Creating Balance in Our Life

I don’t know about you, but when I was younger and learning something new, I had a tendency to go from one extreme to the other until I found my balance.  It is like a pendulum swinging. I still can have my learning curve yet I am now more aware of how to navigate the swings.  For example, when the swing is at the outer edges I am aware to be gentle with myself and conscious of my behaviour and choices with others, as my wisest decisions are not usually made when I am out of balance and in doing so, the swings are not as extreme.

Of course, we don’t always have the luxury of pausing, but when we can, even if it is simply to take a breath and breathe, a natural shift in the swing of the pendulum occurs, slowing the motion down. 

Balance means a natural flowing life where the new can come in and the old can move on. When we are out of balance is when we cling to the old or block the new.

Is there an area of your life that this time of collective change has shown you you are out of balance? 

At this time, there are a lot of polarizing points of view. Notice that the pendulum moves to both sides, not just one.  With polarizing viewpoints, the pendulum is at the peak point of the top of its swing. If this is you, notice the pendulum does not stay there and neither can you without causing yourself damage of some kind. It helps to be aware of the issue from the other perspective, if simply to be conscious of what the differences are.

What do you see that is useful for you to witness when you see both points of view?

The beauty of pendulum swings is your viewpoint expands.  The challenge is when the emotions swing along with your point of view.  As much as you can, witness your emotions instead of attaching to them so you can discern what you are experiencing and seeing. Being emotionally balanced in your witnessing allows your cognitive processing to be more balanced too.

When I work with clients who are depressed, their worldview is limited.  I use the analogy that it is like they have horse blinders on and can only see what is in front of them and not to either side.  Using the pendulum analogy, the pendulum has stopped moving. This too is an issue. Life is always changing and shifting, just like the movement of the pendulum. So when the flow of life stops or barely moves, like it does with depression, that too is an issue.

What is often required to regain momentum is the people around them are needed to broaden their point of view so they are not stuck on a single focus. This may not be an option for you at this time.  If this is the case, there is a simple exercise you can do using the 5 senses.

From where you are sitting, notice one item for each of your senses - hear, see, smell, touch, and taste -and really notice them. This will help you be  in the present. Then expand your focus, doing the same exercise from a window in your house. You can expand the exercise further on your walk. What this will start to do is shift your energy and your focus outward instead of inward. 

Then, start to consider, what steps can you start to take to create more balance in your life now or for the future? 

Balance is something that many of us are adjusting to at the moment. We may have more time on our hands than we are use to or a lot less time.

Regardless of your circumstance, having some structure in your daily routine creates more balance in your daily life. Having a regular sleep schedule supports mental, emotional and physical wellbeing and balance. 

Having a couple of focal points in your day or week will also support you to move through your day with more ease. Being aware the night before what you plan to do the next day creates the movement forward when you wake up. If it helps, set out your exercise ware or mat so you actually do it. 

Think of this time as your self care opportunity. What have you been neglecting that you now have time to learn about and implement? What specifically do you need to do to establish the habit now? Is there a mindset that you need to practice?

With more time to yourself or family, you may have noticed what was missing in your life when things were too busy. What have you witnessed and how will you create a more balanced life going forward? 

A balanced life means there is an ease of flow of the new coming in and the old moving on. Think of this time as an opportunity to regain the flow in your life.