3 Things I’ve Learned About Balance

Written by: T. Lynn Tate, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

With mental health taking its place at the forefront of health talks, balance becomes a hot subtopic as the two seemingly go hand in hand. The big question is, what exactly is balance, and how do you obtain it?

As a wife, mother, family nucleus, talk show host, and business owner, I found myself seeking “balance.” However, first I had to figure out what balance meant as it pertained to daily life. What I discovered was quite interesting. For the longest time, I thought being balanced meant everything in my life received the same amount of energy, time, and attention daily. In a perfectly ideal world, that would undoubtedly be the case. However, I’m an imperfect person living in an imperfect world, so balance looks a little bit different for me. So, if you are anything like me, here are three things I’ve learned about being balanced.

The first thing I learned is that balance is relative, and it looks different for everyone. Just as we all are uniquely different, balance is based on your point of reference and the structure of your daily life. To achieve the right balance for you, take an assessment of your life and discover your priority areas. For one person, the areas of priority may include physical activity, career, and education; for another, it may be spirituality, family, and finances. Discovering these priority areas help you narrow down what truly matters and should be included in your balance equation.

The second thing I learned is that balance works in the sum of 100. Imagine a balance scale. On one side of the scale is you in the sum of 100. On the other side of the scale are your priority areas that need your daily attention. The energy, time, and attention you give to each area do not have to be equal. However, their sum should be no more than your energy sum of 100. Otherwise, you are not balanced.

Lastly, despite how it feels, you can have it all. The key is understanding that just like seasons change, so does the scale of balance in your life. The sum of 100 doesn’t change. However, the distribution for your priority areas will vary based on the season of your life at the time. So yes, when you first start your business, you may spend more hours building your business than you do at home with your family or at the gym working out. During this season, just be sure to make the most of whatever amount of time and energy you have for your other priorities. When I first launched into entrepreneurship, I said to myself, “There is no way I can do this.” But, once I discovered what balance really looked like for my life, I knew it was possible to have it all.

So, when life feels like you’re stretched too thin, and there is just no way you can have it all, take a step back, assess your priorities, and balance your scales. Remember what your balance looks like today may be different six months from now, and that’s ok—balance changes with the seasons of your life. Until next time, be safe and be well.

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T. Lynn Tate, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

T. Lynn Tate, The Story Midwife and Wholeness Coach, is a Writer, Talk Show Host, 1 Amazon Best Selling Author, Empowerment Speaker, Certified Holistic Health Coach, and Founder of Qui 2 Life Media.

T. Lynn has over 20 years of experience serving the community with a background in youth outreach counseling, women’s empowerment, self-development, and holistic coaching. She started Qui 2 Life, a multi-media company for publishing and online production, with the intent to help tell stories of healing, wholeness, and authenticity through written and visual mediums. She is no doubt a story midwife for those who need help writing and sharing their stories.

T. Lynn is the host of Sip & Chat with T. Lynn and Penned The Writer’s Utopia. She is also a co-host on B to the 3rd Power. Currently, she serves as an Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine and a Global Female Empowerment Ambassador for ThinkNetwork, Europe’s 1 Empowerment platform.