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The Myth of Balance
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FINDING TRUE FOOTING IN A CHAOTIC WORLD
I think I can confidently say that we all long to find balance in life. I know I do. I love a well ordered life.
For years I thought that balance meant all the areas of my life deserved my equal and undivided attention. But then an area would get hijacked and my previously well balanced life tilted sideways and now hung crooked and out of whack. The tension I felt in trying to make everything work was frustrating. I thought it was me. That somehow I was just really bad at this balance thing.
Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy released a book called “Living Forward.” There were many challenges in this book that changed how I started approaching life.
However, in regards to balance it was this particular paragraph that stopped me:
“We fool ourselves if we think balance means giving equal attention to everything in our lives. Balance only happens in dynamic tension. Balance is giving not equal but appropriate attention to each of the various categories of your life.” ( Daniel Harkavy – Living Forward )
Maybe you’ve figured this out long ago, but for me it was a whole new way of embracing this idea of balance.
Instead of trying to balance everything equally I now approach the things on my plate by asking these 3 questions:
1) Is this something that should be on my plate right now?
2) If the answer to that question is yes: How much appropriate attention will this realistically take in this season?
3) Am I ok with the tension this is going to create? If so, how do I handle that tension in a healthy way in order to stay in balance?
I challenge you to look at the things on your plate right now. All of it. Family, Self, Business, Relationships, Community activities. Are all those things getting the appropriate amount of attention they need in this season? If not, why? Is it because there is too much on the plate? If so, what needs to go from that list?
Take some time to sit down and answer these things honestly. Remember, we are meant to thrive, not just survive this life.
This leadership and living well encouragement is an excerpt from Founder of Bear Creek Outdoor Living, Victoria Mininger. She is an avid writer and loves to encourage and inspire leaders to thrive and lead well.
You can read the full text here: The Myth of Finding Balance: Finding True Footing in a Chaotic World. Find more of her recent writings, listen to podcasts she’s shared on or connect with her for speaking engagements on her website: victoriamininger.com.