A few weeks ago, as I sat enjoying a warm cup of green tea with a long-time girlfriend of mine, I was reminded of how quickly time can pass us all by.  She was in the process of house hunting for her now adult son and was having difficulty dealing with the reality that he was now moving away from home. It was the kind of moving she had not previously experienced with him as a college student; this was different. This time he was moving as a grown, young man. The previous moves were those practice ones we call “going away to college.”  This time he was buying furniture, signing documents alone, he was hired by his first “real” employer, and would be buying his own washer and dryer.  This one was real. 

Her reality hit me.  Meanwhile, as this was happening in her life, another friend of mine was busy saying her goodbyes to her only son as he prepared to move 2000 miles away to his new job.  He too had recently finished his education, been hired by a Fortune 500 company, and was well on his way to greatness.  Wow, here I was sitting comfortably with my four children ranging in ages from 13-21, knowing that I was just a hop, skip, and a jump away from where these two moms were!  It seemed just the other day all of our boys were playing baseball, riding bikes, and crying over scraped knees. Here they were, grown men ready to move on to their next stage of life into young adulthood with the world before them, full of fearless adventure and ready to conquer the world.

So I asked myself what I often ask these days; Was there a lesson here for me and what was the tap on my shoulder telling me this time? Why did I even notice this and was I ready for my kids to move? How would I cope with it and was I ready for these changes in my life? After a few days if thinking it hit me! I realized what was important and what the lesson in all of this was. 

Here it is and it was simple! Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.  Whether you’re a homemaker, career women, retired, or all three, make sure you diversify your life. Just like any good Financial Advisor will tell you to diversify your investments so when the markets fluctuate you can protect your assets, so is true with the health of your heart. When you diversity your life by making time for a variety of things you enjoy, you allow balance and “diversification.” This helps when a major change or “loss” occurs in the marketplace …such as a child moving away, changing a career, or ending a long-term relationship. Being diversified helps to keep things balanced when changes occur, and it helps the recovery process to happen quicker.  By diversifying your assets when your younger your better prepared for your retirement years occur.

When there is balance, life becomes richer and the burden of change becomes lighter; not only for you, but also for those around you.  So as you prepare for your investment in your most precious asset, yourself, think about what you enjoy doing, where you are your happiest, and what brings you the most joy.   Invest in your hobbies, friends, your physical health and activities that yield you fun. Invest time, energy, and your resources there, and know it will yield you many happy returns.