Stop chasing balance and start being present. I can’t take credit for this phrase; I wrote it down at a blog conference a few weeks ago.
A very successful blogger was telling the audience how she struggled to manage it all: marriage, motherhood, career, friends. After an accident from lack of sleep, she realized having it all wasn’t working for her. So she stopped chasing balance and started being present.
Stop Chasing Balance, Start Being Present.
This phrase smacked me in the face last weekend when we went camping for the first time with our new to us pop-up camper. My husband found a beautiful campground located in the mountains not far from our home, which made it a perfect trip for first timers like us.
We were also celebrating a milestone birthday of mine.
And no, it wasn’t my 30th. Thank you anyway, you’re so kind.
Instead, I turned 45 last week.
Turning 40 wasn’t so bad and the first 5 years of this decade have been pretty rockin’.
But 45, grrrrrrrr!
Anyway…I wanted to take some pictures chronicling our trip for a post. I also wanted to share our trip with my Facebook and Instagram family and friends. But every time I tried to take pictures on my iPhone, the picture app would close. I’m not sure what was going on, but I think it was Someone’s way of telling me to turn off the phone.
I’m so glad I listened to that inner voice. The weekend turned out to be the best time. It even rained for most of Saturday, but instead of sulking or complaining about the rain, we played games inside the camper, napped, walked in the rain, and ate ice cream cones for lunch.
By 3:30 pm the clouds parted, the sun and blue sky shined and the campsite became alive with other families and campers. On Saturday night, an entertaining couple performed a family friendly variety show that called for audience participation. All four of us participated on stage at some point–our girls could hardly contain themselves.
I don’t have a single picture to prove that we had a good time. These pictures are just two of the few that my husband took.
As a family, we determined that camping was a blast and we can’t wait until our next trip.
And I determined that being present with my family, rather than preoccupied with the outside world, trumps everything
Oh, and that 45 is gonna be AWESOME!