In Balance - Body, Mind, Spirit
Being in balance is about accepting the imbalanced nature of life. Balancing is a dynamic activity, one that demands perpetual movement. Feeling “out of balance” is about feeling unstable, scattered and insecure in those movements. In some way - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually - we have lost our internal steadiness.
Here are three ways you can keep your body, mind and spirit steady as you balance, juggle and multi-task throughout your day.
Body Balance
Do you ever have to stand in line? Start doing it on one foot. Right foot, left foot. Right foot again, left foot again. Don’t worry if people at the grocery store start to stare. Yes, you may look like a flamingo. But you will be building a strong, solid core.
Public displays of body balancing not for you? Do it at home while you are brushing your teeth or while you are talking on the phone.
Mind Balance
Is it too cliche to suggest a meditation exercise to balance and quiet your chaotic, multi-tasking mind? Of course it is! But nothing beats a bit of meditation to quiet all that mental noise. Try this simple exercise for just ONE minute a day. As time and interest allow, practice for longer and longer periods.
Count to 2. Yep. Just count to 2 for 60 seconds. Stop everything you are doing and sit quietly, close your eyes, breathe gently and count - 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2. This exercise is like drinking a cold glass of water on a hot day. Those 60 seconds will give your racing mind a rest. You will feel clearer, more focused, calm and steadier.
Spirit Balance
Have you ever seen those vintage postcard’s with the sassy slogans? The one that says: “I dreamed my whole house was clean”? Well, imagine for a second your whole house is clean, you are caught up on your email, all your calls are returned, the bills are paid, the errands are done. Your life is in a “perfect” state of balance. Now what? Seriously, this is the exercise. Now what? What move can you make that will keep your life “in balance” and allow you to live? Think about it. If you go make a sandwich, you will have dishes to do. Eventually you will have to go buy more food at the grocery store. (Which is good because you can go stand on one foot while you are in line.) If you sit and watch a movie, the email will start to accumulate again. I think you get the point.
Our spirit hungers for the calm that comes from having “our whole house clean.” But that is just a dream. Being in balance is about living in imbalance. When we stop fighting with ourselves to reach some illusive place of balance, the spirit gets a break. It calms down and starts to feel steadier, more peaceful, in balance.
Please post feedback and share ways you keep body, mind and spirit in balance.
what wise words! So well written too. I am just back from a wonderful trip and can use these words to help the reentry process.