A blog post from SOLES MA in Higher Education Leadership Studies Ambassador, Mariana Ortega

“Balance is Beautiful”- Miyoko Ohno

Imagine waking up 15 minutes before work, you brush your teeth, get dressed and your commute to your office is 1 minute. #BLESSED? Indeed, that’s my life. Welcome to working for Residential Life. Maybe I don’t exactly get up 15 minutes before work, because I enjoy starting off my morning somewhere different. I purposely drive and purchase my coffee off campus, just so I allow myself that small window of freedom.

I live, work and go to school at the University of San Diego. It gets tough when you have everything happening in one location, but that’s why I decided to focus on the beauty of balance. A mentor of mine once told me, “The work will get done. It always gets done”, therefore it’s important to think about the balance of our own mental health and happiness. Sometimes I feel jaded, actually — I’m experiencing that now.

This feeling isn’t because I don’t like my work, I love my work. What’s happening is I’ve stopped searching. I believe the key is to search for the beauty that shines around you. Positive interactions, learning moments, give what makes me uncomfortable a chance, and make a change in your mindset. When I stop searching, I lose balance.

Being in the Higher Education program has definitely improved my self-awareness, so if you like that, then SOLES is for you. Something I’ve learned to appreciate is the importance of having a higher purpose in the work you do, therefore search for the beauty. Balance yourself.