I must admit I am guilty of struggling with this. Setting ridiculous standards for myself that only a superhero could accomplish on their own. We simply cannot achieve everything at once. We do our best work when we concentrate on one or two projects at a time, and when we have achieved our goal we can then move on and, set new goals. If we are trying to keep multiple projects going all at once we will inevitably drop the ball on something, or worse burn out.
In parenting often, parents think they must be everything, do everything, and give everything for their children. What good does it do your children, if you work so hard doing things for them that you exhaust yourself. Children need to see their parents looking after themselves. Self love, and care are one the most important things you can emulate for your children. You cannot give to others if your burnt out and empty.
Equally if you want to focus on your career. It is important to have balance and wanting to work hard to achieve your career goals is ok as long as you set boundaries, so you don’t lose that balance in life. Again, self-care IMPORTANT!!!! Realize that setting appropriate work boundaries is very important for your mental and physical health. Learning how to say NO and be assertive. It is ok to say no to things that you aren’t comfortable with, and it’s ok to say no when your schedule is full and you need some personal time.
You can have it all just not all at the same time. As in all things Balance is the key. It’s ok to want to want a great job, a family, friends etc. It’s when you try to have all at the same time, and want it all perfect that life will quickly become chaotic. It takes people years to build these things why should it take you only months. You are not a superhero. Be your own hero, work hard, but be smart about it, and enjoy the process. That’s where life is.
“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.”
–Najwa Zebian–
Karen is a great listener and a solid shoulder to lean on. She has a degree in History and English and a diploma in Counselling Skills. She struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Depression. She understands the importance of having someone to talk to about your struggles. She loves singing, researching her genealogy, cheering for her favorite hockey teams, swimming, hiking and spending time with friends.
You can follow Karen on Twitter.
Defying Shadows 