if i’m not mistaken, most of us grew up in a time when balance was all the rage. for many of us, it still is. we seek it like a lion hunts a gazelle on the great plains of africa, pouncing on it just in time to watch it leap nimbly out of reach. then it’s back to the starting gate to plan and plot again for the next hunt. if only we could find the ever-allusive balance we crave, we tell ourselves, we’d never go hungry again.

but i’m here to tell quite a different story. one that will turn this concept of balance right on its head. and thank goodness too, because the stress and anxiety and disappointment that goes along with always striving for balance can be turned upside down too. after decades of grasping at balance only to come up empty-handed, i’ve finally thrown all caution to the wind and yelled up into the vastness of the heavens, “there has to be a better way!”

and it turns out there is. i’ve spent the last five years seeking something quite the opposite of balance. you see, i used to be a strong type A personality, always a sucker for the next 30 day challenge, the perfectly scheduled (balanced) calendar, and the color-coded calorie-counting spreadsheet. i truly believed i could fit it all in, as soon as i could come up with the perfect routine to hold all my momentum in its proper place. my to-do list was way too long, my not-to-do list was way too short, and my purpose was nowhere to be found. i was trying so desperately to fit it all in that i’d all but forgotten why i was trying so hard. looking back, and its obvious to me now, i was sorely out of balance and woefully in need of perspective.

so where did all my balance go? well you can’t really lose something you never had in the first place, but i like to say that i’ve let go of my expectations of balance to the point where i can breathe again. in other words, i’ve re-purposed my intentions using patience, empowerment, peace, and presence. like most everything else, i learned that balance is only a concept, and intangible end-of-the-rainbow kind of thing. i want to help you, and continue to help me, set our sights on a different pot of gold, so to speak. one that will bring us many more riches than we ever dreamed possible, especially since balance is no longer part of our new equation.

so for now, just entertain the idea. the possibility that striving for balance in life might not be all that its cracked up to be. and although this looks different for each of us, always seeking a future sense of perfect balance can potentially leave you cold when you take an honest look at the present moment. so ask yourself, what would life look like if you chose instead to embrace the imbalance, the imperfect schedules, the undone calendars, and the unpredictable pitch of life’s curve balls? how do you see balance playing out in your life now, do you want to change your view, and how would you begin to make the shift?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for your valuable input and open conversation!