Friday, April 03, 2015

Life Is A Balancing Act

I once wrote that balance is found in the tension of opposites.  Balance in life can be found at the crossroads of hanging on and letting go.  Unlike the famous bluesman, Robert Johnson, who made a deal with the devil “down at the crossroads”, our deal is with life, not the devil.  Life is a continuous balancing act.  We are formed into the people we are from all of the experiences we’ve had and how we have handled those experiences.  Along the way we have acquired values and beliefs that guide us as we go forward.  It is these values and beliefs that we hang on to as we are tested in life.  What we need to let go of are our insecurities, our fears, our obsessions, our compulsions, and our immature impulses.  Finding balance in life is not easy, even for the most psychologically healthy.  In addition to hanging on and letting go, we also need to look at the activities of our life and how we spend our time.  Many of us have been told by our mothers at one time or another that “we’re burning the candle at both ends”.  All work and no play not only makes Johnny a dull boy, it can make him a stressed out and unbalanced one as well.  Work is not the only culprit.  A life where we are always “on the run” should be balanced with leisure and rest.  Interaction with other people should be balanced with solitude and “me” time.  When one is balanced, one is living a centered life.  When you are centered within yourself, and your life is balanced, you will have peace of mind and the storms of life will not unravel you.  

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