Ever felt like your world is running a bit off the rails?

Maybe a health crisis, or an unexpected expense comes along…

Maybe the stresses of the holiday season have been demanding too much of your attention…

Or maybe, as has been the case with me, a super demanding work schedule has all but taken over.

It happens.

And sometimes it’s even ok. Sometimes, one part of your life NEEDS to draw most of your focus for a bit.

It’s when that bit lingers long enough that it begins to interfere with other bits that it’s time to step in.

Balance isn’t about all parts of your life getting equal attention.

It’s about staying present, allocating more of your time and attention to what matters most to you, and noticing when some part of that is off kilter so you can re-adjust.

If balance didn’t require re-adjustment it would be called something else.

When you remember that balance is something to live, not something you can achieve, it all gets a bit easier.

Try this:

1. NOTICE
Set a trip-wire for yourself. I have a little Ficus tree in my office. When my life is in relative balance, I take pretty good care of it . As soon as I see little yellow leaves on my desk, I know that I’ve probably been over-focused on work and neglecting other parts of my life.

2. BE KIND
Most of us tend to jump from NOTICE to ACT with a ration of guilt, blame or self-judgement baked in. “How did I do this to myself again???”
Shame-induced actions are often over-reactions that are usually not well suited to the current situation.
Tap into the way your body is feeling. Ask yourself, “what do I need right now?”

3. ACT
Commit to ONE SMALL ACTION. Don’t overdo it here – trust me – small actions add up.

I’d love to hear from you! Reach out and let me know what you’re doing to restore a little balance.

I’ll be knocking off work early this afternoon to do…NOTHING.