Finding the balance

About a month ago, I wrote a post about the act of dynamic balancing. I believe that before we start maintaining balance, we actually need to create a balance. Creating a life balance entails making choices about the ingredients we will use in our moment-to-moment balancing.

A good place to start is an examination of the different areas of life. Then, we can start allocating the portions that each area fulfills. Here is a suggested list:

• Career/Work - For most of us, this is our means of living, whether we love it or not, the fruits of this work sustain us. Since it has the most immediate and tangible results, we sometimes are tempted to give it the biggest portion.
  
• Friends & family - Our family and friends can be a great source of comfort and connection, as well being supportive through difficult times. We should be careful not to take them for granted.
  
• Community - The larger scale of giving and sharing comes to play here, whether helping someone across the street, or doing some volunteering work.
  
• Self development - This is where we invest in ourselves. The investment may be on an intellectual level, creative side, through hobbies, practices and study. This is the area that is dedicated to our internal self growth.
• Health - In this area we pay attention to what we eat, drink and take in, through our five senses. We become aware to what creates the most positive settings for our mental and physical health, and what should be given up, when it not in contribution to our well being.
  
• Spirituality - On the more subtle levels, this is where our vision and our outlook stems from. Whether the framework is praying in a congregation, or a solo meditation - we find our inner power and connection in these spaces.
  
• Doing nothing - Lastly, each of us needs time alone, as I mentioned in my last post about Aloneness. This is when we recharge and connect with ourselves, and our purpose. Spending time alone helps us re-enter the world feeling refreshed and connected. This is our "Off time", or the way the Italians call it: "Il Dolce Far Niente" ("sweetness of doing nothing"). This is truly an art, and here are a couples of ways to do it: First, finding a place to relax in. Disconnecting all distractions (cell, computer, PDA and such). Eyes closed. Breathing. Or, simply enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, tasting fresh bread, or sipping soup on a Winter day. If outside in nature, just looking around, listening, smelling and touching. Feeling the wind, the sun, or the rain drops.
  

Now take a close look at each thing on the list, and consider: How does this give my life value? How important is it to me? Is it in line with my life priorities and values? How would it affect my life if I dropped out? Does this further my life goals? Does it make me happy?
This is a partial list for some people, for others it contains too many areas. Choose for yourself; what time will be dedicated to each domain, and go ahead and commit to it. Trying it for a few weeks will provide a good idea of how much balancing is needed in order to keep a commitment to your life of choice. After a while, make your tweaks and adjustments - and as you do the balancing act, remember: Consistency is your friend...