What does balance mean to you?

When I first heard someone say ‘Balance is a verb, not a noun’, I switched off. I had an instant recall of hot afternoons being dragged through English language classes, looking out of the window, with my mind elsewhere.  However, the saying returned to me a few days later, and during a dog walk the truth of the phrase struck me and settled into being.

We all strive for that long sought after concept of balance. The place where everyone’s needs are met and you are ticking the boxes in every part of your life. You have called your mum, cooked dinner, got the difficult project at work over the line on time, had a date night with your partner, and even fitted in time for a run. You are nailing it. However, the following day, the bus is late, you forget to pack your daughter’s swimming costume for school (this certainly didn’t happen to me this morning), you have an argument with your partner about money, and you annoy someone at work. All before midday. You feel like you are letting everyone, including yourself, down. You cant seem to grip the magic glue that was holding everything together just yesterday. You feel frustrated, annoyed, exhausted and alone. Constantly feeling this way can lead to burn out, stress and exhaustion.

This is what happens when we see balance as a noun. A destination. A thing in its own right. A place to get to. You either have it or you don’t. However, if we switch this around and see balance as a verb, an act, occurrence or state of being, this changes. Balance isn’t binary. It is a thing in action, constantly changing, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes we feel more balanced than others.

During the times where we are feeling very balanced, it is important to consciously make a mental note of it, think about what was working for you at that time, and what that feels like to you, both emotionally and physically. This can in turn help you notice when things aren’t feeling quite in balance, and give you pointers about what works for you to try and move the dial back towards a calmer place. The important thing is to remember that wherever you are today on the balance spectrum, this, like all things, will change.

Please get in touch if you feel like you may need a bit of support in moving the dial.