“Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.”
- Robert Fulghum
Juggling our professional responsibilities, our personal lives, our individual needs, our passions and our goals can be confusing, exhausting, and often down-right crazy! Here are a few simple rules for creating balance in your life:
Rule 1 – Recognize and Honor Your Needs
Listen to your body, your heart, and that "still, soft voice" of intuition and spiritual connection. If your needs aren't being met, and you are ignoring your inner wisdom's attempts to speak to you, chances are that it will start screaming at you through physical symptoms, illnesses and 'dis'-ease. How can you possibly be effective in your job, with your spouse and kids, in your daily activities, if you are not taking care of yourself first and foremost?
Rule 2 – Get Your Priorities Straight
Do you really know what is most important to you? How much of the stuff on your todo list would you immediately erase if you knew you only had a month to live? Make a list of your most important relationships, values and goals and keep it in front of you as you plan your day. Ask yourself, "Is this task/ goal/ activity in alignment with my priority list?" If the answer is no, consider letting it go.
Rule 3 – Learn to Say “NO”
Many of us have learned to become people-pleasers; we are trained like Pavlov's dogs to jump at the first sign of a request for our help, our time or our talent. It's now time to re-train yourself to check in with your own needs first, then match the request up with your priority list and see if it makes energetic and emotional sense to say yes. If "No" is your truth, people will either respect that and ask elsewhere, or try to manipulate you into giving in - and guess where the latter types of people fall on your priority list? The bottom!
Rule 4 – Make Time to Breathe
Sometimes just taking a moment to take a good deep breath (or three) gives you enough of a refresher to re-focus yourself and release stress. Self-care doesn't have to be complicated!
Rule 5 – Take a Holistic Approach
Honor the various aspects of your personality by paying attention to all areas of your life. Is your drive for financial independence damaging your family life? Are you postponing your creative dreams until the kids go off to college? Take an honest look at your life and notice if there are any areas of strong focus that may be eclipsing others, and explore how you can create a more harmonious lifestyle.
Rule 6 – Build Bridges for Support
Sorry, Simon and Garfunkel - no man is an island! Studies have shown that the greater the number of friends, pets and community connections a person has, the greater their health and longevity. Make time for your friends, your family, your spiritual community, your neighbors, your pets. These are the solid foundations that support you the most and bring greater balance to your life.
© Shannon L. Lee. All Rights Reserved.