On balance

I usually write and post about things that are directly related to flower farming and floral design. The truth is, Beauty Grows Wild is only a section of my life. It is an important one that has been intentionally created to work in a way that fits my family life really well. We have three daughters that are always going in different directions, a home out in the country with property and animals to take care of. To say there is a lot going on at any given time is an understatement. This time of year always gets my mind swirling in so many directions and one thing that has been on my mind a lot lately is balance.

I believe that balance, when it comes to life, is a myth. It is a buzzword that is used primarily by women in our culture. Here is why I call bullshit on this entire concept. Chasing the elusive goal of balance in your life as a mom, wife, entrepreneur or whatever other title you hold is a great way to set yourself up for failure. As a young mama, I always felt like I was searching for the magical recipe that would lead me to an ever elusive balance I was supposed to be achieving. The thing is, it isn't possible. Every season is going to bring new priorities to the surface. For example: you are just starting a business, that business is going to take everything you've got to get it off the ground and running smoothly. You are in the process of building a plane and taking it down the runway for it's first flight. Once you do get it in the air, you are going to navigate keeping that plane in the air through turbulence, crabby passengers, flight attendants getting sick, you name it. How about this scenario: you just had a baby. Do you think that during those first two months of bringing a new human into this world, you are going to feel balanced? NO! You are going to feel like sweet survival is the goal of that season. Precious baby snuggles, feeding the two of you, that is really going to be your primary focus. Do you see where I am going with all of this?

If we are always chasing the goal of balance, we are never, ever going to feel like we are joyfully, intentionally living. We will always feel like we are falling short, missing the mark. I love the seasons we have in southern Oregon, and the fact that I grow flowers for a living. This has really shifted by perspective from following the cultural norm that involve hustling 24/7, 7 days a week to following what nature says about rhythms. Nature says that in the Winter, we slow our outward growth, we get still and quiet, we grow deep roots. Spring is a time of new growth and beauty emerging after the cold Winter. Summer is a season of abundance. This is a time when we have flowers blooming everywhere, the days are hot and long and we are soaking it all in. Autumn is a time where we savor the last of the flowers, we start to slow and prepare for the season of rest and self reflection.

In each season, we are reminded that there is a shift. Perhaps for you, this rhythm doesn't actually follow the seasons of the earth. That is okay too. The point is, you can't expect to find balance in all aspects of your life, all year long. Remember, it is important to shift your priorities based on what you have going on in your life. Balance is not the goal.

My goal is to live intentionally and to pivot as needed so that I can live an extraordinary life of meaning.

If just one person reads this and feels like it helps them take a deep breath today and let some unrealistic expectations go that they have been holding onto, it was well worth writing.

Wishing you all the best today on this sweet, sunny, cold day.

Xoxo

-Emily