Many chefs will tell you that any meal should have a lot of color. Just having a turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes will give you a table of browns and creams. It’s not bad, but it’s not very festive. Linda Larsen aka The Busy Cook, advises, “Color is probably the most important consideration to think about in meal planning.” If you add beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, yellow squash, your table will look more appealing.
It’s the same thing with your life and how your take leadership of your SELF. You can have everything vanilla, like all work or all child care, but it’s kind of boring. If you are bored, you will lose your zest and excitement. Then you’ll get dull and depressed. That will never end well for you.
So maybe you may have one big goal, like becoming a manager or executive or dancer or graphic artist. Or maybe your life is wrapped around some form of caregiving for a time. Your goals and responsibilities will take a lot of time and energy, and your SELF can easily get worn down. So make sure you add some color. Don’t be lopsided.
Remember: to thine own self be true. It doesn’t matter if you’re a stay-at-home mom, a soon-to-be empty nester, revamping your career or getting ready to exit the workforce, make sure you include the “side dishes” like love, friends, self-care, vacations, etc.