Finding Balance

I think balance is like perfection, and not totally achievable in this life. But that shouldn't stop us from working toward it.





My life is far more balanced than it has ever been. I'm happier. I'm a better teacher. I feel better. I've been really pleased with my recent goals to do at least some singing practice and exercise every day. Somedays it's very little, but it's something and I feel good about it. In those areas of my life I'm doing a much better job.





I'm also getting better at limiting work. OK, considering the hours I've put in in the last couple of weeks, it doesn't look like it, but let me tell you about some of my new successes. First, I set limits as to how late I would teach and decided not to teach on Saturdays. I've set general guidelines before, but if a student I really wanted to work with needed a time that was inconvenient for me, I would let them have that time. For the first time ever, I was able to fill my school day schedule the way I wanted it. That allows me to be pickier about the after school lessons. Today I also noticed when I was getting tired and made a list of the things that I didn't get to so I can do them at some other time. In the past, I would just stay and work and make myself sick.





Now to the areas I'm not doing so well in. I think I either ate out or stopped at the grocery store for a ready to eat meal nearly every day this week. This is not good for my budget or my diet. But, until I get even better at limiting my work and stopping when I start to get tired, it's not going to change. Sometimes by the time I leave work I just don't have the energy to go home and cook. And if I just don't eat, I get sick. Also, in that exhausted state, the foods I usually want are not usually the ones that I know my body really needs. I've managed to stay pretty good about getting my minimum of 5 fruits and veggies a day, but the sugar and fat consumption has been out of control. Yes, I know I quit, but a couple of weeks ago I thought that one cookie wouldn't hurt. Someone please remind me that this is one area of my life that I can't work for moderation, but need to just completely avoid that garbage.





The thing is, I'm an addict. I know that in the long run I feel much worse from all the sugar, etc., but when I don't feel well, there is nothing and I mean nothing that makes me feel as good. And it's not even the chemical reaction from the sugar. It's the process of eating. I feel better before the sugar has even hit my stomach.

So, if I can manage to get the exercising, practicing, and eating all working well at the same time, what else in my life is going to fall out of balance?

Several years ago, the theme of a church meeting I attended was "Finding Balance". The first 2 speakers were 20 years old (give or take a year) and ensured us that balance was totally possible if we just did A,B, and C. The next speakers were a couple with small children who told us that balance was difficult but something that should be possible. At this point, I was rather discouraged instead of inspired. The last speaker was older and had had much more life experience. His was the council I needed to hear. He said that when he noticed that he was spending too much time with work and not enough with th family, that he would shift his focus more to his family. Then he would notice that he wasn't doing all he should with his church assignment,so he'd shift focus again and on and on. Some on the congregation may have been discouraged to hear that this man we all respected couldn't manage to get his life in balance. I found it refreshing. To me, he was saying, "It's not going to be perfect. Just keep trying."

So, I'm going to follow that advice and do the only thing I really can do and just keep trying.