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LIFE BALANCE

Written by: Jonathan Payne

Article Overview: A well balanced life is a life which gives attention to activities in each of the following four areas: physical, mental, social and community. Just as a healthy, balanced diet is made up of food from each of the main food groups, so a healthy, balanced life includes activities from each of these areas.

LIFE BALANCE

Around the rim of my car’s wheels are small lead weights. They seem quite insignificant and I can honestly say that they are not on the top of my list of things to think about while driving. Actually I don’t think about much while I’m driving, so the chances of little lead weights spinning around on the wheels entering my radar of conscious thought are extremely remote.

Nevertheless, those odd shaped bits of lead play a vital role in my driving experience. Without them, the car would shake and shudder and the tyres would wear down rapidly and a multitude of other horrible things would happen. The weights are there to balance the wheels. And while I seldom give any thought to them, I would notice immediately if they went missing. Driving would become very uncomfortable.

Balance is one of life’s essential ingredients. When you get it right, the journey becomes a lot more comfortable.

Many people live right out of balance. One or two areas of life absorb most of their attention, while other important areas are neglected. Family life might be neglected in favour of work. Financial gain might dominate and relationships suffer. Overemphasis might be given to academic achievement while spiritual development is neglected.

In broad terms, a well balanced life is a life which gives attention to activities in each of the following four areas: physical, mental, social and community. Just as a healthy, balanced diet is made up of food from each of the main food groups, so a healthy, balanced life includes activities from each of these areas.

In what way are you paying attention to your physical needs? Are you getting enough exercise, eating a healthy diet and cutting down on unhealthy habits?
How about learning something new? You might take a course in a subject that interests you, or you might read a book in an area of interest which differs from your usual reading. If you enjoy novels, try biography. If you usually read thrillers, go for history. Expose yourself to new realms of learning. Libraries are wonderful places. I can experiment with new areas of reading, and if I don’t like the book, I just take it back!

On the social front, be careful to nurture friendships. Make new friends. Join a club or service organization. If your work colleagues are the only people you speak to regularly, it’s time to bring out another lead weight to balance the wheel.

Find ways to serve your community. Some people are very quick to complain about how bad things are. But they are not that keen to offer suggestions to improve the situation, and even less keen to actually do something. Make your area a better place. You might volunteer to help in a social service, or you can do something as simple as maintaining the verge in front of your house or cleaning the pavement in front of your workplace. A multitude of small things put together make a great difference.

Take time out to assess your life. Are you being fair to all aspects of your life, or are you a little lopsided? What aspects of your life are taking up too much of your energy, and how could you find better balance by devoting more energy to other areas?

These don’t have to be huge commitments. Like the small lead weights on the car wheels, they might not seem like much in themselves, but the slight adjustments can make life’s journey so much more comfortable.

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Article Tags: academic achievement, balanced life, driving experience, eating a healthy diet, essential ingredients, favour, financial gain, food groups, healthy balanced diet, life is a life, multitude, paying attention, rim, spiritual development, thrillers, top of my list, two areas, tyres, unhealthy habits, weights



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