I am the worst grocery shopper — ever. I’ve found that many of the reasons I was able to teach kindergarten effectively all fly in the face of being a good grocery shopper. Being easily distracted with a short attention span and the endless aisles of marketing mayhem do not serve me well. It’s a mess. Thank goodness Jason took over all of our shopping (and cooking) when Lucy was born. (Yeah for Lucy being born!)
The worst is when I would make one of those quick stops — you know the kind: “I’ll just run in for a few things.” Ha!
Inevitably, I’d grab the plastic basket, thinking it would somehow keep me from picking up too much. After all, I really did only need a few things. Ten minutes later, I’m stranded way back in dairy trying to conjure up a plan for how I’m going to get to the checkout without dropping everything. The basket is too heavy to carry with one hand, but I need a hand to get the gallon of milk (which is the ONE thing we actually needed). The eggs are teetering on top and every time I take a step the bread gets squished more and more. Help! I told you I was the worst grocery shopper ever, especially because this has happened to me countless times.
This image of me with the overflowing basket is what I thought of today when I read the definition for the word “balance.” Everyone seems to be seeking balance. How do you achieve it? What does it look like? Is it possible? Is it a myth?
The verb balance is defined as “putting something in a steady position so that it does not fall.”
Aren’t we all seeking the magic formula that will help us align all of the teeny tiny sections of our lives, making them steady so that they will not come toppling down at a moment’s notice?
I know I am. I also know I am not alone.
Being a work-at-home mom, it’s a daily challenge to align the pieces of my life so that everything gets done and all the while I am somehow smiling and having fun. Lucy needs a diaper, that email needs to be sent, the bathroom needs a wipe down, I should call that client back, Jason needs clean pants for his gig tomorrow, I need a shower and some chocolate. It seems crazy most days, but balance is worth fighting for.
If you feel like your life is out of balance, it’s time to do what I should’ve done time and time again with that darn basket of groceries:
- Carry less. Set a few things down. Reprioritize what absorbs your time and figure out a few things that can wait until a different season of life.
- Ask for help. Look around and find people to help you carry your load.
- Stick to your list. Take time to plan out your week as a family. Say no to the temptations that come up at the last minute that steal your time.
- Make sure you remembered the Oreos. Don’t forget to reward yourself along the way. You don’t have to choose emotional eating, like I do. Just be sure to allow yourself to be rewarded along the journey. :)
Hi Kim,
While I don’t have kids, I have a a complicated life that can quickly become full of commitments and ‘must dos’.
I definitely here you here!
“I need a shower and some chocolate.”
Yes, indeed, yes, indeed.
While I’m not a fan of sweets – a bag of saltiness does this body good. ha
Thanks for this post. Evaluating those things that puts our life out of balance is important in my life. And that includes knowing when to carry less and ask for help.
Have a great weekend! (Now, go get a cookie, you deserve it!)
Thanks for your thoughts here! Believe me, you don’t need kids to be busy. Sometimes I think NOT having kids somehow gives adults permission to overwork even more. Jason and I were married 8 years before Lucy came along so I appreciate the busyness you speak about. Salt is a great choice over sweets! There is little better than a salty gooey soft pretzel from the mall- dipped in cheese, of course. (Hey der, I AM from Wisconsin!) Funny you mention the cookie, I made some last night – so I WILL go get a cookie. HA!
So you know I LOVE this post, especially because I hate grocery shopping too. Jason, my husband, primarily took over grocery shopping too when my oldest son was born. When it is my turn, I usually go the luxury route and order groceries via Peapod (online grocery service that has a nice young man deliver all my groceries directly to my kitchen)…or I go o Whole Foods , which is another luxury.
I love that you said “balance is worth fight for” even though it seems crazy most days. I believe balance is a journey, not a destination. It’s a lifestyle, a constant reminder of what is important in life.
I think I may have been put on this Earth to redefine the definition of balance. For me, the verb balance is defined as creating space in your life to be able to listen to your natural inner wisdom.
xoxox ~ Stacey
Your comments are music to my ears. Balance IS such a journey, not a destination. SO many people live their life as if it’s the opposite. I LOVE your definition of balance. We all are so much in need of reconnecting with our natural inner wisdom – and one DOES need to create space in one’s life to make this happen. It doesn’t just magically happen. We are all blessed that you are on a mission to help people with this! Thank you for the good works you do and for your insights here.
A great post! I am another way-too-distracted grocery shopper. And I especially hate the crowds in the stores. Then again, my husband is also easily distracted. But when we shop together, we keep each other sane and keep each other from buying too many extras (for me, usually some kind of dessert, and for him, usually some really fancy sauce or seasoning, since he’s the family chef). So as much as I would like to hand over the shopping duties when our baby is born in June, I think it might be best if we keep doing it together, if we can manage it!
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your upcoming arrival in June. Or if your little jr. is anything like our Lucy, July. ;) (She was not in any hurry to arrive anywhere near her due date.) I hope you are enjoying all of those amazing little kicks and movements. It’s an amazing experience, isn’t it?! Well, it sure sounds like you and your hubby have a fine system that works for both of you. It’s a classic example of, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Enjoy your grocery time together. When your little bean comes, it’ll be even more fun as a family. Enjoy those desserts- ice cream provides good calcium for the baby, you know! ;)
I do the I-need-just-a-few-things-no-I can-carry-one-more-really-I-can thing, myself. Even when I grab a hand basket, I almost always stuff a full-sized cart amount of titems into it. Are you telling me there’s a more efficient way of shopping? :)
On the plus side, being overloaded like that almost always affords me an invite to go ahead of some kind-hearted soul in the checkout lane. :)