The Balancing Act of “Finding Balance”
“Finding balance”, what does that mean
to you? And in what area of life do you
think it applies to? While I can’t tell
you what it means to you (I only know
what it means to me), I can define it
for you as, “A harmonious or satisfying arrangement
or proportion of parts”, and tell you that it applies to every aspect of your
mental, physical, spiritual and social lives.
“A
harmonious or satisfying arrangement or proportion of parts” may sound a little
new-agey, but it’s basically the ability to create equilibrium between the
things that are important and necessary to you and to enjoy them in moderation. The student who studies 16 hours a day and
stopped socializing, hasn’t found balance between their academic and social
lives. The mother of four who devotes all
24 hours to her children’s needs and
none to her own, hasn’t found balance between parenting and self-preservation. And the man who eats a ½ gallon of ice cream
every evening, hasn’t found balance in his diet.
Why is “finding balance”
so important? Because we can’t fixate on
one thing without neglecting something (or everything) else. Something always have to give a little to get
a little of something else.
The student who hasn’t stopped
studying long enough to even learn his roommate’s name, is losing vital social
skills and missing out on life’s moments (click here to
determine the balance between your studies and social life.) The mother who
never takes time for herself will forget who she is (and create demanding, selfish
children in the meantime.) And the man
who eats copious amounts of ice cream will eventually be obese with a poor
self-image.
So indulge in moderation;
if you have good grades, it’s ok to party every so often. If you’re a good parent, it’s ok to go on the
occasional spa retreat. And if you eat
well 90% of the time, the occasional pint of ice cream won’t hurt.
When all your needs are
met, while none are neglected, you’ve successfully found “balance.”
Rhiannon Garcia
Thank you for your post! I completely agree with you, that balance is key to a healthy lifestyle. I actually focus on this every day and try my best to create balance, however, am not feeling balanced with my studies. I have neglected other areas for the past few weeks, such as working out, getting enough rest, and taking time for myself.
ReplyDeleteI think along with doing things that make you have that sense of accomplishment (finishing a long day at work, completing an assignment for class, or getting the laundry done), you should continue to find balance with doing things that make you happy.
If I find balance with work, school, working out, sleep, spending time with friends, making it to the farmer’s market, reading, gardening, and getting a moment for the pool, I’m completely content! It’s all about balancing the things that make you feel accomplished, along with things that make you happy.