Balance

I admire the way some people are able to balance all aspects of their lives. Culturally, many women have been taught that our family or other loved ones come "first." The problem is, we may never get to "second!"

Finding the right balance means putting ourselves within the category of "other people," i.e., examining our needs as if they were someone else's and then meeting those needs as assiduously as we would others.

This does not mean eschewing responsibility. On the contrary, it means taking responsibility for ourselves and not waiting for someone else to do it for us.

Practically, taking care of ourselves may entail getting up earlier or becoming more organized; letting go of half of the things on our lists; and developing better communication skills with our husbands in order to garner support.

The benefits far outweigh the costs.