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We’ve all been there. In fact, I’m currently, yet again, at this place in my life right now. I’m talking about the place in our life when we are taking on too much all at once, though it may be for greater reason and purpose, but we’re not doing a fantastic job managing it all. Do not feel ashamed if you are currently at this place in your life because it’s totally normal.
Life is meant to be lived. It’s a journey that is meant to create challenges for us, create moments of despair, and most certainly create opportunities for betterment. The reality of this thing called life is that, we can’t manage it all in a calm and peaceful manner. At least not most of us anyways. I know for a fact that I cannot. So what do we do about it? Do we just accept the chaos of everyday living? Or do we find ways to thrive in the chaos of everyday living?
I’m going with option 2. Find ways to thrive in the chaos of everyday living.
Here’s why I’m selecting option 2, and why I’m highly recommending and encouraging you to do so as well. There is this belief that when someone is thriving in life it means that everything is going right. You’re do well at your job, you’re doing awesome in school. Maybe your relationship is the best it’s ever been, all your dreams are coming true. Whatever it may be the point is that there are a lot of really good and positive things happening in your life.
While this is and can be considered thriving in life, this is not the only way to thrive in life. I’m a firm believer that you can thrive even in the mist of chaos. Maybe you aren’t doing so well at your, but your personal life is the best it’s ever been. Or maybe school is challenging you in very specific and demanding ways right now, but your support team is keeping your spirits about getting through this rough patch alive. Yes, even when things aren’t going as we hope they are, we still have all the potential in the world to thrive in those situations.
The other reason why I choose option 2 is because usually when there is a bunch of chaos happening in our life, this means we are extremely busy. Of course, I’m speaking this from personal experience and as a general concept. Here’s the thing about being busy though, it’s never a bad thing. Yes, being busy takes up a lot of your free time, and maybe it puts you in a position where you have to choose between responsibilities first and leisure time later, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing!
Sometimes being busy really just means that you are doing something meaningful with your life. these past couple of weeks have been kicking my butt! I’ve got school which requires a daily commitment of some sort just to keep my grades in good standing with the university, I’ve got kids that I’m watching during the day (and anyone who has kids knows how exhausting this can be), I’ve got a blog that I’m committed to working weekly if not daily, I’ve got an acting career that I’m committed to, and currently I’ve got a big project that is requiring daily effort to be put into it in order for it to be as amazing as I envision it.
Needless to say, I’m super busy all the time, and I won’t lie to you, I’ve missed out on A LOT of good sleep as a result of it. As busy and out of the loop about life I may feel, I’m really happy with where I am in life. I’m doing things that are meaningful to me, I’m working towards a future that I want for myself, and most importantly I’m fulfilling very important needs in my life right now. So yes, I’m living a very busy life in the mist of what may seem like a bunch of chaos to those outside of my little bubble, but I’m happy because I know that I am thriving.
That’s what really matters about thriving in chaos, being happy that you are.
For a long time, I struggled with finding the perfect way to balance everything that I do in my life. How do I make time for the kids and school at the same time? How do I blog and commit to other important parts of my blog, while watching the kids, and doing school work all at the same time? How do I implement self-care, and blog, and care for the kids, and commit to school all at the same time? Literally the questions can go on and on.
If there is anything I have learned this past year about all the questions I have about finding the “perfect balance” it’s this, there is no right answer. Finding that “perfect balance” simply comes from understanding your daily routine and the areas where you can make adjustments as needed, and the areas where you can commit more or less time in order to maintain your sanity.
I don’t have the perfect answer for how to find or create the perfect balance when you’re busy, but I do have some secrets that have served me well these past couple of months.
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- Be realistic
I’ve found that the best way to thrive in all the chaos that I have created in my world is to be realistic about my commitments to it all. Can I dedicate 100% of my time to the kids, and school, and my blog, and self-care every single day? No, but what I can do it give 100% of myself to all these areas in my life every single day. Realistically I can probably only commit an even 25% across the board for all these important areas in my daily routine, but within that 25% I can ensure that I am putting 100% of my energy and effort into those activities. Being realistic about how and where you can create opportunities to thrive in the mist of all your chaos is going to make finding that balance when you are busy easier to create and manage daily.
- Don’t set your expectations too high
You have to understand that life is going to get in the way, it will throw curve balls right at your face (and most likely hit the bullseye), and as a result of it you are going to have to make adjustments. Will this happen every single day? Probably not, but what I do know is that this is bound to happen from time to time. If you keep realistic expectations for about how you can maneuver throughout the day, I promise you will be alright.
- Be flexible
I’ll let you know right now that not setting your daily commitments in stone will be a big life saver for you. If you’re anything like me and you love to be able to see exactly what you are doing on a daily basis then I suggest you get your hands on a planner . They are totally reliable in terms of organization, helping you stay on track, and allowing you to be able to physically see areas in your schedule where you can make adjustments if, when, and as needed.
- Give yourself many 5-minute breaks
The number one thing I have found when it comes to my busy schedule as of late is to keep a lot of my self-care tools on my person. I have a ton of self-care activities that I love to do to recharge and re-center myself. However, most of them actually require me to schedule time to do them. So what I’ve been doing lately is taking self-care activities that I can literally do anywhere and during any time of day. Since reading is one of my favorite things to do I’ve been taking my Nook with me just about everywhere I go (inside and outside of the house). In addition to that, I’ve been giving myself multiple 5 minutes breaks every hour, where I usually do a little bit of reading, just as my own personal way of staying sane, remaining calm, and not being so quick to freak out when I can’t step away for 30 minutes to catch my breath!
- Have fun
Don’t put pressure on yourself to live out every day as you previously planned it. That just takes the fun out of it and can take the fun out of everything fun that you plan to do. If you’re anything like me and you like when things are planned out in advance, you know what you’re getting yourself into, and you feel so accomplished when everything goes as planned, then you understand how hard this can be. However, I’m here to tell you that it’s ok when things don’t go as planned. It’s ok to shake things up every once in a while, to go against the grain, and to be spontaneous. All that matters is that you choose to have fun regardless of what may or may not happen, because there will never be a moment like the one you are creating in the present moment ever again.
Be sure to check out my FREE 5-day email course if you want more secrets on how to live a balance life.
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I know it may seem impossible to thrive in the mist of chaos, and for all my love bugs out there who like to plan every moment out this really seems impossible, but it’s not. These are the best secrets to going with the flow. The best secrets finding and creating balance. The best secrets to thriving in chaos that can be created from being busy. Don’t close yourself off to the many opportunities and possibilities that can result from being busy. Instead open yourself up to them.
Someone once told me don’t have a fixed mind set have a growth mind set, which basically means don’t become attached to something that is going right in hopes that change will never come. Be open to the change that can come and when it does embrace it.
See you soon love bugs.
-Xo
Kimora