Here I am, cup of green tea in hand, classic blues playing, while cruising the ‘net to take in the day’s news. I came across a SeattlePI article with a headline that I just couldn’t pass up. “Work-Family Balance is a Joke: Embrace the Chaos”. Now, I should mentioned that I’m not a regular reader of SeattlePI. I have however, been made aware by fellow bloggers of their sudden decline in quality to a Jerry Spring-ish level, and linked to several ridiculous “stories” they’re attempting to pass off as actual news. That being said, I’m still an open-minded reader and wanted to give the failing publication another chance. With the click of a mouse, I was transported from Google’s news section into a SeattlePI column titled “Working Dad: An Unauthorized Guide to Parenting”…

“Working Dad” aka Paul Nyhan quotes some like-minded women friends of his in presenting a case for properly balancing personal and work life through…chaos? Yes, chaos is apparently this man’s recipe for cooking a one-off batch of success. Nyhan preaches the gospel of modern masochism, in which life should be thoroughly painful in every way possible. Can I just say… LOL! I can”t help but find that to be anything besides an absolute gut-buster of hogwash. I was further entertained by the following quote…

“I live my life by balancing an a pendulum that swings back and forth between recklessly riding the wave of chaos without having the energy to even attempt to stem the tide and the other extreme where I try so hard to exert futile control over everyone and everything around me that I drive us all nuts.”

Let me tell you, I’ve encountered chaotic workplaces, chaotic living environments, chaotic relationships before (who hasn’t), and it is most certainly not a path to pleasantville. Why anyone would choose to surrender to the pressure and challenges of daily life to endure sheer deep-rooted unhappiness is far, far beyond me.

What I’m saying in response to Nyhan and the gang of fools is that life does not have to be hard, chaotic, desperate, confusing. Each day on this earth is a beautiful opportunity for us as individuals to hone our skills at managing tasks and bettering ourselves. I am compelled to be the best person I can be, day in and day out. Through educating myself via experiences, reading, and relying on common sense, I’ve reduced the amount of stress in my life to a near non-existent level and am in the best mental and physical shape of my years. Everyone, including you, yes you, have the ability to live the life they want to. The power to be highly successful and exude happiness lies within all of us and is no mystery.

Living and life of chaos is a prescription for insanity, and I for one, choose to rise above.

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