As any adult, I'm a person who wears many hats. I'm a daughter, coworker, friend, cousin, artist, athlete, etc., and all of those roles I take pride in. When I'm fulfilling my duties in each of those roles is when I feel gratified, complete and my heart is full.
I realized recently, yet again, if I wear one hat for too long or fail to focus my attention on others than I get a little lost. I remembered that our hats should be rotated.
This isn't an epiphany either. I've been off balance before and I've read interviews from even the most successful people that they're still trying to balance family and work.
Earlier this year, my boyfriend was going through some struggles and experiencing major changes so I devoted much of my attention to him and my role being a good, strong and supportive partner. That role is complete.
See, I get a great deal of happiness from my relationship with my boyfriend, but I know that true happiness is obtained from dividing my attention. To spend energy on all facets of my life is the key to my happiness.
When I realized I needed to readjust, I began to focus less on the stress of his problems and more on myself. I was relieved and we were even happier.
It seems so obvious and amateur yet if you've ever been off balance you know it takes time to remember. It also took knowing that everything was going to be perfectly fine no matter what.
I began making personal goals especially in eating healthier and making time for exercise. I made time to call my very best friends whom I hadn't talked to in a month or longer.
I began to be excited about work and the gratification of being proud of it. I made an effort to be a better daughter, niece, cousin.
I'm a girlfriend and I love all that comes from that part of my life, but I have to be more than that. I'm all things combined.
If all your roles, such as being a parent, wife, husband, daughter, son, friend, coworker, athlete, baker, were baskets, would your eggs be spread out among all of them? Would there be balance among the baskets? Are any of your baskets too full, too heavy? Do you feel balanced?
This isn't a revelation but coming from a 20-something woman, balance is something I'm learning to obtain on a regular basis every year with every new role.
Every now and then we need to look at our baskets, our eggs, and do a little rearranging. Find that balance of time and energy and make yourself more flexible to change.
If you've been wearing that coworker hat for too long, put on the friend one. If you've been wearing that baseball coach hat for too long, but on the son one. If you've been wearing that daughter hat for too long, put on the crafts hat. If you've been wearing that parent hat for too long, but on that athlete one.
Whatever hat you wear, enjoy it and don't forget to wear them all with pride.
Contact Kate Malott at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or kmalott@newtondailynews.com