I moved a few months ago and had to get comfortable in a new living space. I’m a person who likes routine, and moving always takes me awhile to get used to my new surroundings and for me to feel grounded.
One thing these past couple months have taught me is how to find balance. I’ve had to find symmetry in juggling the couple different jobs that I have, my responsibilities to others, and recognizing what I need to find stability for myself.
When it’s go, go, go and non-stop work, or the need to create and give your time and effort to others keeps tugging at your hem, the balance of what keeps you whole can get out of whack. You may not realize it, and it might take years to figure out, but finding a way to strike a balance in your world is essential to having a healthy and happy life.
I’ve had to eat some humble pie these past few months and start to listen to what my body is telling me. One of the many things that I’ve learned over the years is the body stores every emotion and thought we have. So if there is continual stress, the body will eventually start to show those signs of stress in the form of fatigue, trouble sleeping, the mind constantly going, or unable to concentrate. The body is telling you it’s time to make some changes because whatever is happening is no longer sustainable.
Self-care is something most of us think we don’t have time for. We’re too busy day-to-day to think about our health until something happens and we’re knocked off our feet, and we’re forced to face reality.
The practice of listening to your body puts you more in tune with yourself. You are paying attention to what is happening internally, not just physically, but mentally. it is so important to know how to find balance.
If you think taking a vacation now and again is enough to “reset” your stress level, I’m telling you it’s not sufficient. If a daily meditation practice seems daunting, then try something once a week. Meditate on Monday morning, take a hike on Saturday, spend time in nature, sit in the sun, read a book or take a yoga class. Try to find something once a week where you can disconnect and lower your stress level.
When we think about finding balance in our lives, most of us will say, “I don’t want to rearrange my entire life to start to feel “balanced.” I can actually see someone saying that sentence to me while making air quotes, and rolling their eyes at the same time.
I want to encourage you to try something different. When feeling stressed, overwhelmed, impatient, or annoyed, try a brief pause. Take a moment and just notice, “How am I feeling?” Become aware of what you are feeling, acknowledge it, and have that moment of awareness. Just by bringing attention to what you are feeling can start to create change. Try taking a mental inventory; it takes a split second, to just notice what you’re feeling.
I remember when I was trying to understand what it meant to “find balance.” I was living in a constant state of stress, I didn’t feel in control of my life and I was running on the preverbal hamster wheel. Life was running me; I was not running my life.
I found the courage to remove what was causing me stress, and learned to take more “pauses”. In those moments of awareness, I wasn’t trying to change anything; I was simply acknowledging what was happening for me.
Knowing how to find balance doesn’t have to be a whole revamp of your life but a good place to start is to bring awareness when life gets overwhelming.
Your mind and body will thank you for paying attention to what it needs and find more balance in your life.
With Gratitude,
