Feature Article
How I Learned to Stop
Struggling to Juggle
by Kaci Scott
“
It took me a little time
but I soon discovered
that there was
absolutely
no reason for
me to attempt the
impossible.
“
F
or several years, I tried to keep all of
those "balls" in the air. I was juggling
with roles of being a wife, mother, employee, maid, chauffeur, cook, friend, and
budget manager. Of course, I also had to
make room for some personal time, which
meant a few of those dancing balls were
hitting the floor, no matter how hard I tried.
Juggling many roles is a struggle, and this
struggle itself becomes yet another ball that
must be tossed into the air and kept moving
with everything else. Is it any wonder that
personal time frequently gets bounced, batted, deflected, and lost in the shuffle? It took
me a little time, but I soon discovered that
there was absolutely no reason for me to
attempt the impossible. Why beat myself up
simply because I was not some imaginary
"super-woman"? All I needed to be was the
best mom, wife, and person that I could
possibly be. This meant that I had to stop
comparing myself to other women; I had to
Shelby County Moms Guide / April 2014 12
learn to accept myself, faults and all. This
acceptance and understanding does not
happen overnight. Women can be very
self-critical, and I, for one, excelled in that
department. I discovered that learning to
stand on my own two feet, recognize my
limitations, and empower myself to say
"NO" were the keys that I needed to take
charge of my life. The bonus is that I also
became a superior wife, great mom, a better
friend and an improved employee. Instead
of struggling with juggling roles of motherhood, work, wife and errand
runner… let me explain how I got my own
life back on the right track. I learned that
I could say "no" when I was stressed to my
limit. I did not lose friends or make
enemies, and I did manage to maintain my
balance and sanity. A little organization
goes a long way, and remembering to multi-task helped me save time and energy. For
instance, a trip to the grocery store could
also be a time when I dropped off the dry
cleaning or did other necessary shopping.
I discovered how to respect my personal
limits and boundaries. When too many
duties were being shoved my way, I began
to decline the extra work gracefully without
feeling guilty. Accepting myself for who I
am was one of the hardest tasks I tackled. It
took a few months for me to discover that I
deserved to love myself, especially my
imperfections and shortcomings. This is the
real me, and I am still a beautiful mom and
wife even if I refuse to juggle a dozen balls
at any one time.
My family’s schedule is not etched in stone.
Dates and appointments can be changed,
when necessary, and I do not have to
apologize continuously for not being in five
places at the same time. I realized that my
child won't get kicked off her softball team