Mind, body and soul sessions (#4)

The balancing act.

Balance comes from choosing what makes you feel better instead of worse and is a feeling which comes from being whole; it’s a sense of harmony. Sounds simple enough, but balancing is a lifelong project (yeah, I know…..another lifelong project). Unfortunately you never can get balanced and be done with it.

It is vital to find balance in life, relations, relaxation and work. Our lives are made up of many essential parts including family, finance, social, work, friends, recreation, romance, health, personal growth, relaxation, obligations and so much more. We probably don’t spend the same amount of time each day in every area, but if in the long run, we spend enough quality and quantity of time in each part, our lives will feel balanced. But if we start to neglect any one part, never mind two or three, we will sabotage our own success. If you want to visualize…. think of a chair. When one of the legs is shorter then the rest, it will make the chair wobble. If one leg is totally absent, the chair would be unsafe to sit on. Same goes for the balance in your life. For example, if you put too much time into running a business, personal relationships and health may suffer; if you don’t take care of your health, your family and social life will suffer; if you spend too much time in the romance section, your work and friendships may suffer.

To create balance, we must know our own needs. Luckily we are all provided with something we know as “gut feeling”; that internal wisdom that lives deep inside all of us. Only problem is that in today’s stressful world we often forget to listen, or have no time to listen, to our “gut feeling” and that’s a real shame because if we want to live a balance life we need to listen to it. Living a balanced life is all about a mix of all the components of our life that are really important to us. This also means that we need to make choices about what has to come first and that also means that there will be sacrifices and collisions too. There will be times when personal life and work will collide (or other areas) but when we know what’s really most important to us and when we make choices based on this decisive factor, we’ll be able to better balance our life and feel whole.

Nevertheless, at times there will be glitches and it will feel like we have lost control. This usually happens when we are not getting our needs met or when life throws things our way (good or bad) which can cause stress. We can try to ignore these feelings but our body will know there is something wrong. It will respond by exhibiting (stress) symptoms like back aches, exhaustion, insomnia or stomach pains. When we are out of integrity, life feels out of balance.

Are you ready to start your balancing act, knowing all this? Well if you are, here are some tips to bring more balance in your every day life:

Identify your priorities, morals and align you life around what is truly important to you. Focus on your priorities and be willing to say “no” to everything else.

Organize. Plan ahead and anticipate your needs. Don’t let someone else poor planning become your emergency or priority. Create a well-thought-out plan each day rather than reacting to whatever comes up.

Accept that (new) needs will pop up. This will mean that you need to readjust and perhaps even need to make new choices. When things don’t get done, forgive yourself. Allow more reasonable standards and stop striving for perfection.

Daily routines. Make healthy habits a part of your daily life. Relax, relieve tension and minimize stress. Schedule some time to take care of yourself by meditation, exercise or some other form of quiet time. Give yourself a break every once in awhile so you can restore your natural state of harmony and rekindle your creativity. Eat healthy meals, drink plenty of water, get enough rest, and take care of your personal hygiene.

Simplify your life. Get rid of things that really aren’t so important to you. Stop over scheduling, being busy 24/7 does not mean you are important, it means you are to busy and you are probably missing out on things that would really bring you joy or more fulfilment in your life. When your life is too overcrowded, there is no room for positive energy and personal growth.

Well enough information for now.
If you want to lead a more balanced life, try this for starters:
Spend 10 minutes sitting quietly in your sanctuary (or another peaceful and quiet place). You might think you don’t have the time, but you have. You have the same amount of time as the wisest person in the world. It’s all about priorities.
Sit comfortably or lie on your back (on the floor) with a pillow under you knees. Try to relax and start to ask yourself these questions:

Is there anything my body is telling me?
(make a mental list of everything your body is telling you)

Am I angry at a loved one, am I stressed? Which things have been on my mind lately?

What are my needs and priorities?

What is really important to me?

Don’t discard any thoughts that pop into your head. Just make note of them.
This little assignment will help you to find balance, happiness and identify your priorities and remember: Balance comes from choosing what makes you feel better instead of worse!