Life’s balance, demands and sacrifices / “Left Neglected” response

I just finished a great book that demonstrated some of my own take on the need for balance in life. Left Neglected is about a corporate mom, with a highly successful and demanding career, living a very fast-paced life with her husband and three children. She is forced to change everything when she has a car accident (because of using her cell phone while driving) and becomes a rehabilitation patient with Left Neglect.

My life was certainly never as fast-paced as hers, nor was the extent of the impact that a demanding life had on me physically. I did however find myself in over my head, with my body telling me I had to make a change. Fibromyalgia, flare-ups, migraines, insomnia, etc. …all are effected by- if not caused by – burning the candle at both ends.

I have always struggled with finding a balance. I love working, and have a strong desire to be a leader and innovator. On the other hand I also love having time to focus on my family. I swung on a pendulum between wanting it all and wanting none of “it” a couple of times before finally coming to the decision that I simply cannot have it all, and won’t be happy with one extreme or the other. So I made a conscious decision to seek a middle ground: part-time employee and part-time at-home parent.

For me life is almost in perfect balance. With a part-time, meaningful job in my field, and the ability to be flexible enough to meet my children’s needs (with the help of my very dedicated spouse) I am more content than I have been for years. I still find myself (often) straying down the path of needing to be busier, and more successful – I have to reign myself in. I have given myself permission to become involved in some personal projects that I can work on at whatever pace works for me at the time. This means sometimes when I have too much on my plate they must take a back burner, but when things slow down they are there for me to pick back up again. 🙂

Balance is whatever works for you. Some people thrive on their careers and find balance in hiring nurturing caregivers that become part of the family. Others choose not to have children at all. Some choose parenthood over the workforce and might return to a career later in life, if ever.

Mostly balance requires accepting the choices we make,while acknowledging that we are the lucky ones. There are few things in life that we don’t have some sort of choice in.

*Left Neglected, by Lisa Genova was provided by Simon & Schuster Canada as a complimentary copy, for participation in the EverythingMom.com National Book Club.