“I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles.” ~Zig Ziglar
“Problems arise in that one has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself.” ~Jessye Norman
“The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you’ve lost it.” ~Anonymous
Finding balance in life has been pretty hot topic over the last couple of decades. I think finding balance is an individual pursuit; it can look different for each person.
Finding balance can depend on your values and priorities in life and these can change over the years as you go through the different stages of life. However, as humans, balance still seems to be an essential part of our overall sense of happiness. Stress, poor relationships, ill health, and depression can all be indicators of a life out of balance.
The key is to know what is throwing us off balance and determining whether or not it is something we have control over and can change. Ultimately we are responsible for the choices we make. If those choices are creating a life unbalanced, which is in turn leading to the obvious indicators, then it is up to us to make different choices, seek help, or change our perspective.
Here is a list of 10 things that can throw us off balance.
1. Time Wasters
Social media, TV, computer games and so forth—you know what these are. In moderation these things aren’t bad. When we use them as distractions, however, they keep us from areas of our life that would add to our overall sense of well-being and success.
2. Should/Expectations
So often we find ourselves doing what everyone else wants us to do to our own detriment. Other people are all too happy to tell us what we should do. When his happens, our choices are based on other people’s expectations as opposed to what we want for ourselves. Always answering to should and other’s expectations can rob you of your life force and leave your own life feeling empty.
3. Lack of Boundaries
We all need boundaries in order to live a life that is respectful to ourselves and others. However, many people don’t set limits and as a result end up living at the command of other people—hurt and powerless. Living a balanced life requires a strong set of personal boundaries.
4. Lifestyle
Let’s face it, our lifestyle has an impact on our health. Eating a poor diet with a lack of appropriate exercise will leave us tired, foggy, and lead to frequent illnesses or even worse, chronic illness. It is very hard to live a life in balance when you are not well.
5. Fear
This one can stop people in their tracks. It keeps you from doing the things that you want to do for yourself. You may fear the disapproval of others, as well as judgment, failure, or even success. Whatever the fear is, it can rob your life of balance in your career, relationships, health, and overall sense of fulfillment and happiness.
6. Lack of Commitment or Conviction
Without commitment and conviction, we often fail at reaching our goals—goals that could have brought more balance to our lives. Behind every goal is a ‘why’ and this ‘why’ needs to be infused with passion and purpose to keep us motivated. If we don’t have a strong ‘why, then we will lack the conviction to succeed.
7. Obligations
Some obligations are essential and we just need to do them as part of life. However, some people just can’t say no and end up with more obligations than their life can hold without throwing it completely off balance. We all want to help people, but suffering in order to do this may not be the best option.
8. Addictions and Obsessions
I put these two together because they can be closely related. Either way, we all know that both addictions and obsessions can wreak havoc on our careers, relationships, and health and create a life totally off balance.
9. Limiting Beliefs
Our beliefs determine our choices. Just because we believe something does not mean it is right. It could be a belief that was adopted in childhood about ourselves that holds us back from going after our dream job, or the right relationship. These beliefs are called limiting because they restrict us from having an abundant and fulfilling life. These beliefs can also damage our relationships with others as we hold dear to these beliefs, protect them, and sacrifice for them.
10. Crisis
Being human also means being exposed to the givens of life. For many, this can mean crisis. Crisis comes in many forms and in varying degrees.
When crisis happens it can be all consuming, and this is when our life goes off balance as we deal with the crisis. This is neither wrong nor right, it just is. The important thing not remaining stuck in crisis mode. We need to do our best, seek help and support if needed, and to get our life back in balance.
Wishing you a great week and that you may find your balance.
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