Balanced Life: Is it a tight rope act?

Once upon a time, the idea of a balanced life meant that everything was of equal importance and needed equal energy. It meant that if I spent an hour on my health, I should spend an hour on my finances, an hour on my spiritual connection, and an hour on my relationship. My life was compartmentalized and I didn’t see that time spent improving my health could mean that my relationship and finances would benefit. It was very difficult to live this idea of a balanced life especially when it seemed that I was spending 40 hours a week on finances and 30 minutes a day on spirituality. I became very resentful of the way it “should” be.

At this point, I began to examine what a balanced life really meant to me. Around that time, I also started the first iteration of this site. I changed the concept from a person juggling 5 distinct balls, to someone living a complete, whole, full life where any particular area works in conjunction with all the others. Rather than a juggler, I envisioned a ribbon twirler dancing gracefully with all the aspects of my life. Life, however, still had “aspects”. I still felt that there were distinct parts, not one life in balance.

Since I started actively writing, the site, and by extension my understanding of a balanced life, shifted. I didn’t realize it until my friend Paula put it into words in a comment.

When you asked what I thought a balanced life was, an image of a teeter-totter came into mind. I can remember as a child loving to ride up and down with my friends. I also remember the thrill of standing in the middle, or the fulcrum, while kids rode up and down at the ends. It was often tricky to stay standing when one person decided to push hard off the ground. But it was possible to stay balanced if you didn’t stray too far from the center.

As I contemplate what a balanced life would look like to me, I think it would mean staying at neutral through life’s ups and downs. Not getting too attached to the highs or to the lows. It is like living in the fulcrum AND enjoying the ride.

Today, a balanced life means to me a life in alignment with Spirit. A life where I am a channel of Spirit. All things that flow from that point seem to work together cohesively and easily. My life today is like a well written symphony. You can’t tell which instrument is doing which part, but it’s all beautiful together. Certainly, each aspect of my life does not get equal attention. Then again, it’s no longer a matter of an aspect of my life. My life is a whole entity ready to work in concert with a greater entity.

How you achieve a balanced life will depend on your idea of it. A balanced life might conjure any one of these ideas: the juggler, the dancer, or the channel. You might have a completely different idea. Take this moment to envision what your life would be like if it were balanced. What does it mean to you?

In Spirit,
Nneka