3 Mindful Steps to Practice Balance

Life, have a healthy life for me is the living art of balance. Balance is a beautiful concept, rooted in the exquisite imagery of Yin and Yang. For most of us, the attempt at balance is more like a circus act of hither and thither, with multiple moving parts flying about our worlds in an unpredictable and mysterious way. As we all strive for our perfectly expressed version of “just the right amount,” it’s important to remember a few essential things to the practice of balance.

1) Let go of perfection

There is never a perfect, “just so” amount of anything in life. Every day is a unique experience where you will require varying amounts of practically everything: sleep, food, leisure, work, etc. What held true for you a week ago might not be the right recipe for balance this week. We must be willing to let go of the idea of balance and come in contact with the feeling of balance as it is expressed moment to moment. Give yourself full permission to let balance be a conversation that evolves and changes as you do, to have a health for me today with yoga

2) Be forgiving

Balance is something to strive for, certainly, but be forgiving with yourself if balance doesn’t prevail. It is so easy to be hard on yourself for not hitting the target when it comes to balance, but this goal is often a moving target! So we must be compassionate with ourselves and know that sometimes we will exercise balance perfectly and other times balance will be nowhere in sight. We can hold this framework for living as a great goal, but not something we are attached to so completely that when we aren’t successful, the result is self-attack and judgment.

3) Get Inspired

When you feel like you are struggling to cultivate the delicate nature of balance in your life, look to the things and people that are doing it with grace. This beautiful Earth is such an exquisite example of natural balance, like the dance of day and night. And even with this, nature is teaching us that balance is hardly ever perfect. There are only two days out of 365—the spring and fall equinoxes—where the balance between day and night is perfectly aligned. The rest of the time, things are slightly “off.” I am often amazed at the people in my life, particularly women, who are masters at the art of balance. Look to those who do it well and be inspired by how they do.

Certain areas to strive for balance are the following:

• Work and play
• Solitude and community
• Home and travel
• Responsible choices and taking chances
• Saving and spending
• Friends and family
• Eating for health and eating for pure pleasure

Wherever you are in your own personal quest for balance, know that you are in the right place, even if things shake out a little uneven in the end. Just as we seek balance, balance is constantly seeking us. Relax into this life art, have a healthy mind with yoga, taichi, meditation. It will never be perfect, and that is just perfect.