Balance. It’s just the right mix of the dirty and the martini, the spaghetti and the meatballs, the hot fudge and the sundae. Right?!

Or to be more legit, but not quite as deliciously descriptive (in my humble opinion), three definitions from Merriam-Webster:

1. an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements
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2. stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis
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3. mental and emotional steadiness

While Webster didn’t exactly provide the definitions in this format, it definitely adds up. When we can balance the different aspects of our lives (children, love life, work, family obligations, spiritual/religious time, chores, pets, returning phone calls, texts, and tweets, paying bills, and oh yes, relaxing), we will have mental and emotional steadiness.

Ha!

Is it possible to find a way for the scales of our life to teeter gently up and down at center instead of swinging drastically out of whack?

“Go, find balance. Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better. Understand?—Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid

What is balance?? It’s something we all talk about, but perhaps it’s nothing more than an illusion. As a woman who is also a mother, I can say that it has been very difficult to maintain what society believes to be a balanced life, and to feel valued. The not so subliminal societal expectations that women can or should ‘do it all’ are constantly lurking above. Professional success (annual income) seems to always weigh more heavily on the scale. This creates a sense of imbalance…from the outside.

Hence, I feel that balance must come from the inside, despite messages from the media or even our nearest and dearest. When my kids were young, I discovered that I needed to get my butt back on stage to feed my passion. I succeeded by doing regional theatre and was finally flying at a comfortable altitude, until my husband asked, “When are you going to start getting paid for this?” Needle in balloon. Balance averted.

Forget struggling for balance/societal acceptance. There is no way that we can feel a sense of calm if we’re always trying to satisfy others…whether we are women trying to be everything to everybody, or men trying to be strong, yet sensitive providers.

Look inside yourself. We human beings come equipped with an internal barometer. When your barometer is in balance, you’ll know. If something doesn’t feel right, pay attention, no matter what anyone says.

What is balance? For me, it is giving ourselves permission to be authentically who we are. Find what makes you happy, and figure out a way to incorporate that into your life, whether you make money from it or not. Respect your internal barometer, and provide yourself with a sense of equilibrium. Perhaps if we do, there would be a shift creating a more universal feeling of alignment and harmony.

I welcome any thoughts or comments you may have!