What does a Balanced Life look like?

What on earth is a balanced life? How do we achieve something that seems so far-fetched? Almost like a dream. Out of reach. There’s work,  family commitments. And somewhere in between all of it, we’re expected to have our lives together. To find balance somehow. Is this just too far-fetched or is life balance actually possible? And if so, what are the determining factors or requirements for a balanced life?

Question: Do you feel like your life is ‘in balance’?  If not, where is it lacking?  We don’t often think about it, but when we do we instinctively know what areas we need to work on.  With self awareness and a healthy dose of honesty we can take steps towards improving this for ourselves.

Remember Who You Are

I can get into how important it is to be true to yourself, but I feel like the chances are high of you saying ‘I have too much in my life, I can’t focus on myself’. I’m here to remind you that until you know what you do want out of life and what you need out of life your life will always be out of kilter or off balance in some way.Ask yourself what matters!  It’s not complicated, so don’t make it complicated!  Do you wish you had more time with your family?  Do you wish you could spend more time working on your hobbies or passions?  Maybe it’s a work goal that you never seem able to reach because all the other areas get in your way?

What’s important here is to be honest with yourself about where you are spending too much time and where you are spending too little.  That area of life that you want to spend more time on?  Hint: that’s where you should start! A quote from Abraham Lincoln comes to mind that really sends it home for me: ‘Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.’  To me this begs the question, ‘are you focusing your discipline on what you want most?’

So, what does Balance even Look Like?

Well, let’s start with not being so stretched in one area of your life that there’s simply nothing left to give to the rest of it.  Our lives are made up of key areas including our families, our jobs, our physical health, our spiritual health etc.  ALL of these need some love and attention in order for us to feel whole.  You might be thinking, ‘I’m not particularly religious’ or ‘sports just doesn’t do it for me’ and I will remind you that each area needs to be considered.  It means don’t show up 10 out of 10 for your work and give a measly 2 out of 10 to your family/health/recreation etc.

If your answer was, as I suspected, that ‘oh, that’s just not my thing’ then I would ask you to consider if an orange is a whole orange with one of the segments cut out?  You don’t have to start running marathons.  You don’t have to go from quiet, introvert to bubbly socialite and you don’t have to rush out and have babies because everyone else is doing it!

This is about finding balance in your life, the way that is works best for you.  That means, understanding that daily walks in the sun are better than daily naps on the couch or maybe for you it’s taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator.  Making an effort to meet a friend for coffee once a week instead of using the excuse (yes, it’s an excused!) that you’re too busy at work.  This is about identifying priorities and then addressing where you can improve on them.

Don’t forget your Soul’s Whisper

When you’ve established the areas of your life that need work I want you to take it a step deeper.  Don’t just work on yourself, nourish yourself.  Explore your creative side.  Embrace all things self-care and self-love.  Feed your soul!  Balance is only the starting point to a happy life.  Feeding your soul is the expansion, the joy, the love!  Look yourself in the eyes everyday and ask if you have found a balanced life that includes a strong connection to your true essence, to your higher self!

Yes, spirituality features as one of the areas we need to consider when asking if we are living a balanced life.  But, I feel that it is often the more superficial spirituality that is looked at (I know it sounds  like an oxymoron, I mean ‘superficial spirituality’?  Really!).  What I mean is, this isn’t just about showing up in church on a Sunday or doing your daily meditations.  While these are all obviously important I’m talking about connecting with yourself on a spiritual level.  I’m talking about fully embracing spirituality for everything that it is instead of ticking the ‘spiritual’ boxes.

We need to connect to ourselves on a deeper level!  When you look at all the areas of your life that you need to work on to have a balance life, bring the question of spirituality into ALL of these.  Consider your soul in how you show up for work.  In how you treat your body.  And, in what kind of a mother or friend you are.  That is when we truly find a balanced life!

Steph x

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