Be mindful of self and others while focusing on what’s meaningful and important in your life. Inner happiness and fulfillment come when your mind, body, and emotions are nurtured by the choices you make.
Balance enables you to live your best life. Making choices that nurture your mind, body and emotions brings a feeling of wellbeing . . . you are happy, healthy, and productive. When you’re in balance, you make time for the things that are meaningful and important for you in every area of your life: school, work, hobbies, family, friends, health, and self. You may be busy, but balance helps you make time for it all. Consequently, you are more fulfilled because you are engaged in the things that really matter to you.
Staying in balance is an ongoing process. As we move through our lives each day, we make thousands of adjustments in thought, behavior, and feelings. We adjust to our surroundings, the people we encounter, and our physical requirements. When questions arise about how we spend our time, we make choices depending on what’s important in the moment. We may have to forego time with friends to meet commitments at work, or leave work to care for a sick child. We make adjustments along the way to stay positively aligned with our world.
Balance is a subtle Key. It brings a quiet peace that is not always obvious. However, when we’re out of balance we know it. Stress, exhaustion, illness, anger, depression, or just feeling tired or irritated are all signs of a lack of balance. When these symptoms are noticed, take a moment to reflect on what areas you may be ignoring, then take action. Sometimes restoring balance calls for long-term measures like changing your diet and joining a health club. Other times, simply taking a walk or visiting a friend will do the trick. Whatever it is, once you have achieved balance, you’ll feel better.
To stay in balance, check in with yourself daily. Ask yourself, What do I value? What’s meaningful and important to me? Does this need to be done right now? What is the priority? These simple questions help you focus on the things that are most important to you. When you have extra demands to meet and you feel your stress level rising, take time to prioritize your activities, making sure to leave time for yourself.
Be aware that you may not achieve perfect balance every day. Things come up that require your attention—such as a project deadline, a friend’s need for help, or exams—and while you’re putting extra energy and time into these areas, you may have to ignore other activities, like going to the gym. During these times, be aware of the choice you’re making and commit to getting back in balance once the need for the diversion has passed. There will always be things you have to say no to, but making those choices gets easier if you keep the big picture of your life before you and stay aware of what you need to do to maintain balance.
When life appears too complicated and demanding, refocusing on the Key of Balance brings our attention back to the things we value and keeps us moving forward. When we find the right balance of nurturing our mind, body, and emotions, we are happy, healthy, productive, and fulfilled.