When my life gets out of balance it becomes apparent pretty quickly.  I get irritable, irrational, less emotionally resilient, and resentful.  That's when I know it's time to take a time out and pull the reins in.  Returning to balance often involves asking for help, saying no to some things, and carving out some time at home where I find my serenity. 

One of my favorite authors/speakers/bloggers is Christy Wright.  She is passionate about life balance, something we all need to be aware of.  In one of her recent blog posts she wrote about the importance of play, saying, "Playfulness creates laughter in your relationships, lightness to your love and memories you'll never forget."  So. True.

I often speak to clients about the need for play in their lives to balance out the heaviness of their emotional work.  Many of the individuals I work with are driven, hard working, and high achieving – wonderful qualities that they possess.  But these qualities often make it hard to play.  Play doesn't have a purpose other than itself.  It's not about accomplishing.  And that's hard for some of us (myself included) to wrap our minds around. 

This upcoming week, find a time on your calendar and schedule it for yourself.  Maybe it's time to just kick up your feet and relax, or to go to the park, get a pedicure, see a movie, grab coffee with a friend, whatever gives your life some balance.