A Healthy Helping of You

Written by Brittney Muenster, WFBF WisGO Team Member and District 7 Promotion and Education Committee Representative

Agriculture is about food. Ultimately, the food we produce ends up on a plate at the dinner table. What if farmers considered themselves a plate with only so much room? What if once the plate was full, that was it? No seconds, no desserts. Just one plate. If we considered time and energy limited space, would we still fill it the same way? It’s common for farm families to wear a lot of “hats.” Usually, an off-farm job, farm responsibilities and a slew of volunteer and family-related commitments. A full plate, if not heaping.

Recently at a Farm Bureau event I was discussing my “occupations” with another member. Insurance agent, herdswoman, retail store operator, etc. Their response was, “Well, they say if you want something done, ask a busy person.” This is true. I’ve always had the “it’s just one more thing” mentality. However, when your plate is slowly filling, you don’t realize how full it’s getting or what you’re removing to fit something else. In my experience, I was pushing myself off the plate. I had chiseled away the available time to do things I enjoy to add tasks I wasn’t invested in.

I recently realized what I did. A year had gone by, and I hadn’t used my state parks pass one time. Hiking is my favorite hobby, and I couldn’t remember the last time I went. The saying “the best time to plant a tree was yesterday” popped into my head. Likely because regardless of what I was doing with my time, it was going to pass anyway but it’s what I did that mattered.

With this perspective, I began taking inventory of my life and time. What I came up with was a lot of worrying for one, but also many commitments made based on others’ expectations. A full plate and nothing I really wanted to eat. Once I identified parts of my life not adding value, implementing boundaries was the next step.

Being a people pleaser and having to remove myself from situations I knew would garner disappointment from others was extremely daunting. I pride myself in being a woman of my word. However, this was necessary to make room on my plate for myself and the things that are most important to me.

Changing my mindset this way has yielded positive results. I’ve learned just because I can do something, doesn’t mean I should. I might be capable but someone else may still be a better fit for the job. Micromanaging prevents growth from surfacing in others. A true leader knows they can’t be everything and relies on the strength of the team they’ve created, trusting they know what’s best. By prioritizing myself, I’m a greater asset to those around me. A better version of myself shows up, and I’m doing things I truly care about. Now I always keep a healthy helping of myself on my plate, ensuring a five-star meal every time.