Everything In Moderation
Everything in moderation. Most people have probably heard this saying, but how many really take it to heart? How many people truly live their lives by this saying? Living moderately isn’t a new idea, but I believe it has become a lost art. In today’s society it seems people have become uncomfortable with the normal or average ways of life and positional middle class. But here’s the thing – living moderately is one of the healthiest and most productive ways to live both physically and mentally.
My Life Theme
It’s amazing I haven’t done this blog post sooner. If you have noticed on my homepage of this blog one of the first things stated is “moderate living”. My Instagram handle is @the.moderate.mom. Several of my blog posts have mentioned things being done in moderation or moderately, so you can see this is a theme with me. For good reason, I live my life by this motto and am on a mission to encourage people to do the same, and here’s why.
Think About It
When people think about having something in moderation, usually people’s minds go to food. Eating sugar in moderation is a go-to that comes to mind, but there are a lot more ways to apply the whole “in moderation” lifestyle. Food is still an important category, and I don’t just mean to keep the “bad” foods few and far between. Instead, one of the best and healthiest ways to eat is to eat a variety of foods. Eating each category allows for a bit of each food – aka moderation.
Moderation keeps us from over or under doing something. For instance, if for every meal you only had a strawberry fruit smoothie, a peanut butter sandwich, or maybe a protein bar you would end up malnourished, lacking all the nutrients you need, and maybe have a string of other health issues. Likewise, if you ate foods gluttonously you would have adverse health affects. Both extremes are bad. This holds true for pretty much every category of life. Doing too much or too little of working out, not getting or getting too much sleep, even drinking too much or not enough water can be harmful and even deadly.
For Instance
Did you know that drinking too much water can cause water poisoning? Water poisoning can be deadly. We all know that not drinking enough water is bad for our health and can be deadly too. In a world where we are constantly told to drink more water it can be tough to know how much is enough but not too much. There are a few important key details to this example.
One, when even water can affect you to the degree of death think about how many other things moderation plays into and the weight it carries. Two, everyone is different. This means that just because it’s recommended to drink eight glasses of water a day doesn’t mean that’s the right amount for you or the neighbor down the street. One person may benefit from eight glasses, you may benefit from twelve and your neighbor may only need five glasses a day. The trick is to find what works for YOU. Your sweet spot is the moderate amount for YOU.
The Importance of YOU
In today’s world of the internet and social media it can be so hard to navigate what is best for you, for your family, for your particular circumstances, and so on. Don’t get me wrong, social media and the online world can be wonderful (it’s how you are reading this right now!), but it can also be overwhelming and easy to fall into pitfalls. Reading things online can sound so appealing or convincing. We all know what it’s like to be our own doctors via the internet, our own psychologist, teacher, etc. The problem is, and I know this is shocking (sarcasm here), but not everything we read online is true, accurate, or even safe. It is important to do thorough research, trust your instincts, and use some common sense.
The biggest problem with the online world is that generally the information you find is not specific for you. Because of this little issue it is so incredibly important to do what feels correct for you or whoever you are researching for, for instance parenting tips or advice. You know your child and you know you, your life circumstances, and whatever else may impact the way you parent and your child’s specific needs. It is important to not just do something that sounds good and is highly recommended by people online, but instead what will actually work and help you and your child.
Why Does “You” Matter in Moderation?
I’ve been talking about moderation, but suddenly switched gears and began discussing the world of social media and the internet and it’s impact on us. You may be wondering how the two are connected. The internet can make us all feel like we are constantly keeping up with the Joneses, and can cause us to feel like we need more, new, better to the degree that we forget the blessings we have. It becomes an exhaustive vicious cycle of insatiable longing for something we can never obtain – because once obtained we are told we need to do the next big thing. This causes us to feel like we cannot just live “normal” average lives and because we feel the need to live such big lives, lives of trends and peer pressured ways of life we lose the whole living in moderation thing.
A simple and relatable version of this that seems like no big deal but subtly eats at us would be something I myself do and have to fight against. Scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest and seeing a drool worthy home, laundry room, or pantry can cause me to be envious of what I am viewing. Even though I love my home, my laundry room, or pantry I find myself longing for the picture I am looking at. Maybe my pantry isn’t Instagram worthy currently (we need to do some organization) but it still is a great space with excellent potential. Instead of longing for the image I am drooling over, or feeling unappreciative of what I have, I should use the image as inspiration – but that can be so hard to do.
So Let’s Get Back to Moderation
The above scenario is why so many of us have lost or struggle with the art of living in moderation. It is so easy to get caught up in all the things we see and take in online. It is easy to slip into a state of feeling competition and the need to have more, do better, and so on. We forget all about living moderately. We forget all about what our specific needs or our family’s needs are. Even the music we listen to, the TV shows or movies we watch, the commercials and advertisements we see can also cause us to feel this way and focus on things outside of our means.
Living a life of moderation is so important. It reminds us to appreciate what we have and live our life to the fullest instead of always longing for the next thing. It keeps us from living in extreme ways and assists us in keeping a healthy and balanced life. I cannot think of a single area of life that moderation does not help. Sleep, nutrition, exercise, and even things like skincare, clothing, social media all benefit from handling them from a moderate standpoint.
Examples of How I Use Moderation in Every Day Life
This is already a lengthy blog post and I could say so much more, but I want to cut to the chase and give you all some basic examples of how I use moderation in my every day life and my tips on how to do it. Sometimes, it takes practice and concentration to utilize moderation.
My first example is one I think most women can relate to and that is skincare. I would love to do a whole blog post on this particular topic but until that day I will say that my skincare routine has become quite simplified from what it once was. I used to get so caught up in following the trends of skincare and makeup. I’d go so far as to say I even hid behind a mask of makeup and spent hours looking at skincare and hundreds of dollars on products that promised the next best thing.
When I met my husband he thought I looked gorgeous without makeup and while he thought I was pretty with makeup he was the dream guy that preferred me without it stating that I was naturally beautiful. It was the first time in my life a man looked at me the way he did and truly thought I was beautiful just the way I was and boy did that change my own perspective of myself.
My Moderate Skincare Routine
As I stated above, I want to do a whole blog post on this topic where I will delve into the details but to show the moderate approach to skincare I will share a bit. After I broke away from my habits with makeup (to note I still love the art of makeup but hiding behind it is not something I care for personally) I started focusing on my skin instead of hiding it. I found several dermatologists online that I really trusted and started creating a routine that was simple, basic, and focused on all my needs and concerns.
For my particular age of mid-thirties and concerns which were mostly toward anti-aging and some acne I use all drug store products that consist of a facial wash, toner, an active (think vitamin C, retinol, an acid, etc.), and a moisturizer. That’s it. Simple but effective, affordable, and easily accessible. It’s not a single product, and it’s not a thirty step skincare process, it’s somewhere in between which is the perfect example of moderation.
I still use makeup but I treat it more as an extension of skincare. The makeup I use is clean, hydrating, breathable, and I only use concealer, mascara, occasionally a brow pencil and gel, and a lip color that I usually also use as a blush. For nice events I will pull out the highlighter and eyeshadow or liner. I think I lean toward a French style for skincare and makeup the older I get and the more I practice moderation,.
The Importance of Living Moderately
You can see from my skincare routine above that moderation is following what works for you and going somewhere in between minimalistic versus doing too much. It’s easy to fall into either category instead of compromising between the two as we listen to influencers and social media boasting the great life they have with the all or nothing attitudes.
My mom was raised by her dad, my Papa who always said, “Everything in moderation”. As she grew up with this motto in mind, she shared with me that she prayed our family would have neither wealth or poverty. Essentially, she wanted us to have what we needed, maybe a little more of what we wanted, while still leaving us something to work toward. We were able to appreciate what we had while still having goals and a healthy focus toward bettering our lives. Most importantly, we were able to focus on the most important things in life – our relationships and on God.
How to Live Moderately
Oftentimes, you must actively hone moderation, just like you build muscle and physical strength. You develop the mental strength and self-control needed to use moderation the same way—through practice.
When you find yourself beginning to doom scroll as you begin comparing yourself, your home, even your skillset to others online the first step is recognizing what you are doing and the next is to have the self-control to stop yourself from doing what you are doing. Listen to what is in your best interest, pay attention to what is in your family’s best interest, find a middle ground versus going to extremes on either end, and keep your head out of the clouds and use common sense and do your research. Usually, if something sounds too good to be true it probably is so take care in what you believe online despite how good things look or sound.
The Final Thoughts
Historically, people focused primarily on survival. They were trying to find their next meal, clothing, and even shelter. Half the issues we face today they didn’t have time or even think people would ever face. We are honestly so blessed to have what we have and to have the advancements we have, yet people all around us are stressed, overwhelmed, even lost to the degree that they are willing to give up everything and end it all because they cannot take the pressures and stressors and unhappiness that life brings. Of all times in history with the advancements we have we should be one of the happiest and healthiest generations of all time, but that hasn’t happened. I believe a lot of it comes down to forgetting the basics, and losing the art of moderation.
Be content in what you have and focus on those blessings, strive for more and have healthy goals of wants within reason that better you and your family’s lives, and listen to the happy medium of that sweet spot for you, your body, your mind, your family. Compromise and find the middle ground versus going extreme despite what sounds or looks appealing in the moment. Know that it is okay and totally normal and healthy to be average and middle-class and embrace the life God has given you. Pray that you will have what you need and some of what you want and to appreciate all that you have – thanks mom!!
Looking for More Inspiration?
If you are looking for more inspiring topics to help simplify life a bit when those life stressors and the feelings of keeping up with the Joneses tries to sneak in then check out my blog post on Creating a Traditional Style Home Life. I also have a Winter 2025 Bucket List that’s great for appreciating the little moments and embracing a sometimes tough season for many. Lastly, grab yourself a free downloadable cleaning checklist for simplifying your cleaning routine for a clean home all year round. You can download it on the homepage by clicking on the button “Download Your Checklist!”.
Now go enjoy and embrace the art of living moderately!
