Tell your story#37 : A Life of Balance

Hi, my name is Temilade, and this is my first time joining this contest. I love to tell stories, and today, I want to share a piece of mine. The reality of juggling motherhood, career, and personal growth.

I used to believe that balance meant giving every part of my life equal attention. That was until I became a mother of two, a working professional, a wife, and someone still trying to chase personal dreams. If balance meant perfection, then I was failing miserably.

Last year, I hit a breaking point. Work was demanding, my responsibilities at home felt endless, and personal growth? That was buried under exhaustion. My creativity suffered, my patience ran thin, and I started lashing out at my kids, especially my first daughter. I hated that version of myself, but I didn’t know how to stop.

Then one day, in the middle of one of my frustrated prayers about her “stubbornness,” I felt the Holy Spirit ask me:

"When you make mistakes, how do I correct you? With love or with anger?"

That question stopped me in my tracks. I realized I had been parenting from a place of stress, not love. I had been trying to manage everything by sheer willpower, forgetting that grace was also part of the equation.

Since then, I’ve learned that balance is not about doing it all. It’s about knowing what truly matters in each season of life.

Some days, I show up fully for my career. Other days, my daughters need me more. Some days, I invest in my personal growth—reading, learning, writing. Other days, I barely have energy left to think. And that’s okay. Balance is not a perfect equation, it’s a daily adjustment, a rhythm that shifts with life.

I am still learning, still unlearning, still growing. But one thing is certain: I am showing up. For my family. For my dreams. For myself. And today, I’m showing up here to share, to connect, and to remind myself that every step, no matter how small, is still progress.

To every mother, wife, career woman, or dreamer trying to hold it all together, you are not alone. We are all figuring it out one day at a time.

I invite @jemilatbuhari and @bela90 to participate in this contest.