Making Lemonade

Lately it seems women all around me are asking me for tips of how to do it. "It" being juggling home, family and career of course. (What were you thinking? I'm so not an expert on that. Ahem.) So anyway, I thought I'd share my shortcuts, tips and tricks for holding it all together. If you've got a burning question, pressing conundrum or just want to find a way to remember that this morning was Show and Tell before it occurring to you in the middle of your 10am staff meeting, then just shoot me an email. I'll answer all of your questions as best as I can once a week.

I'm helpful like that.

I'm Juggling, Baby

I got the sweetest email the other day from one of my aunts. She was giving me advice about balancing life as a working mother of three and said:

"It is about keeping the balls in the air and keeping a smile, one that comes from deep down. Enjoy the love around you, think ahead, and everything else will fall into place. Buy a new accessory from time to time and don’t fret. Manage the essentials, and let the rest go."

Her words were right on target, since I feel like I am always in the middle of my very own circus and my special talent is juggling. If you didn't know any better you might actually think that I was good at it. Ha! I've got tons of balls in the air, all able to come crashing down at any given moment. I've got the WORK ball (it's a heavy one) of trying to get here on time, have coherent conversations, produce decent work, pretend that I have energy and get out of here on time. I have the HOME ball (it's a slippery one) of trying to remember who needs to bring what to school for Show & Share on which day, making sure the leotards are washed in time for ballet class on Saturdays, cooking healthful meals, keeping track of what sleepers the baby has outgrown, trying to read bedtime stories nightly, squeezing in the needs of a patient and supportive husband, and the list goes on. And last (and lately the least) I've got the ME ball. I always have a lot going on: Moms Group; Church; PTA; Blogging; Side Businesses; Social Events; Exercise, Grooming, etc, etc.

It's a constant struggle to keep all of these balls in the air. Every now and then one of them falls, but, inevitably bounces back up and finds its way back into the rotation. I think that was a big part of my aunt's advice - to know that everything will fall into place as long as the really important things are taken care of. Lately, instead of living in a frenzied state and obsessing over the juggle, I've been trying to take a page from my aunt's book. Particularly the part about buying a new accessory from time to time. After all, it would be just plain rude to disobey my elders.