and relax and eat dinner or watch a movie without littles interrupting to tell you about their latest bowel movements. Micah and I met in culinary school so eating out is our favorite thing to do together, we don't agree on many movies besides Marvels Avengers, so unless there is a new one out, we typically stick to food.
Third: Kid time, almost like date night, but with your kid instead! This switches up a lot, sometimes its a simple trip to the store with just one kid so you get a little quality time with them, or a trip to LEGO land. Either way, getting individual time with your kids is a good way to get to learn so much about them! Addy is at such an inquisitive age, and it amazes me how her mind works, its easy to overlook those things when your focused on the day to day tasks at home. Nate on the other hand, he is getting to the stage where he really loves someone to sit down and play with him, so setting aside time to just play Transformers for an afternoon with no interruptions of big sister is so fun for him. Having kids really puts life into hyper speed, so being present in the moment with them is so precious. We have to be very purposeful about that type of time with them.
Fourth: Individual friend time, I have a great group of friends, that I know I can call whenever but finding time between work and family to go hang out can be tough. I tend to need/want that time out with friends more than Micah, and he is always great at letting me get that time. Having friends as an adult is hard work lol 😆I’m so blessed the friends I have are willing to work at getting schedules coordinated! I really don’t know what I’d do without time with my girlfriends!
Fifth: Alone time! This was something I never thought that I needed until Micah and I were first married and living in a 550 square foot apartment 🤪 Yep, I do, oh boy do I need that time and space for myself! It seemed with each new stage of life added a new sense of urgency for time to disconnect and breathe. That time is so precious to me now, there are days that I count down the minutes until the kids go to bed, just so I can close the bedroom door and breathe. Sometimes it’s taking the backroads home from work to just cry and let it go, sometimes it’s walking around target coffee in hand, sometimes it’s opening that book I’ve been trying to read for three months, it really doesn’t matter as long as it’s something I want to do for me. I know when I haven’t had enough time for myself to process and pray about things, that I blow things way out of proportion and that’s not fair to anyone.
What about you?! What things help bring balance to your life? What are your favorite ways to push your reset button? Share in the comments and let me know!!!
