Part of living a healthy life is living a balanced life. Along with balancing work, home-life, family, health and exercise, allow yourself the luxury of living your passions, too. Give yourself the freedom to follow them amidst all the work, chores, busing your kids around, all your to-dos and daily busy-ness. Give yourself time—whether it's cooking, carpentry, knitting, writing, singing, playing music, dancing, hiking.

For me one of my biggest passions is fine art—oil painting at the moment. When I paint I get into a zone—where it's only me, my paints, my canvas and my music. It's exhilarating. Exciting. Feels like I'm running through a field of wild flowers in the spring with my arms open wide. I'm in my happy place when I'm in front of my easel. That's why every week I schedule time to paint. It's a standing appointment with myself now. One of the first appointments I add to each week. Some days I paint for five hours. Yesterday I only painted for one, but that one hour was enough to finish one of my paintings! (The one pictured here.) That always feels great!

One of my goals is to follow this passion, give this side of myself a chance to grow and see where it takes me. So scheduling time for painting, for me, is just as important as scheduling work and home responsibilities. 

Remember to schedule time for your passions, too. Follow them, and see where they take you, and start living your better.