Redefining Balance So We Stop Thinking We’re Doing Life Wrong

 

I have a certain morning routine.

I typed that sentence and immediately – immediately – thought of the many ways my “certain” morning routine is interrupted on any given day.

I walked away from this blog post and made myself a cup of tea. Came back, started typing again, all the while laughing out loud so that my husband said, “What? What?”

I read him what I’d written and he laughed too, because he’s seen my morning routine up close.

Some days my morning goes smoothly. I get up early. Go walk the dog with my husband. Text close friends and family the daily “morning meme.” Have quiet time. Keep the TV on in the background – hey, I like all three hours of the Today show – while diving into writing.

And some days, there’s no routine at all.

Some days I interrupt my schedule on purpose.

Some days things just happen. Phone calls. Appointments. Meetings. Emergencies. We all know how those can happen.

Yesterday, my morning routine was interrupted by the arrival of a neighbor, three barking dogs, and yelling. Me and my neighbor. Not at each other – at the dogs. And let me tell you, that early morning episode unsettled me for a while. I don’t like yelling. At all. And we’ve been dealing with an ongoing family issue which has left me with very little emotional margin.

When people ask me how I’m doing these days, my answer is, “I’m juggling.”  I’ve found all these various GIFs of people juggling – Ha Ha, isn’t it funny? – and I share them. No words. Just a picture because it’s worth a thousand words, right?

Juggling is exhausting. It’s also not supposed to be a full-time gig. Professional jugglers don’t juggle every day, all the time.

Which brings me to the whole idea of balance because juggling involves balance.

My friend Wise Guy and I were talking about balance one day. Wise Guy gave me the best definition of balance – a visual, really. He stood up. Picked one of his feet up off the floor. Leaned back until he was off-balance. And then he proceeded to lean forward and backward, adjusting his position again and again, so that he never lost his balance completely.

Balance is not static.

 Maintaining our balance? It takes work because balance changes with time and circumstances.

Sometimes our morning routine works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

Sometimes we’re only juggling three things.

Sometimes we’re juggling normal life and then a huge, unexpected emergency is added and we’re knocked off balance, but we still have to keep juggling. We have to adjust to keep our balance, too.

And sometimes, sometimes, we have to juggle and balance longer than we expected.

Life is hard. It doesn’t mean we’re doing anything wrong.

It means we’re alive.

I needed this reminder today. Maybe you did too.

You’re doing okay, probably better than you think you are. Breathe. And remember:

Balance is not static.

Keeping our balance means we adjust … adjust … adjust.

Redefining Balance So We Stop Thinking We're Doing Life Wrong http://bit.ly/2mCpoAL #expectations #encouragement #balance
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'Balance makes me grumpy.' Quote by @JennaBushHager http://bit.ly/2mCpoAL #expectations #balance #perspective
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