IT 007: Why Being Off-Balance Is Productive & How The Ideal Of Balance Sucks Energy
Click here for the audio link to today’s Podcast. Or read the transcription of the audio below.
Often, life doesn't look pretty.
Today, my dishes and laundry are overflowing, I have nothing in the fridge besides caramel apples, and half of my life is packed up in boxes.
And this is totally, 100%, okay.
Because... although the dishes are sticky with caramel, they remind me of the hilarious process of making caramel for the first time with my hubby (tip: be patient, laugh a lot, and don't touch the hot caramel).
The crystals scattered around my house are visual reminders of recent, totally amazing, breakthrough coaching sessions.
The clothes on the top of my pile of laundry are glittery from a kick ass dance class.
Life does not have to be balanced to be beautiful.
In today's Intuitive Tuesday Podcast, I'm talking about the pressure of living a balanced life, and I give you some practical homework on how to stay sane, even when you're feeling hopelessly out of balance.
Check out the Podcast here if you have iTunes or an iPad (we're having technical issues, please check back in a few days!). If not, check out the audio here.
Not an audio learner? That's OK. Read the article transcription below.
Today, I want to talk about the illusion of “living a balanced life”, and the damaging effects of the belief that being in balance all the time is ideal.
Let’s start with the idea of “living a balanced life.”
What Does Living a Balanced Life Mean For You?
I often hear my clients describe “living a balanced life” as this ideal state of being where they are exercising all of the time, kicking ass in their career or business, running their household perfectly, remembering to take care of themselves, eating healthy and clean, hanging out with their friends on a regular basis, and being a sexy and put together woman and lover.
Do you know anyone who’s like this all the time?
I sure as hell don’t, and if you think you know someone like this, they are a liar or not human!
The truth is, being completely balanced 100% of the time is unrealistic, and being off balance is necessary, especially at turning points in life.
There is a natural and raw beauty in being off balance.
There was a point in the beginning of my coaching business where I was ready to forge ahead, full force. I just attended a retreat and a coaching convention, and I was ready to rock.
But when I got home, my personal life and marriage quickly started to unravel. I had shifted a lot of beliefs to make room for my business, but the rest of my life hadn’t caught up yet. I had a LOT to work on internally that I was ignoring, and I had to learn how to truly love myself without tying it to anything external.
Getting Pushed Off Balance is The Universe's Way of Nudging Us In the Right Direction
Truthfully, I was forced to get off balance (as we often are) but looking back, it was SO necessary – now my business and marriage are healthier than they ever have been.
I wish I could go back in time and tell myself that! If this resonates with you, please take heart and know that being off balance, even when you don’t know why, is part of the journey.
Be gentle with yourself.
Balance is an illusion – the distribution of energy is a conscious act, and it’s inhumane and even counter productive to ask ourselves to put equal energy into all areas of our life at all times. Go where your intuition is leading you today.
Your Homework: Examine Your Energy & Identify Your Bare Minimum
Now, back to you. Your homework today is has two parts. The first is to check in. Where is your energy going right now? Are you off balance? Is one area of your life receiving more attention than another? Have you been feeling guilty about this?
Next, I want you to identify your area of least effort in the following categories: health, exercise, family, relationships, self care, business/career, intuition/spiritual practice. What is the bare minimum you can do when you can’t summon up 100% energy in this area?
Bare minimum is bare minimum – no shooting for ideal, here. Identifying this can help you get clear on what needs to happen for you to scrape by in all areas.
Extra Resources For More Energy
If you don’t have enough energy to meet your bare minimum requirements, please do (or re-do) my 30 Day Energy Cleanse and stay tuned to my newsletter – I will have extra resources for you soon!