Sometimes my balance is near perfect.. sometimes it is so out of whack.. I wonder when the chaos will leave…

These days we have iPads and iPods and video games and we want everything right now.. everything is technology driven… you know you have gotten older when you begin a sentence with.. “When I was younger…”

We didn’t even have cable when I was growing up… my friends would record MTV on VHS tapes to bring to my house if I had a slumber party… because tv viewing was limited.. or we would rent movies… I don’t really watch a ton of tv now.. the same idea behind my mom never wanting to shop on “Black Friday” because she worked retail for more than 20 years is part of why I don’t turn on the tv when I get home late at night… I read.. or I just piddle around with stuff that I didn’t have a chance to do before coming into work that day…

So for me a deck of cards could keep you occupied all day and evening.. whether it was talking my grandma or mom into a game of “Go Fish” or playing solitaire.. or building a house of cards… I used to get so excited if I could get more than two “floors” going.. and then… in an instant.. maybe someone opened a door or simply walked by and the slightest bit of air flow.. would cause the thing to crumble instantly… it had a deflating effect…

That is how life can be… we work and work and work.. and build and build.. and then.. in an instant.. poof.. the whole plan changes.. on my way to work a couple of weeks ago I was in a car accident… that meant I didn’t make it to a promo shoot… I didn’t make it in to present “Ask Karen” I wasn’t in the news room proofing scripts.. I felt like someone had knocked over my house of cards for the day… but knew I wasn’t physically or mentally up to the tasks… I had to shelve my plans.. and change direction… I went home.. got out our heating pad.. took some ibuprofen and went to sleep… and you know what?

The news went on fine without me and the promo shoot got re-scheduled and I had wasted thought and energy worrying about both when I should have been more worried about myself… that is what seemed to resonate with me most from the Living a Balanced Life Luncheon.. ironically I wasn’t able to stay for the event because my work schedule didn’t allow today.. but I did get the cliff note version from one of the organizers..

The one main take-away for me is Don’t have a Type “E” personality.. that is doing “E"verything for “E"veryone “E"xcept yourself.

We all struggle with the daily juggle.. sometimes for me.. a step in the right direction is taking a step back.. finding a little peace and quiet… or just peace.