Recently, we wrote about the importance of movement, and just how important rest is. I appreciate these two polar opposite topics being discussed because it brings up something that has been my number one concern lately, balance. To me, balance is that period of time where the mind, body, and heart (or soul) are in equilibrium. It’s where not too much energy is expended towards any one of these three, and on the flipside, not any one of them is neglected.

The reason this has been such a concern for me recently is that I realized I have a strong tendency to focus too strongly on one thing; to put all my eggs in one basket. For example, when I look in the mirror and observe that I may have gained a pound or two in the wrong place, I shift all my focus towards losing that weight and begin to neglect the other things in my life.

When we shift our focus towards something, our energy naturally flows in that direction. To my previous example, when I hold in my mind that I must get my exercise done because I need to lose this weight ASAP, I am not only spending more energy doing the exercise, but I am expending more energy simply thinking about how I must get this exercise done today. This can lead to a disruption of equilibrium. Because I am so concerned with losing this weight, I become less concerned with the things that are fulfilling to the mind and soul. The more time spent overly-focused on one thing can eventually lead to my other uplifting habits, such as those that fulfill the mind or soul, falling off or taking a backseat.

Balance can be disrupted by focusing too much on either mind, body, or soul as a priority. As I’ve written about previously, I am a practitioner of the Transcendental Meditation technique. I greatly enjoy my meditation and hold my practice very sacred; it is one of my foundational habits. I can feel how my meditation keeps me grounded in a place that is beyond my thoughts, thus providing my heart with fulfillment. With this said, if I spent too much time meditating every day, the other things in my life would get neglected. My body would slowly atrophy or I would gain weight, and my mind would likely feel cloudy and unfocused.

Thankfully, because I am a student and language learner, I find my intellectual side fulfilled without seeking extra activities. Indeed, life in the current informational age tends to automatically shift one’s focus towards fulfillment of the mind or intellect. I would imagine if you were to ask people out of mind, body and soul, which one they feel is the most satiated, most would probably say mind. For this reason, there is a certain onus for one to consciously develop habits that fulfill the other two categories. An overactive mind without balance very easily leads to anxiety, sleeplessness and even anger.

Achieving balance in your life might feel tricky at first, especially if you have shifted so far in the direction of only one of these categories. It would probably help to write down or at least mentally list the habits and activities that fit into the neglected categories and then integrate them into your life. Remember to take it slow and be kind to yourself. Rushing into things or completely aiming your energy in the other direction is a recipe for disaster. Picture yourself walking on a balance beam. If you started to feel your weight pull you to the right, you wouldn’t then lean your entire body weight to the left. Instead, you would gradually shift your weight to the left until your center of gravity is found. It’s about finding balance and you can’t make sudden, jerky changes to find it. Instead it is brought by intention and gradual shifts

Listen to the neglected parts of yourself. Are you intellectually stimulated but lacking the feeling of wholeness that the soul provides? Or are you spending our days thinking about how you can’t wait to get to the gym later and take some shirtless selfies? Either way, work to find your balance. You might even end up a meditating intellectual who also likes to take shirtless gym pictures. As I mentioned at the start of the blog, balance is my number one priority, because contained within a balanced lifestyle, is mind, body and soul. And once you are operating with these in equilibrium, everything like life throws at you just becomes much easier to deal with.