Portland Therapy, Counseling, Coaching, Massage, Acupuncture, EFT

Balance? What is it and how do I find it?

Balance is experienced differently by everyone but may elicit some or all of the following feelings:

• You feel you have enough time for family and work and self
• Life "flows" and feels relatively effortless
• When something in your life breaks down (baby sitter gets sick, the car breaks) you have the resources to cope
• You feel you are on the path you want to be on personally, professionally, emotionally, physically, spiritually.

Balance has some characteristics:

• It is not a constant, it comes and goes as you, your family and the world change
• It has to be worked at: it is a process
• The process of seeking balance can be stimulating and a true learning experience clarifying what is important to you, your values and your priorities

How do you get balance?
There are many components to finding balance, many that you know consciously and unconsciously. Here are nine suggestions towards finding balance.

• Recognize that balancing your roles as parent, spouse, friend, colleague, professional, etc. is truly work in itself, (so give yourself credit).
• Take time to think about balance in your life and how to get it this week.  What would it look like today?
• Remember yourself, your needs, your wants, your happiness, your feeling of purpose, and accomplishment - this is the ultimate measure of balance for you.
• Have faith there is a way - don’t limit yourself, you will find it.
• Flexibility is important - stay open to new solutions for constantly changing situations. Your balance this week may look very different from your balance next week or next year.
• Know your signs of imbalance, including resentment, fatigue, overwhelm, depression, unhappy family members, dissatisfaction with work.
• Revisit your core values and live them, know what is most important to you today.
• Prioritize your energy; remove, or delegate that which that interferes with your higher priorities.
• Find the joy in the journey, and pursue what gives you joy! 

Keep up the work!

By Rachel Starck, LPC