How to Have it All

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, and the radio ads remind us to enjoy “all things in moderation.” But it’s not just this time of year that we hear that advice. To many people, that phrase sounds restrictive or even punitive. Not to me. It’s my personal motto. Has been for a long time.

You see, I don’t put the emphasis on the word moderation, I put it on the word all.  Chalk it up to my artistic, entrepreneurial temperament, but I do want it all. Don’t you? And I believe we can have it, though maybe not all at once.

I don’t like diets because they involve giving something up. I’d rather just eat a little less of everything!

I don’t like five-year plans for my business because they leave no room for the unexpected opportunity, and I don’t want to pass on anything.

I maintain a certain focus on bringing in money to pay the bills, but try not to overschedule so I can leave room for my art.

I work extremely hard most of the time, but in the evening, I kick my feet up for at least an hour before bed.

If it sounds like I’m talking about balance, I suppose I kind of am, although I struggle constantly with that concept. If I concentrate too much on the word “balance,” I start to panic. I worry that I’m working too much or not enough. I fret that I’m not spending enough time with friends and family or that I’m goofing off too much. I worry that I’m prioritizing one aspect of my business over another. Trying to lead a “balanced life” stresses me out.

Instead, I try to focus on having it all.  This New Year’s Eve, I’ll eat light early in the day, but in the evening, you’ll find me indulging in appetizers and holding a glass of champagne. I won’t be thinking back on the past year, because it’s done and over. I won’t be looking too far into the future, because the adventure is now.

“Having it all” isn’t a goal or a resolution, and it’s certainly not a pipe dream, it’s a choice. Choose life!

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