Is a Balanced Life Even Possible
In first grade gym class, as sneakers squeaked across the basketball court, balance was all about beating the boys in the game of ‘who can stand on one foot the longest?’ In high school study hall, balance became a game of ‘who can be involved in the most extracurricular activities while still maintaining their 4.0?’ And then, ever-so-suddenly many of us found ourselves all grown up, when finding our footing became even just that much more difficult.
We often find ourselves discouraged, wondering how on Earth we can slow down and possibly obtain that balanced life. Well, to understand that a balanced life is totally and completely attainable (trust me on this one!), we must understand how imbalance happens in the first place.
So, How Do We Get Out of Balance?
There are many reasons that we might be experiencing imbalance in our lives. Although society often tells us that hard work is the key to success and happiness, it’s a mindset that can quickly turn to feelings of burnout, overwhelm, and exhaustion.
When something becomes a source of stress, it throws a wrench in our peace and knocks us off-kilter. We internalize this bitterness, and consequently, it affects our mental health in detrimental ways. We get stretched too thin and cannot give ourselves the compassion we need to lead a balanced life.
Perfectionism is another prime suspect in the case of the imbalanced life. When we allow our perfectionistic tendencies to get the best of us, we get too caught up in the minor details and disrupt our inner balance. We feel that we simply are never going to be good enough, and that feeling of inadequacy finds its way into nearly every aspect of our life. Our relationships, career, mental health, creative outlets… they all seem to fall just short of perfection.
If you are an overachiever, you might also struggle with finding balance in your day-to-day. Being an overachiever isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it probably benefited you at one time or another! But as you continue to raise the bar higher and higher, there may come a day when your standards are simply out of reach. The desire to outperform yourself time and time again can lead to burnout. Take note when you find yourself falling into these thought patterns. Read: The Toxic Notion of Superwoman
One thing I know to be true: A balanced life is possible. Let yourself be human. Give yourself permission to grow into a balanced life that works for you.
3 Steps You Can Take to Reframe Your Mindset
- Listen to yourself. The first step to regaining balance in your life is to acknowledge how you’re feeling. Sometimes it’s easier to just brush our emotions aside and run ourselves ragged, never stopping to take a breath and listen to ourselves. If you find yourself ignoring what your mind and body is telling you, reframing your mindset will be so important!
- Carve out some time for reflection. If at any time you find yourself unable to calm your mind or melting into a puddle of stress, grab a pen and some paper. Journaling can help get to the root cause of your thought patterns and help you pinpoint exactly when and where you feel most out of balance. Are you focused on getting the perfect result or rather, learning as much as you can in the process?
- Practice shifting your mindset. Once you realize where your mindset seems to be, start making the switch! Encourage your brain to think in a different way. Consider where you are directing your energy, and if need be, redirect it. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, turn your attention toward things that bring you fulfillment and a sense of balance.
It takes time and plenty of good-spirited patience to balance your life, but above all– and I cannot stress this enough, it is possible. For more tips on how to bring balance into your life, read 8 Steps to a Balanced Life, or please contact me today.
