Life is Like a Bowl of Lucky Charms...

Have you ever eaten Lucky Charms cereal? The cereal itself sans marshmallows is about the nastiest thing you could eat. I equate its taste to cat food (and yes, I would know. Junior high slumber party-'nuff said!). Now, the marshmallows are delicious, and they also leave your milk a rainbow, marshmallow flavored treat. When I was a kid, I used to eat all the cereal part first. I would gag down the catfood-esque grainy nastiness and save all my marshmallows for last. This is what I now know as an adult is called delayed gratification. This is dealing with the not so great stuff in order to be rewarded with your proverbial bowl of marshmallows.

I lived a good chunk of my life like this. If I do well in high school, I will get into a good college. If I do well in college, I will get a good degree, then a good job. True....But, waiting for the payoff doesn't make for the happiest life. I can't tell you how many good times I know I missed because I was working for the A instead of the B. While I am proud of the good grades, the degrees (that sit in frames getting dusty) would have still been mine with a few not-so-perfect grades too.

When my ex-husband and I sold our first home, we had lived in it for three years. This was before having children, and the house was very well-taken care of. I thought it was a huge compliment when our Realtor said, "It looks like no-one has even lived in this house!" Now, my thoughts have changed a bit. While I like my house clean (huge understatement!), I also want to enjoy life and LIVE in the house my husband and I now own. There are children here-which means artwork on the fridge, fingerprints on the sliding glass door, oh and sometimes dishes in the sink (often ours, not even the kids!).

The thing about life is that reality sometimes can get you down when you look at it in the eye. Sometimes I want to argue with the world and say, "Wait, you expect me to go to school for 20+ years so that I can go to work for another thirty? Oh, and you expect me to balance work with kids, marriage and having a home? I get to work for five days a week and only get two off, which I get to spend doing housework and taking care of responsibilities I didn't get to during the week? Oh, Goody!!! Where do I sign up?" Can you feel the sarcasm? It's ok-I know you are smiling and nodding in agreement. Americans, studies will prove, take less vacations than other similar nations. We spend less time on maternity (or paternity) leave with our new babies, and (surprise!) are worse at relaxing!

My advice, take your bowl of Lucky Charms, and don't eat the nastiness, waiting for tastiness later. Eat it together. While it may not be as sweet, you will find balance. Translate this balance to your everyday life, and it will make for a much happier you. See Finding Your Joy coming soon for practical ways to apply.