Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/74289
or long and arduous—one thing always seems to come as a result. As soon as one quest ends and you think you've got it all sorted out, another arises. If there's one quest that has come to define modern women to- O ur lives are often shaped by grand quests—chasing a first love, journeying far from home, taking that first step to- ward a new career. Whatever the length—short and sweet day, it might be the ever-elusive search for what many call work/ life balance. You know, that sweet spot where you rock your job, get in qual- ity time with the kids, host fabulous dinner parties, never miss a relative's birthday, and manage to stay in tip-top-eight-hours- of-sleep-a-night shape. It's that place of harmony where every as- pect of life is diced up and served in just the right portions so you're continually full with a sense of accomplishment. It's also, I've come to realize, a bit of a wild goose chase. Yet, whether you're single or shacked up, embarking on your ca- reer or hitting your peak, it remains the epitome of a well-managed life. And for working stiffs squeezing in attempts at sane mother- hood, like me? Well, perfect work/life balance may as well be the Holy Grail. And why wouldn't it be? As a full-time office dweller with a 5-year-old daughter (and another on the way), a working spouse, a house, stacks of half-read books, neglected yoga mats and, well, you get the idea, I've become well acquainted with the thoughts that can do somersaults through a busy woman's mind. Notions that range from "My child's teacher spends more time with her than I do" and "Sleep? Psh. I do just fine on five hours," to "I really would have perfect hair and killer abs if I had more time. No, really." I hear the same sentiments echoed in conversations with friends, coaster between a sense of triumph and a lingering feeling of de- feat, come the promises of easy solutions. From magazines to life coaches, there's all kinds of advice out there—quick fixes, simple steps, roadmaps to better versions of us all. So why, with all this so-called wisdom and conversation, do the co-workers, and sometimes even strangers. In the mix of what many of us have accepted as a daily roller- superwoman, the master juggler who burns through to-do lists before breakfast with a smile on her face (and a cape assuredly tucked somewhere). It didn't take long, however, to find out that I was not only chas- ing a woman as mythical as the idea of balance itself, I wasn't even asking the right question. The real conundrum isn't how to per- fectly balance work life and home life; it's much simpler. Forget worrying about doing it all and instead ask, am I happy with what I am doing? To find out, I embarked on a quest of my own. The goal: find To help me untangle the reality of work/life balance today, I reach out to Christi Andringa, a local woman who's made a career out of offering a different message for life improvement. A motivational speaker and fitness pro, Andringa specializes in feelings remain? Have others really gotten any wiser about leading a balanced life, and I'm just missing out? Or, behind all the sto- ries of success—the women who've scaled the career ladder, raised kids, conquered weekly mountains of laundry—are many secretly faltering? I guess my question is: Is anyone really doing it all? 42 BRAVA Magazine July 2012 inspirational presentations for corporate audiences. One of her core talking points? Letting go of the concern for balance and con- centrating on what she calls a more attainable goal: Happiness. Watching Andringa stride into the café where I'm waiting, it doesn't take long to see why her speeches—and Andringa herself— have struck a cord with audiences nationwide. She smiles warmly