In ancient Greece, there are 2 sayings that were inscribed on the temple of Apollo in Delphi. One of which is “Know Thyself” and the other is “Nothing to Excess.” The phrase “Nothing to Excess can also be compared to the phrase “Moderation in All Things”. We all know from personal experience just how easy it is to get caught up in something at the exclusion of other important areas of our life. I would assume that practically everyone on the Earth today has felt like their life is (or was) out of balance at some time. The better question may be what things are “In Excess” and what needs to happen to “Bring your Life into More Balance.”
Achieving and Maintaining Balance is, actually, one of the biggest
challenges facing people today. How many people do you know who claim to be “too busy”? Well, I don’t know about you, but EVERYONE I know seems TOO BUSY. There is the job, family concerns, errands to run, food to buy, people to talk to, repairs, play time, etc. When you add it all up, there is never enough time in a day to get everything done. Sometimes your job can be the culprit. Do you know anyone who works 10 hours or more a day? How much time does this person have for relaxation and attending to all of the various activities? Sometimes, everyday worries and concerns can
tempt us to get out of balance. We worry for this or worry for that and we find ourselves unbalanced mentally because all we’re doing is worrying. Or how about the person who spends all their time at the gym and they’ve got a great body to show for it, but they’ve neglected their family? On the opposite side, how about the person who never gets any physical activity? Or how about the person who spends hours upon hours everyday in front of the TV? Even certain kinds of foods taken to an extreme can cause imbalance in your body.
Balance is maintaining a consistent,
healthy lifestyle on a daily basis in mind, body and spirit, regardless
of your circumstances and situations. In other words, there is equal focus and attention given to each of the main areas of our life. Here are some tips for achieving balance in these different aspects of our lives:
Balancing Your Mind
A balanced mind means that we are aware of where our thoughts are throughout the day. We consciously focus on the here and now. We are observant to the happenings around us, yet we are actively directing our thoughts to our task at hand. Many people allow their mind to wander
throughout the day. The wandering thoughts generally go to the past to mull over experiences or situations that made an impact in some way or another or they go to the future to events that represent hopes, dreams or fears of future scenarios. In the movie Napoleon Dynamite, I think the perfect example of someone who continually dwelt in the past is Uncle Rico, who constantly daydreamed about his days on the high school football team.
Yesterday is gone. There is nothing we can do to go back and change
what has happened in the past. We can learn from our mistakes, though, or
remember happy or satisfying experiences. These thoughts of our past can also trigger
depressive or sad feelings such as regret or guilt. Sometimes these feelings hold us back and stop us from letting go of the unresolved negative feelings. In this way, our yesterdays will impact our today’s in negative ways and we will remain anchored to the past.
Another way that we become unbalanced mentally is when we allow our thoughts to wander into the future. These
thoughts will cause feelings of anxiety, fear of the unknown and
unnecessary pressure. While it is important to maintain the belief and expectation that our goals will be realized, there is a proper way of doing this. For example, we can not act in the future. We can only act in the here and now. And sometimes the daydreaming of our future can steal the joy of the moment if we are worried about the future. The reality is that we can only take steps toward our goals one day at a time. Each day is a
gift, which is why they call it the present, an old saying that makes a
lot of sense! To attain and maintain balance in your mind, keep your
thoughts focused on the present. Trying to focus on everything that could potentially happen is a lot of stress to be carrying around. Find joy in the moment.
Balancing Your Body
Balancing your body involves exercising regularly, eating the proper foods in the proper amounts, as well as getting the proper amount of sleep along with other activities that contribute to an overall
healthy lifestyle. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise each day is an amount recommended by many doctors and nutritionists as an optimal time period. At times, when people get too busy with work or other activities, sometimes they don’t get the exercise they need. But not
only are there many physical benefits, exercise also helps to balance the mind
and spirit also. Exercise releases natural endorphins that help your
body to relax and feel good. Walking continues to be one of the
healthiest forms of exercise, although there are many others that are also beneficial. I enjoy swimming.
Monitoring food intake and becoming aware of the types of food that
your body needs and best responds to also helps you attain and maintain
balance. Vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, nuts are all important parts of a healthy diet. A Nutritionist that I highly respect once defined “food” as the following: something that can be digested, assimilated and eliminated. Not everything we eat fits that criteria. Do you know how many types of chemicals have been added to our “food” supply since the early 1900’s? I’ll give you a hint… Its in the thousands and maybe tens of thousands. No wonder so many people are sick nowadays. For a good online source of quality health food products, check out True Foods Market or Manna Harvest.
Another important element in maintaining body balance is getting the proper amount of sleep each night. Most people suggest 8 hours, although this may be varied based on the needs of the person. I’ve known people who simply don’t need that much sleep and others who need more. Sleep is also a part of balancing your
thoughts. I have noticed that when I try to push myself too much and stay up too late, my days don’t go as well till I get enough sleep. In fact, most people do not get enough sleep and therefore are
unable to have daily balance or be as productive or effective to their
full potential.
In terms of other items that affect balance in this area, we can include drinking plenty
of water, limiting/eliminating the intake of alcohol, smoking, drugs and
minimizing exposure to toxins or other chemicals both externally as well as internally.
Balancing Your Spirit
Balancing your spirit will increase your peace and joy each
day. Everyone needs some “Alone” time where you can stop and listen to the insights that come through you. Spending time in meditation every day helps with. A spiritual connection will also decrease confusion and increase
clarity when things just do not make sense in the world and no one
person seems to have an answer. Many religions advocate prayer and I strongly believe that not only is there a God, but our God (or our Heavenly Father) loves us and wants to hear from us. We do not always get the answers we want, but we do get the answers we need, when we ask in faith.
Many people confuse spirituality with religion.
While they are intertwined, they are still separate. Religion can be a part of an individual’s spirituality, however it is
not the same thing. A person can be spiritual, but not participate in an
organized religion. Spirituality is a belief in a higher power and a desire to follow the will of that Higher Power. Most people refer to God, in this way. Religion is usually an organized group of people with the same set of beliefs. I have my religion, which I believe, but just because someone is a member of a religion does not mean that they are spiritual. Nor does regular attendance to a particular meeting (even though the meetings can help you learn to be more spiritual). The real test to your spirituality comes from who you become and how your relationship with God develops and improves over time. Reading Scriptures, such as the Bible, can help bring into our lives a closeness with our Creator and will help us to be more at peace, free of
anxiety, worries or fear.
Taking on too much, wanting to be “in
control,” or feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders are
signs of being out of balance spiritually. This will also impact your
thinking and your emotional well-being, as well as body balance.
Start now to assess your balance and experience life more fully!
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