Hello Darlings, As I'm sitting in my office and flipping through photos from my recent family vacation to our beloved St. George Island, I began to think back on the last 8 years. For the past 8 years we've made it a tradition to go back twice a year to this little slice of heaven. It has been my retreat from the difficult times and also a highlight when everything was going wonderfully.

It has also been 8 years since I've started writing here and a year since launching, TryMus Group. So much has changed in those years and I have too. Often times I get asked how do I manage this? Or how do I find time for that? Perhaps everything does look rosy on my social media, but who wants to see the negative when we all have our own battles.

Many times I've looked back on how I'm perceived online and the balancing act seems so effortless. Only I wish it was the case. Then again, I have no right to complain because every morning I wake up feeling lucky. One of the more challenging lessons I’ve learned thus far is the importance of priorities and how lack of them impact my life. Priorities determine the decisions I make and how I spend every minute of my day. Out of 168 hours in the week, every hour is dedicated to a priority whether you realize it or not. Time is choice and we give time to what’s important.

It is those very priorities that have made me step back from writing; a battle I've faced every day for the past year and a half. My priorities shifted temporarily to the agency and regretfully so. Perhaps the time away was necessary to see where my personal story is headed. I am not a sophomore student that I was when I first started. When you're struggling with something it is natural to shift attention to what comes easier. Counterproductive I know. What I should have done was make it my top priority and work through the issue rather than setting it to a back burner. That I realize now. You live, you learn.

Priorities are not definite, they are always evolving as we reevaluate what's import to us. So when I am asked how I make time to get away, it's simple - it is my priority. The family trips are important to me and I adjust everything accordingly and plan for it.

So while I use this trip as an example, it can be also said for work or any other aspect of your life. If you're not happy where you are, you need to make it your priority to change. Nothing changes without a conscious effort. The agency was my top priority last year and as a result I've neglected this blog; this year I've worked on re-adjusting and shifting my focus once again.

In our society we wear "busy" as a badge of honour. Everyone is busy. It is the priorities that determine where you allocate your time and effort. A few days ago, I watched Laura Venderkam's TED Talk on "How To Gain Control of Your Free Time" and she explained how we overestimate our commitments each week and how we find time for what matters most. Her talk was very insightful and directly relates to what I mean when I speak of priorities. Small priorities shape my days, my core priorities shape my life decisions.

With Love...

Marta