Balancing Act
I am beyond proud to wear several hats to my family and those around me. But sometimes wearing so many hats, having so many different titles and responsibilities, can be tricky. Especially when trying to balance life with chronic pain and Multiple Sclerosis.
Literally though, I love wearing hats! You already know these Amazon hats give me life!
And I am only working towards adding even more titles to the list! I am yet a Mama bear, business owner, and a few other titles I’m working towards.
What I currently am is this..
I am a:
Wife
Daughter
Cat Mama
Plant Mama
Sister
Caretaker
Friend
Warrior
Blogger
Brand Owner
Spirit Worker
Creator
Energy Healer
Life is a constant balancing act, and keeping your balance is not always possible. But the better you prepare yourself, the better your chances of regaining your balance when you lose it.
I kinda feel like there are more I could add to the list, but for the sake of this post, I’ll leave it there! So as you read, I wear many hats and juggling that can be difficult. But here are a few tips that I’ve learned along the way that has truly helped me!
+ Stay organized
+ Don’t be afraid of asking for help
+ Delegate your energy and time responsibly- this one is hella tricky and takes lots of practice and I still mess up haha but what I mean by this is try to set time boundaries with certain tasks. Don’t drain all your energy into one of your titles. Try to spread your energy and time throughout all aspects and “titles” of your life.
You cannot pour from an empty cup so don’t even try it! You have to put yourself as priority. This can be damn near impossible when it comes to being a caretaker or mama; but i’ve learned there has to be set loving boundaries. Take time for yourself, for self-love, for self-care. This is non-negotiable.
Say no. And remember that, “No.” Is a full sentence. When you are many titles to different people, you may tend to get pulled in several directions throughout the day. So learning your limits, setting loving boundaries, and saying no is necessary to keeping your health and sanity in check!
Living with chronic pain + multiple sclerosis has proven itself to be a full time job. So I have learned, and am still learning, my limits. But focusing on my own health has to come first. Otherwise I can’t help those I love. It’s like the champagne coup glasses example. When stacked like a pyramid- you pour into the first cup and the rest get some liquid too, but the firs cup (you) is served first so that the rest can have some too! When poured one at a time, it’s too easy and honestly happens too often that we run out of liquid for ourselves and our cup remains empty.
This isn’t just a tip for the chronically ill, no this is a tip for everybody! Fill your cup first, place your oxygen mask on FIRST. That is the secret to guaranteeing that you will be able to show up for all those people in your life, for all the titles you hold. For every aspect of your life, even living with Multiple Sclerosis.
All my love,
Ashleigh Rose