Make Life Easier

Life is a balancing act that changes from moment to moment.  Sometimes we find ourselves overwhelmed by family demands.  Other times we find ourselves overwhelmed by deadlines and work stress.  And then there are times when we have work, home, emotions, sick pets, bad news and an empty refrigerator to contend with.  Through it all, we still need to sleep and eat.

One way to make life feel easier and more in control is to take care of the obvious requirements in advance; that is to say, plan ahead more regularly so that nourishing, satisfying meals are ready and waiting for you.  To make matters easier, you don't even have to do the work yourself.  You might simply download a meal plan, recipes and a grocery list from websites.  You might have meals delivered.  You might have meal ingredients delivered and then cook them later.  You might take all the help you can find at the grocery store and stock pre-chopped onions, diced cauliflower, salad bar ingredients to make salads interesting throughout the week and pair that with a rotisserie chicken.  It doesn't matter how you source nourishing meals, it just matters that it happens. 

The more stress you are under, the more balance you might need from stress-relieving activities.  The last thing you need is another thing to worry over or be frustrated by.  Knowing that you have some version of a plan, a frozen meal or a crockpot waiting for you may be the best part of a long day.   After all, you have to eat. 

It is an illusion for many of us to think there exists a perfect work/life balance.  I have come to believe that balance means that no single part of my life overwhelms any other single part of my life.  Sometimes I work more than others.  Sometimes I relax more than other times.  Some days I feel more stress than others.  Some days I feel more at ease than others.  No matter what, however, I want to and need to practice self care.  Healthy food, ready and waiting, is always part of that equation.

With the end of summer upon us, the fall signals a transition to something new.  Now is a great time to create a new habit of caring enough about yourself that you plan ahead for good things to happen.  Your taste buds will be happy.  Your stomach will be satisfied.  Your mind will be at ease because you have thought ahead.  That would certainly make life easier.