Does life feel overwhelming, chaotic and too busy? Mine too.. at times!

Need some encouragement to balance it all? Is your doggie getting enough cuddles?🤔❤️ I am here to encourage you and share what I’ve discovered through lots of self-help books and experiences!

I am a mom of four adult-ish kids.. three dogs.. a damn good wife of twenty years😉.. a business owner, hairdresser AND DEFINITELY A BALANCER OF LIFE!

It’s taken me my whole life to get where I am! It will continue to take me the rest of my life to get where I am going! In other words, balancing is an ever going process!

The most recent thing my husband and I have implemented in our life is- NO technology for (at least) the first and last thirty minutes of our day! It’s been life changing! Author, Jay Shetty suggests doing this in his book, Think Like A Monk! As humans we need to ease into our day and unwind at the end of the day! It’s given my husband and I more time to visit and actually be fully available for a conversation! I highly encourage anyone who gets their eyes in front of this blog entry to try starting and finishing your day without technology and see the difference!!

In our family we have already implemented other rules with technology .. such as our kiddos checking in their phones at bedtime and no phones at the dinner table! I would call our family and parenting style very middle of the road! We are by no means perfect! However, we have for sure learned balancing and enjoying life is a priority!

I also believe moderation is the best approach to everything! It has taken a lot of times of getting on and off the fast lane to realize that slow, steady and consistent really does win in the race of life!

We are here on God’s green earth to be happy! Happiness means extracting good from common things, realizing what feels right, and to align our goals and purpose accordingly!

We can grind more and more and face burn out or we can balance the grind with what feeds our soul and lead a life of fulfillment! Let that sink in! All work and no play is not good for the soul! “All work and no play doesn’t just make Jill and Jack dull, it kills discovery, mastery and openness to change and flexibility and it hinders innovation and invention.” -Joline Godfrey ..Doing as Joline says has been a hard lesson for me!

I started out as a teen parent and struggled financially! It felt impossible to get ahead without working harder than others! I found myself yearning for more time to be with my family.. and yet I wasn’t in the moment as well as I could be when the opportunity was in front of me! I even have found myself ran down and sick before I realized how to balance better!

For me a big part of balancing has been staying on top of our family’s mental health and being a better communicator! My husband, John and I have been in talk therapy/marriage counseling going on three years! At this point we meet once a month just to check the pulse of our relationship and make sure we are on the same page! Our kiddos have all been in talk therapy and it has helped them tremendously too! The biggest advice I have in the area of talk therapy is to find the right therapist! It can truly be counterproductive if you are in front of someone that you don’t match up with! Don’t give up the idea that it will work for you! It’s no different than finding the right doctor for whatever illness you may have!

I had to face other demons too! Loving my family with boundaries has been the most rewarding and most recent and ongoing learning curve! I can’t own the struggles of others. This is extremely challenging with my background! I grew up in an environment where mental health and addiction were at the forefront. I also discovered in my adulthood (the last few years.. through counseling) that I am a highly sensitive person/HSP means I am thought to have an increased or deeper central nervous system sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli. HSP contributes to approximately 20% of people in the world! I also am an empath- meaning I often feel the emotions of others! I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from many life threatening/life changing events. Overly Compulsive Personality Disorder is another thing I have worked to overcome! OCPD is a disorder characterized by extreme perfectionism and order. I feel like this is also stemming from the trauma I’ve endured! I can’t say I love having a diagnosis.. I definitely don’t like labels! I guess it is necessary to be able to work towards different or embrace!

I am proud to say that my husband and I are about a year and a half sober! I was able to give up prescription weight loss medication about three years ago, after eight years of being on it! I am seeing myself in the best light! I have overcome most of the struggle with body image and embracing myself as I currently am! I am not the heaviest or smallest I’ve been! I am in the middle! The middle is good!

Seeking happiness is what helps us find balance! Gratitude brings joy!! If you don’t have enough of something you need in your life.. find a way to get more of it!! Give up or change what’s not working for you! Only you know in your heart what is best for you! Be honest with yourself!

I love sharing my life and technology is a big contender in making that happen! I don’t want to be consumed by technology, especially understanding the adverse effects it can have on us! I recently had my husband help me to turn off the notifications on my most used apps! It gives me more control and less distractions! I am able to be less impulsive and more focused on what I am doing! Honestly, when I am busy behind the chair doing hair, I don’t have my phone with me. I guess you could say I am a bit old-school! I want to create more than I consume! At the same time I love keeping up with my loved ones and people in my network!! If it speaks to your heart.. make sure it’s balanced!

No one said life would be easy! We just have to work towards finding the best, even in the hard! We should find passion in our lives and pursue what makes us tick! Don’t for one minute think that life is what it is! It is what we make it!!

Stay Rosy, Amber