Balancing work, family, and personal life can be challenging, but it is essential for my overall well-being. We all have responsibilities and commitments and it can get crazy hectic that we forget to give time to ourselves. If I don’t have balance I become mentally and emotionally drained. I always strive to find a balance between the things that are important and essential to me in order to continue to be productive and fulfilled in my life. These include scheduling time with my friends and family, participating in activities that I am interested in, taking advantage and using technology to stay in touch with friends, organizing my calendars, but understanding that I have to be flexible and may not be able to attend every event and that is okay. 

Friendship has always been an essential aspect of my life. It brings me joy, support, and companionship. I thrive and get re-energized when I am around my closest friends. It is a time for leisure, self-care and obviously I get the support when I need it—through the good and bad. A couple years ago, I moved away from the city, where all my friends are located, and it was a bit difficult for me knowing that I would not be as physically close to them. I couldn’t just get up and go and meet up in 20 minutes anymore. Now, I have to schedule days ahead and make plans to see them. This also comes with our busy schedules. We are all professionals, in relationships, some of us are working moms/stepmoms and busy with family activities. It can be challenging to meet the demands and balance it all out, but one thing I would never give up is finding time for my friends. It is one part of my life that has always been a constant when I was younger and all throughout my adulthood. 

So when I moved away, approximately 40 minutes from the city limits, I admittedly went through a grieving stage. My partner did see me sad at times and he even expressed that moving away probably was not the best idea for me. Nevertheless, I realized that I needed to allow myself to grieve and it was okay to do so. To leave a city I called my home for most of my life and not be close to everything was difficult. In the beginning, I would cry and have so many emotions. Irma would tell me it’s only a “hop and a skip” away from the city and we can always plan ahead to meet up in the city or somewhere in the middle. It did make me feel a bit better, but it took me a while to accept it and there are times when it still creeps in. What helped me through this move was the support from my friends and my partner. My friends make the effort to see me and plan brunches at least once a month to catch up in person; we have a never ending restaurant list we need to get through. I cherish these moments. I get to see my friends in person and be back in the city. I come back home refreshed, happy, and my soul is full. In between our in person meet ups, we constantly stay in contact using various apps. We simply talk about our everyday events, vent, and share memes with each other to make light of our everyday busy lives. This is where I am thankful for technology. 

Time passes and we have evolved into grown women with full time lives, but I am oh so thankful to have my close friends. We always make time to hear each other out, share stories, and give each other advice. Our daily laughs are what I look forward to the most.  It is natural, never forced and I always look forward to having my daily conversations with them. As the saying goes, you will always make time for things that you love. 

 

SELENA HERNANDEZ

Selena is the Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of the Sex, Love and Being Latina blog and SLBLatina Media, LLC. Learn more about Selena in her bio page. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram.