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Perhaps it’s because I’m a triple Libra ––Sun, Moon and Rising––that balance is such a powerful theme in my life. When those scales are tipped, even in the slightest way, it throws me off and it’s not always––actually, ever easy to get back to center. The great irony here is that you first need to know how you feel when you’re in balance in order to know what it feels like to be out of it!
I’m not talking about the oft-discussed work/life kind of balance here! Experience has shown me that if I’m not balanced within myself, every aspect of my life is affected, work or otherwise. Indeed, as the title of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s bestseller proclaims, Wherever You Go, There You Are! By the way, if you find meditation helpful in centering yourself, give this a read if you haven’t already done so.
So often it seems like the world is designed to throw us off balance. On any given day, who among us hasn’t had their scales tipped? “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,” writes life coach, Gina Pilon in 10 Things Throwing Us Off Balance "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.”
"Getting in balance is not so much about adopting new strategies to change your behaviors, as it is about realigning yourself in all of your thoughts so as to create a balance between what you desire and how you conduct your life on a daily basis,” offered Dr. Wayne Dyer, renowned author, and speaker in the field of self-development.
Having adopted new behavioral strategies (or tried to) more than once in my life, I’ve discovered that you don’t simply realign yourself once and live happily balanced ever after. Oh, hell no! Because we are constantly growing and evolving, our “centers” shift and we are forever a work in progress.
“While meditation, medication, and exercise are often cited as being among the best tools a professional can use to achieve a healthier, more balanced outlook, there are plenty of other effective methods of centering yourself and staying grounded in a professional context. “ A panel of Forbes Coaches Council Members share creative strategies for doing so in 14 Creative Ways Professionals Can Get Centered And Stay Grounded
Full disclosure, I used to freak out whenever I felt out of balance – today, not so much. Now I seek out ways to bring me back home to myself: having a great laugh works wonders -check out the Graham Norton Show or Carpool Karaoke on YouTube. Or having a good cry, which I usually achieve by listening to music that touches my soul. However you choose to realign yourself, please remember…
“The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you’ve lost it.” ~Anonymous