Well-Balanced Life

As we get older, and as our life situation changes, we often stop doing one thing or another that was a part of our lives before. For example, often in retirement, we trade using analytical skills at our jobs for relaxing, socializing or traveling. We may stop or start exercising based on the weather or on where we live or how we feel. We may start and stop socializing because we changed jobs or moved to a new location. These things are usually not changed with a lot of conscious thought; the situation just demands the changes.

It is important that we exercise all parts of ourselves, mind, body and spirit. Humans are meant to express themselves through their analytical skills and logic, their thinking, their emotions and feelings, their sensations and body, their spirit or soul, their intuition and dreams, and through creative endeavors. While most of us are stronger in one or more of these areas, all parts are needed for a healthy, well-balanced life.

My previous career was in computers. Very analytical, very logical. In fact, the caricature of computer people is one of being a geek or egghead and somewhat of a social misfit. My artistic side was dormant, pretty much ignored. When I changed careers to coaching, I also started expressing my creativity through pottery, through paper arts and collage and through singing. This all felt and feels really good. But I really didn't have a place to express my analytical and logical self. I picked up creativity and dropped the analytical, logical side. I felt some boredom and some dis-ease, but couldn't quite figure out what was causing it. Recently, I realized that this had occurred and have begun to add analytical activities to my life. For example, I just started reading a quantum physics book (for laymen). It requires me to really think and analyze in order to understand.

To see if this is true for you, answer the following questions:

1. How do I express in my daily life my thinking part (logic, analysis),
my sensation or body part (exercise, tactile sense),
my spiritual part (intuition, dreams, meditation, etc.)
and my feeling/emotional part?
2. Which of these am I particularly strong in and what areas do I use only a little or not at all?
3. What recent (in the past five years) changes in my life have changed what parts of myself I use and depend on?
4. Is there any area that needs some attention in order to achieve more balance?

Get balanced and healthier by using all of your gifts and talents, your human qualities. Challenge yourself to add in what's missing and see what difference it makes in your life.

Please leave comments if you found this intriguing or helpful.

All blog content is copyrighted, all rights reserved, Mary Anne Fields and Life Unfolds, 2006