A few weeknights ago, I had a rather long conversation with my good friend L over coffee. It had been awhile since we last sat down for a good chat and do what girls do best: discuss our feelings and/ or catch up on gossips. With her, it’s easy to let the night slip by without any of us batting an eyelash.
We swapped stories about what we’re up to these days— her exciting involvement in military boot camp workouts and the hotelier ventures which she manage for work; the screenwriting projects I’d taken up in recent months and my new found love for the kitchen. Of course, we also complained about the lack of sleep we get at times due to the nature of our jobs and the difficulty of scheduling more coffee breaks with friends, again, because of such workload.
Which, naturally, brought us to the subject of finding balance.
Many of us would agree how important this concept seems to be in tackling modern living. Finding balance in life is the act of harmonizing work, relationships, personal activities and also spiritual well-being. Experiencing life, coupled with a few quiet sessions of self-reflection, seems to be the key to be leveled and calm.
But the real question is not ‘what’ finding balance is all about but rather ‘how’. Being grounded in life seems very much like an age-old mystery that many have tried to decipher yet not find the answer. As much as I’m vouching for the idea of reclaiming our weekends and finding pleasure in the simplest things, I do fall into the ‘grind’ trap from time to time.
As I found out, through that said friend, this particular crunch plagues many of us. While we may not get the perfect touch, it’s always conceivable for us to take a deep breath and just figure out a schedule that works best for us. The key to doing this is to make minor adjustments that are positive and gradually build on the newly-acquired habits. Some of the advice I’d read on seem to prioritize on making time, first and foremost, with yourself. The best suggestions that struck a chord in me, however, were two simple ones:
Use this time to reflect, meditate, pray. Doing this detaches you from all the worries and deadweight of the day. For once, you’re breathing and realizing just that. Nothing is more restorative than that.
Speaking of detachments, disconnecting from technology once a week seems to be a pivotal move in balancing ourselves. The act is unimaginable but the beauty behind it lies in the chances for us to re-connect with the loved ones mentioned above— our family, our lover, our friends and ourselves— through more tangible means.
Liberating ideas, don’t you think? I’m currently looking at ways to weave these suggestions more into the fabric of my life. Having this balance allows you and I to take productive actions and move forward to fulfill our objectives or purposes for as much time as we have on earth. And time, as we know it, is fleeting. Thus, the challenge to finding that balance begins now.
