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Ah, the ever elusive balanced life.
So many seek to find that balance, that place where they feel like they are doing everything they are supposed to do in their lives. Juggling all their roles, spinning all the plates at one time.
The truth is, that the scenario above rarely ever happens, or if it does, it doesn’t last very long before the plates come crashing down.
Not to be a negative Nellie or anything, but the sooner we realize that we will never REALLY have it all balanced out, the less stress and expectations we will feel in our mind.
If we accept that the perfect balanced life is not only not attainable for us, but that it is not attainable for those others out there who seem to have it all together, we will learn to be more realistic and accept that while they may LOOK like they have it all together, they are probably one step away from crashing plates.
The biggest gift we can give ourselves and the women around us is the freedom to be real and to be ourselves and to NOT be perfect.
Living a balanced life is an ongoing process and one that we will constantly work with, making decisions based upon our goals and our priorities at that given time and place in our lives.
Balancing your life over time
I heard author Emily Freeman make a comparison recently that I thought was so good. Think about a toddler who is going through a picky eating phase. We worry because for the past 3 days he has wanted nothing but bananas. But then tomorrow, all of a sudden he loves broccoli. And every couple of days (or weeks) his tastes change to something different. If you discuss this matter with the pediatrician, she will likely tell you that even though his diet is heavy in certain areas for days on end, if you spread it out over several weeks time, he actually IS eating a balanced diet.
It is the same with our lives. In different seasons of our lives we may be heavily focused on one area and others may get as much attention. And you may very well feel guilty about this. Yes, we should examine our lives and priorities on a regular basis, but we need to realize that there are times when certain areas will require more attention. You just have to learn to live by and make decisions based upon your current situations and not let yourself feel guilty about what you think you OUGHT to be doing. Be aware and be cognizant of the situation, and know that when you can, you will devote more time and energy to the other areas of your life.
While the TRUE balance never really happens, do keep in mind that even though you may be more heavily spending time in one or two areas, that the other areas of your life WILL need some occasional attention. One cannot completely neglect the areas of your life for an extended time without it causing difficulty.
If you neglect your health, your faith or your relationships for an extended time, these can have some serious repercussions, so even in the busiest of times, work to build a little time for each in your life. Don’t put yourself on a guilt trip if you cannot devote the time you would like right now, just do what you can. Give yourself some grace and pray for God to help what you can do to be enough for the moment. Just know that over time, you focus and activity and attention will balance out, as long as you keep your eyes fixed on your priorities.
Do you feel your life is way out of balance at this point in your life? What areas do you feel you are neglecting?
