What is balance?

Balance is a process, not a point of perfection.

What is balance? “Balance” is something that many of us are seeking. By attaining balance in life and work, exercise and rest, our diet, mind-body-spirit, time on the internet, and time in the garden, we can live in health and happiness. But what is this “thing” called balance?
In the past, I pushed myself to get to an imagined state of balance – and stay there. As the years have passed, I have realized that this notion of balance as a specific point of perfection somewhere in time and space, doesn’t serve me so well. Perfection is not the best definition of balance. In the context of wellness, balance is something to notice, watch, feel, sense, and move toward.

Balance today will look different than balance tomorrow.

Why?
Because today it is sunny and hot and tomorrow it might be windy and cloudy. Different environments call for different actions. Or maybe, I’ll sleep better tonight than I did yesterday. I might take a walk one day and not another – all of these things, in addition to many other variables, impact the state of my body and mind.

Balance is the action of noticing what is going on and then shifting our activities to move us toward that ever moving target of “balance.” What we do to bring balance to one day may look very different from how we come to balance the next.

Personal awareness is the key to knowing what actions (big or small) are needed to move you toward balance. Balance is personal. What works for me is not necessarily a recipe for you.

Taking a few minutes throughout the day to notice what is going on is a practical way to discover what brings you to balance (or brings you away from it). It takes just a few precious minutes of bringing the attention inward, to notice your state of mind and how your body is feeling. This will go a long way for your ability to make little adjustments that bring the big result of balance and well-being.