Balance

Balance. What do you picture with this word? 

I’ll wager that it’s one of two things. Something described as a 50/50 split. Or, it’s a fight – against gravity or another force. This is the image that pops into my head when I hear the word. 

The thing is that the logic of this concept seems really simple, while the reality is anything but. For one thing, balance is not a static idea. What I need to feel balanced one day is not necessarily what I need the next. 

What I have to give one day is not always what I have to give the next. To be totally honest, even what I want changes with time. Sometimes, I long to be snuggled between my children, others I find I need to pour myself into my purpose. And yet others, I feel like I want nothing more than myself and some silence. 

Balance is both responsive and planned. There are things that set me up for success (and balance) like being well-slept, well-fed, well-meditated (read again, meditated – not medicated). I plan for these to happen. But I also plan to listen to myself and respond accordingly.

Regardless of what I want, need, or have, 50/50 rarely feels balanced. I think my sense of balance is established over a large period of time. I have contemplated this idea of having it all and I wonder if those that say that “you can have it all, just not all at the same time” are right. I want a family, a partner, independence, a purposeful career, adventure and security. Some of these are mutually exclusive ideas. To truly relish the gems of my life, I choose to invest deeply in them – to experience them, not just have them. 

My goals and dreams and joys overlap. They require my sense of balance to be fluid. And you know what…I kinda really love that. 

I spent a lot of time believing power lies in firmness – in rigidity. But I’m here to share there is an unpredictable joy in flow, if you can just hang on for the ride.