Finding Balance

BLOG POST #9 – BALANCE

Picture this… back in kindergarten, you’re outside for recess on the merry-go-round and it gets spinning just a little too fast. Your grip tightens on the metal bars, the ground below starts to blur, and you wonder… “How do I get off? Do I jump and risk hurting myself in the fall? Do I stay on and hope I don’t get dizzy and pass out or throw up? Do I wait and ride it out hoping the spin ends soon?” 

Fast forward to college and the beginning of officially being an adult. The balance of friends, family, work, and relationships seem to spin you around faster than you could imagine. As young adults, balance becomes more of a fitness ideology than reality in our daily lives, spinning us back to the merry-go-round of our younger days where balance was all we needed to stay on.

First, it’s class deadlines, and social functions. Then, after graduation, work calls asking if you can do this and do that and help him and help her; all while trying to get into an exercise routine, pay the bills, explore your new city, be a part of the social scene. 

Maybe you start dating someone and you’re adjusting to the new relationship while trying to manage the laundry list of responsibilities already on your plate, and it’s a call from the boys for a round of golf, or a girls night out (as if that’s gonna make it any easier?!).

Then it’s family events or selfish desires: “I’m doing this.” “I want to go here.” 

We’re left with this sense of wonder, and the question spinning in our head, how do I balance the expectations cast on me? We get stuck in the merry-go-round of life and the attempt to find our balance. We can start to feel like we’re losing our footing, becoming overwhelmed with what to do and how to accomplish the tasks at hand. Even asking ourselves, “Is this normal? I didn’t sign up for this.” Task by task, event by event our plate begins to pile up. We go to step off the merry-go-round and we’re pulled right back on by the centrifugal force of the demands placed on us. The “what-ifs” and “how to” and the “do I’s” seem to add to the centrifugal force holding us on the merry-go-round, making every attempt to dismount just slightly more difficult.

            So, what do we do? How do we say no? How do we delegate tasks and get ahead of our to-do lists? 

            Find balance. And goodness, it’s difficult (no secret there). Unfortunately, between social media and the group texts, constant invites from friends, family, etc., we can begin to experience FOMO to the max! But it’s ok to say no. It’s ok to take a step back and check your priorities. Drag your foot off the merry-go-round to slow the spin of the to-dos and expectations.

 A few ways to help…

First, there’s a saying my dad always told me that has helped me out a lot and it goes, “Schedule your priorities, don’t prioritize your schedule.” When you schedule your priorities, you can control the balance. You can set yourself up for success by being able to plan ahead and know when you’re busy and when you’re free. Then, you can balance the spin by planning personal down time, making it a priority that you schedule.

Next, with scheduling comes communication. Now take it from me firsthand, balancing communication can be tough. As a people pleaser, I have struggled with this for a long time.  I want to say yes to everyone, which in turn, stretched me and my relationships thin by doing “too much”. If you communicate about your priorities and the desires and demands of things happening around you, you’re able to establish what works best for you and balance what’s being asked of you. This means effective communication to your friends, boss, family, significant other. When something is asked of us or we are invited to something, we need to be straightforward about if that’s something we are able to do. If not, it needs to be communicated as to set clear boundaries in ourselves. When you trust/confide in your friends or significant other – they can hold you accountable to balance your to-do list and desires and allow you to slow the merry-go-round of life.

Another way to help, trust in God. This may be somewhat new to a few of you. But speaking from personal experience, it’s helped me immensely. The mantra of “Let go and let God” has allowed me to trust in His plan for me.  Praying about decisions or tasks at hand can help release some of the stress and balance things a little bit better. Proverbs 11:1 says, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” When we look at it that way, knowing that God’s values balance and understands it from our perspective, can provide the encouragement that we aren’t on the merry-go-round of life alone.  We can lean on His guidance and support as a hand to hold to step out of the spin and stand in the balance.

In the craziness of the world today, these strategies have helped me create a sense of balance. My hope is that this helps you wherever you are at, whatever you are dealing with; to help keep your footing, slow the spin of the merry-go-round, and establish balance.

WORKOUT

It only seems fitting that when it comes to balance, we should take part in some stretching/functional movement – as we need balance in our workouts just as we need balance in our lives.

Block 1:
Standing Toe Touch – hold for 10sec x 3 sets
Right over Left Toe Touch – hold for 10sec x 3 sets
Left over Right Toe Touch – hold for 10sec x 3 sets

Block 2:
1. Deep squat hold (heels planted) – hold for 10sec x 3 sets (stand up between)
2. Soldier walk (alternating legs) – 5 reps ea. Leg x 2
3. High Knee w/ Pull – 5 times ea. Leg x 2

Block 3:
1. Right arm across body – hold for 10sec x 3 sets
2. Left arm across body – hold for 10sec x 3 sets
3. Right elbow pulled over head – hold for 10sec x 3 sets
4. Left elbow pulled over head – hold for 10sec x 3 sets

Block 4:
1. Plank walk outs (inch worms) – 5 reps x 3 sets
2. Spiderman Stretch (alternating legs) – 3 times ea. leg for 10sec hold
3. Downward Dog Stretch – hold for 10sec x 3 sets