Last month I wrote about acceptance, tolerance, understanding, empathy, listening and patience. In my world—and most likely yours too—busy is every day. My day flows through work, and work dominates my thinking. I work longer hours into the night and my balance slips. Engrossed in the details of running a magazine and running a company, I allow my time to slip away, and with it the harmony of balance. This, of course, totally affects my self-care.  

My balance reflects in my behavior, my patience, my understanding. When neglected, I act differently. I am not as tolerant. When my balance is off, I am off. This shift also has an effect on others. Self-care is my solution to balance. I know this. In my collection of quotes, there is one that follows me everywhere: “I can have excuses, or I can have success, but I cannot have both.” I have no excuse for not taking care of myself. Meditation, exercise, nutrition, spending time on the lake or ocean—the list goes on. Self-care has an enormous reward attached to it. For much of my life, I never knew how to take care of myself on any level. Now that I do, there is no excuse. 

Experiencing contentment, joy and peace is only achieved when I am in balance, when I accept things as they are. When in balance, my mind, my work, my life, my thinking, my behavior have a rhythm. I can see the results in the family, smiling happens, appreciation, gratitude, creativity happens. I am a better person. When in balance I get to experience the good stuff. I see the good in everything. Why would I let this state of well-being slip away, allowing tired and stressed to rob me of contentment and calm? Again, there is no excuse. Self-care is more than important. It is required. 

In peace, love and laughter,

Joe Dunne, Publisher