WHY BALANCE IS KEY TO LIVE A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE
Balance is the key
I don’t only believe that balance is the key to a happy and successful life. I have experienced it firsthand.
Balance has been a powerful manifestation tool for me. Since I found and worked on improving balance in all aspects of my life, not only I am a happier, calmer, and healthier person. It feels like I've opened the magical box of synchronicities.
Balance it’s at the core of my studies and teachings. What I want for you is to find more balance in your life. For you to understand what it is and how to find it.
And for you to see how balance will lead you to manifest the life you've always wanted.
The meaning of balance in Ayurveda
I know what you might be thinking, I cannot give the same attention to each of the aspects of my life. And here’s the problem, a lot of people think that balance means equality. I wouldn’t say it like that.
Balance means giving each part of your life the correct amount of care and attention. So what are the different aspects of our life that we should balance?
Our western society identifies 4 areas in our lives.
Growth: what you achieve through your career, learning, curiosity, and creativity.
Health: Also called wealth, physical, emotional, and financial.
Environment
People
I come back from an Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Background. Many of my teachings are focused on, and inspired by the ayurvedic meaning of balance. Ayurveda is a centuries-old tradition of holistic health and wellness. The Ayurveda traditional system is more than 5000 years old, and as relevant today as it was before. Ayurveda bases its teachings on basic universal concepts or elements. Those elements are everywhere and from where everything is created.
Let me explain! The Ayurveda system believes that the universe is made of five elements (Panch Mahabhutas). Those elements are - Space (Akasha), Air (Vayu), Fire (Agni), Water (Jal) and Earth (Prithvi). Ayurveda focuses on keeping the balance of those elements in order for us to have a healthy mind and body. We can find those elements in our life. Our Food. Our movements. Our habits, Our surroundings, and everywhere.
The different amounts of those elements form three energy types or Doshas (Vata - Air and Ether, Pitta - Fire and Water, and Kapha - Earth and Water). When any of the elements are out of balance within our energy type, we can experience illness, both mental and physical. In our cultures, we tend to believe that everything that happens TO US is because of an external factor. It’s always the economy, your boss, your boyfriend… But what Ayurveda states is, that what happens around us is a reflection of what’s going on inside us. The right balance of these elements is the key. Only when we are in balance in our body & mind then we are healthy and grounded. It's then we live a relaxed, satisfied, fulfilled, and successful. But those Doshas are not static. Each season of your life will require you to prioritize a different element. We’re constantly evolving, changing, and adapting, bringing me to the next point.
Creating Balance Requires Awareness
Awareness is major to find balance in your life. Our identity or personality changes depending on the environment we live in (or circumstances that surround us). Our environment shapes our behavior and our behavior shapes our personality. Identity and personality are fluid. The Organizational psychologist, and writer, Benjamin Hardy says. When I talk about the environment, I point to everything that it’s external and present in your life. Home, work, relationships, rest, hobbies, physical activities, books, music, etc.
In short. If we’re constantly changing and being affected by our environment. We need to have the awareness to recognize, at any given time, which are the aspects of our life that need to have more weight and attention.
The concept of awareness is a mental concept. It's sensory-based and allows us to be more present in the world around us. Awareness itself is not enough and It should lead to mindfulness.
Ellen J. Langer defines mindfulness as awareness of context. Being present to the world around you and how it influences you. For example, if you just had a kid, you will need to give more weight time, and attention to that particular area of your life. But here’s the thing, are you giving a 100% to that part and neglecting others?
Here are some questions for you to assess where you are in your life. They will help you be aware of your context and identify the areas that need more attention.
Are you aware of the balance you have in your life?
How much balance do you have in your life?
Which are the parts that will need more attention?
What are the parts of yourself that you’re neglecting?
Balance is not something we find by chance. We have to create it by ourselves.
You have to proactive create balance. We're not static, our personalities are fluid. You see... Creating balance is something that will need constant introspection and reassessment. You will have to make a sustained effort to maintain that balance. Identify the things that throw you out of it in each situation and recalibrate them as you go. The danger here might be to be caught up in the how. We’re meant to think that we have to do it all perfectly, but that’s not the goal of being proactive in finding balance. Balance is not about doing, is about being. Is about you being present in every aspect of your life.
You are present in what is important and fulfilling to you. You have to notice that, once an aspect of your life is out of balance, you should give it less attention and focus on something else that will bring you more energy to re-engage with that part later. Balance is self-love and self-care. Balance means that what you’re doing is aligned with who you want to be. Is doing things in a way that your future self will be thankful for.
Is the concept of “what got you here won’t get you there”. Ask yourself, if you were balanced, wouldn't you already be where you wanted? Being proactive about creating balance in your life is an investment in your future self, not a cost. So, if you think it’s too hard to do it, think about where you want to be in 2 years, and ask yourself:
Is what I am doing now going to help me get where I want to be?
What is the part or parts of my life that I need more of to be where I want?
What are the parts of my life I need to give less to?
To Create Balance You Have To Embrace Life Dualities
Creating our own balance means also we have to learn how to embrace life's dualities.
Here’s the thing, life is not linear. We’re not meant to feel happy all the time, and the fact is that discomfort is necessary for growth. Ancient cultures knew of the importance of balance.
The Yin and Yang Chinese concept is clear. Life is cyclical, a combination of opposite forces that are needed in order for this universe and life to exist. Day & night, female and male, death and birth. We find unity by accepting the duality in our lives.
We have to learn that there are ups and downs. There are good times and bad. There is joy and challenge. There is moving and rest and there is holding and letting go.
Every decision we make brings the possibility of different outcomes. It’s should I do this or that? Matt Heigh in his book The midnight library quotes. “ Every life contains many millions of decisions. Some big, some small. But every time some decision is taken over another, the outcomes differ. An irreversible variation occurs, which in turn leads to further variations..”
When our decisions are made out of balance and harmony, we make better decisions. They are aligned with who we want to be, and with our values. With balance, we don’t create out of fear when things are tough and are not going the way we want them to go.
Balance helps us make decisions based on love. You accept the duality of life. You accept that every situation can be to your advantage. Every difficulty it’s an opportunity to re-calibrate your balance and align with new values and goals.
Only when we are aware and open for both sides of everything in life we can strive towards the middle, to the center, towards balance and peace. It’s through balance that we find growth.
As John C. Maxwell said “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” Some things in our life will be out of our control, even emotions are not logical. Balance will be your stronghold that supports you through the storm, giving you meaning and purpose.
Balance is the key to everything, and it's multi-dimensional. It should be present in everything we do, think, say, or feel. When we find balance between all those things, magic happens. Balance will allow you to create the life you want, connect with your purpose, and push through hard times.
The Consequences Of An Unbalanced Life
The hard truth is that balance is the unicorn of our society. We all know how beautiful and magical is, but we also believe it doesn't exist.
We live in a fast, impatient world. We’re made to believe that we need to be efficient, produce more, create more, and work more. We all have bills to pay, and people that depend on us.
The pressure is real so we ignore balance. We push it because we think hustle culture is what brings us success. If we don't work hard, things won't come to us. Our society tells us that to be successful we have to sacrifice ourselves. It strikes me how a society that proclaims individuality, at the same time, makes us live for everything and everyone else! (Tweet this!)
Hustle culture is creating more failure than success and has also been the cause of mental and physical illnesses. We humans don’t value things until they're lost. Is not different with balance. The effects of the lack of balance in our lives can be devastating and have serious consequences.
Lack of balance causes burnout, depression, lack of motivation, lack of clarity, lack of connection, anger and bitterness in our lives. When we stretch too much towards one aspect or element in our lives, the rest of the elements fall like a house of cards. Coming back from ground zero then is not easy, comfortable, or funny.
Summarizing, creating balance is a choice. Is making conscious changes in your life that are in alignment with who you really are.
And when you are YOU the universe delivers
❤︎