“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~Thomas Merton
In life, I am often reminded that what works for some people does not necessarily work for others; and that one person’s idea of balance may not constitute anything remotely balanced from another person’s perspective.
So I wanted to address the various elements of life that can require balancing and offer some suggestions to find the mix that works best for you.
To start, what does it mean to be balanced?
To me, it means that you have a handle on the the various elements in your life and don’t feel that your heart or mind are being pulled too hard in any direction. More often than not, you feel calm, grounded, clear-headed, and motivated.
1.Practice Gratitude
While some may view this as touchy feely, new age, hippie garbage, nothing could be further from the truth. The benefits of practicing gratitude on a daily basis are remarkable and can significantly improve your life. Take a short amount of time out of your busy day - 10 minutes is all that's needed - to reflect honestly upon the countless positive things in your life that you may unwittingly take for granted. Doing so will give you a more positive outlook, eliminate stress, relieve tension, improve sleep patterns, and clarify goals.
2: Maintain Healthy Habits
Have you ever noticed that most, if not all, of the most well-known entrepreneurs keep a daily workout routine involving running or lifting weights. Many also boast the benefits of juicing and eating foods that promote mental clarity and maintain energy levels. This is no accident. Healthy habits keep your body and mind in optimal condition while helping you to maintain a normal and consistent daily routine. Such consistency allows for the accumulation of small amounts of work over time to turn into big successes.
3: Balance Work and Leisure
Sometimes we get so caught up in our goals that we forget to set time aside to take care of ourselves and our loved ones. Being balanced means remembering what all the work is for in the first place. We can grind day and night so long as we put forth the necessary time and effort in not neglecting our health, our significant others, our children, or our beloved hobbies. After all, what exactly are you working towards? Money is only one variable in the equation.
4: Know There's Only So Much That Can Get Done in a Day
Many people are guilty of writing mile-long "to-do" lists. These lists are generally brought on as the result of stress or an impulsive burst of motivation and are made with the best intentions. The problem is we can only carry out so many tasks in a given day. Long "to-do" lists set us up for disappointment because they can rarely be completed. Narrow down your list into specific goal-oriented tasks. Cut out the fat and avoid busy work that will make you feel productive but doesn't really get you anywhere. Work hard on that short list of tasks. Do all you can to get it done. At the end of the day be proud of what you accomplished. Recognize your progress. If you didn't get it all done don't fret. Put it on tomorrow's list and make it a priority.
5: Celebrate Effort Regardless of the Outcome
People who live a balanced lifestyle understand that success doesn't lie in the result of hard work, but in the work itself. Knowing this fact makes it effort rewarding even when things don't turn out the way we want, and make us feel accomplished even the case of a less-than stellar outcome. When we make mistakes or fall short on execution, we learn from it and do a better job next time. If we train ourselves to think this way the real reward - so far as our minds see it - will come from the pursuit of our goals, and success will be all but inevitable.
6: Maintain Focus
Keep your mind and energy focused on the task at hand. This is easier said than done but with the implementation of certain techniques it can be made a whole lot easier. Set aside your phone or other electronics when needed. Find a designated work zone such as an office where distractions are minimized. Give yourself a deadline to get the task completed. Practice recognizing when your mind wanders, and tell it to hold that thought
7: Be willing to Lend a Helping Hand
The ability to put yourself in other peoples shoes and see things from their perspective is a valuable one. This not only is helpful in business, but is also quite beneficial for our emotional well-being. Being interested in other people makes us more likely to help when we can. Those of us with big goals can unwittingly become self-absorbed, forgetting that the greatest gift in the world is the gift of giving. No amount of money or success can replace the satisfaction of helping another.
8: Seeing the Glass as Half-Full
Another one that may stand to be called new age nonsense but again is absolutely true. A healthy degree of optimism is critical to a balanced lifestyle. Staying positive is a way to focus on looking not just at the upside of a given situation, but also on finding solutions to the problems we and others face and keeping ourselves on track towards our goals. Optimists tend be less tolerant of negativity and will stay away from people who spend too much of their time gossiping and complaining, opting instead to surround themselves with other positive people. Energy feeds off of energy.
9: Refuse to Worry (Too Much)
Worrying about the possible disappointments or failures of the future is about the biggest waste of time in the world. So many people with an abundance of potential are crippled by their habit of worrying. It is natural that we have a certain degree of wariness of the unknown, that is just the minds way of protecting us. If we allow worry to control us, however, we are liable to stay in our comfort zones and pour all of our potential success down the drain. You have too much to offer to throw it all away based on imaginary fears. Keep in mind that the majority of the things (approximately 92%) of the things we worry about never happen. SO keep yourself busy, and if you find yourself worrying just acknowledge it, embrace it and move on from it.
10: Learn to Adapt to Change
Things are bound to happen that are completely outside of our control. Understanding habits is to understand how fragile they are. So it is totally natural to want to resist change, which often elicits emotional responses such as anger, depression or withdrawal. As well-balanced people, we have to learn to make the best out of whatever situation we are in. Our work ethic, personality, gratitude, drive and health should not be dependent on circumstance.
