When you see or hear the idea of a” well-balanced life”, what do you think of?
Do you think to yourself, “Who has time for balance? My life is too hectic to take time for that!”
Or are you one of the lucky few that think, “I’m sure glad my life is in a state of balance!”
For most of us, a well-balanced life is an elusive concept that we recognize far more easily when we are out of balance than when our life is in sync. Sure, we all have those rare moments in life where we feel peaceful, fulfilled, and balanced. But most of us yearn to have those moments come and stay a while longer.
Just as the term ‘balance’ implies, a well-balanced life is an ever-changing, dynamic process – it’s something that you’re always working toward, something that’s always in motion.
A well balanced life is not a destination, it’s not permanent. It’s not something you achieve and then you are done. It’s an ongoing process that requires constant attention and adjustment.
A well balanced life is centered around two important elements – achievement and fulfillment.
Achievement is primarily about “doing.” It includes working (the kind we get paid for and the kind we don’t), maintaining a desired lifestyle, and checking off things on our “to do” lists.
Fulfillment is about “being,” such as feeling happy about our relationships and contributions. Fulfillment is the sense that our life has meaning – it is the sense of gratification we get when we experience things that have great meaning to us.
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And while a well-balanced life is a goal we all have in common, everyone views it differently. What seems balanced in the area of achievement for one person, may not seem balanced to another.
For example, a leader who loves to chart the course for their team and lead them toward a destination can have a great sense of accomplishment at the end of a day. For another spending the day teaching children the alphabet may have an equally strong sense of accomplishment.
The same can be said for fulfillment. One person may find a morning in the garden fulfilling while another person would view that as another frustrating chore. The second person may find the same morning more fulfilling by taking 10 minutes to meditate.
Regardless of how you define them, achievement and fulfillment are the two important elements of a well-balanced life.
A well balanced life can seem impossible, like a goal that is never achieved. When taken to heart, it does not have to be an elusive dream. It is doable, and maybe without as much effort as you think.
What is required to achieve your ideal state of balance is to develop a heightened sense of awareness that your balance is always shifting.
Let’s face it, the pace of life can feel as if it is moving at nano speed. We stare impatiently at the microwave. We are frustrated if our computers don’t connect in a millisecond. When someone wants something from us, they want it now! The world seems to be screaming at us, “Faster, better, bigger!”
With all the inventions designed to save us time, most women claim that they still do not have enough time or energy to get everything done, and end up moving through life over worked, stressed out, and sleep deprived. Without seeking a well-balanced life, we can figuratively and literally wear ourselves out.
Living a life that is out of balance and chaotic has serious consequences. Therefore a heightened sense of awareness and adjustments is helpful. We do that by making conscious choices to spend our “being” and “doing” time in ways that give more meaning to our lives.
One of the hardest adjustments for many women to make towards a well-balanced life is one that jugglers know all too well. The secret of juggling is a willingness to let go of the ball in one hand so that the hand is free to catch another ball heading its way.
Like the juggler, we can only achieve a well-balanced life when we are willing to let go. We could all do better at choosing what we could to let go of.
Here’s a quick list of things that women tend to hold on to:
- Perfection – the perfect mother, partner, boss, employee
- Need to control other people
- Past hurts and resentments
- Traditions that are more stressful than enjoyable
- Work habits that get in the way of our success
- Negative thoughts about ourselves and others
- Negative self-talk
- Being right
By choosing to let go of these types of things, we free ourselves to be more at peace. And the more at peace we are, the easier it is to live a well-balanced life
It’s important to remember that a well-balanced life is a temporary state and as you move through your day, you may need to make small adjustments. You’ll enjoy the benefits from having more energy, less stress, a greater sense of possibility, the ability to deal with life challenges, stronger relationships and most of all simply feeling healthier and happier.
Are you ready to start your journey to a well balanced life?
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Affirm to yourself:
” My life is balanced for both my achievements and fulfillments.”
No Excuse Action Step:
How balanced are you between your accomplishments and fulfillments?
What one adjustment with letting go would help you towards living a well-balanced life?
Remember, I am here for you, to support and believe in you.
I would love to hear about how well balanced your life is or any challenges you have with this.
Leave us a comment below and share on fabcebook.
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Ariana Newcomer
24 Jun 2015Yes – balance and fluidity! I’ve been struggling recently to get myself back into a routine of exercise. And, I know that if I don’t give myself time for creativity, a part of me will sabotage my business success. This inspires me to make a renewed commitment to physical activity. I know it energizes me and makes me more productive, just like the creative projects.
Shirley Kufeldt
24 Jun 2015Your bullet points really caught my eye—the crux of your article. What we keep and what we have to learn to give up because it’s like having a large plastic garbage bag tied tour ankle—it follows wherever we go. And it stinks.
Tina Games
25 Jun 2015Reflecting on your initial question, “When you see or hear the idea of a well-balanced life, what do you think of?” – the words “peace” and “joy” and “fulfillment” come to mind. In order to feel well-balanced, it’s important for peace, joy, and fulfillment to be in the mix. ~ And what’s interesting about this, those words came to me before I read your entire blog post. So I was already aligned with your message before reading it. :-) ~ I love how you describe “fulfillment” as a state of being. You’re absolutely right! And the same is true for peace and joy. There all states of being. ~ What I love most about this blog post, is how you’ve illustrated that “being” and “doing” are intended to work together – in order to be fully balanced. This is a powerful awareness – and I thank you for bringing it to light.
Pam Kachelmeier MA, PC, LC
1 Jul 2015This article came an awareness time in my life, and that is how much I get distracted by the internet and information highway. This threw me completely out of balance and distracted. I became aware that my life was so off balance because I was devoting way to much time to online information, etc. I now use time wisely and in a much more productive way. Thank you for the reminder to release what does not work.
Cathy Yerges
10 Jul 2015Making the distinction between “achievement” and “fulfillment” makes a lot of sense. While we may achieve a lot, if it isn’t fulfilling to us, we will feel our life is out of balance.