It’s easy in today’s world to get caught up in the dream of having a successful career and being the perfect wife and mothe….all at the same time.  Have you ever thought, just for a minute, that you want to be the woman who has it all—perfect career and a perfect family?

Career

Whether you work full time, part time, or volunteer, perfection may be an ambition. As a business owner, it was easy for me to have the mindset that I must get it all done ASAP.  I can’t make a mistake and my business should grow at a rapid pace to be successful.  However, I had to realize that every setback or failure gives me an opportunity to learn and do it differently.  I must remember that, if I strived to have a perfect career and give 120% all of the time, there would be something else in my life that would suffer, like my family or health.

Wife and Mother

We can beat ourselves up thinking we need to be the perfect mother and wife. We want to do all and be all, but let’s get honest with who we are and what we can do.  Is it possible to cook a three course meal every night, volunteer for numerous projects and have kids involved in every activity and coming home with straight A’s?  Instead of trying to be perfect in every area, why not focus on making progress in the important things with our family. If you have followed me for a while, you have probably heard me mention one of my favorite books, Crazy Love.  Author Francis Chan quotes Tim Kizziar, “Our greatest fear as individuals should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

What Really Matters

Have you ever been so concerned with getting things perfect in your career, your home, or in your children that it takes you away from enjoying what really matters?  At the end of the day, year, or lifetime, what matters?

• Extra hours spent catching up on email?
• Impressing people that have no value to who are as a person?
• Having a meticulous house?
• Having perfectly dressed children who are shuffled from one activity to the next?

                                                           OR

• Taking your time to grow in a career, as you seek God’s guidance for His purpose in your life?
• Allowing setbacks to improve your character and perseverance?
• A simple dinner at the table with family with quality conversation?
• Saying no to certain things in your career, activities, and responsibilities so that you have time with family JUST TO PLAY?

Over the past month here at Girlfriends Coffee Hour, and in the January issue of Created Woman, a faith and fashion magazine, I have shared how it can be easy to get caught up in the race of trying to be perfect with your health and fitness, spiritual walk, and career and family.  As I coach women to achieve life balance, physically and spiritually, the first step we take is to stop and evaluate if time is spent each day on what is a top priority.

I encourage you to pause and ask the Lord to show you any area of your life where you need to let go of the desire to be perfect. Ask Him to show you where you need balance instead of attempting to be the woman who has it all. You can achieve a life of complete wellness—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

In Good Health,

Crystal