Perfect Balance

Welcome to Spring, Radiant Reader

We have crossed the threshold from winter to spring in the northern hemisphere and though it might not look like it if you are in my part of the world, rest assured those changes are happening!

We experienced the spring equinox on Sunday March 22 at 10:33 am CST – marking a time when we roughly had 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.

“Perfect equilibrium.” A brief time when everything was in balance.

Then the scales tipped, and we moved into more darkness than light. Our balance gone once again.

It really struck me how perfect balance is so fleeting. The women I coach often speak about their desire to have balance in the form of equal time spent at work and at play. They will put extraordinary amounts of energy into finding this balance but without success. The overwhelming number of time managements systems that are available out there should tell us something about the futility of trying to make our lives fit into boxes and checkmarks*.

Does this mean that perfect balance is impossible? Maybe. Is it time to adopt the definition of balance to be wine in one hand and chocolate in the other hand? Perhaps…

Take a step back from all these ideas and ask yourself, “what is so important to me about having balance? What will I have if I can achieve ‘perfect balance’? Control? time to rest? reduced anxiety? a sense of accomplishment? won’t forget to pick up the kids from soccer practice?

While there’s no question that remembering your kids is important, trying to schedule yourself into a perfect balance of work, family, community, health, self-care, etc., is just too elusive. Even Mother Nature only achieves equal balance twice a year for a few brief moments!

There is one thing you can count on to be balanced and to help you balance and that is your breath.

Take a deep breath right now.

Now take another one.

Notice what happens in your body as you deepen your breath. Did your shoulders drop slightly? Did your belly relax? Is there just a tiny bit of space inside where there was only tension before this breath?

This is how you bring yourself and your life into balance. Create a bit of space, some ease, a brief second of calm and the more you practice, the more you’ll be able to feel and see what is most important, what needs your attention and what can be left for another time (or never). Deepen your breath, come back into your body and before you know it, you will have created your very own unique and balanced life.

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