Oh, balance.
Some days I think that I have it all figured out. I hop out of bed when my alarm goes off. The birds are chirping, I’m meditating and working out, eating healthy and drinking enough water. I’m smiling and saying hello to strangers on the street and nothing can ruin my day. It’s bliss.
Then there are days when all it takes is some jerk honking at me in traffic (for something that was totally not my fault!) to completely ruin my day. Then I try to make myself feel better about everything with a donut.
It doesn’t take much to push most of us off balance. One little thing can trigger an avalanche of bad behavior that can last for days or even months, sometimes an entire lifetime. So how do we find our way back to that bliss?
Here are 4 things you can do to get yourself closer to center:
1. Take time for yourself
It doesn’t have to be a lot of time. Just a few minutes. Every. Day. Take time to turn off the devices. Give yourself silence and peace and just be still. This might feel uncomfortable at first and that’s okay. Use the time to assess yourself and find those things that are sneaking up on you that can potentially sabotage your emotional well-being. Note them, see them coming. Don’t attempt to wrestle them to the ground, just see them coming. If you can, carve out some you time that’s a little longer. Maybe it’s weekly, maybe more or less. Treat yourself to something that is good for you AND makes you feel good. Acupuncture is a great way to do just that.
2. If it’s bothering you, pay attention
There are so many distractions in a day that it is easy to overlook or ignore the things that are really bothering us until things get really bad and we are headed for a crash. Don’t let it get ugly. Tune into yourself, turn up the sound of your own needs, and then be proactive. Fix what’s not working, and give yourself the attention you need. You may not be first on the list of people that you have to take care of, but you shouldn’t be the last either.
3. Don’t give up
To find balance, first you have to try, and then you have to not give up. Sometimes you won’t be able to get up off the floor. Sometimes you’ll have to stay there for a minute and nurse your wounds. Sometimes you’re just going to feel like being lazy or bad or whatever and that’s okay too, as long as you don’t let it become your new normal. As soon as you can, get your train back on the tracks and get it moving again. Go back to step one and gently sit in the stillness with yourself. Just because you’ve had a setback doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it just means you have another opportunity to try again. I believe in you.
4. Be kind
Go easy on yourself. Life can be disappointing, unfair, sometimes even unbearable. Be proud of who you are and how far you’ve come. Keep trying, because you’re worth it. You can do it. Most of all, be kind to yourself and others, because we all need and deserve to be treated with kindness. And that can make all the difference when the honking starts.